Technological fundamentals of bacterial nanocellulose production from zero prime-cost feedstock.

The concept of manufacturing valuable bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) from plant raw materials having a zero prime cost is substantiated. The process flowsheet involves the chemical transformation of the feedstock to obtain a pulp; enzymatic hydrolysis of the pulp to furnish a solution of reducing sugars, chiefly glucose; preparation of a nutrient broth based on the enzymatic hydrolysate; biosynthesis of nanocellulose microfibrils by the symbiotic Medusomyces gisevii Sa-12 culture; and purification of BNC. BNC has for the first time been synthesized from oat hulls and has a high degree of crystallinity of 88 ± 5% and is composed of 99% Iα-allomorph.

Air detoxification with nanosize TiO2 aerosol tested on mice.

A method for fast air purification using high concentration aerosol of TiO(2) nanoparticles is evaluated in a model chemical catastrophe involving toxic vapors of diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP). Mice are used as human model in a closed 100 dm(3) chamber. Exposure of mice to 37 ppm of DFP vapor for 15 min resulted in acute poisoning. Spraying TiO(2) aerosol in 2 min after the start of exposure to DFP vapors resulted in quick removal of DFP vapors from the chamber's air. Animals did not show signs of poisoning after the decontamination experiment and exposure to TiO(2) aerosol alone. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant activity (AOA) of mice blood plasma were measured for animals exposed to sound of aerosol generator, DFP vapors, TiO(2) aerosol and DFP vapors+TiO(2) aerosol. Reduced ROS and increased AOA were found for mice exposure to sound, DFP and TiO(2) aerosol. Exposure to DFP and decontamination with TiO(2) nanoparticles resulted in decreased AOA in 48 h following the exposure. The results suggest that application of TiO(2) aerosol is a powerful method of air purification from toxic hydrolysable compounds with moderate health aftermaths and requires further study and optimization.