Exploring luminescent carbon dots derived from syrup bottle waste and curcumin for potential antimicrobial and bioimaging applications.

In this study, we utilized a navel hybrid material, prepared by fusing fluorescent Carbon Dots SyCDs, derived from syrup bottles, with curcumin. This innovative approach not only offers significant advancements in antimicrobial activity and bioimaging but also represents a stride in sustainable and eco-friendly nanotechnology. The core of our study is the development of an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally conscious method for synthesizing SyCDs. This is achieved by repurposing waste syrup bottles, thus addressing the pressing issue of plastic waste. The incorporation of curcumin, renowned for its biological properties, enhances the luminescent characteristics of SyCDs and augments their functionality. This combination overcomes the inherent limitations of curcumin when used in isolation. The hybrid material exhibits enhanced antimicrobial properties and proves to be a potent alternative to conventional fluorescent dyes for bioimaging, marking a substantial leap in the field of sustainable nanomaterials. Our work not only demonstrates the versatile applications of luminescent SyCDs in health and environmental science but also underscores the potential of sustainable approaches in addressing global environmental challenges. This study, represents a significant contribution to the domain of sustainable nanotechnology, highlighting the transformative power of integrating waste management with advanced material science.

Augmentin loaded functionalized halloysite nanotubes: A sustainable emerging nanocarriers for biomedical applications.

Clay minerals such as Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), abundantly available green nanomaterial, exhibit a significant advantage in biomedical applications such as drug delivery, antibacterial and antimicrobials, tissue engineering or regeneration, etc. Because of the mesoporous structure and high absorbability, HNTs exhibit great potential as a nanocarrier in drug delivery applications. The sulfuric acid treatment enhances the surface area of the HNTs and thereby improves their drug-loading capacity by enlarging their lumen space/inner diameter. In the present investigation, based on the literature that supports the efficacy of drug loading after acid treatment, a dual treatment was performed to functionalize the HNTs surface. First, the HNTs were etched and functionalized using sulfuric acid. The acid-functionalized HNTs underwent another treatment using (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) to better interact the drug molecules with the HNTs surfaces for efficient drug loading. Augmentin, a potential drug molecule of the penicillin group, was used for HNTs loading, and their antibacterial properties, cytotoxicity, and cumulative drug release (%) were evaluated. Different characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR), confirm the loading of Augmentin to the APTES@Acid HNTs. TEM images confirm the effective loading of the drug molecule with the HNTs. The drug encapsulation efficiency shows 40.89%, as confirmed by the Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Also, the Augmentin-loaded APTES@Acid HNTs exhibited good antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus and low cytotoxicity, as confirmed by the MTT assay. The drug release studies confirmed the sustainable release of Augmentin from the APTES@Acid HNTs. Hence, the treated HNTs can be considered as a potential nanocarrier for effectively delivering Augmentin and promoting enhanced therapeutic benefits.

Zn salts incorporated polyurethane/polyacrylonitrile electrospinning fiber membrane for high porosity polymer electrolyte in Zn ion battery.

So far, a large variety of polymer molecule architectures have been explored in the electrolyte field. Polymer electrolytes have gathered research efforts as an interesting alternative to conventional liquid electrolytes due to their advantages of low probability of leakage and low volatility of liquid solvent, lightweight, flexibility, inertness, high durability, and thermal stability. In this work, a polymer electrolyte developed from a polyurethane/polyacrylonitrile (PU/PAN) electrospinning fiber membrane was added with different zinc (Zn) salts, namely, Zn(CH3CO2)2, ZnSO4, and Zn(OTf)2. The samples with the Zn salt presented many different properties; especially, the high Zn(OTf)2 sample showed gradually bundle morphology in its structure. Characterization revealed improved properties in contact angle, water uptake, and thermal resistance. Namely, the 15 wt% Zn(OTf)2) sample exhibited an outstandingly high ionic conductivity of 3.671 mS cm-1, which is 10 times higher than that of the neat PU/PAN membrane.

Environmentally benign, bright luminescent carbon dots from IV bag waste and chitosan for antimicrobial and bioimaging applications.

Luminescent carbon dots have gained significant attention in various fields due to their unique optical properties and potential applications. Here, the study was aimed to propose a novel and sustainable approach for the synthesis of luminescent carbon dots (ICDs) using IV (Intravenous) medical bag waste. The ICDs were synthesized through a facile and cost-effective method that involved the carbonization of IV bag waste followed by surface functionalization with chitosan. The synthesized ICDs were characterized using UV-Visible spectrum (UV-Vis), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-Ray Diffraction analysis (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The size of the ICDs is between 2 and 8 nm. The ICDs effectively inhibited the growth of both gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains with the inhibitory activity in the range of 11-14 mm and 12-18 mm, respectively. Results of antibiofilm activity of ICDs varying concentrations (50 and 100 µg/ml) showed that it effectively distorted the biofilm architecture and thereby validated its promising potentials. In vitro antioxidant activity showed remarkable DPPH radical scavenging potentials of ICDs (33.4%-70.1%). Results of MTT assay revealted that ICDs showed potent cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells in a dose dependant matter (25-400 µg/ml). Furthermore, when HeLa cells were excited at wavelengths of 380 nm, 440 nm and 540 nm, cell-imaging experiments using ICDs revealed the presence of blue, green, and red fluorescence. This innovative method not only addresses the issue of IV bag waste in a sustainable manner but also opens up exciting possibilities for the advancement of versatile carbon-based materials in the field of biomedicine.

Sustainable functionalized chitosan based nano-composites for wound dressings applications: A review.

Functionalized chitosan nanocomposites have been studied for wound dressing applications due to their excellent antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Polysaccharides show excellent antibacterial and drug-release properties and can be utilized for wound healing. In this article, we comprise distinct approaches for chitosan functionalization, such as photosensitizers, dendrimers, graft copolymerization, quaternization, acylation, carboxyalkylation, phosphorylation, sulfation, and thiolation. The current review article has also discussed brief insights on chitosan nanoparticle processing for biomedical applications, including wound dressings. The chitosan nanoparticle preparation technologies have been discussed, focusing on wound dressings owing to their targeted and controlled drug release behavior. The future directions of chitosan research include; a) finding an effective solution for chronic wounds, which are unable to heal completely; b) providing effective wound healing solutions for diabetic wounds and venous leg ulcers; c) to better understanding the wound healing mechanism with such materials which can help provide the optimum solution for wound dressing; d) to provide an improved treatment option for wound healing.

Waste paper derived three-dimensional carbon aerogel integrated with ceria/nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide as freestanding anode for high performance and durable microbial fuel cells.

Despite the green energy generation with low cost compared to conventional fuel cells, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) still suffer with anode related constraints including laborious pretreatment and modification process of conventional electrodes, limited bacterial loading capacity, and inferior extracellular electron transfer efficiency. Accordingly, this investigation explores the waste tissue paper derived three dimensional (3D) carbon aerogel (CA) integrated with cerium dioxide (CeO2) nanotubes decorated nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (NRGO) as a competent anode to address these technical complements. The direct growth of NRGO and CeO2 over CA in the form of freestanding and binder-free NRGO/CeO2(1:2)/CA alleviates the significant constrains of conventional anode fabrication. The 3D hierarchical architectures of CA with open porous structure provide easy access of bacteria, thus increases the bacterial colonies per unit volume. Furthermore, the hydrogen bonding between the interfacial oxygen atoms of CeO2 and lysine residues of the cytochrome c in bacteria yields excellent extracellular electron transfer efficiency. The electrostatic interaction between the NRGO and bacteria cells improves the bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, leading to the compact biofilm formation for the improved direct electron transference. With the profits of above, the MFC with NRGO/CeO2(1:2)/CA demonstrates a maximum power output and good lifespan performances. The present exploration facts thus access advanced avenues to converting waste matters of tissue paper, human urine, and wastewater into profitable constituents for the development of efficient and durable power producing systems.

Enhanced Extracellular Polysaccharide Production and Self-Sustainable Electricity Generation for PAMFCs by Scenedesmus sp. SB1.

In this study, a freshwater microalga, Scenedesmus sp. SB1, was isolated, purified, and identified by its internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). Media optimization through the Plackett-Burman Design and response surface methodology (RSM) showed a maximum exopolysaccharide (EPS) production of 48 mg/L (1.8-fold higher than that for unoptimized media). Characterization using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis reveals that the EPS is a sulfated pectin polysaccharide with a crystallinity index of 15.2% and prompt thermal stability. Furthermore, the photoelectrogenic activity of Scenedesmus sp. SB1 inoculated in BG-11 and RSM-optimized BG-11 (ROBG-11) media was tested by cyclic voltammogram studies, revealing the potential of the inoculated strain in ROBG-11 toward photosynthetic algal microbial fuel cells over normal BG-11. To the best of our knowledge, functional group characterization, physical and thermal property and media optimization for EPS production by RSM and electrogenic activity studies are reported for the first time in Scenedesmus sp. SB1.