FTIR-ATR measurements of the ionization extent of acrylic acid within copolymerized methacrylated dextran/acrylic acid networks and its relation with pH/salt concentration-induced equilibrium swelling

Microfluidized Dextran Microgels Loaded with Cisplatin/SPION Lipid Nanotherapeutics for Local Colon Cancer Treatment via Oral Administration

Multifunctional sequential targeted delivery system is developed as an efficient therapeutic strategy against malignant tumors with selective accumulation and minimal systemic drug absorption. The therapeutic system is comprised of microfluidized dextran microgels encapsulating cisplatin/superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs)-loaded trilaurin-based lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). The microgel system is imparted hierarchically dual targeting via dextran and folic acid (FA) residues, leading to increases both in retention of the microgels in colon and in cellular uptake of the therapeutic LNPs by colon cancer cells while being used for oral therapeutic delivery. Encapsulation of the therapeutic LNPs into dextran microgels attained by microfluidized crosslinking reaction reduces gastrointestinal adhesion and prevents the FA-modified LNPs from cellular transport by proton-coupled FA transporters in small intestine during their oral delivery to colon. Upon enzymatic degradation of the dextran microgels by dextranase present exclusively in colon, LNPs thus released become more recognizable and readily internalized by FA receptor-overexpressing colon cancer cells. The combined chemo/magnetothermal therapeutic effect of dual targeted lipid nanoparticle-loaded microgels from entrapped lipidized cisplatin and alternating magnetic field-treated SPIONs significantly inhibits tumor growth and suppresses metastatic peritoneal carcinomatosis in orthotopic colon cancer-bearing mice.

Biosorption of cesium(I) from aqueous solution by a novel exopolymers secreted from Pseudomonas fluorescens C-2: equilibrium and kinetic studies

The biosorption characteristics of Cs(I) ions from aqueous solution using exopolymers (PFC02) produced from Pseudomonas fluorescens C-2 were investigated as a function of pH, biosorbent dosage, contact time and initial concentration. pH played a major role in the adsorption process, and the optimum pH for the removal of Cs(I) was 8.0. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) models were applied to describe the biosorption isotherm of the Cs(I) ions by PFC02. The Lagergren first-order, pseudo second-order kinetic and intraparticle diffusion models were used to test the kinetic data. Langmuir model and D-R model fitted the equilibrium data better than the Freundlich isotherm. The monolayer adsorption capacities of PFC02 as obtained from Langmuir isotherm at 25 degrees C was found to be 32.63 mg/g. From the D-R isotherm model, the mean free energy was calculated as 26.73 kJ/mol, indicating that the biosorption of cesium was chemisorption. The biosorption process was rapid, and the kinetic rates were best fitted to the pseudo second-order model, which indicated the biosorption process operated through chemisorption mechanism. FT-IR analysis of PFC02 showed the possible functional groups responsible for cesium adsorption were hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl and sulphonate groups. SEM analysis showed the porous structure of the material while EDX analysis confirmed the adsorption of Cs(I) on PFC02. Cesium adsorbed onto the PFC02 could be desorbed efficiently using 1 mol/L HNO3, and the enrichment factor was 50.0. Furthermore, PFC02 could be reused five times with only about 8.25% regeneration loss. The developed method was successfully utilized for the removal of Cs(I) ions from aqueous solution.

Effect of the Hofmeister anions upon the swelling of a self-assembled pH-responsive hydrogel

We report the effect of a range of monovalent sodium salts on the molecular equilibrium swelling of a simple synthetic microphase separated poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA(88)-b-PDEA(223)-b-PMMA(88)) pH-responsive hydrogel. Sodium acetate, sodium chloride, sodium bromide, sodium iodide, sodium nitrate and sodium thiocyanate were selected for study at controlled ionic strength and pH; all salts are taken from the Hofmeister series (HS). The influence of the anions on the expansion of the hydrogel was found to follow the reverse order of the classical HS. The expansion ratio of the gel measured in solutions containing the simple sodium halide salts (NaCl, NaBr, and NaI) was found to be strongly related to parameters which describe the interaction of the ion with water; surface charge density, viscosity coefficient, and entropy of hydration. A global study which also included nonspherical ions (NaAce, NaNO(3) and NaSCN) showed the strongest correlation with the viscosity coefficient. Our results are interpreted in terms of the Collins model, where larger ions have more mobile water in the first hydration cage immediately surrounding the gel, therefore making them more adhesive to the surface of the stationary phase of the gel and ultimately reducing the level of expansion.

Improving the compatibility of zein/poly(vinyl alcohol) blends by gamma irradiation and graft copolymerization of acrylic acid

The effect of gamma irradiation and graft copolymerization with different ratios of acrylic acid monomer (AAc) on improving the compatibility of polymeric blends based on zein, as natural protein, and different ratios of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) up to 50% were studied. The structure property of the polymeric blends was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mechanical testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The FTIR analysis indicated that grafted AAc into zein/PVA matrix was stabilized by hydrogen bonding. The stress-strain curves showed that pure zein films were brittle, whereas pure PVA and zein/PVA blends films were tough materials either before or after gamma irradiation. The SEM micrographs indicated the formation of multilayers during the blending of zein and PVA, and these layers turned to dispersion in matrix after gamma irradiation and grafting with AAc, suggesting an effectiveness of gamma irradiation on improving compatibility.