Folic acid in carboxymethylcellulose/polyethylene oxide electrospun nanofibers: preparation, release and stability.

BACKGROUND: Folic acid (FA), a synthetically produced compound analogous to vitamin B9, also referred to as vitamin folate, is an essential compound in human health and faces challenges in stability during food processing. This study explores the incorporation of FA into carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) nanofibers using electrospinning to enhance its stability. RESULTS: In this study, optimization of both electrospinning and solution parameters facilitated the fabrication of nanofibers. Furthermore, incorporating FA into CMC/polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanofibers resulted in thinner fibers, with an average diameter of 88 nm, characterized by a flat shape and smooth surface. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis demonstrated substantial hydrogen bonding interactions between FA and the polar groups present in CMC. This interaction contributed to an encapsulation efficiency of 94.5%, with a yield exceeding 87%. Thermal analysis highlighted mutual interference between CMC and PEO, with FA enhancing the thermal stability and reducing the melting temperatures and enthalpies of PEO, while also increasing the reaction heats of CMC. The encapsulated FA remained stable in acidic conditions, with only 6% degradation over 30 days, demonstrating the efficacy of CMC/PEO nanofibers in safeguarding FA against acidic environments. Moreover, the nanofibers provided a protective barrier against UV radiation, thereby preserving the stability of FA. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the efficacy of CMC/PEO nanofibers as a protective matrix against FA degradation. The findings indicate that this innovative approach could significantly diversify the applications of FA in food fortification, addressing concerns regarding its vulnerability to temperature and hydrolysis reactions during food processing. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Performance of alkali-activated slag individually incorporated with two nanozinc sources.

The role of nanozinc source (nanohydrozincite: nHZ; nanozinc oxide: nZO) on the performance of alkali-activated slag (AAS) was explored for the first time in the present work. The results showed that nHZ with different contents (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt%) retards the early hydration rate of AAS, whereas nZO showed the lowest retardation effect. Zn(OH)2 is the main retarder inside AAS-nZO and AAS-nHZ, which consumes the dissolved Ca2+ (responsible for the early hardening of AAS) from slag to yield calcium zincate hydrate (CZH). The high retardation rate of nHZ is originated from its high affinity to consume much Ca2+ through the formation of additional pirssonite (Na2CO3.CaCO3.2H2O) double salt. Although adding nHZ induced the drying shrinkage of AAS, it improved the later compressive strengths (28 to 365 days), especially at low nHZ content (0.5 wt%), via the formation of CASH with lower Ca/Si ratio and higher binding capacity compared to that formed inside AAS and AAS-nZO. A further research is needed to reduce the drying shrinkage and to accelerate the early strength of AAS containing nHZ.

Characterization and degradation of functionalized chitosan with glycidyl methacrylate.

The synthesis, characterization and degradation of a hybrid chitosan (CTS)/glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) material are reported. These versatile materials (natural-synthetic materials) are potential candidates for dental restoratives. All materials were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction and thermal (DSC) analysis. Particular attention was paid to the thermal stability and chemical resistance of the hybrid CTS materials. From dynamical rheological tests, it was concluded that CTS-GMA solutions behave as physical hydrogels. These pH-sensitive gels are an example of stimuli-responsive polymers, also known as 'smart polymers'.