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Croitoru GA, Pîrvulescu DC, Niculescu AG, Rădulescu M, Grumezescu AM, Nicolae CL. Advancements in Aerogel Technology for Antimicrobial Therapy: A Review. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:1110. [PMID: 38998715 PMCID: PMC11243751 DOI: 10.3390/nano14131110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
This paper explores the latest advancements in aerogel technology for antimicrobial therapy, revealing their interesting capacity that could improve the current medical approaches for antimicrobial treatments. Aerogels are attractive matrices because they can have an antimicrobial effect on their own, but they can also provide efficient delivery of antimicrobial compounds. Their interesting properties, such as high porosity, ultra-lightweight, and large surface area, make them suitable for such applications. The fundamentals of aerogels and mechanisms of action are discussed. The paper also highlights aerogels' importance in addressing current pressing challenges related to infection management, like the limited drug delivery alternatives and growing resistance to antimicrobial agents. It also covers the potential applications of aerogels in antimicrobial therapy and their possible limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- George-Alexandru Croitoru
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania; (G.-A.C.); (C.-L.N.)
| | - Diana-Cristina Pîrvulescu
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (D.-C.P.); (A.-G.N.); (A.M.G.)
| | - Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (D.-C.P.); (A.-G.N.); (A.M.G.)
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Marius Rădulescu
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (D.-C.P.); (A.-G.N.); (A.M.G.)
| | - Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (D.-C.P.); (A.-G.N.); (A.M.G.)
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Carmen-Larisa Nicolae
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania; (G.-A.C.); (C.-L.N.)
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Su C, Van der Meeren P, De Meulenaer B. Development of a GC-FID method for quantitative characterisation of polyglycerols in polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) present in a lipid matrix. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess 2024; 41:479-494. [PMID: 38507391 DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2024.2329608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
PGPR is an emulsifier (E476) widely used in the food industry. In this study, a gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) method was developed for the quantitative characterisation of the polyglycerol composition of PGPR. The method was validated to analyse quantitatively the polyglycerol species in neat PGPR products and in PGPR samples present in a lipid matrix. This method consists of saponification, acidification and petroleum ether extraction to remove interfering fatty acids, neutralisation, silylation and finally GC-FID analysis. Phenyl β-D-glucopyranoside was used as internal standard as sorbitol proved unsuitable due to its susceptibility to interference from Na/K chloride during silylation. The response factors of glycerol and diglycerol towards phenyl β-D-glucopyranoside were determined using pure standards, while response factors of polyglycerols with a degree of polymerisation of at least 3 could be reliably estimated according to an effective carbon number (ECN) approach. The validity of the method applied to PGPR samples was further supported on the basis of a mass balance considering the experimentally determined polyglycerol and fatty acid content. Moreover, recoveries of di-, tri-, tetra- and pentaglycerol were more than 95% for various PGPR samples added to two different lipid matrices at 2 wt% and 5 wt% concentrations. Furthermore, the method proved to be very repeatable (with relative standard deviation values below 2.2%). On the other hand, the inevitable presence of glycerol in the lipid samples caused fouling of the detector and column overloading, requiring frequent cleaning of the detector and trimming off part of the column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxia Su
- Particle and Interfacial Technology Group, Department of Green Chemistry & Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- NutriFOODchem Unit, Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paul Van der Meeren
- Particle and Interfacial Technology Group, Department of Green Chemistry & Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bruno De Meulenaer
- NutriFOODchem Unit, Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Falua KJ, Pokharel A, Babaei-Ghazvini A, Ai Y, Acharya B. Valorization of Starch to Biobased Materials: A Review. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14112215. [PMID: 35683888 PMCID: PMC9183024 DOI: 10.3390/polym14112215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many concerns are being expressed about the biodegradability, biocompatibility, and long-term viability of polymer-based substances. This prompted the quest for an alternative source of material that could be utilized for various purposes. Starch is widely used as a thickener, emulsifier, and binder in many food and non-food sectors, but research focuses on increasing its application beyond these areas. Due to its biodegradability, low cost, renewability, and abundance, starch is considered a "green path" raw material for generating porous substances such as aerogels, biofoams, and bioplastics, which have sparked an academic interest. Existing research has focused on strategies for developing biomaterials from organic polymers (e.g., cellulose), but there has been little research on its polysaccharide counterpart (starch). This review paper highlighted the structure of starch, the context of amylose and amylopectin, and the extraction and modification of starch with their processes and limitations. Moreover, this paper describes nanofillers, intelligent pH-sensitive films, biofoams, aerogels of various types, bioplastics, and their precursors, including drying and manufacturing. The perspectives reveal the great potential of starch-based biomaterials in food, pharmaceuticals, biomedicine, and non-food applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kehinde James Falua
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (K.J.F.); (A.P.); (A.B.-G.)
- Department of Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin PMB 1515, Nigeria
| | - Anamol Pokharel
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (K.J.F.); (A.P.); (A.B.-G.)
| | - Amin Babaei-Ghazvini
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (K.J.F.); (A.P.); (A.B.-G.)
| | - Yongfeng Ai
- Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada;
| | - Bishnu Acharya
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; (K.J.F.); (A.P.); (A.B.-G.)
- Correspondence:
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Research Development in Silica Aerogel Incorporated Cementitious Composites—A Review. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14071456. [PMID: 35406329 PMCID: PMC9003267 DOI: 10.3390/polym14071456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of research results for silica aerogel cement composites over the past twenty years. Recently, two trends in the development of these composites have been noted, towards structural applications and towards ultralight composites for coatings and renders. Ongoing research shows that important aspects of cementitious composites with good mechanical performance are the proper selection of aggregates and improved adhesion at the silica aerogel–cement binder interface, which will guarantee high compressive strength with the lowest possible thermal conductivity. The best physicomechanical performance of aerogel cement composites with low thermal conductivity below 0.03 W/(m·K) was obtained when cenospheres and aerogel were used in a weight percentage of 5%. In turn, the prerequisites for using aerogel cement composites as coatings for energy-efficient building façades are the use of large amounts of silica aerogel as a substitute for lightweight aggregates or the selection of an optimal composition of lightweight aggregates and aerogel, ensuring the lowest possible thermal conductivity coefficient. Other important standpoints are water transport and moisture protection of the silica aerogel-based coatings. Therefore, in recent years, more and more elements of the hygrothermal performance, porosity and durability of silica aerogel cement composites have been developed. The article also points out the weaknesses of the application of silica aerogel in the cement matrix, the most important of which are the lack of adhesion at the boundary of the aerogel–cement binder, the increased porosity of the composite, the high water absorption capacity and the significant decrease in compressive strength with large volumes of silica aerogel. Solving these issues will certainly contribute to the wider applicability of these materials in the construction industry.
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Franco P, Cardea S, Tabernero A, De Marco I. Porous Aerogels and Adsorption of Pollutants from Water and Air: A Review. Molecules 2021; 26:4440. [PMID: 34361593 PMCID: PMC8347855 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26154440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aerogels are open, three-dimensional, porous materials characterized by outstanding properties, such as low density, high porosity, and high surface area. They have been used in various fields as adsorbents, catalysts, materials for thermal insulation, or matrices for drug delivery. Aerogels have been successfully used for environmental applications to eliminate toxic and harmful substances-such as metal ions or organic dyes-contained in wastewater, and pollutants-including aromatic or oxygenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-contained in the air. This updated review on the use of different aerogels-for instance, graphene oxide-, cellulose-, chitosan-, and silica-based aerogels-provides information on their various applications in removing pollutants, the results obtained, and potential future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Franco
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy; (P.F.); (S.C.)
| | - Stefano Cardea
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy; (P.F.); (S.C.)
| | - Antonio Tabernero
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Salamanca, Plaza los Caídos s/n, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Iolanda De Marco
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy; (P.F.); (S.C.)
- Research Centre for Biomaterials BIONAM, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
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Effects of the Heat Treatment in the Properties of Fibrous Aerogel Thermal Insulation. ENERGIES 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/en12102001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Nowadays, besides the use of conventional insulations (plastic foams and wool materials), aerogels are one of the most promising thermal insulation materials. As one of the lightest solid materials available today, aerogels are manufactured through the combination of a polymer with a solvent, forming a gel. For buildings, the fiber-reinforced types are mainly used. In this paper, the changes both in the thermal performance and the material structure of the aerogel blanket are followed after thermal annealing. The samples are put under isothermal heat treatments at 70 °C for weeks, as well as at higher temperatures (up to 210 °C) for one day. The changes in the sorption properties that result from the annealing are presented. Furthermore, the changes in the thermal conductivity are followed by a Holometrix Lambda heat flow meter. The changes in the structure and surface of the material due to the heat treatment are investigated by X-ray diffraction and with scanning electron microscopy. Besides, the above-mentioned measurement results of differential scanning calorimetry experiments are also presented. As a result of using equipment from different laboratories that support each other, we found that the samples go through structural changes after undergoing thermal annealing. We manifested that the aerogel granules separate down from the glass fibers and grow up. This phenomenon might be responsible for the change in the thermal conductivity of the samples.
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