Synthesis, characterization, and adsorption capacity of crosslinked starch microspheres withN,N′-methylene bisacrylamide

Controlled delivery of 5-fluorouracil from monodisperse chitosan microspheres prepared by emulsion crosslinking

This work aims to determine the optimal conditions for emulsion cross-linking of chitosan (CHS) with various molecular weights using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent to produce 5-fluorouracil-loaded CHS microspheres (5-FU/CHS). Their drug loading and encapsulation efficiencies are found to be in the range of 3.87-12.35% and 20.13-70.45%, respectively. The dynamic light scattering results show that 5-FU/CHS microspheres are micron-sized with a uniform size distribution, and the scanning electron microscopy results show that they are spherical. The results of thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrate that 5-FU is successfully incorporated into the microspheres. The in vitro release tests show that 5-FU/CHS have a prolonged, pH-responsive release pattern of 5-FU, and the cumulative release rate under acidic condition is much larger than that under neutral conditions. The drug release kinetic analysis further demonstrates that the release of 5-FU can be well described by the Fickian diffusion model.

Superabsorbent hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides: Classification, synthesis, physicochemical properties, and agronomic efficacy under abiotic stress conditions: A review

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are a class of polymers that have attracted tremendous interest due to their multifunctional properties and wide range of applications. The importance of this class of polymers is highlighted by the large number of publications, including articles and patents, dealing with the use of SAPs for various applications. Within this framework, this review provides an overview of SAPs and highlights various key aspects, such as their history, classification, and preparation methods, including those related to chemically or physically cross-linked networks, as well as key factors affecting their performance in terms of water absorption and storage. This review also examines the potential use of polysaccharides-based SAPs in agriculture as soil conditioners or slow-release fertilizers. The basic aspects of SAPs, and methods of chemical modification of polysaccharides are presented and guidelines for the preparation of hydrogels are given. The water retention and swelling mechanisms are discussed in light of some mathematical empirical models. The nutrient slow-release kinetics of nutrient-rich SAPs are also examined on the basic of commonly used mathematical models. Some examples illustrating the advantages of using SAPs in agriculture as soil conditioners and agrochemical carriers to improve crop growth and productivity are presented and discussed. This review also attempts to provide an overview of the role of SAPs in mitigating the adverse effects of various abiotic stresses, such as heavy metals, salinity, and drought, and outlines future trends and prospects.

Cleaning of Wastewater Using Crosslinked Poly(Acrylamide-co-Acrylic Acid) Hydrogels: Analysis of Rotatable Bonds, Binding Energy and Hydrogen Bonding

The discharge of untreated wastewater, often contaminated by harmful substances, such as industrially used dyes, can provoke environmental and health risks. Among various techniques, the adsorption of dyes, using three-dimensional (3D) networks consisting of hydrophilic polymers (hydrogels), represents a low-cost, clean, and efficient remediation method. Three industrially used dyes, Methylene Blue, Eosin, and Rose Bengal, were selected as models of pollutants. Poly(acrylamide) (poly(AM)) and poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (poly(AM-co-AA)) networks were chosen as adsorbent materials (hydrogels). These polymers were synthesized by crosslinking the photopolymerization of their respective monomer(s) in an aqueous medium under exposure to UV light. Experimental adsorption measurements revealed substantially higher dye uptakes for poly(AM-co-AA) compared to poly(AM) hydrogels. In this report, a theoretical model based on docking simulations was applied to analyze the conformation of polymers and pollutants in order to investigate some aspects of the adsorption process. In particular, hydrogen and halogen interactions were studied. The presence of strong hydrogen bonding plays a crucial role in the retention of dyes, whereas halogen bonding has a small or negligible effect on adsorption. An evaluation of binding energies allowed us to obtain information about the degree of affinity between polymers and dyes. The number of rotatable bonds in the copolymer exceeds those of poly(AM),meaning that poly(AM-co-AA) is revealed to be more suitable for obtaining a high retention rate for pollutants.

Starch nanoparticles prepared in a two ionic liquid based microemulsion system and their drug loading and release properties

In this work, 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C₁₆mim]Br) and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C₈mim]Ac) were simultaneously used as substitutes for surfactants and the polar phase to prepare ionic liquid microemulsions.

Preparation of cationic starch microspheres and study on their absorption to anionic-type substance

Cationic starch microspheres (CSMs) were prepared from lab-made neutral starch-based microspheres using a cationic adsorbent, namely 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, as the cationic etherifying agent. Detection by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and laser diffraction techniques revealed that CSMs had coarse surfaces with good sphericity and dispersibility. Differential thermal analysis showed the lower thermostability of the CSMs' main chains. Furthermore, scores of experiments confirmed that CSMs are capable of absorption to N-(phosphonomethyl) iminodiacetic acid (PMIDA), a type of anionic substance, which is the intermediate to the preparation of glyphosate, maximally up to 95.24 mg/g. Compared with the Freundlich isotherm model, the Langmuir isotherm model can better describe the absorption process. The kinetic study showed that the pseudo-second-order model demonstrated a better correlation of the experimental data in contrast with the pseudo-first-order model. It can be therefore concluded that the rate-limiting step was the chemical absorption rather than the mass transport.

Preparation of starch nanoparticles in a water-in-ionic liquid microemulsion system and their drug loading and releasing properties

An ionic liquid microemulsion consisting of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([Bmim]PF₆), surfactant TX-100, 1-butanol, and water was prepared. The water-in-[Bmim]PF₆ (W/IL), bicontinuous, and [Bmim]PF₆-in-water (IL/W) microregions of the microemulsion were identified by conductivity measurements. Starch nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 91.4 nm were synthesized with epichlorohydrin as cross-linker through W/IL microemulsion cross-linking reaction at 50 °C for 4 h. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data demonstrated the formation of cross-linking bonds in starch molecules. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that starch nanoparticles were spherical and that some particles showed aggregation formation. Furthermore, drug loading and releasing properties of starch nanoparticles were investigated with mitoxantrone hydrochloride as a drug model. This work provides an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for the preparation of starch nanoparticles, which is beneficial to their further application.

Microwave synthesis and adsorption performance of a novel crosslinked starch microsphere

A new crosslinked starch microsphere (CSM) was synthesized in a microwave-assisted inversed emulsion system with soluble starch (ST) as a raw material, MBAA as a crosslinker, and K2S2O8-NaHSO3 as an initiator. The synthesized starch microsphere was characterized and examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), FTIR spectroscopy and adsorption isotherms of N2 at 77K. Adsorption performance was investigated in methyl violet solution. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity for MV was 99.3mg/g at 298 K, and the adsorption fitted pseudo-second-order kinetic model well with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99. The isothermal data obeyed the Langmuir model better compared to Freundlich model and Tempkin model, and the adsorption was exothermic and spontaneous. pH variations (2.0-10.0) did not significantly affect the adsorption of MV onto CSM.

Synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activity of cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde

This present study deals with synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde. Results from this study indicated that cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde markedly inhibited the growth of antibiotic-resistant Burkholderia cepacia complex regardless of bacterial species and incubation time while bacterial growth was unaffected by solid chitosan. Furthermore, high temperature treated cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde showed strong antibacterial activity against the selected strain 0901 although the inhibitory effects varied with different temperatures. In addition, physical-chemical and structural characterization revealed that the cross-linking of chitosan with glutaraldehyde resulted in a rougher surface morphology, a characteristic Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) band at 1559 cm⁻¹, a specific X-ray diffraction peak centered at 2θ = 15°, a lower contents of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen, and a higher stability of glucose units compared to chitosan based on scanning electron microscopic observation, FTIR spectra, X-ray diffraction pattern, as well as elemental and thermo gravimetric analysis. Overall, this study indicated that cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde is promising to be developed as a new antibacterial drug.