Green biocatalyst for decolorization of azo dyes from industrial wastewater: Coriolopsis trogii 2SMKN laccase immobilized on recycled brewer's spent grain

This study presents an innovative approach for the reuse and recycling of waste material, brewer's spent grain (BSG) for creating a novel green biocatalyst. The same BSG was utilized in several consecutive steps: initially, it served as a substrate for the cultivation and production of laccase by a novel isolated fungal strain, Coriolopsis trogii 2SMKN, then, it was reused as a carrier for laccase immobilization, aiding in the process of azo dye decolorization and finally, reused as recycled BSG for the second successful laccase immobilization for six guaiacol oxidation, contributing to a zero-waste strategy. The novel fungal strain produced laccase with a maximum activity of 171.4 U/g after 6 days of solid-state fermentation using BSG as a substrate. The obtained laccase exhibited excellent performance in the decolorization of azo dyes, both as a free and immobilized, at high temperatures, without addition of harmful mediators, achieving maximum decolorization efficiencies of 99.0%, 71.2%, and 61.0% for Orange G (OG), Congo Red, and Eriochrome Black T (EBT), respectively. The immobilized laccase on BSG was successfully reused across five cycles of azo dye decolorization process. Notably, new green biocatalyst outperformed commercial laccase from Aspergillus spp. in the decolorization of OG and EBT. GC-MS and LC-MS revealed azo-dye degradation products and decomposition pathway. This analysis was complemented by antimicrobial and phytotoxicity tests, which confirmed the non-toxic nature of the degradation products, indicating the potential for safe environmental disposal.

Barium hexaferrite nanoplatelets with polyphenol coatings for versatile applications as a stable, magnetic, and antimicrobial colloid

Colloidal stabilization of magnetic nanoparticles is one of the most important steps in the preparation of magnetic nanoparticles for potential biomedical applications. A special kind of magnetic nanoparticle are barium hexaferrite nanoplatelets (BSHF NPLs) with a hexagonal shape and a permanent magnetic moment. One strategy for the stabilization of BHF in aqueous media is to use coatings. In our research, we used an eco-friendly tannic acid, as a coating on BSHF NPLs. As-prepared BSHF NPLs coated with tannic acid were examined with transmission electron microscopy, infrared and UV-Vis spectroscopy, electro-kinetic measurements, and their room-temperature magnetic properties were measured. Stable colloids were tested in two biological complex media and antimicrobial properties of the material were examined. To enhance the antimicrobial properties of our material, we used tannic acid as a platform for the in-situ production of silver on BSHF NPLs. New hybrid material with silver also possesses magnetic properties and excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Chitosan Nanoparticles Functionalized Viscose Fabrics as Potentially Durable Antibacterial Medical Textiles

This research proposed two pretreatments of viscose fabrics: oxidation with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxy radical (TEMPO) and coating with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCN), to introduce functional groups (COOH and CHO) suitable for irreversible binding of chitosan nanoparticles without and with embedded zinc (NCS and NCS + Zn, respectively) and consequently achieving washing durable antibacterial properties of the chitosan nanoparticles functionalized fabrics. The characterizations of pretreated and chitosan nanoparticles functionalized fabrics were performed by FTIR and XPS spectroscopy, elemental analysis, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, zeta potential measurements, scanning electron microscopy, determination of COOH and CHO groups content, and antimicrobial activity under dynamic contact conditions. Influence of pretreatments on NCS and NCS + Zn adsorption, chemical, electrokinetic, and antibacterial properties as well as morphology, and washing durability of NCS and NCS + Zn functionalized fabrics were studied and compared. Washing durability was evaluated through changes in the chitosan and zinc content, zeta potential, and antibacterial activity after 1, 3, and 5 washing cycles. Pretreatments improved washing durability of antibacterial properties of chitosan nanoparticles functionalized fabrics. The NCS and NCS + Zn functionalized pretreated fabrics preserved antibacterial activity against S. aureus after five washing cycles, while antibacterial activity against E. coli was preserved only after one washing cycle in the case NCS + Zn functionalized pretreated viscose fabrics.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared by thermal decomposition of zinc benzenepolycarboxylato precursors: Photoluminescent, photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were obtained by thermal decomposition of one-dimensional zinc?benzenepolycarboxylato complexes as single- -source precursors at 450 ?C in an air atmosphere. The mechanism and kinetics of thermal degradation of zinc?benzenepolycarboxylato complexes were analyzed under non-isothermal conditions in an air atmosphere. The results of X-ray powder diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO with an average crystallite size in the range of 39?47 nm and similar morphology. The band gap and the specific surface area of ZnO nanoparticles were determined using UV?Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and the Brunauer, Emmett and Teller method, respectively. The photoluminescent, photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the ZnO nanoparticles were also examined. The best photocatalytic activity in the degradation of C. I. Reactive Orange 16 dye was observed for the ZnO powder where the crystallites form the smallest agglomerates. All ZnO nanoparticles showed excellent inhibitory effect against Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli.

Carboxymethyl cellulase production from a Paenibacillus sp

Cellulases are industrially important enzymes with a potential to convert cellulose into fermentable sugars. Novel bacterial isolate Paenibacillus sp. CKS1 was tested for cellulase activity and the optimal conditions for carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) production were determined. Maximum CMCase activity was obtained in the third passage of the bacterial culture after 3 days of incubation at 30?C. Cellobiose and yeast extract was the optimal source of carbon and nitrogen for induction of CMCase activity. In addition, with initial pH 7 of the medium and 40 ml of working volume in 500 ml culture flasks with shaking at 150 rpm, the maximum CMCase activity in a crude culture supernatant reached value of 0.532?0.006 U/ml. For crude CMCase, optimal temperature was 50?C and optimal pH 4.8, respectively. HPLC analysis confirmed the bacterium is capable to hydrolise CMC to glucose and other soluble sugars.