Synthesis and characterization of acrylamide-based copolymeric hydrogel–silver composites: Antimicrobial activities and inhibition kinetics against E. coli

Methylene blue uptake by gum arabic/acrylic amide/3-allyloxy-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonic acid sodium salt semi-IPN hydrogel

In this study, the capacity of methylene blue (MB) uptake from aqueous solution was investigated using acrylic amide-co-3-Allyloxy-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonic acid sodium salt/Gum Arabic semi-IPN hydrogel. The semi-IPN hydrogels were prepared by the classical free radical solution technique. The swelling experiments were carried out gravimetrically and the swelling kinetics parameters were calculated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) confirmed the semi-IPN hydrogel formation. The MB uptake was studied by the batch technique and the impact of different conditions was investigated. It was found that the obtained semi-IPN hydrogels gave adsorption capacity for the dye within a range of 101-187 mg g^-1 at the initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L. The adsorption kinetics (pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order) and the adsorption isotherms (Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin equations) were tested and the adsorption data was well described by the pseudo-second-order and Freundlich models, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated by the Langmuir model (R² = 0.8718) was 655.2 mg g^-1. The thermodynamic study indicated the spontaneity and the endothermic nature of MB adsorption. Furthermore, the usability study showed that the prepared adsorbents could be employed repeatedly for successive 5 cycles of adsorption and desorption.

Preparation of poly(acrylamide‐co‐2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropan sulfonic acid)‐g‐Carboxymethyl cellulose/Titanium dioxide hydrogels and modeling of their swelling capacity and mechanic strength behaviors by response surface method technique

It is very important that new generation, unique, high mechanical strength, and biocompatible hydrogel composites are developed due to their potential to be used as biomaterials in the biomedical field. Modeling of the swelling capacity and mechanical strength behavior of hydrogels is a domain of steadily increasing academic and industrial importance. These behaviors are difficult to model accurately due to hydrogels show very complex behavior depending on the content. In this study, a series of poly(acrylamide‐co‐2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropan sulfonic acid)‐g‐carboxymethyl cellulose/TiO2 (poly(AAm‐co‐AMPS)‐g‐CMC/TiO2) superabsorbent hydrogel composites were prepared by free‐radical graft copolymerization in aqueous solution. Structural and surface morphology characterizations were conducted by using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope analysis techniques. For modeling the equilibrium swelling capacity and fracture strength behaviors of hydrogels, the composition parameters (such as mole ratio of AMPS/AAm, wt% of CMC, and wt% of TiO2) was proposed by response surface method (RSM) Design Expert‐10 software. Statistical parameters showed that the RSM model has good performance in modeling the swelling capacity and mechanic fracture strength behaviors of poly(AAm‐co‐AMPS)‐g‐CMC/TiO2 hydrogel composites. According to the RSM model results, the maximum swelling capacity and fracture strength values were calculated as 270.39 g water/g polymer and 159.23 kPa, respectively.

ECO-FRIENDLY hybrid hydrogels for detection of phenolic RESIDUES in water using SERS

Herein is presented a simple and sensible method to determine organic pollutants in water, based on the utilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) loaded in Polyacrylamide (PAAm)/starch hybrid hydrogels combined with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The materials were characterized by swelling degree studies, UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PAAm/starch hydrogels showed variable swelling capacity, according to the synthetic molar composition. The most promising results were attributed to lower concentrations of starch and crosslink agent (N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide - MBA). Spectroscopic analysis confirmed the formation of AgNPs, by noticing the peak at around 420 nm, due to its surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. The results showed that AgNPs were stabilized by hydrogels networks. The average size of the AgNPs was smaller than 100 nm and the size and quantity of nanoparticles were influenced by the molar composition of the hydrogel matrix. The SERS substrate based on the AgNPs-PAAm/starch exhibited reproducibility, stability, and limit of detection (LOD) of phenol in water of 1 × 10^-8 M. The average mass of AgNPs-PAAm/starch hydrogels used for each detection analysis was around 10 mg. The spectra with enhanced intensities were possible due to a large number of hot spots generated on the AgNPs-PAAm/starch hydrogel substrate, which leads to potential use for organic pollutant detection. In addition, there is also the possibility of reusing the hydrogel matrix substrate in other analyzes.

Poly(1-vinylimidazole) polyplexes as novel therapeutic gene carriers for lung cancer therapy

The present work explores the ability of poly(1-vinylimidazole) (PVI) to complex small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the in vitro efficiency of the formed complexes in A549 lung cancer cells. The polyplex formed was found to exhibit 66% complexation efficiency. The complexation was confirmed by gel retardation assays, FTIR and thermal analysis. The blank PVI polymer was not toxic to cells. The polyplex was found to exhibit excellent internalization and escaped the endosome effectively. The polyplex was more effective than free siRNA in silencing VEGF in lung cancer cells. The silencing of VEGF was quantified using Western blot and was also reflected in the depletion of HIF-1α levels in the cells treated with the polyplex. VEGF silencing by the polyplex was found to augment the cytotoxic effects of the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil. Microarray analysis of the mRNA isolated from cells treated with free siRNA and the polyplex reveal that the VEGF silencing by the polyplex also altered the expression levels of several other genes that have been connected to the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells. These results indicate that the PVI complexes can be an effective agent to counter lung cancer.