1
|
Matijaković Mlinarić N, Wawrzaszek B, Kowalska K, Selmani A, Učakar A, Vidmar J, Kušter M, Van de Velde N, Trebše P, Sever Škapin A, Jerman I, Abram A, Zore A, Roblegg E, Bohinc K. Poly(Allylamine Hydrochloride) and ZnO Nanohybrid Coating for the Development of Hydrophobic, Antibacterial, and Biocompatible Textiles. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2024; 14:570. [PMID: 38607105 PMCID: PMC11013899 DOI: 10.3390/nano14070570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
In healthcare facilities, infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) from textile materials are a cause for concern, and nanomaterials are one of the solutions; however, their impact on safety and biocompatibility with the human body must not be neglected. This study aimed to develop a novel multilayer coating with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and immobilized ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) to make efficient antibacterial and biocompatible cotton, polyester, and nylon textiles. For this purpose, the coated textiles were characterized with profilometry, contact angles, and electrokinetic analyzer measurements. The ZnO NPs on the textiles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The antibacterial tests were conducted with S. aureus and biocompatibility with immortalized human keratinocyte cells. The results demonstrated successful PAH/ZnO coating formation on the textiles, demonstrating weak hydrophobic properties. Furthermore, PAH multilayers caused complete ZnO NP immobilization on the coated textiles. All coated textiles showed strong growth inhibition (2-3-log reduction) in planktonic and adhered S. aureus cells. The bacterial viability was reduced by more than 99%. Cotton, due to its better ZnO NP adherence, demonstrated a slightly higher antibacterial performance than polyester and nylon. The coating procedure enables the binding of ZnO NPs in an amount (<30 µg cm-2) that, after complete dissolution, is significantly below the concentration causing cytotoxicity (10 µg mL-1).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nives Matijaković Mlinarić
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena Pot 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.M.M.); (P.T.); (A.Z.)
| | - Barbara Wawrzaszek
- Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Pl. Maria Curie-Skłodowska 3, 20-031 Lublin, Poland; (B.W.); (K.K.)
| | - Klaudia Kowalska
- Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Pl. Maria Curie-Skłodowska 3, 20-031 Lublin, Poland; (B.W.); (K.K.)
| | - Atiđa Selmani
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.S.); (E.R.)
| | - Aleksander Učakar
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.U.); (J.V.); (M.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Janja Vidmar
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.U.); (J.V.); (M.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Monika Kušter
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.U.); (J.V.); (M.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Nigel Van de Velde
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova Ulica 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (I.J.)
| | - Polonca Trebše
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena Pot 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.M.M.); (P.T.); (A.Z.)
| | - Andrijana Sever Škapin
- Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Dimčeva Ulica 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
- Faculty of Polymer Technology—FTPO, Ozare 19, 2380 Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova Ulica 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (I.J.)
| | - Anže Abram
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.U.); (J.V.); (M.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Anamarija Zore
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena Pot 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.M.M.); (P.T.); (A.Z.)
| | - Eva Roblegg
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria; (A.S.); (E.R.)
| | - Klemen Bohinc
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena Pot 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.M.M.); (P.T.); (A.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Verma SK, Nandi A, Sinha A, Patel P, Mohanty S, Jha E, Jena S, Kumari P, Ghosh A, Jerman I, Chouhan RS, Dutt A, Samal SK, Mishra YK, Varma RS, Panda PK, Kaushik NK, Singh D, Suar M. The posterity of Zebrafish in paradigm of in vivo molecular toxicological profiling. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116160. [PMID: 38237351 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The aggrandised advancement in utility of advanced day-to-day materials and nanomaterials has raised serious concern on their biocompatibility with human and other biotic members. In last few decades, understanding of toxicity of these materials has been given the centre stage of research using many in vitro and in vivo models. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater fish and a member of the minnow family has garnered much attention due to its distinct features, which make it an important and frequently used animal model in various fields of embryology and toxicological studies. Given that fertilization and development of zebrafish eggs take place externally, they serve as an excellent model organism for studying early developmental stages. Moreover, zebrafish possess a comparable genetic composition to humans and share almost 70% of their genes with mammals. This particular model organism has become increasingly popular, especially for developmental research. Moreover, it serves as a link between in vitro studies and in vivo analysis in mammals. It is an appealing choice for vertebrate research, when employing high-throughput methods, due to their small size, swift development, and relatively affordable laboratory setup. This small vertebrate has enhanced comprehension of pathobiology and drug toxicity. This review emphasizes on the recent developments in toxicity screening and assays, and the new insights gained about the toxicity of drugs through these assays. Specifically, the cardio, neural, and, hepatic toxicology studies inferred by applications of nanoparticles have been highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suresh K Verma
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
| | - Aditya Nandi
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Adrija Sinha
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Paritosh Patel
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India; Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, 01897, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Ealisha Jha
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Snehasmita Jena
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Puja Kumari
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno 61137, Czech Republic
| | - Aishee Ghosh
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Raghuraj Singh Chouhan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ateet Dutt
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, UNAM, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Shailesh Kumar Samal
- Unit of Immunology and Chronic Disease, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yogendra Kumar Mishra
- Mads Clausen Institute, NanoSYD, University of Southern Denmark, Alsion 2, Sønderborg DK-6400, Denmark
| | - Rajender S Varma
- Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation (CxI), Technical University of Liberec (TUL), Studentská 1402/2, Liberec 1 461 17, Czech Republic
| | - Pritam Kumar Panda
- Condensed Matter Theory Group, Materials Theory Division, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nagendra Kumar Kaushik
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, 01897, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Deobrat Singh
- Condensed Matter Theory Group, Materials Theory Division, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Mrutyunjay Suar
- School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Najmi Z, Mlinarić NM, Scalia AC, Cochis A, Selmani A, Učakar A, Abram A, Zore A, Delač I, Jerman I, Van de Velde N, Vidmar J, Bohinc K, Rimondini L. Antibacterial evaluation of different prosthetic liner textiles coated by CuO nanoparticles. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23849. [PMID: 38192822 PMCID: PMC10772625 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Prosthetic liners are mainly used as an interface between residual limbs and prosthetic sockets to minimize physical and biological damage to soft tissue. However, the closed and moist conditions within liners and the amputee's skin provide a suitable environment for bacterial growth to cause infections. This study aimed to coat a comprehensive variant material with copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) and compare their surface analysis and antibacterial properties. These materials were covered with CuO NPs solution at a concentration of 70 μg mL-1 to achieve this purpose. After drying, their surface characteristics were analyzed by measuring zeta potential, contact angle, surface roughness, and fiber arrangement. Cu-released concentration from the coatings into the acetate buffer solution by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry indicated that lycra and nylon quickly released Cu ions to concentrations up to ∼0.2 μg mL-1 after 24 h, causing low metabolic activity of human bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (bMSC) in the indirect assay. Antibacterial activity of the coated specimens was evaluated by infecting their surfaces with the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis, reporting a significant ∼40 % reduction of metabolic activity for x-dry after 24 h; in addition, the number of viable bacterial colonies adhered to the surface of this material was reduced by ∼23 times in comparison with non-treated x-dry that were visually confirmed by scanning electron microscope. In conclusion, CuO NPs x-dry shows optimistic results to pursue further experiments due to its slow speed of Cu release and prolonged antibacterial activity, as well as its compatibility with human cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziba Najmi
- Department of Health Sciences, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases-CAAD, Università Del Piemonte Orientale UPO, Corso Trieste 15/A, 28100, Novara, NO, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Calogero Scalia
- Department of Health Sciences, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases-CAAD, Università Del Piemonte Orientale UPO, Corso Trieste 15/A, 28100, Novara, NO, Italy
| | - Andrea Cochis
- Department of Health Sciences, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases-CAAD, Università Del Piemonte Orientale UPO, Corso Trieste 15/A, 28100, Novara, NO, Italy
| | - Atiđa Selmani
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Anže Abram
- Institut Jožef Stefan, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anamarija Zore
- University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena Pot, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ida Delač
- Institute of Physics, Bijenička Cesta 46, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova Ulica 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nigel Van de Velde
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova Ulica 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Janja Vidmar
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Klemen Bohinc
- University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena Pot, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lia Rimondini
- Department of Health Sciences, Center for Translational Research on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases-CAAD, Università Del Piemonte Orientale UPO, Corso Trieste 15/A, 28100, Novara, NO, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Štular D, de Velde NV, Drinčić A, Kogovšek P, Filipić A, Fric K, Simončič B, Tomšič B, Chouhan RS, Bohm S, Kr. Verma S, Panda PK, Jerman I. Boosting Copper Biocidal Activity by Silver Decoration and Few-Layer Graphene in Coatings on Textile Fibers. Glob Chall 2023; 7:2300113. [PMID: 37829680 PMCID: PMC10566802 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202300113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the importance of developing antiviral surface coatings that are capable of repelling pathogens and neutralizing them through self-sanitizing properties. In this study, a novel coating design based on few-layer graphene (FLG) is proposed and silver-decorated micro copper flakes (CuMF) that exhibit both antibacterial and antiviral properties. The role of sacrificial anode surfaces and intrinsic graphene defects in enhancing the release of metal ions from CuMF embedded in water-based binders is investigated. In silico analysis is conducted to better understand the molecular interactions of pathogen-repelling species with bacterial or bacteriophage proteins. The results show that the optimal amount of CuMF/FLG in the coating leads to a significant reduction in bacterial growth, with reductions of 3.17 and 9.81 log for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. The same coating also showed high antiviral efficacy, reducing bacteriophage phi6 by 5.53 log. The antiviral efficiency of the coating is find to be doubled compared to either micro copper flakes or few-layer graphene alone. This novel coating design is versatile and can be applied to various substrates, such as personal protective clothing and face masks, to provide biocidal activity against both bacterial and viral pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danaja Štular
- National Institute of ChemistryHajdrihova 19Ljubljana1001Slovenia
| | | | - Ana Drinčić
- National Institute of ChemistryHajdrihova 19Ljubljana1001Slovenia
| | - Polona Kogovšek
- National Institute of BiologyVečna pot 111Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Arijana Filipić
- National Institute of BiologyVečna pot 111Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Katja Fric
- National Institute of BiologyVečna pot 111Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Barbara Simončič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of LjubljanaAškerčeva 12Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Brigita Tomšič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of LjubljanaAškerčeva 12Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Raghuraj S. Chouhan
- Institute “Jožef Stefan”Department of Environmental SciencesJamova 39Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Sivasambu Bohm
- Imperial College LondonSouth Kensington CampusLondonSW7 2AZUK
| | - Suresh Kr. Verma
- Ångströmlaboratoriet Lägerhyddsv1 Box 530Uppsala75121Sweden
- School of BiotechnologyKIIT UniversityBhubaneswar751024India
| | | | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of ChemistryHajdrihova 19Ljubljana1001Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Leskovar T, Inkret J, Zupanič Pajnič I, Jerman I. Comparison of DNA preservation and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy indices of cortical and trabecular bone of metacarpals and metatarsals. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15498. [PMID: 37726341 PMCID: PMC10509243 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41259-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Shape, size, composition, and function of the bones in the human body vary on the macro, micro and nanoscale. This can influence changes caused by taphonomy and post-mortem preservation, including DNA. Highly mineralised compact bone is less susceptible to taphonomic factors than porous trabecular bone. Some studies imply that DNA can be better preserved in trabecular bone, due to remnants of the soft tissue or bacteria better digesting organic matter while not digesting DNA. The aim of this study was to understand the differences between compact (diaphyses) and trabecular (epiphyses) bone on a molecular level and thus the reasons for the better preservation of the DNA in the trabecular bone. The powder obtained from epiphyses and diaphyses of metacarpals and metatarsals was analysed using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and compared. Samples with poorest DNA preservation originated from diaphyses, predominantly of metatarsals. They were characterised by higher concentrations of phosphates and crystallinity, while lower collagen quality in comparison to samples with the best DNA preservation. Epiphyses presented higher concentrations of better-preserved collagen while diaphyses had higher concentrations of carbonates and phosphates and higher crystallinity. Due to better-preserved collagen in the epiphyses, the soft tissue remnants hypothesis seems more likely than the bacteria hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Leskovar
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Zavetiška 5, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jezerka Inkret
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Korytkova 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Irena Zupanič Pajnič
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Korytkova 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Glažar D, Jerman I, Tomšič B, Chouhan RS, Simončič B. Emerging and Promising Multifunctional Nanomaterial for Textile Application Based on Graphitic Carbon Nitride Heterostructure Nanocomposites. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023; 13:408. [PMID: 36770371 PMCID: PMC9920882 DOI: 10.3390/nano13030408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nanocomposites constructed with heterostructures of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), silver (Ag), and titanium dioxide (TiO2) have emerged as promising nanomaterials for various environmental, energy, and clinical applications. In the field of textiles, Ag and TiO2 are already recognized as essential nanomaterials for the chemical surface and bulk modification of various textile materials, but the application of composites with g-C3N4 as a green and visible-light-active photocatalyst has not yet been fully established. This review provides an overview of the construction of Ag/g-C3N4, TiO2/g-C3N4, and Ag/TiO2/g-C3N4 heterostructures; the mechanisms of their photocatalytic activity; and the application of photocatalytic textile platforms in the photochemical activation of organic synthesis, energy generation, and the removal of various organic pollutants from water. Future prospects for the functionalization of textiles using g-C3N4-containing heterostructures with Ag and TiO2 are highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Glažar
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva Cesta 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Brigita Tomšič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva Cesta 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Raghuraj Singh Chouhan
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova Cesta 3, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbara Simončič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva Cesta 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kozjek M, Vengust D, Radošević T, Žitko G, Koren S, Toplak N, Jerman I, Butala M, Podlogar M, Viršek MK. Dissecting giant hailstones: A glimpse into the troposphere with its diverse bacterial communities and fibrous microplastics. Sci Total Environ 2023; 856:158786. [PMID: 36116646 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The formation of giant hailstones is a rare weather event that has devastating consequences in inhabited areas. This hazard has been occurring more frequently and with greater size of hailstones in recent years, and thus needs to be better understood. While the generally accepted mechanism is thought to be a process similar to the formation of smaller hailstones but with exceptional duration and stronger updrafts, recent evidence suggests that biotic and abiotic factors also influence the growth of these unusually large ice chunks. In this study, we improved these findings by determining the distribution of a wide variety of these factors throughout the hail volume and expanding the search to include new particles that are common in the environment and are of anthropogenic origin. We melted the concentric layers of several giant hailstones that fell to the ground over a small region in Slovenia in 2019. The samples, up to 13 cm in diameter, were analyzed for biotic and abiotic constituents that could have influenced their formation. Using 16S rRNA-based metagenomics approaches, we identified a highly diverse bacterial community, and by using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, we found natural and synthetic fibers concentrated in the cores of the giant hailstones. For the first time, we were able to detect the existence of microplastic fibers in giant hailstones and determine the changes in the distribution of sand within the volume of the samples. Our results suggest that changes in the composition of hail layers and their great diversity are important factors that should be considered in research. It also appears that anthropogenic microfiber pollutants were a significant factor in the formation of the giant hailstones analyzed in this study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marko Kozjek
- Institute for water of the Republic of Slovenia, Einspielerjeva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Damjan Vengust
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tina Radošević
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Žitko
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Večna pot 113, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; National institute for chemistry, Hajdrihova ulica 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Simon Koren
- Omega d.o.o., Dolinškova ulica 8, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nataša Toplak
- Omega d.o.o., Dolinškova ulica 8, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National institute for chemistry, Hajdrihova ulica 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matej Butala
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matejka Podlogar
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Večna pot 113, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Manca Kovač Viršek
- Institute for water of the Republic of Slovenia, Einspielerjeva 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Tratnik B, Van de Velde N, Jerman I, Kapun G, Tchernychova E, Tomšič M, Jamnik A, Genorio B, Vizintin A, Dominko R. Correlating Structural Properties with Electrochemical Behavior of Non-graphitizable Carbons in Na-Ion Batteries. ACS Appl Energy Mater 2022; 5:10667-10679. [PMID: 36185811 PMCID: PMC9516555 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.2c01390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We report on a detailed structural versus electrochemical property investigation of the corncob-derived non-graphitizable carbons prepared at different carbonization temperatures using a combination of structural characterization methodology unique to this field. Non-graphitizable carbons are currently the most viable option for the negative electrode in sodium-ion batteries. However, many challenges arise from the strong dependence of the precursor's choice and carbonization parameters on the evolution of the carbon matrix and its resulting electrochemistry. We followed structure development upon the increase in carbonization temperature with thorough structural characterization and electrochemical testing. With the increase of carbonization temperature from 900 to 1600 °C, our prepared materials exhibited a trend toward increasing structural order, an increase in the specific surface area of micropores, the development of ultramicroporosity, and an increase in conductivity. This was clearly demonstrated by a synergy of small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and electron-energy loss spectroscopy techniques. Three-electrode full cell measurements confirmed incomplete desodiation of Na+ ions from the non-graphitizable carbons in the first cycle due to the formation of a solid-electrolyte interface and Na trapping in the pores, followed by a stable second cycle. The study of cycling stability over 100 cycles in a half-cell configuration confirmed the observed high irreversible capacity in the first cycle, which stabilized to a slow decrease afterward, with the Coulombic efficiency reaching 99% after 30 cycles and then stabilizing between 99.3 and 99.5%. Subsequently, a strong correlation between the determined structural properties and the electrochemical behavior was established.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Blaž Tratnik
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Nigel Van de Velde
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Kapun
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Elena Tchernychova
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Matija Tomšič
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Andrej Jamnik
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Boštjan Genorio
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Alen Vizintin
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Robert Dominko
- National
Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- ALISTORE-European
Research Institute, CNRS FR 3104 Cedex, Hub de l’Energie, Rue Baudelocque, Amiens 80039, France
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ivanuša M, Kumer B, Petrovčič E, Štular D, Zorc M, Jerman I, Gorjanc M, Tomšič B, Simončič B. Eco-Friendly Approach to Produce Durable Multifunctional Cotton Fibres Using TiO 2, ZnO and Ag NPs. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 12:3140. [PMID: 36144932 PMCID: PMC9503751 DOI: 10.3390/nano12183140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The development of durable multifunctional properties is crucial for the production of high-performance technical textiles. In this work, a novel, environmentally friendly and facile method was developed for the chemical modification of cotton fabric by in situ biosynthesis of Ag NPs in the presence of sumac leaf extract as a reducing agent on TiO2, ZnO and TiO2 + ZnO previously applied to cotton fibres. The results showed that the presence of TiO2, ZnO and TiO2 + ZnO significantly increased the concentrations of the synthesised Ag NPs on the cotton fibres compared to the one-component Ag coating. This resulted in excellent antimicrobial properties of the TiO2/Ag, ZnO/Ag and TiO2 + ZnO/Ag composites even after 25 washes. While the TiO2 and ZnO particles in the composite were incompatible, the synergistic effect among Ag, TiO2 and ZnO in the composites resulted in excellent UV blocking properties of the coatings before and after 25 washes. Since the biosynthesis of Ag NPs was accompanied by a yellow-brown colouration of the samples, the photocatalytic self-cleaning of the composite coating could not be determined from the photodegradation rate of the coffee stains. This research provides a new environmentally friendly approach to producing durable antimicrobial and UV blocking coatings on cotton fibres.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monika Ivanuša
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Blažka Kumer
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Elizabeta Petrovčič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Danaja Štular
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matija Zorc
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marija Gorjanc
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Brigita Tomšič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbara Simončič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Pavko L, Gatalo M, Križan G, Križan J, Ehelebe K, Ruiz-Zepeda F, Šala M, Dražić G, Geuß M, Kaiser P, Bele M, Kostelec M, Đukić T, Van de Velde N, Jerman I, Cherevko S, Hodnik N, Genorio B, Gaberšček M. Toward the Continuous Production of Multigram Quantities of Highly Uniform Supported Metallic Nanoparticles and Their Application for Synthesis of Superior Intermetallic Pt-Alloy ORR Electrocatalysts. ACS Appl Energy Mater 2021; 4:13819-13829. [PMID: 34977474 PMCID: PMC8715446 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.1c02570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
A fast and facile pulse combustion (PC) method that allows for the continuous production of multigram quantities of high-metal-loaded and highly uniform supported metallic nanoparticles (SMNPs) is presented. Namely, various metal on carbon (M/C) composites have been prepared by using only three feedstock components: water, metal-salt, and the supporting material. The present approach can be elegantly utilized also for numerous other applications in electrocatalysis, heterogeneous catalysis, and sensors. In this study, the PC-prepared M/C composites were used as metal precursors for the Pt NPs deposition using double passivation with the galvanic displacement method (DP method). Lastly, by using thin-film rotating disc electrode (TF-RDE) and gas-diffusion electrode (GDE) methodologies, we show that the synergistic effects of combining PC technology with the DP method enable production of superior intermetallic Pt-M electrocatalysts with an improved oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance when compared to a commercial Pt-Co electrocatalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luka Pavko
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matija Gatalo
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- ReCatalyst
d.o.o., Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | - Konrad Ehelebe
- Helmholtz-Institute
Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (IEK-11), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Egerlandstr.3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Francisco Ruiz-Zepeda
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Martin Šala
- Department
of Analytical Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Goran Dražić
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Moritz Geuß
- Helmholtz-Institute
Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (IEK-11), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Egerlandstr.3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Pascal Kaiser
- Helmholtz-Institute
Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (IEK-11), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Egerlandstr.3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marjan Bele
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mitja Kostelec
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tina Đukić
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nigel Van de Velde
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Serhiy Cherevko
- Helmholtz-Institute
Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (IEK-11), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Egerlandstr.3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nejc Hodnik
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Boštjan Genorio
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miran Gaberšček
- Department
of Materials Chemistry, National Institute
of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Van de Velde N, Javornik S, Sever T, Štular D, Šobak M, Štirn Ž, Likozar B, Jerman I. Bio-Based Epoxy Adhesives with Lignin-Based Aromatic Monophenols Replacing Bisphenol A. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13223879. [PMID: 34833178 PMCID: PMC8621590 DOI: 10.3390/polym13223879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A bio-epoxy surface adhesive for adherence of the metal component species to glass substrate with desirable adhesion strength, converted controlled removal upon request, and bio-based resource inclusion was developed. For the development of resin, three different lignin-based aromatic monophenols, guaiacol, cresol, and vanillin, were used in the chemical epoxidation reaction with epichlorohydrin. The forming transformation process was studied by viscoelasticity, in situ FTIR monitoring, and Raman. Unlike other hydroxyl phenyls, guaiacol showed successful epoxide production, and stability at room temperature. Optimization of epoxide synthesis was conducted by varying NaOH concentration or reaction time. The obtained product was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and viscosity measurements. For the production of adhesive, environmentally problematic bisphenol A (BPA) epoxy was partially substituted with the environmentally acceptable, optimized guaiacol-based epoxy at 20, 50, and 80 wt.%. Mechanics, rheological properties, and the possibility of adhered phase de-application were assessed on the bio-substitutes and compared to commercially available polyepoxides or polyurethanes. Considering our aim, the sample composed of 80 wt.% bio-based epoxy/20 wt.% BPA thermoset was demonstrated to be the most suitable among those analyzed, as it was characterized by low BPA, desired boundary area and recoverability using a 10 wt.% acetic acid solution under ultrasound.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nigel Van de Velde
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (S.J.); (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (B.L.)
| | - Saška Javornik
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (S.J.); (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (B.L.)
| | - Tilen Sever
- Steklarna Hrastnik, d. o. o., Cesta 1. maja 14, 1430 Hrastnik, Slovenia;
| | - Danaja Štular
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (S.J.); (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (B.L.)
| | - Matic Šobak
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (S.J.); (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (B.L.)
| | - Žiga Štirn
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (S.J.); (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (B.L.)
| | - Blaž Likozar
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (S.J.); (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (B.L.)
- Pulp and Paper Institute, Bogišićeva 8, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (N.V.d.V.); (S.J.); (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (B.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-1-4760-440
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Verbič A, Šala M, Jerman I, Gorjanc M. Novel Green In Situ Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles on Cotton Using Pomegranate Peel Extract. Materials (Basel) 2021; 14:ma14164472. [PMID: 34442994 PMCID: PMC8399875 DOI: 10.3390/ma14164472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
This work presents the novel and entirely green in situ synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) on cotton fabric. Pomegranate peel extract was used as a reducing agent and wood ash extract was used as an alkali source for the formation of ZnO-NP from zinc acetate. Four different synthesis methods, which varied in drying between immersion of fabric in the active solutions for synthesis and the use of padding and ultrasonication, were investigated to evaluate the most suitable one to achieve excellent ultraviolet (UV) protective properties of the functionalized textile. For comparison, the cotton fabrics were also functionalized with each active solution separately or in a combination of two (i.e., Zn-acetate and plant extract). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) analysis, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) confirm the successful formation of ZnO-NP on cotton. Among the synthesis methods, the method that included continuous drying of the samples between immersion in the active solutions for synthesis (Method 4) was found to be the most suitable to deliver uniformly impregnated cotton fibers with numerous small ZnO wurtzite structured crystals and excellent UV protection, with a UV protection factor of 154.0. This research presents an example of a green circular economy where a bio-waste material can be used to produce ZnO-NP directly on cotton at low temperatures and short treatment times without the addition of chemicals and enables the production of cellulosic fabrics with excellent UV protection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anja Verbič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Martin Šala
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Marija Gorjanc
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-12003256
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Leskovar T, Zupanič Pajnič I, Jerman I. Dealing with minor differences in bone matrix: can spectra follow the DNA preservation? AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2021.1948102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Leskovar
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Irena Zupanič Pajnič
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- Department for Materials Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zupanič Pajnič I, Leskovar T, Jerman I. Bone fragment or bone powder? ATR-FTIR spectroscopy-based comparison of chemical composition and DNA preservation of bones after 10 years in a freezer. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:1695-1707. [PMID: 34031722 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02620-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Freezing bone samples to preserve their biomolecular properties for various analyses at a later time is a common practice. Storage temperature and freeze-thaw cycles are well-known factors affecting degradation of molecules in the bone, whereas less is known about the form in which the tissue is most stable. In general, as little intervention as possible is advised before storage. In the case of DNA analyses, homogenization of the bone shortly before DNA extraction is recommended. Because recent research on the DNA yield from frozen bone fragments and frozen bone powder indicates better DNA preservation in the latter, the aim of the study presented here was to investigate and compare the chemical composition of both types of samples (fragments versus powder) using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Pairs of bone fragments and bone powder originating from the same femur of 57 individuals from a Second World War mass grave, stored in a freezer at - 20 °C for 10 years, were analyzed. Prior to analysis, the stored fragments were ground into powder, whereas the stored powder was analyzed without any further preparation. Spectroscopic analysis was performed using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The spectra obtained were processed and analyzed to determine and compare the chemical composition of both types of samples. The results show that frozen powdered samples have significantly better-preserved organic matter and lower concentrations of B-type carbonates, but higher concentrations of A-type carbonates and stoichiometric apatite. In addition, there are more differences in the samples with a low DNA degradation index and less in the samples with a high DNA degradation index. Because the results are inconsistent with the current understanding of bone preservation, additional research into optimal preparation and long-term storage of bone samples is necessary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irena Zupanič Pajnič
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Korytkova 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tamara Leskovar
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Zavetiška 5, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Vasiljević J, Štular D, Kalčíková G, Zajc J, Šobak M, Demšar A, Tomšič B, Simončič B, Čolović M, Šelih VS, Jerman I. New Insights into Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties, Cytotoxicity and Aquatic Ecotoxicity of Flame Retardant PA6/DOPO-Derivative Nanocomposite Textile Fibers. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:905. [PMID: 33804277 PMCID: PMC7998799 DOI: 10.3390/polym13060905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal activity, cytotoxicity, leaching, and ecotoxicity of novel flame retardant polyamide 6 (PA6) textile fibers developed by our research group. The textile fibers were produced by the incorporation of flame-retardant bridged 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) derivative (PHED) in the PA6 matrix during the in situ polymerization process at concentrations equal to 10 and 15 wt% (PA6/10PHED and PA6/15PHED, respectively). Whilst the nanodispersed PHED provided highly efficient flame retardancy, its biological activity led to excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as excellent antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. The results confirmed leaching of the PHED, but the tested leachates did not cause any measurable toxic effect to the duckweed Lemna minor. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the leached PHED from the PA6/15PHED sample was confirmed for human cells from adipose tissue in direct and prolonged contact. The targeted biological activity of the organophosphinate flame retardant could be beneficial for the development of PA6 textile materials with multifunctional properties and the low ecotoxicity profile, while the PHED's leaching and cytotoxicity limit their application involving the washing processes and direct contact with the skin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Vasiljević
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.D.); (B.T.); (B.S.)
| | - Danaja Štular
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (M.Č.); (V.S.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Gabriela Kalčíková
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Janja Zajc
- Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Matic Šobak
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (M.Č.); (V.S.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Andrej Demšar
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.D.); (B.T.); (B.S.)
| | - Brigita Tomšič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.D.); (B.T.); (B.S.)
| | - Barbara Simončič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.D.); (B.T.); (B.S.)
| | - Marija Čolović
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (M.Č.); (V.S.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Vid Simon Šelih
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (M.Č.); (V.S.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (D.Š.); (M.Š.); (M.Č.); (V.S.Š.); (I.J.)
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Djinović P, Zavašnik J, Teržan J, Jerman I. Role of CO2 During Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane Over Bulk and Activated-Carbon Supported Cerium and Vanadium Based Catalysts. Catal Letters 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10562-020-03519-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCeO2, V2O5 and CeVO4 were synthesised as bulk oxides, or deposited over activated carbon, characterized by XRD, HRTEM, CO2-TPO, C3H8-TPR, DRIFTS and Raman techniques and tested in propane oxidative dehydrogenation using CO2. Complete oxidation of propane to CO and CO2 is favoured by lattice oxygen of CeO2. The temperature programmed experiments show the ~ 4 nm AC supported CeO2 crystallites become more susceptible to reduction by propane, but less prone to re-oxidation with CO2 compared to bulk CeO2. Catalytic activity of CeVO4/AC catalysts requires a 1–2 nm amorphous CeVO4 layer. During reaction, the amorphous CeVO4 layer crystallises and several atomic layers of carbon cover the CeVO4 surface, resulting in deactivation. During reaction, V2O5 is irreversibly reduced to V2O3. The lattice oxygen in bulk V2O5 favours catalytic activity and propene selectivity. Bulk V2O3 promotes only propane cracking with no propene selectivity. In VOx/AC materials, vanadium carbide is the catalytically active phase. Propane dehydrogenation over VC proceeds via chemisorbed oxygen species originating from the dissociated CO2.
Graphic Abstract
Collapse
|
17
|
Chouhan RS, Jerman I, Heath D, Bohm S, Gandhi S, Sadhu V, Baker S, Horvat M. Emerging tri‐s‐triazine‐based graphitic carbon nitride: A potential signal‐transducing nanostructured material for sensor applications. Nano Select 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/nano.202000228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - David Heath
- Department of Environmental Sciences Jožef Stefan Institute Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Sivasambu Bohm
- Royal Society Industry Fellow Molecular Science Research Hub Imperial College London London UK
| | - Sonu Gandhi
- DBT‐National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (DBT‐NIAB) Hyderabad Telangana India
| | - Veera Sadhu
- School of Physical Sciences Kakatiya Institute of Technology & Science (KITS) Warangal Telangana India
| | - Syed Baker
- Department of Microbiology Prof. V.F. Voino‐Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University Krasnoyarsk Siberia Russian Federation
| | - Milena Horvat
- Department of Environmental Sciences Jožef Stefan Institute Ljubljana Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Leskovar T, Zupanič Pajnič I, Jerman I, Črešnar M. Preservation state assessment and post-mortem interval estimation of human skeletal remains using ATR-FTIR spectra. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2020.1836254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Leskovar
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Irena Zupanič Pajnič
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- Department for Materials Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matija Črešnar
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Vasiljević J, Demšar A, Leskovšek M, Simončič B, Čelan Korošin N, Jerman I, Šobak M, Žitko G, Van de Velde N, Čolović M. Characterization of Polyamide 6/Multilayer Graphene Nanoplatelet Composite Textile Filaments Obtained Via In Situ Polymerization and Melt Spinning. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12081787. [PMID: 32785048 PMCID: PMC7464262 DOI: 10.3390/polym12081787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of the production of fiber-forming polyamide 6 (PA6)/graphene composite material and melt-spun textile fibers are scarce, but research to date reveals that achieving the high dispersion state of graphene is the main challenge to nanocomposite production. Considering the significant progress made in the industrial mass production of graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs), this study explored the feasibility of production of PA6/GnPs composite fibers using the commercially available few-layer GnPs. To this aim, the GnPs were pre-dispersed in molten ε-caprolactam at concentrations equal to 1 and 2 wt %, and incorporated into the PA6 matrix by the in situ water-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactam, which was followed by melt spinning. The results showed that the incorporated GnPs did not markedly influence the melting temperature of PA6 but affected the crystallization temperature, fiber bulk structure, crystallinity, and mechanical properties. Furthermore, GnPs increased the PA6 complex viscosity, which resulted in the need to adjust the parameters of melt spinning to enable continuous filament production. Although the incorporation of GnPs did not provide a reinforcing effect of PA6 fibers and reduced fiber tensile properties, the thermal stability of the PA6 fiber increased. The increased melt viscosity and graphene anti-dripping properties postponed melt dripping in the vertical flame spread test, which consequently prolonged burning within the samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Vasiljević
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.D.); (M.L.); (B.S.)
- Correspondence: (J.V.); (I.J.); Tel.: +386-1-20-03-200 (J.V.); +386-1-4760-440 (I.J.)
| | - Andrej Demšar
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.D.); (M.L.); (B.S.)
| | - Mirjam Leskovšek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.D.); (M.L.); (B.S.)
| | - Barbara Simončič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (A.D.); (M.L.); (B.S.)
| | - Nataša Čelan Korošin
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (G.Ž.); (N.V.d.V.); (M.Č.)
- Correspondence: (J.V.); (I.J.); Tel.: +386-1-20-03-200 (J.V.); +386-1-4760-440 (I.J.)
| | - Matic Šobak
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (G.Ž.); (N.V.d.V.); (M.Č.)
| | - Gregor Žitko
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (G.Ž.); (N.V.d.V.); (M.Č.)
| | - Nigel Van de Velde
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (G.Ž.); (N.V.d.V.); (M.Č.)
| | - Marija Čolović
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (G.Ž.); (N.V.d.V.); (M.Č.)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Vasiljević J, Čolović M, Čelan Korošin N, Šobak M, Štirn Ž, Jerman I. Effect of Different Flame-Retardant Bridged DOPO Derivatives on Properties of in Situ Produced Fiber-Forming Polyamide 6. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E657. [PMID: 32183128 PMCID: PMC7183073 DOI: 10.3390/polym12030657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The production of sustainable and effective flame retardant (FR) polyamide 6 (PA6) fibrous materials requires the establishment of a novel approach for the production of polyamide 6/FR nanodispersed systems. This research work explores the influence of three different flame-retardant bridged 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) derivatives on the comprehensive properties of in situ produced PA6/FR systems. To this end, in situ water-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactam was conducted in the presence of three different bridged DOPO derivatives, e.g., one P-N bond phosphonamidate derivative and two P-C bond phosphinate derivatives. The selected bridged DOPO derivatives mainly act in the gas phase at the temperatures that relatively match the PA6 pyrolysis specifics. The effects of the FRs on the dispersion state, morphological, molecular, structural, melt-rheological, and thermal properties of the in situ synthesized PA6 were evaluated. The specific advantage of this approach is one-step production of PA6 with uniformly distributed nanodispersed FR, which was obtained in the case of all three applied FRs. However, the applied FRs differently interacted with monomer and polymer during the polymerization, which was reflected in the length of PA6 chains, crystalline structure, and melt-rheological properties. The applied FRs provided a comparable effect on the thermal stability of PA6 and stabilization of the PA6/FR systems above 450 °C in the oxygen-assisted pyrolysis. However, only with the specifically designed FR molecule were the comprehensive properties of the fiber-forming PA6 satisfied for the continuous conduction of the melt-spinning process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Vasiljević
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marija Čolović
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Nataša Čelan Korošin
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Matic Šobak
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Žiga Štirn
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (I.J.)
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (M.Š.); (Ž.Š.); (I.J.)
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Chouhan RS, Žitko G, Fajon V, Živković I, Pavlin M, Berisha S, Jerman I, Vesel A, Horvat M. A Unique Interactive Nanostructure Knitting based Passive Sampler Adsorbent for Monitoring of Hg 2+ in Water. Sensors (Basel) 2019; 19:s19153432. [PMID: 31387298 PMCID: PMC6696128 DOI: 10.3390/s19153432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
This work reports the development of ultralight interwoven ultrathin graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) nanosheets for use as a potential adsorbent in a passive sampler (PAS) designed to bind Hg2+ ions. The g-CN nanosheets were prepared from bulk g-CN synthesised via a modified high-temperature short-time (HTST) polycondensation process. The crystal structure, surface functional groups, and morphology of the g-CN nanosheets were characterised using a battery of instruments. The results confirmed that the as-synthesized product is composed of few-layered nanosheets. The adsorption efficiency of g-CN for binding Hg2+ (100 ng mL−1) in sea, river, rain, and Milli-Q quality water was 89%, 93%, 97%, and 100%, respectively, at natural pH. Interference studies found that the cations tested (Co2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Bi3+, Na+, and K+) had no significant effect on the adsorption efficiency of Hg2+. Different parameters were optimised to improve the performance of g-CN such as pH, contact time, and amount of adsorbent. Optimum conditions were pH 7, 120 min incubation time and 10 mg of nanosheets. The yield of nanosheets was 72.5%, which is higher compared to other polycondensation processes using different monomers. The g-CN sheets could also be regenerated up to eight times with only a 20% loss in binding efficiency. Overall, nano-knitted g-CN is a promising low-cost green adsorbent for use in passive samplers or as a transducing material in sensor applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raghuraj S Chouhan
- Institute "Jožef Stefan", Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Gregor Žitko
- Institute "Jožef Stefan", Department of Surface Engineering, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Vesna Fajon
- Institute "Jožef Stefan", Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Igor Živković
- Institute "Jožef Stefan", Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Majda Pavlin
- Institute "Jožef Stefan", Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Ivan Jerman
- Institute "Jožef Stefan", Department of Surface Engineering, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Milena Horvat
- Institute "Jožef Stefan", Department of Environmental Sciences, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Vasiljević J, Čolović M, Jerman I, Simončič B, Demšar A, Samaki Y, Šobak M, Šest E, Golja B, Leskovšek M, Bukošek V, Medved J, Barbalini M, Malucelli G, Bolka S. In situ prepared polyamide 6/DOPO-derivative nanocomposite for melt-spinning of flame retardant textile filaments. Polym Degrad Stab 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
|
23
|
Leskovar T, Zupanič Pajnič I, Jerman I, Črešnar M. Separating forensic, WWII, and archaeological human skeletal remains using ATR-FTIR spectra. Int J Legal Med 2019; 134:811-821. [PMID: 31172274 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-019-02079-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
ATR-FTIR spectroscopy is a fast and accessible, minimally or non-destructive technique which provides information on physiochemical characteristics of analyzed materials. In forensic and archaeological sciences, it is commonly used for answering numerous questions, including the archaeological or forensic context of the human skeletal remains. In this research, the accuracy of ATR-FTIR-obtained spectra for separation between forensic, WWII, and archaeological human skeletal remains was investigated. Building from the previously proposed methodological procedures, various ratio-based and whole spectra separation procedures were applied, carefully analyzed, and evaluated. Results showed that employing whole spectral domains works best for the separation of archaeological, WWII, and forensic samples, even with samples of highly variable origin. Principal component analysis (PCA) further highlighted the necessity of acknowledging all the major components in the remains: amides, phosphates, and carbonates for the separation. Most influential proved to be amide I, namely its secondary structure, which presented well-preserved and organized collagen structure in forensic and WWII samples, while highly degraded in archaeological samples. Using the whole spectral domain for separation between samples from different contexts proved to be fast and simple, with no manipulation beyond baseline correction and normalization of spectra necessary. However, a dataset with samples of known origin is required for the learning model and predictions. A less accurate alternative is separation based on combining ratios of peaks correlating to organics and minerals in the bone, which eliminated overlapping and managed to classify the majority of the samples correctly as archaeological, WWII, or forensic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Leskovar
- Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Zavetiška 5, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Irena Zupanič Pajnič
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Korytkova 2, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1001, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matija Črešnar
- Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Zavetiška 5, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Štular D, Jerman I, Mihelčič M, Simončič B, Tomšič B. Antimicrobial activity of essential oils and their controlled release from the smart PLA fabric. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/460/1/012011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
|
25
|
Šehić A, Vasiljević J, Demšar A, Leskovšek M, Bukošek V, Medved J, Čolović M, Jerman I, Simončič B. Polyamide 6 composite fibers with incorporated mixtures of melamine cyanurate, carbon nanotubes, and carbon black. J Appl Polym Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/app.47007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Šehić
- AquafilSLO d.o.o.; Letališka 15, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Jelena Vasiljević
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering; University of Ljubljana; Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Andrej Demšar
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering; University of Ljubljana; Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Mirjam Leskovšek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering; University of Ljubljana; Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Vili Bukošek
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering; University of Ljubljana; Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Jožef Medved
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering; University of Ljubljana; Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Marija Čolović
- National Institute of Chemistry; Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry; Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Barbara Simončič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering; University of Ljubljana; Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Vasiljević J, Zorko M, Štular D, Tomšič B, Jerman I, Orel B, Medved J, Simončič B. Influence of crosslinker structure on performance of functionalised organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel coating. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/254/12/122013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
27
|
Štular D, Jerman I, Simončič B, Tomšič B. Tailoring of temperature- and pH-responsive cotton fabric with antimicrobial activity: Effect of the concentration of a bio-barrier-forming agent. Carbohydr Polym 2017; 174:677-687. [PMID: 28821119 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.06.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
A stimuli-responsive cotton fabric was designed using temperature and pH-responsive poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (poly-NiPAAm) and chitosan (PNCS) microgel as a carrier of antimicrobially active 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride (Si-QAC), which forms a bio-barrier on the fibre surface. The influence of Si-QAC on the moisture management and thermoregulation abilities of the PNCS microgel was investigated. Using a pad-dry cure method, Si-QAC was applied to a 100% cotton fabric model in concentrations ranging from 0.05-4% to determine the antimicrobial activity of Si-QAC against two types of bacteria, gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Escherichia coli. Based on these results, three different concentrations of Si-QAC were selected (0.5, 2 and 4%) and tested with in situ embedment of the agent into PNCS microgel particles for further functionalization of the cotton fabric. The functional properties of the studied samples were assessed by measuring the moisture content, water vapour transmission rate, water uptake and antibacterial activity, and FT-IR and SEM were used to study the chemical and morphological properties of the fibres. The results show that regardless of the concentration, the presence of Si-QAC caused a reduction in the change in the volume of the PNCS microgel particles under conditions that would normally cause swelling. Accordingly, the moisture management and thermoregulation properties of the PNCS microgel were best preserved when the lowest Si-QAC concentration (0.5%) was used. Despite the low concentration, at the conditions required, enough Si-QAC was released from the microgel particles onto the surface of the fibres to form a bio-barrier with excellent antimicrobial activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danaja Štular
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Textiles, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbara Simončič
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Textiles, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Brigita Tomšič
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Textiles, Aškerčeva 12, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Štular D, Jerman I, Naglič I, Simončič B, Tomšič B. Embedment of silver into temperature- and pH-responsive microgel for the development of smart textiles with simultaneous moisture management and controlled antimicrobial activities. Carbohydr Polym 2017; 159:161-170. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
29
|
Šehić A, Tomšič B, Jerman I, Vasiljević J, Medved J, Simončič B. Synergistic inhibitory action of P- and Si-containing precursors in sol–gel coatings on the thermal degradation of polyamide 6. Polym Degrad Stab 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2016.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
30
|
Pirnat K, Bitenc J, Jerman I, Dominko R, Genorio B. Redox-Active Functionalized Graphene Nanoribbons as Electrode Material for Li-Ion Batteries. ChemElectroChem 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.201402234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
31
|
Kert M, Jazbec K, Černe L, Jerman I, Gorjanc M. The influence of nano-ZnO application methods on UV protective properties of cotton. Acta Chim Slov 2014; 61:587-594. [PMID: 25286214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The influence of different application methods on UV protective properties of white and dyed cotton functionalized with ZnO nanoparticles (nano-ZnO) was investigated. The methods differ in application procedure, time of treatment and auxiliaries used in the treating bath. The ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) was determined for untreated and functionalized samples. The presence of nano-ZnO on fibres was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The content of Zn was determined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used for particle size measurements in the prepared solutions. The results show that UV protection of cotton increases with a higher content and uniform distribution of nano-ZnO on the samples and that dyeing increases the loading capacity of cotton towards nano-ZnO. One of the methods (Method IV) gave remarkable results giving cotton an excellent UV protection whether it was dyed or not.
Collapse
|
32
|
Vasiljević J, Hadžić S, Jerman I, Černe L, Tomšič B, Medved J, Godec M, Orel B, Simončič B. Study of flame-retardant finishing of cellulose fibres: Organic–inorganic hybrid versus conventional organophosphonate. Polym Degrad Stab 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2013.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
33
|
Conradi M, Zorko M, Jerman I, Orel B, Verpoest I. Mechanical properties of high density packed silica/poly(vinyl chloride) composites. POLYM ENG SCI 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/pen.23412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
34
|
Mohorcič M, Jerman I, Zorko M, Butinar L, Orel B, Jerala R, Friedrich J. Surface with antimicrobial activity obtained through silane coating with covalently bound polymyxin B. J Mater Sci Mater Med 2010; 21:2775-2782. [PMID: 20665235 DOI: 10.1007/s10856-010-4136-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2010] [Accepted: 07/17/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Surfaces exhibiting antimicrobial activity were prepared for potential medical application. A polycationic lipopeptide polymyxin B was selected as the bioactive agent for covalent immobilization onto the surface. First, by using sol-gel technology the inert glass substrate was functionalized by a silane coating with epoxide rings to which the peptide was coupled by means of a catalyst. Preparation of the coating and presence of the peptide on the surface were followed by FTIR, XPS and AFM analyses. The obtained material showed antimicrobial effect indicating that in spite of immobilization the peptide has retained its bioactivity. The coated surface was able to reduce bacterial cell counts of the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli by more than five orders of magnitude in 24 h of incubation. It can be concluded that bioactive coatings with covalently bound polycationic peptides have potential for application on medical devices where leakage into the surrounding is not allowed in order to prevent bacterial growth and biofilm formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Mohorcič
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Jerman I, Berden M, Ružič R. Biological Influence of Ultraweak Supposedly EM Radiation from Organisms Mediated Through Water. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.3109/15368379609012879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
|
36
|
|
37
|
Ruzcariccar; R, Jerman I, Jegliccar A, Fefer D. Various Effects of Pulsed and Static Magnetic Fields on the Development of Castanea Sativa Mill. In Tissue Culture. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.3109/15368379309012870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
|
38
|
Vilcnik A, Jerman I, Surca Vuk A, Kozelj M, Orel B, Tomsic B, Simoncic B, Kovac J. Structural properties and antibacterial effects of hydrophobic and oleophobic sol-gel coatings for cotton fabrics. Langmuir 2009; 25:5869-80. [PMID: 19432495 DOI: 10.1021/la803742c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
In a continuation of previous studies, the wetting properties of the hydrophobic diureapropyltriethoxysilane [bis(aminopropyl)-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (1000)] (PDMSU) sol-gel hybrid, which forms washing-resistant water-repellent finishes on cotton fabrics, were further investigated. The addition of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOTES) to PDMSU resulted in a highly apolar low-energy surface on aluminum with gammaStotal equal to 14.5 mJ/m2 and a DetlaGiwi value of -82 mJ/m2. Mixed PFOTES-PDMSU finishes applied on cotton fabrics increased the water contact angles (thetaw) from approximately 130 degrees (PDMSU) to 147 degrees, also imparting oleophobicity (thetadiiodomethane=130 degrees, thetan-hexadecane=120 degrees) to the finished cotton fabrics. Washing caused breakage of the coating's integrity as established from SEM, which was attributed to the partial removal of PFOTES from the composite films, also shown by subtractive IR attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and XPS spectral measurements made on washed and unwashed fabrics. The antibacterial properties of the PFOTES-PDMSU-finished fabrics were assessed with the transfer method (EN ISO 20743:2007), revealing that the reduction of Escherichia coli bacteria on unwashed cotton fabrics was nearly 100%. Moreover, for washed (10 times) cotton fabrics a much higher bacterial reduction was noted for the PFOTES-PDMSU finishes (60.6+/-10.8%), surpassing PDMSU (30.4+/-6.1%) and commercial fluoroalkoxysilane (FAS) (21.9+/-5.7%) finishes. The structure of PFOTES-PDMSU gels, xerogels, and the corresponding coatings was investigated by analyzing the 29Si NMR and IR ATR spectra and comparing them with the spectra of PFOTES and octameric (T8) PFOTES based polyhedra. The results revealed the tendency of PFOTES to condense in octameric silsesquioxane polyhedra (T8), coexisting in the PDMSU sol-gel network with cyclic tetramers (T4(OH)4) and open cube-like species (T7(OH)3). The presence of -OH-functionalized PFOTES silsesquioxanes, established even in coatings heat-treated at 140 degrees C (15 min), also explained the excellent washing fastness of PFOTES finishes on cotton fabrics. The regenerative nature of the water- and oil-repellent properties of washed PFOTES-PDMSU-finished cotton fabrics was attributed to the surface mobility of the T8 PFOTES based polyhedra, ousted from the coating interior during consecutive washings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aljaz Vilcnik
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Jerman I, Vuk AS, Kozelj M, Orel B, Kovac J. A structural and corrosion study of triethoxysilyl functionalized POSS coatings on AA 2024 alloy. Langmuir 2008; 24:5029-5037. [PMID: 18351793 DOI: 10.1021/la7037262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
A novel bifunctional polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) based silane precursor R(x)R'(y)(SiO(3/2))(8), (x + y = 8), bearing 3-(N-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)ureido)propyl (ureasil - U) and isooctyl (IO) groups (i.e., U(2)IO(6) POSS) was synthesized, and the corresponding coatings, prepared under the acid hydrolysis conditions, were studied in order to assess their corrosion inhibition of the AA 2024-T3 alloy. The U(2)IO(6) POSS precursor was made in two steps: in the first, an appropriate stoichiometric (2:6) mixture of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (AP(2)) and isooctyltrimethoxysilane (IO(6)) was autoclaved under basic hydrolysis conditions giving AP(2)IO(6)(SiO(3/2))(8) cubes, which were reacted in the second step with 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane (ICPTES), leading to the bis end-capped sol-gel precursor U(2)IO(6) POSS having a cube-like structure. Coatings were made from sols catalyzed with acidified water. IR and (29)Si NMR spectroscopic studies combined with mass spectrometric measurements were employed to confirm the cube-like structure of AP(2)IO(6) and U(2)IO(6) POSS. The structure and morphology of the U(2)IO(6) POSS coatings were studied with the help of infrared reflection-absorption (IR RA) spectroscopic measurements combined with XPS and AFM measurements, providing information about the formation of partially self-assembled coatings. The degree of corrosion inhibition was assessed from the potentiodynamic measurements showing around 10 times smaller current densities for the coatings only 30-40 nm thick. Ex situ IR RA spectroelectrochemical measurements were performed by consecutive measurements of the IR RA spectra of U(2)IO(6) POSS coatings which were chronocoulometrically charged at different potentials. At potentials more positive than the corrosion potential (E(corr) approximately -0.5 V), the amide I bands shifted, indicating the formation of new urea-urea aggregations and associations, with the newly formed strong band at 1680-1690 cm(-1) suggesting the formation of amidonium ions. These results showed that the urea groups represented the weakest part of the coatings due to their tendency to protonation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Jerman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, and JoZef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Jerman I, Jovanovski V, Šurca Vuk A, Hočevar S, Gaberšček M, Jesih A, Orel B. Ionic conductivity, infrared and Raman spectroscopic studies of 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide ionic liquid with added iodine. Electrochim Acta 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2007.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
41
|
Drinovec L, Drobne D, Jerman I, Zrimec A. Delayed fluorescence of Lemna minor: a biomarker of the effects of copper, cadmium, and zinc. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2004; 72:896-902. [PMID: 15266683 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-004-0328-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- L Drinovec
- Institute of Physical Biology, Velika Ioka 90, SI-1290 Grosuplje, Slovenia
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Abstract
Knowledge about survival of micro-organisms in stressful situations not only influences the evolutionary theory in a fundamental way, but bears an extraordinary importance in finding a global solution to a very concrete urgent problem of mankind, namely bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Recent in vitro experiments demonstrate that the adaptive mutation process involving transient hypermutators could be one of the most important mechanisms whereby bacterial cells achieve the antibiotic resistance. An effective response of the mutation rates to specific selective conditions and an increasing number of conclusive evidence that bacterial cells are indeed communicative and co-operative organisms lead us to a hypothesis that the emergence of the antibiotic resistant mutants through the so-called adaptive mutation is deeply connected with the multicellular organisation of bacterial cells.
Collapse
|
43
|
Abstract
We compare three similar but different biological effects: provocation-neutralisation treatment of non-antibody-mediated hypersensitivities, hormesis and low-level effects in radiation biology. All three have not yet been fully explained but share some common and interesting properties: non-linear concentration dependence, typical stress pattern and typical immune response. We try to make a generalisation of the three phenomena in terms of the informational properties of the low concentrations, and imply the possible common mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Kmecl
- BION, Institute for Bioelectromagnetics and New Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Abstract
Although more than 200 years have elapsed since the beginning of homeopathy and in spite of numerous confirmatory scientific experiments, the so-called memory of water is still a highly disputable and controversial theme in scientific circles. To make a contribution to solving this riddle, our research group tried to examine memory properties of water by the method of differential corona discharge Kirlian electrophotography of water-drop pairs. The method is based on a modified form of Kirlian photography with a subsequent thorough computer picture analysis. The potassium iodide (KI) mother solution (0.1M) was diluted in the standard way (without potentisation) or with potentisation (succussion by hand - by striking the vial 60 times against a large book as used traditionally) to 10(-3)M, 10(-6)M, 10(-10)M, 10(-16)M, 10(-17)M and 10(-24)M KI solutions. In the electrophotography method a drop of KI solution was compared with a drop of control water. To get a dependable system of results we compared homeopathic dilutions with ordinary distilled water, sham-potentised distilled water and non-potentised (standard) solutions. The results were analyzed by the Chi-square Goodness-of-fit test and the Sign test. They showed repeatable and statistically significant effects of concentration of KI dilutions as well as potentisation on the corona discharge process (from p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). This indicates that there is some physical basis of molecular (ionic) information imprinted into water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- I Jerman
- BION, Institute for Bioelectromagnetics and New Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Zrimec A, Jerman I, Lahajnar G. Low frequency alternating electric fields inhibit lactose uptake in Kluyveromyces marxianus. Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 1999; 48:481-4. [PMID: 10379572 DOI: 10.1016/s0302-4598(99)00025-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Frequency-dependent lactose uptake via the H+/lactose symporter in an externally applied low-intensity alternating electric field was demonstrated, using tracer flux experiments. The uptake of radiolabeled lactose was significantly inhibited with the electric field-strength of 30 V/cm and at frequencies below 10 Hz.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Zrimec
- Bion, Institute for Bioelectromagnetics and New Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
We performed a series of experiments to examine the possibility that a theoretically proposed and indirectly empirically confirmed form of electromagnetic field emission from living beings appears to modify physical characteristics of water. We pursued three types of experiments. In the first one, we tried to examine whether and in what way water exposed to growing and dying spruce seedlings through a quartz test tube (therefore with no chemical contact), influences the germination of seeds and the growth of seedlings of the same species. The second type focused on the issue of whether and in what way distilled water, equally exposed to growing and dying spruce seedlings as well as to different ontogenetic phases of mealworm beetle, can be modified and this modification later on reproduced through a specially developed method of electrophotography. The third type of experiments presented here attempts to find out whether an emission from human hands can non-chemically modify the physical characteristics of distilled water. Their statistical analysis revealed the existence of two different groups of people: those capable of imprinting some form of highly reproducible radiation into water and those at most capable of imprinting only some sort of highly variable radiation. In the future this line of research could provide a scientifically based testing of the actual capabilities of the so-called biotherapists to perform this kind of unconventional healing. The present experiments also represent further indirect evidence for a form of electromagnetic emission from living beings and that such emission alters water in an as yet unknown way.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Berden
- BION, Institute for Bioelectromagnetics and New Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Ho MW, Stone TA, Jerman I, Bolton J, Bolton H, Goodwin BC, Saunders PT, Robertson F. Brief exposures to weak static magnetic field during early embryogenesis cause cuticular pattern abnormalities in Drosophila larvae. Phys Med Biol 1992; 37:1171-9. [PMID: 1609003 DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/37/5/011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M W Ho
- Development Dynamics Research Group, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|