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The development of new approaches for pesticide delivery is a most relevant subject in the area of crop protection, which typically involves relatively high pesticide dosing combined with low deposition and limited biosafety. Herein, we investigate a pesticide carrier system based on plant-derived, eco-friendly cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) modified with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and tannic acid (TA). A broad-spectrum and widely used pesticide, fenitrothion (XCM), was shown to bind to the carrier through hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions and Cu2+ coordination, enabling pH-controlled delivery. The high axial aspect of CNCs and surface features endowed by β-CD binding facilitated contact and enhanced the deposition efficiency on the foliage. The tannic acid further improved wetting, adhesion and retention on leaves (1.8-fold higher than TA-free systems). The bioactivity tests showed efficient antifungal (74%) and insecticidal (97%) effects along with excellent biosafety, highlighting the introduced carrier for its promise in the area of pesticide delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When compared with traditional petroleum-based materials, bio-based materials show greater application potential in the field of biomedicine owing to the good biocompatibility, in specifical, the application of natural macromolecular polymers in chemotherapeutics has become a hot topic in anticancer treatment. In this study, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were selected as carriers, and Au nanoparticles (NPs) were directly conjugated on their surface, with the highly reactive Cu2+ ions serving as an ion–ligand bridge, to construct a multifunctional nanocatalyst. These findings suggest that the nanosystem delivers a large amount of highly reactive Cu2+ ions (3.75 wt%) and DOX (7.71 wt%) by the surface loading of cellulose nanocrystals, which greatly improves ROS yield and promotes the application of the Fenton reaction system in cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A biocompatible ROS generator for efficient chemodynamic therapy was developed. • The Fe3+ catalyzes H 2 O 2 to produce OH, which further leads to oxidative damage. • The DPA increased the adhesion to cells and the 5-ALA increased ROS production. • The loaded PTX was able to combine with ROS to efficiently kill tumor cells. Traditional therapeutic regimens are currently far from satisfactory, and the integration of biocompatible carbohydrate polymers and nanotechnologies with conventional therapeutics has become a focus of research in cancer therapy. Herein, A novel biocompatible and pH-responsive nanohydrogel composed of two functional polymeric chains was developed from cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), or dopamine (DPA). The biological molecules PDA and ALA were respectively conjugated to CNC through the coordination of iron ions to form two functional polymeric chains (PDA/Fe@CNC and ALA/Fe@CNC). The PDA/Fe@CNC chain increased the adhesion of the nanohydrogels to cells, while the ALA/Fe@CNC chain significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, PTX molecules loaded into the nanohydrogels combined with ROS to efficiently kill tumor cells. The nanohydrogels displayed excellent cell affinity, high ROS yield (8.0-fold greater than that in control), and strong cytotoxicity (2.7 % of cell viability). The present study highlights the great potential of biocompatible natural polysaccharide-based materials for biomedical applications, and provides a new strategy for reducing the toxicity and side effects associated with traditional chemotherapy, demonstrating a novel antitumor treatment paradigm with high-efficiency but with only minor side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rising living standards and environmental awareness, materials-oriented chemical engineering has increasingly transitioned from traditional rough models to more resource-saving and eco-friendly models, providing an avenue for bio-based materials in the drug carrier field. Because of its excellent physical and chemical properties, including high specific surface area, abundant accessible hydroxyl groups, biocompatibility, and degradability, nanocellulose (NC) is an emerging bio-based material that has been widely exploited as biomedical materials. The modification techniques of NC, as well as advancements in the design and applications of drug carriers, were primarily discussed in this study. First, the NC modification methods are described; second, the applications of NC and its derivatives as drug carriers are summarized, focusing on NC-based carrier models, types of loaded therapeutic agents, and controlled release stimulators; and finally, the current challenges of NC in the drug carrier field and the directions of future research are also discussed. Scheme 1. Recent advances in nanocellulose-based drug carriers including modification methods, carrier models, types of loaded therapeutic agents, and controlled release stimulators are comprehensively summarized. [Display omitted] • A comprehensive review of nanocellulose-based carriers is presented. • Surface modification of nanocellulose through various strategies is summarized. • Classification of nanocellulose-based carriers and types of cargo are introduced. • The stimuli-responsive switches of nanocellulose-based carriers are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The sulfonated cellulose nanocrystals/sodium alginate (SCNCs/SA) beads prepared with excellent adsorbing force as matrine adsorbents was developed. • The adsorbent offers enhanced stability, efficiency, sustainability and biocompatibility. • The underlying mechanisms between matrine and adsorbents were demonstrated. Matrine is a type of alkaloid found in plants, exhibiting a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities. The process of separating and purifying matrine poses challenges due to its low concentration and frequent presence in mixtures during raw extraction. This work aims at synthesizing suitable adsorbents for efficient separation and purification of matrine from plant materials. The sulfonated cellulose nanocrystals/sodium alginate beads (SCNCs/SA) were synthesized by the ionic gelation method, characterized and investigated for the adsorption of matrine from water. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of SCNCs/SA beads for matrine at 298 K was approximately 55.66 mg/g. The adsorption enthalpy, entropy, and free energy of matrine on the SCNCs/SA beads were evaluated, indicating that the adsorption process was spontaneous, exothermic, and primarily driven by physisorption. 95 % of the adsorption equilibrium could be achieved within 60 min, and approximately 20 bed volumes of an 80 % (v/v) ethanol aqueous solution for effective recovery. The adsorption isotherms are analyzed using both Langmuir and Freundlich models, the kinetic of adsorption using the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models, and the breakthrough curves using four breakthrough models. These results suggested that the rapid adsorption and effortless regeneration render SCNCs/SA beads as promising adsorbents for the efficient adsorption and separation of matrine from plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of nanomaterials to develop a system capable of regulating pesticide release in response to environmental cues, enhancing the deposition efficacy on plant leaves, and increasing resistance against rainwater erosion holds immense significance in improving the efficiency of pesticide usage while minimizing residual pollution. Cellulose-based green nanocomposites have emerged as a promising candidate for intelligent drug delivery systems. In this study, we had successfully developed a novel biocompatible interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) gel, named SPCs, by incorporating sodium alginate (SA), polydopamine (PDA), and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), and a stable gel-like network structure emulsion (MJ@SPCs) was achieved by coating the pesticide azoxystrobin (MJ). The resulting MJ@SPCs exhibited excellent pH responsiveness and temperature sensitivity. Compared to free MJ, MJ@SPCs exhibited improved foliar wettability, rain erosion resistance, deposition rate, and controlled release performance. The results of the bacteriostatic performance test indicated that MJ@SPCs exhibited a higher inhibitory efficiency against Gibperella zeae (GZ) than MJ at equivalent concentrations. Moreover, the in vivo biosafety evaluation of MJ@SPCs had confirmed its relative safety for aquatic zebrafish. This study offers insights into the potential applications of nanopesticides for sustainable plant protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]