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To increase the effectiveness of using typical biomass waste as a resource, iridoids, chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids from the waste biomass of Eucommia ulmoides leaves (EULs) were extracted by deep eutectic solvents (DESs) in conjunction with macroporous resin. To optimize the extract conditions, the experiment of response surface was employed with the single-factor of DES composition molar ratio, liquid–solid ratio, water percentage, extraction temperature, and extraction time. The findings demonstrated that the theoretical simulated extraction yield of chlorogenic acid (CGA), geniposidic acid (GPA), aucubin (AU), geniposide (GP), rutin (RU), and isoquercetin (IQU) were 42.8, 137.2, 156.7, 5.4, 13.5, and 12.8 mg/g, respectively, under optimal conditions (hydrogen bond donor–hydrogen bond acceptor molar ratio of 1.96, liquid–solid ratio of 28.89 mL/g, water percentage of 38.44%, temperature of 317.36 K, and time of 55.59 min). Then, 12 resins were evaluated for their adsorption and desorption capabilities for the target components, and the HPD950 resin was found to operate at its optimum. Additionally, the HPD950 resin demonstrated significant sustainability and considerable potential in the recyclability test. Finally, the hypoglycemic in vitro, hypolipidemic in vitro, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory effects of EUL extract were evaluated, and the correlation analysis of six active components with biological activity and physicochemical characteristics of DESs by heatmap were discussed. The findings of this study can offer a theoretical foundation for the extraction of valuable components by DESs from waste biomass, as well as specific utility benefits for the creation and development of natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agomelatine (AGM), is efficacious in both the acute phase and the continuation phase of depression. However, its poor water-solubility, low bioavailability and polymorphism limit its pharmacological effects. To address these problems, agomelatine-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex (AGM/HPβ-CD) was prepared successfully by freeze-drying. The products was evaluated by structural characterization, solubilization test, in-situ absorption of rat intestinal tract and pharmacokinetic study. In addition, thermodynamic studies were performed, the results indicated that the inclusion process was enthalpy-determined and exothermic nature of complexation, signifying the role of steric interactions in complex formation. Molecular docking of AGM with HPβ-CD has been conducted as well to verify the experimental findings and predict the stable molecular structure of the inclusion complex. The in vivo data showed that, AGM was mainly absorbed in duodenum and jejunum by passive diffusion. AGM/HPβ-CD inclusion complex displayed earlier T max and higher C max, and the AUC 0-12h was approximately twice larger than its physical mixture. These results suggested that AGM/HPβ-CD inclusion complex was established with 1:1 stoichiometry through the naphthalene group of AGM and it was deeply inserted into the cavity of HPβ-CD, and the inclusion complex could significantly enhance the oral bioavailability of AGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignanoids are an active ingredient exerting powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of many diseases. In order to improve the efficiency of the resource utilization of traditional Chinese medicine waste, Magnolia officinalis Rehder & E.H.Wilson residue (MOR) waste biomass was used as raw material in this study, and a series of deep eutectic solvents (ChUre, ChAce, ChPro, ChCit, ChOxa, ChMal, ChLac, ChLev, ChGly and ChEG) were selected to evaluate the extraction efficiency of lignanoids from MORs. The results showed that the best conditions for lignanoid extraction were a liquid–solid ratio of 40.50 mL/g, an HBD-HBA ratio of 2.06, a water percentage of 29.3%, an extract temperature of 337.65 K, and a time of 107 min. Under these conditions, the maximum lignanoid amount was 39.18 mg/g. In addition, the kinetics of the extraction process were investigated by mathematic modeling. In our antioxidant activity study, high antioxidant activity of the lignanoid extract was shown in scavenging four different types of free radicals (DPPH, ·OH, ABTS, and superoxide anions). At a concentration of 3 mg/mL, the total antioxidant capacity of the lignanoid extract was 1.795 U/mL, which was equal to 0.12 mg/mL of Vc solution. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity study found that the lignanoid extract exhibited good antibacterial effects against six tested pathogens. Among them, Staphylococcus aureus exerted the strongest antibacterial activity. Eventually, the correlation of the lignanoid extract with the biological activity and physicochemical properties of DESs is described using a heatmap, along with the evaluation of the in vitro hypoglycemic, in vitro hypolipidemic, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activity of the lignanoid extract. These findings can provide a theoretical foundation for the extraction of high-value components from waste biomass by deep eutectic solvents, as well as highlighting its specific significance in natural product development and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic dyes are widely used in many important areas, but they also bring many issues for water pollution. To address the above issues, a reconstructed kaolinite hybrid compound (γ-AlOOH@A-Kaol) was obtained from raw kaolinite (Kaol) in this work. The product was then characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the absorption properties of γ-AlOOH@A-Kaol for congo red were further studied. The results demonstrated that flower-like γ-AlOOH with nanolamellae were uniformly loaded on the surface of acid-treated Kaol with a porous structure (A-Kaol). In addition, the surface area (36.5 m2/g), pore volume (0.146 cm3/g), and pore size (13.0 nm) of γ-AlOOH@A-Kaol were different from those of A-Kaol (127.4 m2/g, 0.127 cm3/g, and 4.28 nm, respectively) and γ-AlOOH (34.1 m2/g, 0.315 cm3/g, and 21.5 nm, respectively). The unique structure could significantly enhance the sorption capacity for congo red, which could exceed 1000 mg/g. The reasons may be ascribed to the abundant groups of -OH, large specific surface area, and porous structure of γ-AlOOH@A-Kaol. This work provides an efficient route for comprehensive utilization and production of Kaol-based compound materials that could be used in the field of environmental conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a biomass composite material (CS@NC@PA-Na) was prepared from chitosan (CS), nano-cellulose (NC) and sodium phytate (PA-Na). The prepared products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The fire/water safety and antimicrobial properties of the CS@NC@PA-Na were fully studied. The results indicated CS@NC@PA-Na (50 mg) could effectively reduce the concentration of methyl orange by 85 % under 30 min adsorption. Meanwhile, only 5 wt% CS@NC@PA-Na could increase the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of epoxy resin composite from 24.5 to 30.1 %, and decrease the peak heat/smoke release rate by 29.5 and 33.3 %, respectively. Moreover, CS@NC@PA-Na also exhibited excellent antibacterial effect. This work provides an efficient, feasible and eco-friendly route for large-scale production of multi-functional CS-based biomass materials that could be used in the fields of fire safety and environmental conservation. • A biomass material (CS@NC@PA-Na) was designed and prepared. • Possible structure characterization of CS@NC@PA-Na was deeply analyzed. • CS@NC@PA-Na shown multi-functional in the field of fire safety and environmental. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a bio-based material (CGP) is obtained by combing chitosan, gelatin and polyvinyl alcohol through a simple solution mixing to simultaneously address polylactic acid film (PLA)' flammability and poor barrier, toughness and antibacterial properties by soaking. The results of open fire testing show that modified PLA films can effectively prolong the combustion time, improve the thermal stability and reduce the release of heat in the cone calorimeter test. For the PLA sample after soaking for 5 times (PLA-5) in particular, it can reduce the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) values to 85.8 kW/m2 and 1.3 MJ/m2 from the values of 129.5 kW/m2 and 1.8 MJ/m2 for PLA, respectively. Structural analysis suggests that CGP primarily operates in the condensed phase by forming physical barriers. Meanwhile, the modified PLA films can exhibit superior barrier effects, which indicate the oxygen transmission rate value of PLA-5 decreases to 0.9 cm3/(m2·day) from the 392.5 cm3/(m2·day) of raw PLA film. Moreover, the PLA-5 also have excellent toughness (the value increased to 200.5 % from 31.0 %) and persistent antibacterial effects (it still has 100 % sterilization after 500 days). • A bio-based multi-functional coating (CGP) was fabricated and coated on the PLA film. • CGP (average thickness was 1.26 μm) could as a fire shield for underlying substrates. • The flame-retardant mechanism was deeply studied of PLA-5. • PLA-5 strain was obviously enhanced vis-à-vis PLA, and the reason was deeply studied. • CGP can endow PLA with excellent properties of barrier and persistent antibacterial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the underutilized Camellia oleifera oil extraction wastes, namely C. oleifera shell (COS) and cake (COC), which are often overlooked due to their high recalcitrance and antimicrobial properties. COS was found to be an ideal substrate for producing on-site enzymes through solid-state fermentation (SSF) that can be used for lignocellulosic biomass degradation. Additionally, pretreating COS with 2 % (w/v) oxalic acid greatly enhanced sugar production, achieving 9.22 and 5.24 times more sugar compared to room temperature and thermal pretreatment methods, respectively. The highest sugar of 28 g/L was achieved by utilizing a mixture of COS and COC. Enzymatic hydrolysis performance was evaluated through three routes. In the first two routes, the whole pretreated slurry was employed, except the pH was adjusted in route 2. In route 3, the pretreated hydrolysate was recovered, while the solid residue underwent further enzymatic hydrolysis. Ultimately, route 3 resulted in the highest sugar of 20.58 g/L, using SSF enzymes and oxalic acid pretreated solid residues of COS and COC mixture. This value is twice the performance achieved using a single substrate of COS. The fine-tuning strategy employed in route 3 led to (1) achieving high sugar recovery from pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, (2) minimizing water and alkaline regulator consumption, and (3) optimizing resource utilization efficiency. The effectiveness of this approach was also attributed to the synergistic effect of oxalic acid pretreatment and the use of mixed substrate. The possible mechanisms underlying these processes were discussed, offering potential directions for future studies aimed at developing even more efficient approaches. [Display omitted] • C. oleifera oil extraction wastes were converted into fermentable feedstocks. • COS is ideal substrate for producing lignocellulose degrading enzymes through SSF. • Utilization of oxalic acid and mixed substrate maximize sugar in hydrolysis. • Oxalic acid pretreatment of mixed COS & COC generated 28 g/L sugar. • Enzymatic hydrolysis of mixed COS & COC pretreated solids resulted 20.58 g/L sugar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) is widely applied in many important fields, but its broader utility is impeded by its flammability. To address this problem, the pre-acidified kaolinite (AKaol) by sulfuric acid was further dealt with TiO 2 loading and Zn2+ doping to obtain Zn/TiO 2 @AKaol to improve the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of EVA composites containing intumescent flame retardants (IFR) typically. The results showed that the addition of 1 wt% Zn/TiO 2 @AKaol improved the flame retardancy and reduced the smoke release of EVA/IFR composite. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of the EVA/IFR composite containing Zn/TiO 2 @AKaol increased to 32.7 % from 27.3 % of EVA/IFR composite. In the cone calorimeter test (CCT), the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) values were reduced to 297.5 kW/m2 and 98.8 MJ/m2 from the 409.9 kW/m2 and 109.3 MJ/m2 of EVA/IFR composite, respectively. Meanwhile, the values of total smoke production (TSP) in the CCT and smoke density tests in building materials were reduced to 13.5 m2 and 33.39 % of EVA/IFR/Zn/TiO 2 @AKaol composite from 18.4 m2 and 63.91 % of EVA/IFR composite, respectively. Based on the mechanism analysis, it was proposed that Zn/TiO 2 @AKaol not only promoted the production of P· in advance, but also increased a cross-linked structure char in the condensed phase to achieve flame retardancy and smoke suppression of EVA composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceaseless growth in human population led to high demand in everything. Currently, the world largely depends on petroleum-based "all material synthesis" scheme. On the other hand, depletion of fossil-based resources and their huge impact on environmental pollution have forced us to search for sustainable and eco-friendly alternative resources. In this context, the notion to utilize waste biomass could possibly provide environmental and economic benefits. This study was carefully designed to critically review state of the art in the transformation of waste biomass into value-added products. Even though extensive reviews on biomass utilization have been published in the past few years, the current study basically focused on new trends and prospective in this area. Here, global biomass potential, research developments and practices, novel biomass transformation approaches, and future perspectives were broadly discussed. More importantly, in addition to revising published researches, already implemented and ongoing large-scale projects on valorization of waste biomass have been assessed. Therefore, this study is believed to give crucial information on the current status and future direction of waste biomass utilization so as to accomplish the quest towards green economy. Key Points • Huge biomass potential and dramatically increase in R&D trends on waste biomass. • Selection of appropriate waste biomass valorization techniques. • Development of efficient and feasible waste biomass transformation technology. • Coproduction of low-value, high-volume and high-value, low volume products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) are limited by the selectivity of photosensitizer (PS). Herein, a novel tumor-targeted drug-PS conjugate (Gan-ZnPc) which integrated with zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and Ganetespib has been developed. ZnPc is a promising PS with remarkable photosensitization ability. Ganetespib is a heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor with preferential tumor selectivity and conjugated to ZnPc as a tumor-targeted ligand. The multifunctional small molecule conjugate, Gan-ZnPc, could be bound to extracellular Hsp90 and then selectively internalized into the tumor cells, followed by the generation of abundant intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon irradiation. Besides, Gan-ZnPc can arrest cell proliferation and induce apoptosis by the inhibition of Hsp90. Herein, with combination of the inhibition of Hsp90 and the generation of cytotoxic ROS, Gan-ZnPc implements tumor selectivity, concentrated PDT and chemotherapy in a synergistic manner, which results in highly effective anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By growing molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) on the surface of acidified kaolinite (A-Kaol) to obtain MoS 2 @A-Kaol compounds, which effectively suppressed the toxic smoke and soot, enhanced thermal stability and ageing resistance of the epoxy resin (EP). In the cone calorimetry test, the total smoke production (TSP) reached 3917.6 m2; while the TSP value decreased to 2575.5 m2 after adding 3 wt% MoS 2 @A-Kaol; MoS 2 @A-Kaol slowed down the mass loss and promoted the char residue of EP composite increased to 11.3%. In TGA test, the temperature of 50% mass loss (T 50%) was postponed from 388 °C to 414 °C and the residue increased to 8.7% after adding 3 wt% MoS 2 @A-Kaol, indicating the thermal degradation of the EP was postponed and its thermal stability was improved. The released smoke and soot were filtrated by a non-woven PP fabric, which documented MoS 2 @A-Kaol reduced the toxic aromatic volatiles. The tensile and impact strength of the EP was mostly kept by 3 wt% MoS 2 @A-Kaol after UV ageing for 72 h. Based on all the results, the smoke suppression and anti-ageing mechanism was disclosed. This work provided a feasible solution to improve the comprehensive properties of EP with low amount of filler. [Display omitted] • A novel kaolinite-based hybrid MoS 2 @A-Kaol was prepared by hydrothermal method. • Smoke toxicity suppression and anti-ageing for EP composites were improved. • In Cone test, the total heat and smoke release was ≥30% reduced by the 3% filler. • The volatile components of EP and its control groups during combustion were analyzed. • Fire retardancy and anti-ageing mechanism of EP composites was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the peculiarity of the bone microstructure, the uptake of chemotherapeutics often happens at non-targeted sites, which induces side effects. In order to solve this problem, we designed a bone-targeting drug delivery system that can release drug exclusively in the nidus of the bone. Alendronate (ALN), which has a high ability to target to hydroxyapatite, was used to fabricate double ALN-conjugated poly (ethylene glycol) 2000 material (ALN-PEG 2k -ALN). The ALN-PEG 2k -ALN was characterized using 1 H NMR and 31 P NMR and FTIR. ALN-PEG 2k -ALN-modified calcium phosphate nanoparticles (APA-CPNPs) with an ALN targeting moiety and hydrophilic poly (ethylene glycol) arms tiled on the surface was prepared for bone-targeted drug delivery. The distribution of ALN-PEG 2k -ALN was tested by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Isothermal titration calorimetry data indicated that similar to free ALN, both ALN-PEG 2k -ALN and APA-CPNPs can bind to calcium ions. The bone-binding ability of APA-CPNPs was verified via ex vivo imaging of bone fragments. An in vitro release experiment demonstrated that APA-CPNPs can release drug faster in an acid environment than a neutral environment. Cell viability experiments indicated that blank APA-CPNPs possessed excellent biocompatibility with normal cells. Methotrexate (MTX) loaded APA-CPNPs have the same ability to inhibit cancer cells as free drug at high concentrations, while they are slightly weaker at low concentrations. All of these experiments verified the prospective application of APA-CPNPs as a bone-targeting drug delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel integrated intumescent flame retardant was synthesized by Tris, CNC and APP. • At total filler amount of 10%, the EP passed UL-94 V-0 level, with a LOI of 36.1. • In CONE test, the total heat and smoke release was ≥50% reduced by the 10% filler. • After UV aging test, the decrease of tensile and impact strength was ≤20%. A novel integrated charring agent was designed by reaction of 2,4-N-Tris (hydroxymethyl) methyl aminomethane (Tris), cyanuric chloride (CNC), and ammonium polyphosphate (APP). The obtained product Tris-CNC-APP were used with a synergistic agent of MoS 2 @Acid-Kaol (molybdenum disulfide grafted on the acidified kaolinite) together in epoxy resin (EP) to reduce the fire hazard and inhibit the release smoke. After adding 7%Tris-CNC-APP/3% MoS 2 @Acid-Kaol, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the EP sample was 36.1%, and the sample passed UL-94 V-0 rating. In the cone calorimeter test, the total heat release (THR) and total smoke release (TSP) were about half reduced compared with the control EP sample. The tensile strength of the control EP sample reached 56.5 MPa; and the impact strength was 3.1 KJ/m2. After 340 nm UV irradiation at 60 °C for 72 h, the tensile strength and impact strength decreased to 25.7 MPa and 0.6 KJ/m2, respectively, so that the aging EP sample became very brittle. However, for the sample containing 7%Tris-CNC-APP/3%MoS 2 @Acid-Kaol, the tensile strength was 43.3 MPa and the impact strength was 2.2 KJ/m2 after same UV aging. The reason was ascribed to the MoS 2 @A-Kaol and Tris-CNC-APP adsorbed some ultraviolet radiation, the EP was protected from UV aging. This work provided a feasible solution to reach high flame retardant grade and durable mechanical performance of EP products used outdoors with low filler loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]