Mitigating Dietary Microplastic Accumulation and Oxidative Stress Response in European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Juveniles Using a Natural Microencapsulated Antioxidant.

Aquafeed's contamination by microplastics can pose a risk to fish health and quality since they can be absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and translocate to different tissues. The liver acts as a retaining organ with the consequent triggering of oxidative stress response. The present study aimed to combine the use of natural astaxanthin with natural-based microcapsules to counteract these negative side effects. European seabass juveniles were fed diets containing commercially available fluorescent microplastic microbeads (1-5 µm; 50 mg/kg feed) alone or combined with microencapsulated astaxanthin (AX) (7 g/kg feed; tested for half or whole feeding trial-30 or 60 days, respectively). Fish from the different dietary treatments did not evidence variations in survival and growth performance and did not show pathological alterations at the intestinal level. However, the microplastics were absorbed at the intestinal level with a consequent translocation to the liver, leading, when provided solely, to sod1, sod2, and cat upregulation. Interestingly, the dietary implementation of microencapsulated AX led to a mitigation of oxidative stress. In addition, the microcapsules, due to their composition, promoted microplastic coagulation in the fish gut, limiting their absorption and accumulation in all the tissues analyzed. These results were supported by in vitro tests, which demonstrated that the microcapsules promoted microplastic coagula formation too large to be absorbed at the intestinal level and by the fact that the coagulated microplastics were released through the fish feces.

Development and Evaluation of Microencapsulated Oregano Essential Oil as an Alternative Treatment for Candida albicans Infections.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is characterized as a very common fungal infection that significantly affects women's health worldwide. Essential oils (EOs) are currently being evaluated as an alternative therapy. The development of efficient techniques such as micro- or nanoencapsulation for protecting and controlling release is essential to overcome the limitations of EO applications. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and characterize oregano EO-loaded keratin microparticles (OEO-KMPs) as a potential treatment for VVC. OEO-KMPs were produced using high-intensity ultrasonic cycles and characterized in terms of morphological and physicochemical parameters. In vitro evaluation included assessing the toxicity of the OEO-KMPs and their effect against Candida albicans using microdilution and agar diffusion, while the activity against biofilm was quantified using colony forming units (CFU). The efficacy of the OEO-KMPs in an in vivo VVC mouse model was also studied. Female BALB/c mice were intravaginally infected with C. albicans, 24 h postinfection animals were treated intravaginally with 15 µL of OEO-KMPs and 24 h later vaginal fluid was analyzed for C. albicans and Lactobacillus growth (CFU mL-1). The results showed the stability of the OEO-KMPs over time, with high encapsulation efficiency and controlled release. This nanoparticle size facilitated penetration and completely inhibited the planktonic growth of C. albicans. In addition, an in vitro application of 2.5% of the OEO-KMPs eradicated mature C. albicans biofilms while preserving Lactobacillus species. In in vivo, a single intravaginal application of OEO-KMPs induced a reduction in C. albicans growth, while maintaining Lactobacillus species. In conclusion, this therapeutic approach with OEO-KMPs is promising as a potential alternative or complementary therapy for VVC while preserving vaginal microflora.

Impact of wall materials and DHA sources on the release, digestion and absorption of DHA microcapsules: Advancements, challenges and future directions.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid, offers significant health benefits but faces challenges such as distinct odor, oxidation susceptibility, and limited intestinal permeability, hindering its broad application. Microencapsulation, widely employed, enhances DHA performance by facilitating controlled release, digestion, and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Despite extensive studies on DHA microcapsules and related delivery systems, understanding the mechanisms governing encapsulated DHA release, digestion, and absorption, particularly regarding the influence of wall materials and DHA sources, remains limited. This review starts with an overview of current techniques commonly applied for DHA microencapsulation. It then proceeds to outline up-to-date advances in the release, digestion and absorption of DHA microcapsules, highlighting the roles of wall materials and DHA sources. Importantly, it proposes strategies for overcoming challenges and exploiting opportunities to enhance the bioavailability of DHA microcapsules. Notably, spray drying dominates DHA microencapsulation (over 90 % usage), while complex coacervation shows promise for future applications. The combination of proteins and carbohydrates or phospholipids as wall material exhibits potential in controlling release and digestion of DHA microcapsules. The source of DHA, particularly algal oil, demonstrates higher lipid digestibility and absorptivity of free fatty acids (FFAs) than fish oil. Future advancements in DHA microcapsule development include formulation redesign (e.g., using plant proteins as wall material and algal oil as DHA source), technique optimization (such as co-microencapsulation and pre-digestion), and creation of advanced in vitro systems for assessing DHA digestion and absorption kinetics.

Investigation of delivery mechanism of curcumin loaded in a core of zein with a double-layer shell of chitosan and alginate.

The pursuit of efficient drug delivery systems has led to innovative approaches such as matrix and core-shell structures. This study explores these systems with a focus on enhancing the delivery and stability of curcumin, a bioactive compound with therapeutic potential. Matrix systems using zein protein were fabricated through coaxial airflow extrusion with a vibration generator, while core-shell systems were produced using concentric nozzles. Double-layer reservoir systems were also formed by coating chitosan-shelled structures with an alginate solution. Encapsulation of curcumin within each system was confirmed through FTIR and optical microscope analysis, followed by efficiency evaluation, which was measured approximately 86.5 ± 0.7 % for the matrix systems and 90 ± 0.8 % for the core-shell systems. Moreover, the particle sizes of matrix systems were measured in the range of 2000-2100 mµ and the particle sizes of single-layer and double-layer reservoir systems were in the ranges of 1600-1700 mµ and 1500-1700 mµ, respectively. The study investigated the stability of curcumin in these systems under various environmental conditions, including exposure to light, heat, pH variations, ions, and storage. Results demonstrated that the presence of multiple layers significantly enhanced the drug's stability. Afterwards, swelling and drug release profiles were assessed in simulated gastric, intestinal, and colon fluids. The swelling of the matrix, single-layer and double-layer reservoir systems after 29 h were 127.4 %, 146.9 % and 144 %, respectively. The matrix system showed 68.7 % drug release after 29 h, whereas single-layer chitosan-shelled and double-layer chitosan/alginate-shelled reservoir systems released 51.8 % and 45.6 % of the drug, respectively. The release mechanism was explored using zero-order, Korsmeyer-Peppas, and Kopcha kinetic models. Comparative analysis of the experimental results and model fittings indicated a deviation from Fickian diffusion, with erosion becoming more pronounced with each additional layer. In conclusion, the system with a zein core and double-layer chitosan/alginate shell displayed effective drug release regulation and enhanced stability of curcumin, making it a promising candidate for efficient drug delivery.

Ionic Polymerization-Based Synthesis of Bioinspired Adhesive Hydrogel Microparticles with Tunable Morphologies from Microfluidics.

Shape-anisotropic hydrogel microparticles have attracted considerable attention for drug-delivery applications. Particularly, nonspherical hydrogel microcarriers with enhanced adhesive and circulatory abilities have demonstrated value in gastrointestinal drug administration. Herein, inspired by the structures of natural suckers, we demonstrate an ionic polymerization-based production of calcium (Ca)-alginate microparticles with tunable shapes from Janus emulsion for the first time. Monodispersed Janus droplets composed of sodium alginate and nongelable segments were generated using a coflow droplet generator. The interfacial curvatures, sizes, and production frequencies of Janus droplets can be flexibly controlled by varying the flow conditions and surfactant concentrations in the multiphase system. Janus droplets were ionically solidified on a chip, and hydrogel beads of different shapes were obtained. The in vitro and in vivo adhesion abilities of the hydrogel beads to the mouse colon were investigated. The anisotropic beads showed prominent adhesive properties compared with the spherical particles owing to their sticky hydrogel components and unique shapes. Finally, a novel computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM) coupling simulation was used to evaluate particle migration and contact forces theoretically. This review presents a simple strategy to synthesize Ca-alginate particles with tunable structures that could be ideal materials for constructing gastrointestinal drug delivery systems.

Reflectivity and Angular Anisotropy of Liquid Crystal Microcapsules with Different Particle Sizes by Complex Coalescence.

Cholesteric liquid crystal microcapsules (CLCMs) are used to improve the stability of liquid crystals while ensuring their stimulus response performance and versatility, with representative applications such as sensing, anticounterfeiting, and smart fabrics. However, the reflectivity and angular anisotropy decrease because of the anchoring effect of the polymer shell matrix, and the influence of particle size on this has not been thoroughly studied. In this study, the effect of synthesis technology on microcapsule particle size was investigated using a complex coalescence method, and the effect of particle size on the reflectivity and angular anisotropy of CLCMs was investigated in detail. A particle size of approximately 66 µm with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, 1:1) exhibited a relative reflectivity of 16.6% and a bandwidth of 20 nm, as well as a narrow particle size distribution of 22 µm. The thermosetting of microcapsules coated with PVA was adjusted and systematically investigated by controlling the mass ratio. The optimized mass ratio of microcapsules (66 µm) to PVA was 2:1, increasing the relative reflectivity from 16.6% (1:1) to 32.0% (2:1) because of both the higher CLCM content and the matching between the birefringence of the gelatin-arabic shell system and PVA. Furthermore, color based on Bragg reflections was observed in the CLCM-coated ortho-axis and blue-shifted off-axis, and this change was correlated with the CLCM particle size. Such materials are promising for anticounterfeiting and color-based applications with bright colors and angular anisotropy in reflection.

Microfluidic-Assisted Self-Assembly of Molecular Hydrogelator at Water-Water Interfaces for Continuous Fabrication of Supramolecular Microcapsules.

Control over the self-assembly of small molecules at specific areas is of great interest for many high-tech applications, yet remains a formidable challenge. Here, how the self-assembly of hydrazone-based molecular hydrogelators can be specifically triggered at water-water interfaces for the continuous fabrication of supramolecular microcapsules by virtue of the microfluidic technique is demonstrated. The non-assembling hydrazide- and aldehyde-based hydrogelator precursors are distributed in two immiscible aqueous polymer solutions, respectively, through spontaneous phase separation. In the presence of catalysts, hydrazone-based hydrogelators rapidly form and self-assemble into hydrogel networks at the generated water-water interfaces. Relying on the microfluidic technique, microcapsules bearing a shell of supramolecular hydrogel are continuously produced. The obtained microcapsules can effectively load enzymes, enabling localized enzymatic growth of supramolecular fibrous supramolecular structures, reminiscent of the self-assembly of biological filaments within living cells. This work may contribute to the development of biomimetic supramolecular carriers for applications in biomedicine and fundamental research, for instance, the construction of protocells.

Intelligent films based on dual-modified starch and microencapsulated Aronia melanocarpa anthocyanins: Functionality, stability and application.

This study aims to enhance the physical properties and color stability of anthocyanin-based intelligent starch films. Three dual-modified starches, namely crosslinked-oxidized starch (COS), acetylated distarch phosphate (ADSP), and hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HDSP), were utilized as film matrices. Aronia melanocarpa anthocyanins were incorporated through three different pre-treatments (free, spray-drying microencapsulation, and freeze-drying microencapsulation) to assess the prepared films' functionality, stability, and applicability. The results indicate that the ADSP film exhibited an approximately two-fold increase in elongation at break (EAB) compared to native starch film. Specifically, the ADSP film's water contact angle (WCA) reached 90°, demonstrating excellent flexibility and hydrophobicity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed stronger interactions between anthocyanins and the film matrix after microencapsulation. Furthermore, after 30 days of exposure to 37 °C heat and light radiation, the freeze-dried anthocyanin-based intelligent film (FDA film) exhibited minimal fading, displaying the highest stability among the tested films. Notably, during beef freshness monitoring, the intelligent films underwent significant color changes as the beef deteriorated. In conclusion, the developed FDA film, with its outstanding stability and responsive pH characteristics, holds immense potential as a novel packaging material for food applications.

Microencapsulated granaticins from Streptomyces vilmorinianum YP1: Optimization, physiochemical characterization and storage stability.

Granaticins are natural pigments derived from microorganisms with promising bioactivity. However, their practical applications have been restricted due to inherent instability. To improve the stability of granaticins from the novel strain Streptomyces vilmorinianum YP1, microcapsules were prepared using gum Arabic (GA) by a freeze-drying method. The optimal parameters for microencapsulation were determined using response surface methodology. Under the optimal conditions (GA 9.2% (v/v), a wall/-core ratio 4.8 (w/w), encapsulating temperature 29 °C), the maximum encapsulation efficiency achieved was 93.64%. The microcapsules were irregular single crystals with an average particle size of 206.37 ± 2.51 nm. Stability testing indicated improved stability of the microencapsulated granaticins. Notably, granaticnic B retention increased by 17.0% and 6.6% after exposure to sunlight and storage at 4 °C, respectively. These finding suggest that GA as a well material significantly enhances the stability of granaticins from S. vilmorinianum YP1, facilitating their potential applications.

Preparation of microcapsules and evaluation of their biocontrol efficacy.

In this study, a combination of Serratia nematophila L2 and Bacillus velezensis W24 was used to biocontrol Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. When the mixed ratio of L2 to W24 was 1:1, the inhibition rate on the growth of S. sclerotiorum was 88.1 %. To gain a large number of bacteria, the culture medium and conditions were optimized. When the medium formula involved molasses (8.890 g/L), soy peptone (6.826 g/L), and NaCl (6.865 g/L), and the culture conditions were 32 °C, inoculum 4%, rotation speed 200 rpm, and pH 7, the maximum amounts of bacterial cells obtained. In order to prepare microcapsules, spray drying conditions were optimized. These conditions included the soluble starch concentration of 30 g/100 mL, the inlet air temperature of 160 °C, and the feed flow rate of 450 mL/h. Under these optimized conditions to prepare microcapsules, the mixed strain (L2 and W24) exhibited a survival rate of 93.9 ± 0.9% and a viable bacterial count of 6.4 × 1012 cfu/g. In addition, microcapsules (GW24Ms) which contained strains L2 and W24 had good storage stability. In the pot experiment, GW24Ms could effectively reduce the disease of soybean plants and the control effect was 88.4%. Thus, the microbial agent represents a promising biocontrol solution for managing Sclerotinia in soybean.

Programmable multimode optical encryption of advanced printable security inks by integrating structural color with Down/Up- conversion photoluminescence.

Optical information encryption with high encoding capacities can significantly boost the security level of anti-counterfeiting in the scenario of guaranteeing the authenticity of a wide scope of common and luxury goods. In this work, a novel counterfeiting material with high-degree complexity is fabricated by microencapsulating cholesteric liquid crystals and triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion fluorophores to integrate structural coloration with fluorescence and upconversion photoluminescence. Moreover, the multimode security ink presents tailorable optical behaviors and programmable abilities on flexible substrates by various printing techniques, which offers distinct information encryption under different optical modes. The advanced strategy provides a practical versatile platform for high-secure-level multimode optical inks with largely enhanced encoding capacities, programmability, printability, and cost-effectiveness, which manifests enormous potentials for information encryption and anti-counterfeiting technology.

The cores regulation of paraffin-chitosan phase change microcapsules for constant temperature building.

Phase change materials (PCMs) can store and release latent heat under the designed phased change temperature and have received substantial interest for energy conservation and thermal control purposes. The use of PCMs in the construction of constant temperature buildings can improve the comfortable environment and save more energy. However, the leakage of PCMs during phase change process limits the application of PCMs. In this paper, a series of PCMs microcapsules with controllable core numbers is synthesized with paraffin (37 ℃) as the core and cross-linked chitosan as the wall. The single-core phase-change microcapsules (S-PCM) and multicore phase-change microcapsules (M-PCM) were prepared by adjusting the preparation condition. The latent heat of S-PCM and M-PCM are 61.4 mJ mg-1 and 50.1 mJ mg-1, respectively. The S-PCM and M-PCM display good stability without paraffin leakage. In addition, the composite blocks of gypsum and S-PCM (GSCM) and M-PCM (GMCM) were prepared and the thermoregulatory effection was investigated, where the surface temperature of GSCM was 5-10 ℃ lower than that of pure gypsum block. PCMs may also have broad application space in electronics, cold chain, and other industries.

Characterization of Polyallylamine/Polystyrene Sulfonate Polyelectrolyte Microcapsules Formed on Solid Cores: Morphology.

Polyelectrolyte microcapsules (PMC) based on polyallylamine and polystyrene sulfonate are utilized in various fields of human activity, including medicine, textiles, and the food industry, among others. However, characteristics such as microcapsule size, shell thickness, and pore size are not sufficiently studied and systematized, even though they determine the possibility of using microcapsules in applied tasks. The aim of this review is to identify general patterns and gaps in the study of the morphology of polyelectrolyte microcapsules obtained by the alternate adsorption of polystyrene sulfonate and polyallylamine on different solid cores. First and foremost, it was found that the morphological change in polyelectrolyte microcapsules formed on different cores exhibits a significant difference in response to varying stimuli. Factors such as ionic strength, the acidity of the medium, and temperature have different effects on the size of the microcapsules, the thickness of their shells, and the number and size of their pores. At present, the morphology of the microcapsules formed on the melamine formaldehyde core has been most studied, while the morphology of microcapsules formed on other types of cores is scarcely studied. In addition, modern methods of nanoscale system analysis will allow for an objective assessment of PMC characteristics and provide a fresh perspective on the subject of research.

Formation of Microcapsules of Pullulan by Emulsion Template Mechanism: Evaluation as Vitamin C Delivery Systems.

Pullulan is a polysaccharide that has attracted the attention of scientists in recent times as a former of edible films. On the other hand, its use for the preparation of hydrogels needs more study, as well as the formation of pullulan microcapsules as active ingredient release systems for the food industry. Due to the slow gelation kinetics of pullulan with sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), capsules cannot be formed through the conventional method of dropping into a solution of the gelling agent, as with other polysaccharides, since the pullulan chains migrate to the medium before the capsules can form by gelation. Pullulan microcapsules have been obtained by using inverse water-in-oil emulsions as templates. The emulsion that acts as a template has been characterized by monitoring its stability and by optical microscopy, and the size of the emulsion droplets has been correlated with the size of the microcapsules obtained, demonstrating that it is a good technique for their production. Although some flocs of droplets form, these remain dispersed during the gelation process and two capsule size distributions are obtained: those of the non-flocculated droplets and the flocculated droplets. The microcapsules have been evaluated as vitamin C release systems, showing zero-order release kinetics for acidic pH and Fickian mechanism for neutral pH. On the other hand, the microcapsules offer good protection of vitamin C against oxidation during an evaluation period of 14 days.

Cytotoxic Effects of Doxorubicin on Cancer Cells and Macrophages Depend Differently on the Microcarrier Structure.

Microparticles are versatile carriers for controlled drug delivery in personalized, targeted therapy of various diseases, including cancer. The tumor microenvironment contains different infiltrating cells, including immune cells, which can affect the efficacy of antitumor drugs. Here, prototype microparticle-based systems for the delivery of the antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) were developed, and their cytotoxic effects on human epidermoid carcinoma cells and macrophages derived from human leukemia monocytic cells were compared in vitro. DOX-containing calcium carbonate microparticles with or without a protective polyelectrolyte shell and polyelectrolyte microcapsules of about 2.4-2.5 µm in size were obtained through coprecipitation and spontaneous loading. All the microstructures exhibited a prolonged release of DOX. An estimation of the cytotoxicity of the DOX-containing microstructures showed that the encapsulation of DOX decreased its toxicity to macrophages and delayed the cytotoxic effect against tumor cells. The DOX-containing calcium carbonate microparticles with a protective polyelectrolyte shell were more toxic to the cancer cells than DOX-containing polyelectrolyte microcapsules, whereas, for the macrophages, the microcapsules were most toxic. It is concluded that DOX-containing core/shell microparticles with an eight-layer polyelectrolyte shell are optimal drug microcarriers due to their low toxicity to immune cells, even upon prolonged incubation, and strong delayed cytotoxicity against tumor cells.

Micro-encapsulation of garlic oil using esterified-wheat porous starch and whey protein isolate: Physicochemical properties, release behavior during in vitro digestion.

The study aimed to inhibit the stimulating impact of garlic oil (GO) on the stomach and attain high release in the intestine during digestion. So, wheat porous starch (WPS) was modified with octenyl succinic acid (OSA) and malic acid (MA) to obtain esterified WPS, OWPS and MWPS, respectively. The differences in physicochemical, encapsulation, and digestive properties of two GO microcapsules, WPI/OWPS/GO and WPI/MWPS/GO microcapsules produced by using OWPS and MWPS as variant carrier materials and whey protein isolate (WPI) as the same coating agent, were compared. The results found that OWPS had greater amphiphilicity, while MWPS had better hydrophobicity and anti-digestive ability than WPS. Encapsulation efficiency of WPI/OWPS/GO (94.67 %) was significantly greater than WPI/MWPS/GO (91.44 %). The digestion inhibition and low GO release (approximately 23 %) of WPI/OWPS/GO and WPI/MWPS/GO microcapsules in the gastric phase resulted from the protective effect of WPI combined with the good adsorption and lipophilicity of OWPS and MWPS. Especially, WPI/OWPS/GO microcapsule was relatively stable in the gastric phase and had sufficient GO release (67.24 %) in the intestinal phase, which was significantly higher than WPI/MWPS/GO microcapsule (56.03 %), benefiting from the adsorption and digestive properties of OWPS, and resulting in a total cumulative GO release rate of 90.86 %.

Microencapsulation of peanut skin polyphenols for shelf life improvement of sunflower seeds.

Derived from industrial processing waste, peanut skins contain polyphenols that delay oxidative food spoilage. However, these compounds are susceptible to light, heat, and oxygen exposure. Microencapsulation provides a solution by offering protection from these factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of peanut skin extract microcapsules on the chemical, microbiological, and sensory property and shelf life of sunflower seeds during storage. Five roasted sunflower seed samples were prepared: control (S-C); added with butylhydroxytoluene (S-BHT); coated with carboxymethyl cellulose (S-CMC); coated with CMC and the addition of peanut skin crude extract (S-CMC-CE); coated with CMC and the addition of microcapsules (S-CMC-M20). Sensory acceptability was determined using hedonic testing. Chemical (peroxide value, conjugated dienes, hexanal and nonanal content, and fatty acid profile), microbiological, and descriptive analyses were carried out on samples stored for 45 days at room temperature. Shelf life was calculated using a simple linear regression. All samples were microbiologically fit for human consumption and accepted by consumer panelists, scoring above five points on the nine-point hedonic scale. S-CMC-M20 exhibited the lowest peroxide value (6.59 meqO2/kg) and hexanal content (0.4 µg/g) at the end of the storage. Estimated shelf life showed that S-MC-M20 (76.3 days) extended its duration nearly ninefold compared to S-C (8.3 days) and doubled that of S-CMC-CE (37.5 days). This indicates a superior efficacy of microencapsulated extract compared to its unencapsulated form, presenting a promising natural strategy for improving the shelf life of analogous food items. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Incorporating peanut skin extract microcapsules in coating sunflower seeds presents a promising strategy to extend the shelf life of lipid-rich foods, capitalizing on the antioxidant properties of polyphenols. This innovative approach not only enhances nutritional quality but also addresses sustainability concerns by repurposing agro-industrial byproducts, such as peanut skins. By meeting consumer demand for functional foods with added health benefits, this technique offers potential opportunities for the development of novel, value-added food products while contributing to circular economy principles and waste management efforts.

Lignin microcapsules prepared on the basis of flexible skeleton with high foliar retention and UV shielding properties.

Lignin-based microcapsules are extremely attractive for their biodegradability and photolysis resistance. However, the water-soluble all-lignin shells were unsatisfactory in terms of rainfall and foliar retention, and lacked the test of agricultural production practices. Herein, a novel microcapsule based on a flexible skeleton formed by interfacial polymerization and absorbed with lignin particles (LPMCs) was prepared in this study. Further analysis demonstrated that the shell was formed by cross-linking the two materials in layers and showed excellent flexibility and photolysis resistance. The pesticide loaded LPMCs showed about 98.68 % and 73.00 % improvement in scour resistance and photolysis resistance, respectively, as compared to the bare active ingredient. The foliar retention performance of LPMCs was tested in peanut plantations during the rainy season. LPMCs loaded with pyraclostrobin (Pyr) and tebuconazole (Teb) exhibited the best foliar disease control and optimum plant architecture, resulting in an increase in yield of about 5.36 %. LPMCs have a promising application prospect in the efficient pesticide utilization, by controlling its deformation, adhesion and release, an effective strategy for controlling diseases and managing plant growth was developed.

Frontier in gellan gum-based microcapsules obtained by emulsification: Core-shell structure, interaction mechanism, intervention strategies.

As a translucent functional gel with biodegradability, non-toxicity and acid resistance, gellan gum has been widely used in probiotic packaging, drug delivery, wound dressing, metal ion adsorption and other fields in recent years. Because of its remarkable gelation characteristics, gellan gum is suitable as the shell material of microcapsules to encapsulate functional substances, by which the functional components can improve stability and achieve delayed release. In recent years, many academically or commercially reliable products have rapidly emerged, but there is still a lack of relevant reports on in-depth research and systematic summaries regarding the process of microcapsule formation and its corresponding mechanisms. To address this challenge, this review focuses on the formation process and applications of gellan gum-based microcapsules, and details the commonly used preparation methods in microcapsule production. Additionally, it explores the impact of factors such as ion types, ion strength, temperature, pH, and others present in the solution on the performance of the microcapsules. On this basis, it summarizes and analyzes the prospects of gellan gum-based microcapsule products. The comprehensive insights from this review are expected to provide inspiration and design ideas for researchers.

Functionalized Calcium Carbonate-Based Microparticles as a Versatile Tool for Targeted Drug Delivery and Cancer Treatment.

Nano- and microparticles are increasingly widely used in biomedical research and applications, particularly as specific labels and targeted delivery vehicles. Silica has long been considered the best material for such vehicles, but it has some disadvantages limiting its potential, such as the proneness of silica-based carriers to spontaneous drug release. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is an emerging alternative, being an easily available, cost-effective, and biocompatible material with high porosity and surface reactivity, which makes it an attractive choice for targeted drug delivery. CaCO3 particles are used in this field in the form of either bare CaCO3 microbeads or core/shell microparticles representing polymer-coated CaCO3 cores. In addition, they serve as removable templates for obtaining hollow polymer microcapsules. Each of these types of particles has its specific advantages in terms of biomedical applications. CaCO3 microbeads are primarily used due to their capacity for carrying pharmaceutics, whereas core/shell systems ensure better protection of the drug-loaded core from the environment. Hollow polymer capsules are particularly attractive because they can encapsulate large amounts of pharmaceutical agents and can be so designed as to release their contents in the target site in response to specific stimuli. This review focuses first on the chemistry of the CaCO3 cores, core/shell microbeads, and polymer microcapsules. Then, systems using these structures for the delivery of therapeutic agents, including drugs, proteins, and DNA, are outlined. The results of the systematic analysis of available data are presented. They show that the encapsulation of various therapeutic agents in CaCO3-based microbeads or polymer microcapsules is a promising technique of drug delivery, especially in cancer therapy, enhancing drug bioavailability and specific targeting of cancer cells while reducing side effects. To date, research in CaCO3-based microparticles and polymer microcapsules assembled on CaCO3 templates has mainly dealt with their properties in vitro, whereas their in vivo behavior still remains poorly studied. However, the enormous potential of these highly biocompatible carriers for in vivo applications is undoubted. This last issue is addressed in depth in the Conclusions and Outlook sections of the review.