21 CFR 573.1010 - Xanthan gum.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.1010 Xanthan gum. The food additive xanthan gum may be safely used in animal feed as follows: (a) The food additive is xanthan gum as defined in § 172.695 of this chapter and meets all of the...

21 CFR 573.1010 - Xanthan gum.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.1010 Xanthan gum. The food additive xanthan gum may be safely used in animal feed as follows: (a) The food additive is xanthan gum as defined in § 172.695 of this chapter and meets all of the...

21 CFR 573.1010 - Xanthan gum.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.1010 Xanthan gum. The food additive xanthan gum may be safely used in animal feed as follows: (a) The food additive is xanthan gum as defined in § 172.695 of this chapter and meets all of the...

Hydrogels from biopolymer hybrid for biomedical, food, and functional food applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hybrid hydrogels from biopolymers have been applied for various indications across a wide range of biomedical, pharmaceutical, and functional food industries. In particular, hybrid hydrogels synthesized from two biopolymers have attracted increasing attention. The inclusion of a second biopolymer st...

Thiol derivatization of Xanthan gum and its evaluation as a mucoadhesive polymer.

PubMed

Bhatia, Meenakshi; Ahuja, Munish; Mehta, Heena

2015-10-20

Thiol-derivatization of xanthan gum polysaccharide was carried out by esterification with mercaptopropionic acid and thioglycolic acid. Thiol-derivatization was confirmed by Fourier-transformed infra-red spectroscopy. Xanthan-mercaptopropionic acid conjugate and xanthan-thioglycolic acid conjugate were found to possess 432.68mM and 465.02mM of thiol groups as determined by Ellman's method respectively. Comparative evaluation of mucoadhesive property of metronidazole loaded buccal pellets of xanthan and thiolated xanthan gum using chicken buccal pouch membrane revealed higher ex vivo bioadhesion time of thiolated xanthan gum as compared to xanthan gum. Improved mucoadhesive property of thiolated xanthan gum over the xanthan gum can be attributed to the formation of disulfide bond between mucus and thiolated xanthan gum. In vitro release study conducted using phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) revealed a sustained release profile of metronidazole from thiolated xanthan pellets as compared to xanthan pellets. In conclusion, thiolation of xanthan improves its mucoadhesive property and sustained the release of metronidazole over a prolonged period. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Invariant Type-B characteristics of drag-reducing microalgal biopolymer solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasljevic, K.; Hall, K.; Chapman, D.; Matthys, E. F.

2017-05-01

The drag-reducing properties of polysaccharides from marine microalgae were investigated. They were compared to two drag-reducing additives studied extensively in the past, synthetic poly(ethylene) oxide, one of the most effective drag-reducing additives; and Xanthan Gum, another biopolymer often considered a model polymer for chemical and rheological research. Compared to Xanthan Gum, the most effective polymers from our microalgae show a higher drag-reducing efficiency in terms of necessary concentration to achieve a given level of drag reduction. In addition, they show a striking Type-B drag reduction behavior, which may be a very useful quality in most drag reduction applications, thanks to the independence of the drag reduction level on flow conditions such as velocity, shear stress, and tube diameter. With these polymers from microalgae we did not see evidence of Type-A behavior over the wide range of conditions studied (including pipe diameters up to 52 mm). Importantly, this suggests that the Drag Reduction coefficient in pipe flow for ideal drag-reducing solutions such as the polysaccharides investigated here is invariant at a given additive concentration of flow or solution parameters like ionic strength and can be used as a solution property to predict its drag reduction effectiveness over a wide range of conditions. On the contrary, Xanthan Gum showed evidence of both Type-A behavior in large diameter pipes and Type-B behavior in smaller ones. The polymers from microalgae also showed high resistance to degradation. Considering that these microalgae are very effective producers of polysaccharides (both extracellular and intracellular), they appear to be very promising additives for drag reduction applications.

Radiation induced degradation of xanthan gum in aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayrabolulu, Hande; Demeter, Maria; Cutrubinis, Mihalis; Güven, Olgun; Şen, Murat

2018-03-01

In our previous study, we have investigated the effect of gamma rays on xanthan gum in the solid state and it was determined that dose rate was an important factor effecting the radiation degradation of xanthan gum. In the present study, in order to provide a better understanding of how ionizing radiation effect xanthan gum, we have investigated the effects of ionizing radiation on aqueous solutions of xanthan at various concentrations (0.5-4%). Xanthan solutions were irradiated with gamma rays in air, at ambient temperature, at different dose rates (0.1-3.3-7.0 kGy/h) and doses (2.5-50 kGy). Change in their molecular weights was followed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Chain scission yield (G(S)), and degradation rate constants (k) were calculated. It was determined that, solution concentration was a factor effecting the degradation chemical yield and degradation rate of xanthan gum. Chain scission reactions were more effective for lower solution concentrations.

Xanthan gum recovery from fermentation broth using ultrafiltration: Kinetics and process evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lo, Y.M.; Yang, S.T.; Min, D.B.

1995-12-01

Ultrafiltration of xanthan gum solution as an alternative method to alcohol precipitation for xanthan gum recovery from dilute fermentation broth was studied. A polysulfone membrane (with 500,000 MWCO) hollow fiber (106 mil fiber diameter) tubular cartridge was used to concentrate xanthan broth from less than 3 (w/v) % to {approximately}13.5 (w/v) %, with the xanthan recovery yield of {approximately}95 % or higher. During ultrafiltration, the filtrate flux was one order of magnitude lower for xanthan broth than for water, However, the flux remained almost constant for xanthan concentrations up to {approximately}8%. It was then reduced dramatically as the xanthan concentrationmore » increased beyond 8%. The reduced filtrate flux was caused by the reduced pumping (shear) rate and higher viscosities at higher xanthan concentrations. At constant xanthan concentration, the filtrate flux remained almost unchanged for the entire period studied, suggesting that the process is not subject to membrane fouling. In general, the filtrate flux decreased with increasing the xanthan concentration and increased with increasing the pumping (shear) rate and the trans-membrane pressure difference. Changing the solution pH had a slight effect on the viscosity of xanthan solution, but did not affect the filtration performance. Even under high-shear-rate conditions, ultrafiltration did not give any adverse effects on the rheological properties and molecular weight of the xanthan polymer. Thus, ultra filtration can be used to concentrate xanthan broth from fermentation by a factor of four or higher and to reduce the subsequent alcohol recovery costs by at least 75 %.« less

Gelation of soybean protein and polysaccharides delays digestion.

PubMed

Hu, Bing; Chen, Qing; Cai, Qimeng; Fan, Yun; Wilde, Peter J; Rong, Zhen; Zeng, Xiaoxiong

2017-04-15

Xanthan gum and carrageenan, representing the medium and highly negatively charged polysaccharides, were heated respectively together with soybean protein isolate (SPI) at different biopolymer ratios. Upon mixing with simulated stomach juice (SSJ), the xanthan-SPI and carrageenan-SPI at biopolymer ratios higher than 0.01 leads to self-assembled gelation immediately. Stronger gel is formed under higher biopolymer ratios. Highly negatively charged carrageenan forms a stronger gel than that composed with xanthan gum. SDS-PAGE results show the digestibility of SPI is delayed after incorporation with the polysaccharides, which is enhanced with the increase of the biopolymer mass ratios. And the polysaccharide with higher negative charge has stronger potential in delaying the digestion of SPI. Furthermore, the microstructure of the xanthan-SPI and carrageenan-SPI gel before and after simulated stomach digestion was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), which also confirms that the gel delays the digestion of soybean protein. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the formation of soluble complexes of sodium caseinate and xanthan in solution.

PubMed

Bouhannache, Bouchra; HadjSadok, Abdelkader; Touabet, Abdelkrim

2017-09-01

The main objective of this work was to determinate the optimum conditions for the formation of soluble complexes between sodium caseinate and xanthan in solution at neutral pH, in the presence of the NaCl. The study of the influence of the concentrations of these three substances showed that salt was the most influent factor. It worsens the thermodynamic incompatibility of the two biopolymers in solution, when they are present at large amounts. However, it contributes to soluble complexes formation, when sodium caseinate concentration is below 5.5%. In this case, gels with enhanced rheological properties were obtained. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the complexes formation within these gels involves hydrophobic interactions. On the other hand, dynamic light scattering revealed that dilution cause their dissociation. These soluble complexes are promising ingredients to ensure new texturing properties.

Green synthesis of xanthan conformation-based silver nanoparticles: antibacterial and catalytic application.

PubMed

Xu, Wei; Jin, Weiping; Lin, Liufeng; Zhang, Chunlan; Li, Zhenshun; Li, Yan; Song, Rong; Li, Bin

2014-01-30

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were green synthetized using xanthan gum (XG) dissolved in water as reducing and capping agent for the first time. The structure, morphology, and size of Ag NPs in XG aqueous solutions were investigated with UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared. The results indicated Ag NPs were integrated successfully in the XG matrix and the optical properties and morphology of Ag NPs could be regulated by the synthesis condition. The aggregation of the XG-bonded Ag NPs increased with storage, whereas the size barely changed. The assemble behavior was related to the XG conformation transition of denaturation and renaturation. The one spot formed Ag NPs showed favorable antibacterial effect on Escherichia coli and Staphyloccocus aureus and excellent catalytic capability of 4-nitrophenol reduction. This work provided a feasible method to detect the biopolymer space structure transition through the intensity of metal nanoparticles labeled on the chain. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of charge density of polysaccharides on self-assembled intragastric gelation of whey protein/polysaccharide under simulated gastric conditions.

PubMed

Zhang, Sha; Zhang, Zhong; Vardhanabhuti, Bongkosh

2014-08-01

This study focuses on the behavior of mixed protein and polysaccharides with different charge densities under simulated gastric conditions. Three types of polysaccharides, namely, guar gum, xanthan gum and carrageenan (neutral, medium negatively, and highly negatively charged, respectively) were selected for heating together with whey protein isolate (WPI) at a biopolymer ratio ranging from 0.01 to 0.1. Upon mixing with simulated gastric fluid (SGF), all WPI-guar gum samples remained soluble, whereas WPI-xanthan gum and WPI-carrageenan at biopolymer ratio higher than 0.01 led to self-assembled intragastric gelation immediately after mixing with SGF. The mechanism behind the intragastric gelation is believed to be the cross-linking between oppositely charged protein and polysaccharides when pH was reduced to below the pI of the protein. Higher biopolymer ratio led to a higher degree of intermolecular interaction, which tends to form stronger gel. More negatively charged carrageenan also formed a stronger gel than xanthan gum. SDS-PAGE results show that the digestibility of protein was not affected by the presence of guar gum as well as xanthan gum and carrageenan at biopolymer ratio lower than 0.02. However, intragastric gel formed by WPI-xanthan gum and WPI-carrageenan at biopolymer ratio higher than 0.02 significantly slows down the digestion rate of protein, which could potentially be used to delay gastric emptying and promote satiety.

Graft copolymerization of ethylacrylate onto xanthan gum, using potassium peroxydisulfate as an initiator.

PubMed

Pandey, Sadanand; Mishra, Shivani B

2011-11-01

Graft copolymer of xanthan gum (XG) and ethylacrylate (EA) has been synthesized by free radical polymerization using potassium peroxydisulfate (KPS) as an initiator in an air atmosphere. The grafting parameters, i.e. grafting ratio and efficiency decrease with increase in concentration of xanthan gum from 0.050 mg/25 mL to 0.350 mg/25 mL, but these grafting parameters increase with increase in concentration of ethylacrylate from 9×10(-2) to 17×10(-2) ML(-1), and KPS from 15×10(-3) to 35×10(-3) ML(-1). The graft copolymer has been characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA and SEM analysis. The grafted copolymer was also evaluated as efficient Zn(2+) metal binder. The grafted copolymer shows improvement in the stability, solubility as well as their sorbing capacity. Thus graft copolymer formed could find applications in metal ion removal and in drug delivery. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the flow properties of xanthan gum solution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duda, J.L.; Klaus, E.E.; Leung, W.C.

1981-02-01

In this study, the solution properties of two forms of xanthan gum, a powder and a broth, which are commercially available were evaluated. As previous studies have shown, the solutions prepared from the broth do exhibit better injectivity properties. However, this investigation also shows that other properties of these solutions are not equivalent. In its natural state, xanthane gum exists as a multistranded helix. This ordered confirmation can be destroyed and in a denatured state, the xanthan gum exhibits a more random configuration and consequently higher viscosity. One of the major conclusions of this study is that the xanthan powdermore » is partially denatured when compared to the xanthan molecules which exist in the broth. This denaturing may occur during the drying process in which the xanthan solids are removed from the broth. Solutions prepared from the broth in the absence of the added salt show a transition in the viscosity-temperature relationship at approximately 40 to 50/sup 0/C. This is consistent with the behavior of native xanthan gum solutions. At approximately 50/sup 0/C, the molecules in solution go into a more random state and consequently, an abrupt rise in the viscosity is observed. However, solutions prepared from the polymer powder do not show any evidence of such a transition. The solutions prepared from the broth can be thermally denatured, and this denaturing results in viscosities which are equivalent to the viscosities realized with the powdered polymer. Before denaturing, the broth solution showed a lower viscosity. Further, intrinsic viscosity measurements indicate that the hydrodynamic volume of the polymer solutions prepared from the borth are smaller than the hydrodynamic volumes of solutions prepared from the powder.« less

Application of xanthan gum as polysaccharide in tissue engineering: A review.

PubMed

Kumar, Anuj; Rao, Kummara Madhusudana; Han, Sung Soo

2018-01-15

Xanthan gum is a microbial high molecular weight exo-polysaccharide produced by Xanthomonas bacteria (a Gram-negative bacteria genus that exhibits several different species) and it has widely been used as an additive in various industrial and biomedical applications such as food and food packaging, cosmetics, water-based paints, toiletries, petroleum, oil-recovery, construction and building materials, and drug delivery. Recently, it has shown great potential in issue engineering applications and a variety of modification methods have been employed to modify xanthan gum as polysaccharide for this purpose. However, xanthan gum-based biomaterials need further modification for several targeted applications due to some disadvantages (e.g., processing and mechanical performance of xanthan gum), where modified xanthan gum will be well suited for tissue engineering products. In this review, the current scenario of the use of xanthan gum for various tissue engineering applications, including its origin, structure, properties, modification, and processing for the preparation of the hydrogels and/or the scaffolds is precisely reviewed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant Effect of Xanthan Gum on Ram Sperm after Freezing and Thawing.

PubMed

Gastal, G DA; Silva, E F; Mion, B; Varela Junior, A S; Rosa, C E; Corcini, C D; Mondadori, R G; Vieira, A D; Bianchi, I; Lucia, T

Xanthan gum is used as thickener in media to preserve food products, having cryoprotectant and antioxidant properties that may be relevant for sperm cryopreservation. To evaluate the effects of adding xanthan gum to freezing extenders on post-thawing quality and oxidant activity of ram sperm. Ejaculates from seven rams extended TRIS-egg yolk-glycerol were split in three treatments including xanthan gum (0.15%; 0.20%; and 0.25%) and a control with no xanthan gum. After thawing, motility and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with 0.20% and 0.25% xanthan gum were lower than for the control (P < 0.05), but mitochondrial functionality and integrity of membrane, acrosome and DNA did not differ (P > 0.05). Xanthan gum at 0.20% and 0.25% may be an efficient antioxidant for frozen-thawed ram sperm, due to the reduction in ROS production.

Milk whey proteins and xanthan gum interactions in solution and at the air-water interface: a rheokinetic study.

PubMed

Perez, Adrián A; Sánchez, Cecilio Carrera; Patino, Juan M Rodríguez; Rubiolo, Amelia C; Santiago, Liliana G

2010-11-01

In this contribution, we present experimental information about the effect of xanthan gum (XG) on the adsorption behaviour of two milk whey protein samples (MWP), beta-lactoglobulin (beta-LG) and whey protein concentrate (WPC), at the air-water interface. The MWP concentration studied corresponded to the protein bulk concentration which is able to saturate the air-water interface (1.0 wt%). Temperature, pH and ionic strength of aqueous systems were kept constant at 20 degrees C, pH 7 and 0.05 M, respectively, while the XG bulk concentration varied in the range 0.00-0.25 wt%. Biopolymer interactions in solution were analyzed by extrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy using 1-anilino-8-naphtalene sulphonic acid (ANS) as a protein fluorescence probe. Interfacial biopolymer interactions were evaluated by dynamic tensiometry and surface dilatational rheology. Adsorption behaviour was discussed from a rheokinetic point of view in terms of molecular diffusion, penetration and conformational rearrangement of adsorbed protein residues at the air-water interface. Differences in the interaction magnitude, both in solution and at the interface vicinity, and in the adsorption rheokinetic parameters were observed in MWP/XG mixed systems depending on the protein type (beta-LG or WPC) and biopolymer relative concentration. beta-LG adsorption in XG presence could be promoted by mechanisms based on biopolymer segregative interactions and thermodynamic incompatibility in the interface vicinity, resulting in better surface and viscoelastic properties. The same mechanism could be responsible of WPC interfacial adsorption in the presence of XG. The interfacial functionality of WPC was improved by the synergistic interactions with XG, although WPC chemical complexity might complicate the elucidation of molecular events that govern adsorption dynamics of WPC/XG mixed systems at the air-water interface. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

78 FR 43226 - Xanthan Gum From Austria and China

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-19

... Austria and China Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject investigations... injury by reason of imports from China of xanthan gum provided for in subheading 3913.90.20 of the... China of xanthan gum. Background The Commission instituted these investigations effective June 5, 2012...

Xanthan gum production using jackfruit-seed-powder-based medium: optimization and characterization.

PubMed

Felicia Katherine, R; Muthukumaran, C; Sharmila, G; Manoj Kumar, N; Tamilarasan, K; Jaiganesh, R

2017-08-01

Xanthan gum (XG) production by Xanthomonas campestris NCIM 2961 using jackfruit seed powder (JSP) as a novel substrate was reported. Central composite design (CCD) of response surface method (RSM) was used to evaluate the linear and interaction effects of five medium variables (JSP, peptone, citric acid, K 2 HPO 4 and KH 2 PO 4 ) for XG production. Maximum XG production (51.62 g/L) was observed at the optimum level of JSP (4 g/L), peptone (0.93 g/L), citric acid (0.26 g/L), K 2 HPO 4 (1.29 g/L) and KH 2 PO 4 (0.5 g/L). K 2 HPO 4 and KH 2 PO 4 were found as significant medium components, which served as buffering agents as well as nutrients for X. campestris growth. The obtained biopolymer was characterized as XG by XRD and FTIR analysis. Results of this study revealed that JSP was found to be a suitable low cost substrate for XG production.

Xanthan production on polyurethane foam and its enhancement by air pressure pulsation.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-guo; Chen, Hong-zhang

2010-12-01

In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of solid-state fermentation (SSF) on polyurethane foam (PUF) for xanthan production. The effects of air pressure pulsation (APP) on biomass accumulation and final xanthan concentration were also studied. Under suitable conditions (15% inoculum, 0.5-cm (side length) PUF cubes, 15 mL medium per gram cubes and 4.5 cm bed depth), the broth was dispersed on the PUF as a film. When the initial glucose concentration in the media was low (20 and 40 g L⁻¹), there was no significant difference between the final xanthan concentration in static SSF and submerged fermentation (SMF). When high initial glucose concentrations (60 and 80 g L⁻¹) were used, the final gum concentrations in SSF were much higher than those in SMF. When the APP technique was applied in xanthan production with a medium containing a high glucose concentration (80 g L⁻¹), the oxygen consumption rate of Xanthomonas campestris was significantly enhanced at the later stages of fermentation, and both the biomass and xanthan concentration were improved. The results indicated that SSF on PUF is suitable for xanthan preparation, especially when the initial glucose concentration ranged from 60 to 80 g L⁻¹. Those results also demonstrated that APP technology can be used to enhance xanthan yields.

Structural, Thermal, Physical, Mechanical, and Barrier Properties of Chitosan Films with the Addition of Xanthan Gum.

PubMed

de Morais Lima, Maria; Carneiro, Lucia Cesar; Bianchini, Daniela; Dias, Alvaro Renato Guerra; Zavareze, Elessandra da Rosa; Prentice, Carlos; Moreira, Angelita da Silveira

2017-03-01

Films based on chitosan and xanthan gum were prepared using casting technique aiming to investigate the potential of these polymers as packaging materials. Six formulations of films were studied varying the proportion of chitosan and xanthan gum: 100:0 (chitosan:xanthan gum, w/w, C100XG0 film); 90:10 (chitosan:xanthan gum, w/w, C90XG10 film); 80:20 (chitosan:xanthan gum, w/w, C80XG20 film); 70:30 (chitosan:xanthan gum, w/w, C70XG30 film); 60:40 (chitosan:xanthan gum, w/w, C60XG40 film); and 50:50 (chitosan:xanthan gum, w/w, C50XG50 film). The total quantity of solids (chitosan and xanthan gum) in the filmogenic solution was 1.5 g per 100 mL of aqueous solution for all treatments, according to the proportion of each polymer. The films were evaluated by their functional groups, structural, thermal, morphological, physical, mechanical, and barrier properties. All films have presented endothermic peaks in the range of 122 to 175 °C and broad exothermic peaks above 200 °C, which were assigned to the melting temperature and thermal decomposition, respectively. These results demonstrated that films with xanthan gum have the highest T m and Δ m H. The films containing higher content of xanthan gum show also the highest tensile strength and the lowest elongation. Xanthan gum addition did not affect the water vapor permeability, solubility, and moisture of films. This set of data suggests the formation of chitosan-xanthan complexes in the films. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Impact of gastric pH profiles on the proteolytic digestion of mixed βlg-Xanthan biopolymer gels.

PubMed

Dekkers, B L; Kolodziejczyk, E; Acquistapace, S; Engmann, J; Wooster, T J

2016-01-01

The understanding of how foods are digested and metabolised is essential to enable the design/selection of foods as part of a balanced diet. Essential to this endeavour is the development of appropriate biorelevant in vitro digestion tools. In this work, the influence of gastric pH profile on the in vitro digestion of mixtures of β-lactoglobulin (βlg) and xanthan gum prior to and after heat induced gelation was investigated. A conventional highly acidic (pH 1.9) gastric pH profile was compared to two dynamic gastric pH profiles (initial pH of 6.0 vs. 5.2 and H(+) secretion rates of 60 vs. 36 mmol h(-1)) designed to mimic the changes in gastric pH observed during clinical trials with high protein meals. In moving away from the pH 1.9 model, to a pH profile reflecting in vivo conditions, the initial rate and degree of protein digestion halved during the first 45 minutes. After 90 minutes of gastric digestion, all three pH profiles caused similar extents of protein digestion. Given that 50% gastric emptying times of (test) meals are in range of 30-90 min, it would seem highly relevant to use a dynamic pH gastric model rather than a pH 1.9 (USP) or pH 3 model (INFOGEST) in assessing the impact of food structuring approaches on protein digestion. The impact that heat induced gelation had on the degree of gel digestion by pepsin was also investigated. Surprisingly, it was found that heat induced gelation of βlg-xanthan mixtures at 70-90 °C for 20 minutes lead to a considerable decrease in the rate of proteolysis, which contrasts many studies of dispersed aggregates and gels of βlg alone whose heating accelerates pepsin activity due to unfolding. In the present case, the formation of a dense protein network created a fine pore structure which restricted pepsin access into the gel thereby slowing proteolysis. This work not only has implications for the in vitro assessment of protein digestion, but also highlights how protein digestion might be slowed, learnings that

Influence of gas injection on viscous and viscoelastic properties of Xanthan gum.

PubMed

Bobade, Veena; Cheetham, Madalyn; Hashim, Jamal; Eshtiaghi, Nicky

2018-05-01

Xanthan gum is widely used as a model fluid for sludge to mimic the rheological behaviour under various conditions including impact of gas injection in sludge. However, there is no study to show the influence of gas injection on rheological properties of xanthan gum specifically at the concentrations at which it is used as a model fluid for sludge with solids concentration above 2%. In this paper, the rheological properties of aqueous xanthan gum solutions at different concentrations were measured over a range of gas injection flow rates. The effect of gas injection on both the flow and viscoelastic behaviour of Xanthan gum (using two different methods - a creep test and a time sweep test) was evaluated. The viscosity curve of different solid concentrations of digested sludge and waste activated sludge were compared with different solid concentrations of Xanthan gum and the results showed that Xanthan gum can mimic the flow behaviour of sludge in flow regime. The results in linear viscoelastic regime showed that increasing gas flow rate increases storage modulus (G'), indicating an increase in the intermolecular associations within the material structure leading to an increase in material strength and solid behaviour. Similarly, in creep test an increase in the gas flow rate decreased strain%, signifying that the material has become more resistant to flow. Both observed behaviour is opposite to what occurs in sludge under similar conditions. The results of both the creep test and the time sweep test indicated that choosing Xanthan gum aqueous solution as a transparent model fluid for sludge in viscoelastic regime under similar conditions involving gas injection in a concentration range studied is not feasible. However Xanthan gum can be used as a model material for sludge in flow regime; because it shows a similar behaviour to sludge. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation and characterization of xanthan-degrading Enterobacter sp. nov. LB37 for reducing the viscosity of xanthan in petroleum industry.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaoyi; Wang, Mi; Yang, Fan; Tang, Wenzhu; Li, Xianzhen

2014-05-01

A Gram-negative, straight rod and facultative anaerobic bacterium was isolated from soil sample. It exhibits the phenotypic characteristics consistent with its classification in the genus Enterobacter. The isolate ferment glucose to acid and gas. Arginine dihydrolase, ornithin decarboxylase and gelatinase but not deoxyribonuclease was produced by this isolate. There was no hydrogen sulfide production. On the basis of the phenotypic data, together with phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA gene sequences, this strain should represent a novel species of the genus Enterobacter and was designated as LB37. The strain LB37 could degrade xanthan molecules resulting in the rapid decrease of the viscosity of xanthan solution used in oil drilling process. Endoxanthanase activity was also detected in the culture supernatant. To our knowledge, it is the first report on the microbes being involved in the xanthan degradation for oil industry. The isolate LB37 would be useful for potential application in enhanced oil recovery and oil drilling field.

Production of xanthan gum from a chemically defined medium introduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weisrock, W.P.; Klein, H.S.

1983-02-22

Heteropolysaccharides produced by the action of Xanthomonas bacteria on carbohydrate media have a potential application as film forming agents, as thickeners in oil field drilling fluids and fracturing liquids and as emulsifying, stabilizing, and sizing agents. Heteropolysaccharides, particularly, xanthan gum, have a significant potential as mobility control agents in micellar polymer flooding. Xanthan gum has excellent viscosifying properties at low concentration, is resistant to shear degradation and exhibits only minimal losses in viscosity as a function of temperature, pH, and ionic strength. For these reasons, xanthan gum is an attractive alternative to synthetic polyacrylamides for enhanced oil recovery operations. 15more » claims.« less

Functionality of maize, wheat, teff and cassava starches with stearic acid and xanthan gum.

PubMed

Maphalla, Thabelang Gladys; Emmambux, Mohammad Naushad

2016-01-20

Consumer concerns to synthetic chemicals have led to strong preference for 'clean' label starches. Lipid and hydrocolloids are food friendly chemicals. This study determines the effects of stearic acid and xanthan gum alone and in combination on the functionality of maize, wheat, teff and cassava starches. An increase in viscosity was observed for all starches with stearic acid and xanthan gum compared to the controls with cassava having the least increase. A further increase in viscosity was observed for the cereal starches with combination of stearic acid and xanthan gum. Stearic acid reduced retrogradation, resulting in soft textured pastes. Combination of stearic acid and xanthan gum reduced the formation of type IIb amylose-lipid complexes, syneresis, and hysteresis in cereal starches compared to stearic acid alone. A combination of stearic acid and xanthan gum produce higher viscosity non-gelling starches and xanthan gum addition increases physical stability to freezing and better structural recovery after shear. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enzyme and metabolic engineering for the production of novel biopolymers: crossover of biological and chemical processes.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Ken'ichiro; Taguchi, Seiichi

2013-12-01

The development of synthetic biology has transformed microbes into useful factories for producing valuable polymers and/or their precursors from renewable biomass. Recent progress at the interface of chemistry and biology has enabled the production of a variety of new biopolymers with properties that substantially differ from their petroleum-derived counterparts. This review touches on recent trials and achievements in the field of biopolymer synthesis, including chemo-enzymatically synthesized aliphatic polyesters, wholly biosynthesized lactate-based polyesters, polyhydroxyalkanoates and other unusual bacterially synthesized polyesters. The expanding diversities in structure and the material properties of biopolymers are key for exploring practical applications. The enzyme and metabolic engineering approaches toward this goal are discussed by shedding light on the successful case studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhance the anti-microorganism activity of cinnamon oil by xanthan gum as emulsifying agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lieu, Dong M.; Dang, Thuy T. K.; Nguyen, Huong T.

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of emulsifying agents (tween 20, DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) and xanthan gum) to inhibit Escherichia coli; Staphylococcus aureus; Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger by cinnamon oil (Cinnamomum Cassia). Cinnamon oil was added in the emulsifying agents independently: tween 20 (0.3% v/v). DMSO (0.3% v/v) and xanthan gum (0.3% w/v) at different concentrations and evaluated their anti-microorganism activity by agar disk diffusion, mycelial growth inhibition and growth inhibition in liquid phase. The result indicated that, cinnamon oil diluted in different emulsifying agents showed the difference of the anti-microorganism activity, in which DMSO showed the lowest result. Xanthan gum and tween 20 show good stable emulsion. The anti-microorganism effect of cinnamon oil in tween 20 and xanthan gum was not significant difference. However, cinnamon oil in xanthan gum showed anti-microorganism activity better than tween 20 at low concentration in agar disk diffusion. This suggests that, cinnamon oil could be encapsulated by xanthan gum to enhance the anti-microorganism activity.

Xanthan gum: an economical substitute for agar in plant tissue culture media.

PubMed

Jain, R; Babbar, S B

2006-03-01

Xanthan gum, a microbial desiccation-resistant polysaccharide prepared commercially by aerobic submerged fermentation from Xanthomonas campestris, has been successfully used as a solidifying agent for plant tissue culture media. Its suitability as a substitute to agar was demonstrated for in vitro seed germination, caulogenesis and rhizogenesis of Albizzia lebbeck, androgenesis in anther cultures of Datura innoxia, and somatic embryogenesis in callus cultures of Calliandra tweedii. Culture media used for eliciting these morphogenic responses were gelled with either 1% xanthan gum or 0.9% agar. Xanthan gum, like agar, supported all these responses.

Biosynthesis of xanthan gum by Xanthomonas campestris LRELP-1 using kitchen waste as the sole substrate.

PubMed

Li, Panyu; Li, Ting; Zeng, Yu; Li, Xiang; Jiang, Xiaolong; Wang, Yabo; Xie, Tonghui; Zhang, Yongkui

2016-10-20

Herein, we report the production of xanthan gum by fermentation using kitchen waste as the sole substrate. The kitchen waste was firstly pretreated by a simple hydrolysis method, after which the obtained kitchen waste hydrolysate was diluted with an optimal ratio 1:2. In a 5-L fermentor, the maximum xanthan production, reducing sugar conversion and utilization rates reached 11.73g/L, 67.07% and 94.82%, respectively. The kinetics of batch fermentation was also investigated. FT-IR and XRD characterizations confirmed the fermentation product as xanthan gum. TGA analyses showed that the thermal stability of the xanthan gum obtained in this study was similar to commercial sample. The molecular weights of xanthan gum were measured to be 0.69-1.37×10(6)g/mol. The maximum pyruvate and acetyl contents in xanthan gum were 6.11% and 2.49%, respectively. This study provides a cost-effective solution for the reusing of kitchen waste and a possible low-cost approach for xanthan production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Xanthan Gum-a lyotropic, liquid crystalline polymer and its properties as a suspending agent

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salamone, J.C.; Clough, S.B.; Jamison, D.E.

1982-08-01

Studies a variety of xanthan solutions of various polymer concentrations in the presence and absence of various salts under a polarized light microscope (100X) in order to test xanthan gum for liquid crystalline order. Xanthan gum, a polysaccharide used in drilling fluids and in tertiary recovery, has relatively stable viscosity properties as a function of salt concentration, pH, temperature, and shear degradation. With solutions from 2 to 10% (wt/vol) xanthan gum in distilled water at room temperature, birefringent, ordered domains were observed at 10% concentration, with a decrease in birefringence as the polymer concentration decreased. When the xanthan solution ismore » sheared between a glass slide and a cover slip, the optic axis (chain direction) aligns using the shear direction (as determined by the colors displayed using a first-order red plate). Examines liquid crystalline behavior of other naturally occurring polymers.« less

Structure of xanthan gum and cell ultrastructure at different times of alkali stress

PubMed Central

de Mello Luvielmo, Márcia; Borges, Caroline Dellinghausen; de Oliveira Toyama, Daniela; Vendruscolo, Claire Tondo; Scamparini, Adilma Regina Pippa

2016-01-01

The effect of alkali stress on the yield, viscosity, gum structure, and cell ultrastructure of xanthan gum was evaluated at the end of fermentation process of xanthan production by Xanthomonas campestris pv. manihotis 280-95. Although greater xanthan production was observed after a 24 h-alkali stress process, a lower viscosity was observed when compared to the alkali stress-free gum, regardless of the alkali stress time. However, this outcome is not conclusive as further studies on gum purification are required to remove excess sodium, verify the efficiency loss and the consequent increase in the polymer viscosity. Alkali stress altered the structure of xanthan gum from a polygon-like shape to a star-like form. At the end of the fermentation, early structural changes in the bacterium were observed. After alkali stress, marked structural differences were observed in the cells. A more vacuolated cytoplasm and discontinuities in the membrane cells evidenced the cell lysis. Xanthan was observed in the form of concentric circles instead of agglomerates as observed prior to the alkali stress. PMID:26887232

Effect of pretreatment on the enzymatic hydrolysis of kitchen waste for xanthan production.

PubMed

Li, Panyu; Zeng, Yu; Xie, Yi; Li, Xiang; Kang, Yan; Wang, Yabo; Xie, Tonghui; Zhang, Yongkui

2017-01-01

The study was carried out to gain insight into the effect of pretreatment on enzymatic hydrolysis of kitchen waste (KW) for xanthan fermentation. Herein, various pretreatments were applied and it was found that chemical pretreatment had positive effect on the following enzymatic or overall hydrolysis process. The highest reducing sugar concentration was obtained as 51.87g/L from 2% HCl (90°C) pretreated sample, while the Kjeldahl nitrogen (KDN) concentration was 7.79g/L. Kinetic study showed that first order kinetic model was suitable to describe the enzymatic hydrolysis process. The obtained kitchen waste hydrolysate (KWH) was successfully applied for xanthan fermentation. Xanthan concentration reached 4.09-6.46g/L when KWH with 2% HCl (90°C) pretreatment was applied as medium. In comparison, a xanthan concentration of 3.25-5.57g/L was obtained from KWH without pretreatment. Therefore, pretreatment of KW using diluted acid is favorable for the overall hydrolysis process and effective for xanthan fermentation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in biopolymers and biopolymer-based nanocomposites for food packaging materials.

PubMed

Tang, X Z; Kumar, P; Alavi, S; Sandeep, K P

2012-01-01

Plastic packaging for food and non-food applications is non-biodegradable, and also uses up valuable and scarce non-renewable resources like petroleum. With the current focus on exploring alternatives to petroleum and emphasis on reduced environmental impact, research is increasingly being directed at development of biodegradable food packaging from biopolymer-based materials. The proposed paper will present a review of recent developments in biopolymer-based food packaging materials including natural biopolymers (such as starches and proteins), synthetic biopolymers (such as poly lactic acid), biopolymer blends, and nanocomposites based on natural and synthetic biopolymers. The paper will discuss the various techniques that have been used for developing cost-effective biodegradable packaging materials with optimum mechanical strength and oxygen and moisture barrier properties. This is a timely review as there has been a recent renewed interest in research studies, both in the industry and academia, towards development of a new generation of biopolymer-based food packaging materials with possible applications in other areas.

Film forming microbial biopolymers for commercial applications--a review.

PubMed

Vijayendra, S V N; Shamala, T R

2014-12-01

Microorganisms synthesize intracellular, structural and extracellular polymers also referred to as biopolymers for their function and survival. These biopolymers play specific roles as energy reserve materials, protective agents, aid in cell functioning, the establishment of symbiosis, osmotic adaptation and support the microbial genera to function, adapt, multiply and survive efficiently under changing environmental conditions. Viscosifying, gelling and film forming properties of these have been exploited for specific significant applications in food and allied industries. Intensive research activities and recent achievements in relevant and important research fields of global interest regarding film forming microbial biopolymers is the subject of this review. Microbial polymers such as pullulan, kefiran, bacterial cellulose (BC), gellan and levan are placed under the category of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and have several other functional properties including film formation, which can be used for various applications in food and allied industries. In addition to EPS, innumerable bacterial genera are found to synthesis carbon energy reserves in their cells known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), microbial polyesters, which can be extruded into films with excellent moisture and oxygen barrier properties. Blow moldable biopolymers like PHA along with polylactic acid (PLA) synthesized chemically in vitro using lactic acid (LA), which is produced by LA bacteria through fermentation, are projected as biodegradable polymers of the future for packaging applications. Designing and creating of new property based on requirements through controlled synthesis can lead to improvement in properties of existing polysaccharides and create novel biopolymers of great commercial interest and value for wider applications. Incorporation of antimicrobials such as bacteriocins or silver and copper nanoparticles can enhance the functionality of polymer films especially in food packaging

Xanthan and κ-carrageenan based alkaline hydrogels as electrolytes for Al/air batteries.

PubMed

Di Palma, T M; Migliardini, F; Caputo, D; Corbo, P

2017-02-10

Xanthan and κ-carrageenan were used to prepare alkaline hydrogels to be used as electrolytes in aluminium air primary batteries. Two pasty gels were obtained starting from xanthan and KOH solutions (1M and 8M), while only the 8M KOH solution permitted the formation of a stable, elastic and gumminess hydrogel with κ-carrageenan. Discharge tests, performed on three Al/air cells assembled with Al anodes, electrolyte gels and Pt based cathodes, evidenced that all hydrogels exhibited appreciable properties of Al ion conductivities, according to the following performance order: xanthan with KOH 1M<xanthan with KOH 8M<κ-carrageenan KOH 8M. Characterization measurements (XRD, Ionic conductivity by EIS, SEM-EDS) were effected on hydrogels and galvanic cells to explain the behaviour differences detected between the hydrogels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced Amendment Delivery to Low Permeability Zones for Chlorinated Solvent Source Area Bioremediation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

suspend manganese dioxide particles produced from oxidation of permanganate in aqueous phase (Crimi and Ko, 2009). Xanthan gum is a biopolymer that...shear-thinning fluids for improving treatment of low-k zones. This study established that combinations of xanthan gum and potassium permanganate ...flow cell experiments using xanthan gum solution to deliver permanganate , Chokejaroenrat et al. (2013, 2014) presented a set of data supporting that

Ultrasound degradation of xanthan polymer in aqueous solution: Its scission mechanism and the effect of NaCl incorporation.

PubMed

Saleh, H M; Annuar, M S M; Simarani, K

2017-11-01

Degradation of xanthan polymer in aqueous solution by ultrasonic irradiation was investigated. The effects of selected variables i.e. sonication intensity, irradiation time, concentration of xanthan gum and molar concentration of NaCl in solution were studied. Combined approach of full factorial design and conventional one-factor-at-a-time was applied to obtain optimum degradation at sonication power intensity of 11.5Wcm -2 , irradiation time 120min and 0.1gL -1 xanthan in a salt-free solution. Molecular weight reduction of xanthan gum under sonication was described by an exponential decay function with higher rate constant for polymer degradation in the salt free solution. The limiting molecular weight where fragments no longer undergo scission was determined from the function. The incorporation of NaCl in xanthan solution resulted in a lower limiting molecular weight. The ultrasound-mediated degradation of aqueous xanthan polymer chain agreed with a random scission model. Side chain of xanthan polymer is proposed to be the primary site of scission action. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of xanthan gum on lipid digestion and bioaccessibility of β-carotene-loaded rice starch-based filled hydrogels.

PubMed

Park, Shinjae; Mun, Saehun; Kim, Yong-Ro

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of xanthan gum on the lipid digestibility, rheological properties, and β-carotene bioaccessibility of rice starch-based filled hydrogels. β-Carotene was solubilized within lipid droplets of emulsion that were then entrapped within rice starch hydrogels fabricated with different concentrations of xanthan gum. At a low concentration of xanthan gum (<0.5wt%), the viscous characteristics of the filled starch hydrogels increased. Furthermore, these hydrogels had a slower rate of lipid digestion than the β-carotene-loaded emulsion. As the concentration of xanthan gum was increased (to 1.0wt% and 2.0wt%), the filled starch hydrogels became more elastic gel-like than those without xanthan gum, and also had the fastest rate and highest final extent of lipid digestion. The addition of xanthan gum to the filled starch hydrogel lowered the bioaccessibility of β-carotene to varying degrees, depending on the xanthan gum concentration. The results obtained from this study can be useful in designing gel-like food products fortified with lipophilic nutraceuticals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of xanthan gum on the structural characteristics of myofibrillar proteins treated by high pressure.

PubMed

Villamonte, Gina; Jury, Vanessa; Jung, Stéphanie; de Lamballerie, Marie

2015-03-01

The effects of xanthan gum on the structural modifications of myofibrillar proteins (0.3 M NaCl, pH 6) induced by high pressure (200, 400, and 600 MPa, 6 min) were investigated. The changes in the secondary and tertiary structures of myofibrillar proteins were analyzed by circular dichroism. The protein denaturation was also evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry. Likewise, the protein surface hydrophobicity and the solubility of myofibrillar proteins were measured. High pressure (600 MPa) induced the loss of α-helix structures and an increase of β-sheet structures. However, the presence of xanthan gum hindered the former mechanism of protein denaturation by high pressure. In fact, changes in the secondary (600 MPa) and the tertiary structure fingerprint of high-pressure-treated myofibrillar proteins (400 to 600 MPa) were observed in the presence of xanthan gum. These modifications were confirmed by the thermal analysis, the thermal transitions of high-pressure (400 to 600 MPa)-treated myofibrillar proteins were modified in systems containing xanthan gum. As consequence, the high-pressure-treated myofibrillar proteins with xanthan gum showed increased solubility from 400 MPa, in contrast to high-pressure treatment (600 MPa) without xanthan gum. Moreover, the surface hydrophobicity of high-pressure-treated myofibrillar proteins was enhanced in the presence of xanthan gum. These effects could be due to the unfolding of myofibrillar proteins at high-pressure levels, which exposed sites that most likely interacted with the anionic polysaccharide. This study suggests that the role of food additives could be considered for the development of meat products produced by high-pressure processing. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

In planta production of ELPylated spidroin-based proteins results in non-cytotoxic biopolymers.

PubMed

Hauptmann, Valeska; Menzel, Matthias; Weichert, Nicola; Reimers, Kerstin; Spohn, Uwe; Conrad, Udo

2015-02-19

Spider silk is a tear-resistant and elastic biopolymer that has outstanding mechanical properties. Additionally, exiguous immunogenicity is anticipated for spider silks. Therefore, spider silk represents a potential ideal biomaterial for medical applications. All known spider silk proteins, so-called spidroins, reveal a composite nature of silk-specific units, allowing the recombinant production of individual and combined segments. In this report, a miniaturized spidroin gene, named VSO1 that contains repetitive motifs of MaSp1 has been synthesized and combined to form multimers of distinct lengths, which were heterologously expressed as elastin-like peptide (ELP) fusion proteins in tobacco. The elastic penetration moduli of layered proteins were analyzed for different spidroin-based biopolymers. Moreover, we present the first immunological analysis of synthetic spidroin-based biopolymers. Characterization of the binding behavior of the sera after immunization by competitive ELISA suggested that the humoral immune response is mainly directed against the fusion partner ELP. In addition, cytocompatibility studies with murine embryonic fibroblasts indicated that recombinant spidroin-based biopolymers, in solution or as coated proteins, are well tolerated. The results show that spidroin-based biopolymers can induce humoral immune responses that are dependent on the fusion partner and the overall protein structure. Furthermore, cytocompatibility assays gave no indication of spidroin-derived cytotoxicity, suggesting that recombinant produced biopolymers composed of spider silk-like repetitive elements are suitable for biomedical applications.

Effect of guar and xanthan gums on functional properties of mango (Mangifera indica) kernel starch.

PubMed

Nawab, Anjum; Alam, Feroz; Haq, Muhammad Abdul; Hasnain, Abid

2016-12-01

The effects of different concentrations of guar and xanthan gums on functional properties of mango kernel starch (MKS) were studied. Both guar and xanthan gum enhanced the water absorption of MKS. The addition of xanthan gum appeared to reduce the SP (swelling power) and solubility at higher temperatures while guar gum significantly enhanced the SP as well as solubility of MKS. The addition of both gums produced a reinforcing effect on peak viscosity of MKS as compared to control. Pasting temperature of MKS was higher than that of starch modified by gums indicating ease of gelatinization. Guar gum played an accelerative effect on setback but xanthan gum delayed the setback phenomenon during the cooling of the starch paste. Both gums were found to be effective in reducing the syneresis while gel firmness was markedly improved. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of complexation conditions on microcapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus in xanthan-chitosan polyelectrolyte complex gels.

PubMed

Chen, He; Song, Yajuan; Liu, Nina; Wan, Hongchang; Shu, Guowei; Liao, Na

2015-01-01

Lactobacillus acidophilus has become increasingly popular because of their beneficial effects on health of their host, and are called proboscis. In order to exert beneficial effects for probiotics, they must be able to tolerate the acidic conditions of the stomach environment and the bile in the small intestine. Microencapsulated form has received reasonable attention, since it can protect probiotic organisms against an unfavourable environment, and to allow their release in a viable and metabolically active state in the intestine. The aim of this study was to investigate some factores, such as chitosan solution pH and concentration, xanthan concentration, cell suspension-xanthan ratio, mixed bacteria glue liquid-chitosan ratio, which impacted the process of microencapsulation of L. acidophilus. In this study, L. acidophilus was immobilized with xanthan⁄chitosan gel using extrusion method. The viable counts and encapsulation yield of L. acidophilus encapsulated in different chitosan solution pH (4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6), in different chitosan concentration (0.5%, 0.7%, 0.9% and 1.1%), in different xanthan concentration (0.5%, 0.7%, 0.9% and 1.1%), in different cell suspension-xanthan ratios (1:5, 1:10, 1:15 and 1:20), in different mixed bacteria glue liquid-chitosan ratios (1:3, 1:4, 1:5 and 1:6), have been investigated by single factor experiment method. The optimum conditions of microencapsulated L. acidophilus have been observed. The optimum chitosan solution pH for L. acidophilus was 5.5; the optimum chitosan concentration was 0.9%; the optimum xanthan concentration was 0.7%; the optimum cell suspension-xanthan ratio was 1:10; the optimum mixed bacteria glue liquid-chitosan ratio was 1:3. These results will be helpful to further optimize the process of L. acidophilus microencapsulation, and provide reference for obtaining higher viable counts and entrapped yield of L. acidophilus microcapsules.

Coupled biopolymer networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, J. M.; Zhang, Tao

2015-03-01

The actin cytoskeleton provides the cell with structural integrity and allows it to change shape to crawl along a surface, for example. The actin cytoskeleton can be modeled as a semiflexible biopolymer network that modifies its morphology in response to both external and internal stimuli. Just inside the inner nuclear membrane of a cell exists a network of filamentous lamin that presumably protects the heart of the cell nucleus--the DNA. Lamins are intermediate filaments that can also be modeled as semiflexible biopolymers. It turns out that the actin cytoskeletal biopolymer network and the lamin biopolymer network are coupled via a sequence of proteins that bridge the outer and inner nuclear membranes. We, therefore, probe the consequences of such a coupling via numerical simulations to understand the resulting deformations in the lamin network in response to perturbations in the cytoskeletal network. Such study could have implications for mechanical mechanisms of the regulation of transcription, since DNA--yet another semiflexible polymer--contains lamin-binding domains, and, thus, widen the field of epigenetics.

Synthesis and evaluation of alendronate-modified gelatin biopolymer as a novel osteotropic nanocarrier for gene therapy.

PubMed

Mekhail, George M; Kamel, Amany O; Awad, Gehanne As; Mortada, Nahed D; Rodrigo, Rowena L; Spagnuolo, Paul A; Wettig, Shawn D

2016-09-01

To synthesize an osteotropic alendronate functionalized gelatin (ALN-gelatin) biopolymer for nanoparticle preparation and targeted delivery of DNA to osteoblasts for gene therapy applications. Alendronate coupling to gelatin was confirmed using Fourier transform IR, (31)PNMR, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry. ALN-gelatin biopolymers prepared at various alendronate/gelatin ratios were utilized to prepare nanoparticles and were optimized in combination with DNA and gemini surfactant for transfecting both HEK-293 and MG-63 cell lines. Gelatin functionalization was confirmed using the above methods. Uniform nanoparticles were obtained from a nanoprecipitation technique. ALN-gelatin/gemini/DNA complexes exhibited higher transfection efficiency in MG-63 osteosarcoma cell line compared with the positive control. ALN-gelatin is a promising biopolymer for bone targeting of either small molecules or gene therapy applications.

Formulation and in vitro evaluation of xanthan gum or carbopol 934-based mucoadhesive patches, loaded with nicotine.

PubMed

Abu-Huwaij, Rana; Obaidat, Rana M; Sweidan, Kamal; Al-Hiari, Yusuf

2011-03-01

Bilayer nicotine mucoadhesive patches were prepared and evaluated to determine the feasibility of the formulation as a nicotine replacement product to aid in smoking cessation. Nicotine patches were prepared using xanthan gum or carbopol 934 as a mucoadhesive polymers and ethyl cellulose as a backing layer. The patches were evaluated for their thickness, weight and content uniformity, swelling behavior, drug-polymers interaction, adhesive properties, and drug release. The physicochemical interactions between nicotine and the polymers were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Mucoadhesion was assessed using two-arm balance method, and the in vitro release was studied using the Franz cell. FTIR revealed that there was an acid base interaction between nicotine and carbopol as well as nicotine and xanthan. Interestingly, the mucoadhesion and in vitro release studies indicated that this interaction was strong between the drug and carbopol whereas it was weak between the drug and xanthan. Loading nicotine concentration to non-medicated patches showed a significant decrease in the mucoadhesion strength of carbopol patches and no significant effect on the mucoadhesion strength of xanthan patches. In vitro release studies of the xanthan patches showed a reasonable fast initial release profile followed by controlled drug release over a 10-h period. © 2010 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

Process model economics of xanthan production from confectionery industry wastewaters.

PubMed

Bajić, Bojana Ž; Vučurović, Damjan G; Dodić, Siniša N; Grahovac, Jovana A; Dodić, Jelena M

2017-12-01

In this research a process and cost model for a xanthan production facility was developed using process simulation software (SuperPro Designer ® ). This work represents a novelty in the field for two reasons. One is that xanthan gum has been produced from several wastes but never from wastewaters from confectionery industries. The other more important is that the aforementioned software, which in intended exclusively for bioprocesses, is used for generating a base case, i.e. starting point for transferring the technology to industrial scales. Previously acquired experimental knowledge about using confectionery wastewaters from five different factories as substitutes for commercially used cultivation medium have been incorporated into the process model in order to obtain an economic viability of implementing such substrates. A lower initial sugar content in the medium based on wastewater (28.41 g/L) compared to the synthetic medium (30.00 g/L) gave a lower xanthan content at the end of cultivation (23.98 and 26.27 g/L, respectively). Although this resulted in somewhat poorer economic parameters, they were still in the range of being an investment of interest. Also the possibility of utilizing a cheap resource (waste) and reducing pollution that would result from its disposal has a positive effect on the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic compatibility and interactions between Speckled Sugar bean protein and xanthan gum for production of multilayer O/W emulsion.

PubMed

Rahmati, Nazanin Fatemeh; Koocheki, Arash; Varidi, Mehdi; Kadkhodaee, Rassoul

2018-03-01

Thermodynamic compatibility and probable interactions between Speckled Sugar been protein (SSBP) and xanthan gum for production of multilayer O/W emulsion (30% oil) were investigated. Different interactions were observed between SSBP and xanthan at different pH (3-7) including electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. These interactions were predominant at pH 3. When low xanthan gum concentration (0.1%) was used, phase separation and complex coacervation observed at this pH (negative effect of interactions). However, at pH 5, only 0.1% xanthan was enough to drastically reduce non-dissolved protein and its precipitation which normally occurs at this pH. In addition, incompatibility or segregative phase behavior which normally occurs when protein and polysaccharide have same charges was not observed (positive effects of interactions). Protein-gum interactions influenced emulsion properties (zeta potential, particle size, PDI, rheology, emulsion capacity, heat stability and creaming rate). Interactions had considerable influence on emulsion shelf life and produced completely stable emulsions at all pH values. Results confirmed that SSBP-xanthan gum mixture has a high potential for production of multilayer emulsions.

Xanthan gum as a fat replacer in goshtaba-a traditional meat product of India: effects on quality and oxidative stability.

PubMed

Rather, Sajad A; Masoodi, F A; Akhter, Rehana; Gani, Adil; Wani, S M; Malik, A H

2015-12-01

Goshtaba is a restructured meat product of Kashmiri wazwan prepared from meat emulsion with added fat (20 %), salt, spices and condiments and cooked in the curd. The present study was undertaken for the development of low fat goshtaba with the addition of xanthan gum as a fat replacer and was evaluated for proximate composition, pH, colour, lipid and protein oxidation, texture, microstructure and sensory properties. Low fat goshtaba formulations containing xanthan gum were higher in protein and moisture contents but, lower in fat content and pH value than the high fat control (p < 0.05). Colour evaluation revealed that high fat goshtaba had significantly higher L* value, but lower a* value than its low fat counterparts (p < 0.05). The significant decrease of TBARS values, protein carbonyls and loss of protein sulphydryl groups in low fat goshtaba formulations reflects the potential antioxidant activity of xanthan gum (p < 0.05). Hardness was significantly higher in high fat control but, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness did not show any significant difference. Springiness increased with the increasing concentration of xanthan gum (0.5-1.5 %) and was higher in low fat product containing 1.5 % xanthan gum. SEM results indicate that xanthan gum lead to formation of an additional gel network which holds more water. Sensory evaluation revealed that goshtaba product with 0.5 % xanthan gum had quality characteristics that were similar to the control product containing 20 % fat.

Anomalous Diffusion of Particles Dispersed in Xanthan Solutions Subjected to Shear Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takikawa, Yoshinori; Yasuta, Muneharu; Fujii, Shuji; Orihara, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Yoshimi; Nishinari, Katsuyoshi

2018-05-01

Xanthan gum exhibits viscoelastic and shear-thinning properties. We investigate the Brownian motion of particles dispersed in xanthan gum solutions that are subjected to simple shear flow. The mean square displacements (MSDs) are obtained in both the flow and vorticity directions. In the absence of shear flow, subdiffusion is observed, MSD ∝ tα with α < 1, where t is time. In the presence of shear flow, however, the exponent α becomes larger together with the MSD itself in both the flow and vorticity directions. We show that the diffusion is enhanced by Taylor dispersion in the flow direction, whereas in the vorticity direction it is enhanced by nonthermal self-diffusion.

Influence of xanthan, guar, CMC and gum acacia on functional properties of water chestnut (Trapa bispinosa) starch.

PubMed

Lutfi, Zubala; Nawab, Anjum; Alam, Feroz; Hasnain, Abid; Haider, Syed Zia

2017-10-01

This study was performed to determine the effect of xanthan, guar, CMC and gum acacia on functional and pasting properties of starch isolated from water chestnut (Trapa bispinosa). Morphological properties of water chestnut starch with CMC were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The addition of hydrocolloids significantly enhanced the solubility of water chestnut starch (WCS) while reduced swelling power and freeze-thaw stability. The hydrophilic tendency of WCS was increased by xanthan gum; however, with addition of gum acacia it decreased significantly. Starch was modified with guar and gum acacia exhibited highest% syneresis. Guar gum was found to be effective in increasing the clarity of water chestnut starch paste. The addition of CMC significantly reduced the pasting temperature of WCS indicating ease of gelatinization. The setback was accelerated in the presence of xanthan gum but gum acacia delayed this effect during the cooling of the starch paste. Only xanthan gum was found to be effective in increasing breakdown showing good paste stability of WCS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improvement of viability of probiotic bacteria, organoleptic qualities and physical characteristics in kefir using transglutaminase and xanthan.

PubMed

Sabooni, Pooria; Pourahmad, Rezvan; Adeli, Hamid Reza Mahdavi

2018-01-01

Using kefir as a probiotic food carrier has many benefits. At the same time, it is considered an appropriate product for the dairy industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of xanthan gum and transglutaminase enzyme on the viability of probiotics and the organoleptic qualities and physicochemical characteristics of kefir. Three levels of transglutaminase enzyme (50, 100 and 150 ppm), and xanthan gum (0.05%, 0.1% and 0.2%) were used. Sensory and physicochemical properties and viability of probiotic bac- teria were measured over 2 weeks of storage at 4°C. By increasing the amounts of xanthan gum and transglutaminase, the viscosity of the samples was increased and syneresis was reduced significantly (P < 0.05). The kefir sample containing 150 ppm enzyme and 0.2% gum had the highest number of probiotic bacteria. Moreover, the highest organoleptic scores were found for this sample. It can be concluded that adding 150 ppm transglutaminase and 0.2% xanthan improved the vi- ability of probiotics and the physical and organoleptic characteristics of kefir.

Bioadhesive Controlled Metronidazole Release Matrix Based on Chitosan and Xanthan Gum

PubMed Central

Eftaiha, Ala’a F.; Qinna, Nidal; Rashid, Iyad S.; Al Remawi, Mayyas M.; Al Shami, Munther R.; Arafat, Tawfiq A.; Badwan, Adnan A.

2010-01-01

Metronidazole, a common antibacterial drug, was incorporated into a hydrophilic polymer matrix composed of chitosan xanthan gum mixture. Hydrogel formation of this binary chitosan-xanthan gum combination was tested for its ability to control the release of metronidazole as a drug model. This preparation (MZ-CR) was characterized by in vitro, ex vivo bioadhesion and in vivo bioavailability study. For comparison purposes a commercial extended release formulation of metronidazole (CMZ) was used as a reference. The in vitro drug-release profiles of metronidazole preparation and CMZ were similar in 0.1 M HCl and phosphate buffer pH 6.8. Moreover, metronidazole preparation and CMZ showed a similar detachment force to sheep stomach mucosa, while the bioadhesion of the metronidazole preparation was higher three times than CMZ to sheep duodenum. The results of in vivo study indicated that the absorption of metronidazole from the preparation was faster than that of CMZ. Also, MZ-CR leads to higher metronidazole Cmax and AUC relative to that of the CMZ. This increase in bioavailability might be explained by the bioadhesion of the preparation at the upper part of the small intestine that could result in an increase in the overall intestinal transit time. As a conclusion, formulating chitosan-xanthan gum mixture as a hydrophilic polymer matrix resulted in a superior pharmacokinetic parameters translated by better rate and extent of absorption of metronidazole. PMID:20559494

Biopolymer Aerogels and Foams: Chemistry, Properties, and Applications.

PubMed

Zhao, Shanyu; Malfait, Wim J; Guerrero-Alburquerque, Natalia; Koebel, Matthias M; Nyström, Gustav

2018-06-25

Biopolymer aerogels were among the first aerogels produced, but only in the last decade has research on biopolymer and biopolymer-composite aerogels become popular, motivated by sustainability arguments, their unique and tunable properties, and ease of functionalization. Biopolymer aerogels and open-cell foams have great potential for classical aerogel applications such as thermal insulation, as well as emerging applications in filtration, oil-water separation, CO 2 capture, catalysis, and medicine. The biopolymer aerogel field today is driven forward by empirical materials discovery at the laboratory scale, but requires a firmer theoretical basis and pilot studies to close the gap to market. This Review includes a database with over 3800 biopolymer aerogel properties, evaluates the state of the biopolymer aerogel field, and critically discusses the scientific, technological, and commercial barriers to the commercialization of these exciting materials. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The release kinetics of β-carotene nanocapsules/xanthan gum coating and quality changes in fresh-cut melon (cantaloupe).

PubMed

Zambrano-Zaragoza, María L; Quintanar-Guerrero, David; Del Real, Alicia; Piñon-Segundo, Elizabeth; Zambrano-Zaragoza, José F

2017-02-10

The main aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the β-carotene release rate from nanocapsules incorporated into a xanthan gumcoating on the physical and physicochemical properties of fresh-cut melon (var. cantaloupe). Several coatings were studied: xanthan gum alone (XG), xanthan gum combined with nanocapsules (Ncs/XG), xanthan gum combined with nanospheres (Nsp/XG), nanocapsules (Ncs), and nanospheres (Nsp), all of which were compared to untreated fresh-cut melon in order to determine their preservation efficiency. The β-carotene release profiles from the Ncs and Ncs/XG treatments corresponded better to a Higuchi-type behavior (t 1/2 ) for matrix systems (R2>0.95). Also observed was a good correlation between the release of β-carotene by the Ncs/XG treatment and the minor changes observed in the whiteness index (≤10%) and firmness (≤2%). These results lead to the conclusion that incorporating β-carotene nanocapsules into a polysaccharide matrix improves the properties of the coatings, thereby increasing storage time to 21days at 4°C. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temperature dependency of the interaction between xanthan gum and sage seed gum: An interpretation of dynamic rheology and thixotropy based on creep test.

PubMed

Razavi, Seyed M A; Behrouzian, Fataneh; Alghooneh, Ali

2017-10-01

The viscoelastic (transient and dynamic) and time-dependent rheological behaviors of XG (xanthan gum), SSG (sage seed gum) and their blends at various ratios (1-3, 1-1, and 3-1 SSG-XG) and temperatures (10, 30, and 50C) were investigated using creep and recovery analyses. The creep compliance was converted to stress relaxation data; then, the structural kinetic model satisfactorily fitted the time-dependent relaxation modulus. Furthermore, dynamic rheology of mixtures was investigated using creep analyses. The most important contribution of the Maxwell spring to deformation (53.51%), was that corresponding to the SSG at 50C and the most important contribution of the Maxwell dashpot to the maximum deformation, were those corresponding to the XG (61.44%) and 1-3 SSG-XG (58.91%) samples both at 50C. The breakdown rate constant ( α) of the crosslinked gum structure in SSG and 3-1 SSG-XG under the application of external shear stress increases with temperature from 10 to 50C in the range of 0.14-0.32 (1/s) and 0.14-0.24 (1/s), respectively, whereas other dispersions showed the reverse trend. Among all dispersions, only XG and 1-3 SSG-XG demonstrated crossover frequency at 9.95 and 31.47 rad/s, respectively, at 50C, indicative of the lowest entanglement density for 1-3 SSG-XG. The greatest interaction between SSG and XG occurred for 3-1 ratio at 50C, which was confirmed by the Han curves. Hydrocolloid blends, particularly those consisting of xanthan gum and a galactomannan from new source can provide a range of attractive textural properties. Rheological studies contribute to the description of the molecular structure and prediction of the structural changes during their manufacturing processes. Sage seed gum (SSG), as a polyelectrolyte galactomannan, has a great potential to exert stabilizing, thickening, gelling and binding properties in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical systems. Therefore, we elaborate the interactions between SSG and xanthan gum and also the

Nonlinear Propagation of Sound in Recently Settled Flocculated Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, A. H.; Sanders, W. M.

2016-12-01

Cohesive sediments undergo changes in a whirlwind. Dumped out of the river and into the estuary, they get bathed in salty water and subject to turbulent motion. During this sequence of events, the clay particles form clay aggregates of larger size with higher settling rates than the clay particles. Once the flocs have settled, cohesive sediments may form a sediment deposit of mud. Our interest is in the factors that control the development of soundspeed within these muds. This paper addresses organic matter influences on floc aggregation and settling rates. In laboratory studies, organic matter type differed in mixtures with either bentonite or kaolinite clays. The organic matter types used were guar gum, a net positive biopolymer, and xanthan gum, a net negative biopolymer derived from bacterial exudates, similar to those commonly found in estuaries. These biopolymers were dissolved into low salinity water (0-10 ppt). The biopolymer mixture was degassed and during the degassing process, either bentonite or kaolinite clay was added to the vessel. Surprisingly, different settling rates occurred in the clay-biopolymer mixtures. The settling rates of the clay-guar mixtures was more rapid (1-2 days) than the settling rate for the clay-xanthan mixtures. While clay-guar consolidated further, clay-xanthan maintained consistency for more than 2 weeks with density slowly increasing during that period. Compressional soundspeed (Vp) measurements were made with depth through the vessel using 0.5 mHz piezoelectric transducers. It was found that Vp in water was similar to that of the clay-xanthan. Vp was the same in the upper 6 cm of mud as it was in the overlying water and Vp decreased to become slower with increasing depth. Compressional wave velocity (Vp) also changed slightly with the guar complexes below the sediment water interface to the depth of the vessel. Vp was slightly slower in the mud than in the water column. Vp of the water was 1480-1495 m/s whereas Vp within the

Xanthanolides and xanthane epoxide derivatives from Xanthium strumarium.

PubMed

Mahmoud, A A

1998-12-01

From the aerial parts of Xanthium strumarium, three new xanthanolide and xanthane-type sesquiterpenoids, 11alpha,13-dihydroxanthatin, 4beta,5beta-epoxyxanthatin-1alpha,4alpha-endoperoxide, and 1beta,4beta,4alpha,5alpha-diepoxyxanth-11(13)-en-12-oic acid have been isolated, together with seven known compounds. The structures were determined by spectroscopic methods, particularly high resolution 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopy and NOE experiments.

System for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gross, V.

1980-07-08

A system is described for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers, comprising: a set of containers adapted for receiving aqueous solutions of biological samples containing biopolymers which are subsequently precipitated in said containers on particles of diatomite in the presence of a coprecipitator, then filtered, dissolved, and mixed with a scintillator; radioactivity measuring means including a detection chamber to which is fed the mixture produced in said set of containers; an electric drive for moving said set of containers in a stepwise manner; means for proportional feeding of said coprecipitator and a suspension of diatomite in an acid solution to saidmore » containers which contain the biological sample for forming an acid precipitation of biopolymers; means for the removal of precipitated samples from said containers; precipitated biopolymer filtering means for successively filtering the precipitate, suspending the precipitate, dissolving the biopolymers mixed with said scintillator for feeding of the mixture to said detection chamber; a system of pipelines interconnecting said above-recited means; and said means for measuring radioactivity of labelled biopolymers including, a measuring cell arranged in a detection chamber and communicating with said means for filtering precipitated biopolymers through one pipeline of said system of pipelines; a program unit electrically connected to said electric drive, said means for acid precipatation of biopolymers, said means for the removal of precipitated samples from said containers, said filtering means, and said radioactivity measuring device; said program unit adapted to periodically switch on and off the above-recited means and check the sequence of the radioactivity measuring operations; and a control unit for controlling the initiation of the system and for selecting programs.« less

Reduction of the viscosity of solutions viscosified with xanthan gum polymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bridges, K.L.; Kalinski, K.L.

1991-10-08

This patent describes a process for reducing the viscosity of a drilling fluid containing Xanthan gum polymer solution. It comprises: contacting the drilling fluid with hydrogen peroxide and adjusting the pH of the solution to a level of at least about between 8 and 10.

Investigation on wear characteristic of biopolymer gear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazali, Wafiuddin Bin Md; Daing Idris, Daing Mohamad Nafiz Bin; Sofian, Azizul Helmi Bin; Basrawi, Mohamad Firdaus bin; Khalil Ibrahim, Thamir

2017-10-01

Polymer is widely used in many mechanical components such as gear. With the world going to a more green and sustainable environment, polymers which are bio based are being recognized as a replacement for conventional polymers based on fossil fuel. The use of biopolymer in mechanical components especially gear have not been fully explored yet. This research focuses on biopolymer for spur gear and whether the conventional method to investigate wear characteristic is applicable. The spur gears are produced by injection moulding and tested on several speeds using a custom test equipment. The wear formation such as tooth fracture, tooth deformation, debris and weight loss was observed on the biopolymer spur gear. It was noted that the biopolymer gear wear mechanism was similar with other type of polymer spur gears. It also undergoes stages of wear which are; running in, linear and rapid. It can be said that the wear mechanism of biopolymer spur gear is comparable to fossil fuel based polymer spur gear, thus it can be considered to replace polymer gears in suitable applications.

The Use of Xanthan Gum as Vaccine Adjuvant: An Evaluation of Immunostimulatory Potential in BALB/c Mice and Cytotoxicity In Vitro

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Thaís Larré; Collares, Thaís Farias; Monte, Leonardo Garcia; Inda, Guilherme Roig; Moreira, Angelita da Silveira

2017-01-01

The successful production of new, safe, and effective vaccines that generate immunological memory is directly related to adjuvant feature, which is responsible for increasing and/or modulating the immune response. Several compounds display adjuvant activity, including carbohydrates. These compounds play important roles in the immune response, as well as having biocompatible properties in vaccine formulations. One such carbohydrate is xanthan gum, a polysaccharide that is produced by the plant-pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas spp., which has adjuvant attributes. This study evaluated the immune response induced by xanthan gum associated with ovalbumin in BALB/c mice, which were subcutaneously immunized, in terms of antibody production (IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgG3), and assessed the levels of IFN-γ in the splenocyte culture using indirect ELISA. Furthermore, we investigated in vitro cytotoxicity of xanthan in the embryo fibroblasts cell line of the NIH/3T3 mouse by MTT assay and propidium iodide uptake assay. The mice immunized with ovalbumin plus xanthan gum exhibited higher antibody IgG1 responses than control groups. Furthermore, the xanthan polysaccharide was capable of increasing the immunogenicity of antigens by producing IFN-γ and did not exhibit cytotoxicity effects in NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, considered a promising candidate for vaccine adjuvant. PMID:28555192

Electrical conductivity behavior of Gum Arabic biopolymer-Fe3O4 nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhakat, D.; Barik, P.; Bhattacharjee, A.

2018-01-01

Present work reports a study on the electrical conduction properties of some composites of Gum Arabic biopolymer and magnetite nanoparticles as host and guest, respectively, synthesized in different weight percentages. The nanocomposites are found to be non-extrinsic type of semiconductors with guest content dependent trap distribution of charge carriers. Conductivity of these materials increases with increasing guest content along with a concomitant decrease in the activation energy. Percolation theory has been employed for the analysis of the electrical conductivity results to explore the effect of the guest on the electrical conductivity of the host.

Application of guar-xanthan gum mixture as a partial fat replacer in meat emulsions.

PubMed

Rather, Sajad A; Masoodi, F A; Akhter, Rehana; Rather, Jahangir A; Gani, Adil; Wani, S M; Malik, A H

2016-06-01

The physicochemical, oxidative, texture and microstructure properties were evaluated for low fat meat emulsions containing varying levels of guar/xanthan gum mixture (1:1 ratio) as a fat substitute. Partial replacement of fat with guar/xanthan gum resulted in higher emulsion stability and cooking yield but lower penetration force. Proximate composition revealed that high fat control had significantly higher fat and lower moisture content due to the difference in basic formulation. Colour evaluation revealed that low fat formulations containing gum mixture had significantly lower lightness and higher yellowness values than high fat control formulation. However non-significant difference was observed in redness values between low fat formulations and the high fat control. The pH values of the low fat formulations containing gum mixture were lower than the control formulations (T0 and TC). The MetMb% of the high fat emulsion formulation was higher than low fat formulations. The significant increase of TBARS value, protein carbonyl groups and loss of protein sulphydryl groups in high fat formulation reflect the more oxidative degradation of lipids and muscle proteins during the preparation of meat emulsion than low fat formulations. The SEM showed a porous matrix in the treatments containing gum mixture. Thus, the guar/xanthan gum mixture improved the physicochemical and oxidative quality of low fat meat emulsions than the control formulations.

Insights into the sorption properties of cutin and cutan biopolymers.

PubMed

Shechter, Michal; Chefetz, Benny

2008-02-15

Plant cuticles have been reported as highly efficient sorbents for organic compounds. The objective of this study was to elucidate the sorption and desorption behavior of polar and nonpolar organic compounds with the major structural components of the plant cuticle: the biopolymers cutin and cutan. The sorption affinity values of the studied compounds followed the order: phenanthrene > atrazine > chlorotoluron > carbamazepine. A higher sorption affinity of phenanthrene and atrazine to cutin was probably due to the higher level of amorphous paraffinic carbon in this biopolymer. Phenanthrene exhibited reversible sorption behavior and a high ratio of organic-carbon-normalized distribution coefficient (Koc) to carbon-normalized octanol-water partitioning coefficients (Kowc) with both biopolymers. This suggests that both biopolymers provide phenanthrene with a partition medium for hydrophobic interactions with the flexible long alkyl-chain moieties of the biopolymers. The low Koc/Kowc ratios obtained for the polar sorbates suggest that the polar sites in the biopolymers are not accessible for sorption interactions. Atrazine and carbamazepine exhibited sorption-desorption hysteresis with both sorbents, indicating that both sorbates interact with cutin and cutan via both hydrophobic and specific interactions. In general, the sorptive properties of the studied biopolymers were similar, signifying that the active sorption sites are similar even though the biopolymers exhibit different properties.

Xanthan/chitosan gold chip for metal enhanced protein biomarker detection.

PubMed

Domnanich, Patrick; Peña, Dacimoneida Brito; Preininger, Claudia

2011-01-15

Protein microarrays for disease diagnostics are required to accurately quantify analytes in the low pg/mL range. This task is hampered by weak signal strengths and too low detector sensitivity. Herein we present reflective gold chips coated with polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) for signal enhancement in immunoassays for melanoma-relevant biomarkers. Among tested (semi)natural polysaccharides (xanthan, chitosan, carboxymethylcellulose, hyaluronic acid) PEMs composed of xanthan and chitosan performed best in terms of detection of low analyte concentrations (ED10), spot morphology, fluorescence background and variability (<10%). Fluorescence signals on gold slides with a 75 nm coating of seven crosslinked polyelectrolyte double layers were up to 50 times higher than on bare glass slides. In comparison to commercial substrates the signal to noise ratio is enhanced by up to factor 11. Furthermore sandwich assays for interleukins 6, 8, 10, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and S100B show working ranges which cover significantly lower concentrations (up to 38-fold). Not limited to above assays the presented substrates, which combine a biocompatible interface with metal-based signal amplification, are a valuable tool in a variety of biosensor applications. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of pH on the rheology of mixed gels containing whey protein isolate and xanthan-curdlan hydrogel.

PubMed

Shiroodi, Setareh Ghorban; Lo, Y Martin

2015-11-01

The ultimate goal of this work was to examine the effect of xanthan-curdlan hydrogel complex (XCHC) on the rheology of whey protein isolate (WPI) within the pH range of 4-7 upon heating and cooling. Dynamic rheological properties of WPI and XCHC were studied individually and in combination, as a function of time or temperature. For pure WPI, gels were pH-dependent, and in all pH values except 7, gels formed upon first heating from 40 to 90 °C. At pH 7, WPI did not form gel upon first heating, and the storage modulus (G') started to increase during the holding time at 90 °C. The onset of gelation temperature of WPI was lower in acidic pH ranges compared to the neutral pH. In mixed gels, the presence of XCHC increased the G' of the gels. The rheological behaviour was pH-dependent and initially was controlled by XCHC; however, after the consolidation of WPI network, the behaviour was led by the whey protein isolate. Results showed that XCHC had a synergistic effect on enhancing the elastic modulus of the gels after the consolidation of WPI network. Based on the results of this study, it is possible to use these biopolymers in the formulation of frozen dairy-based products and enable food manufactures to improve the textural and physicochemical properties, and as a result the consumer acceptance of the food product.

Biopolymers Containing Unnatural Amino Acids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schultz, Peter

Although the main chain structure of polymers has a profound effect on their materials properties, the side groups can also have dramatic effects on their properties including conductivity, liquid crystallinity, hydrophobicity, elasticity and biodegradability. Unfortunately control over the side chain structure of polymers remains a challenge – it is difficult to control the sequence of chain elongation when mixtures of monomers are polymerized, and postpolymerization side chain modification is made difficult by polymer effects on side chain reactivity. In contrast, the mRNA templated synthesis of polypeptides on the ribosome affords absolute control over the primary sequence of the twenty aminomore » acid monomers. Moreover, the length of the biopolymer is precisely controlled as are sites of crosslinking. However, whereas synthetic polymers can be synthesized from monomers with a wide range of chemically defined structures, ribosomal biosynthesis is largely limited to the 20 canonical amino acids. For many applications in material sciences, additional building blocks would be desirable, for example, amino acids containing metallocene, photoactive, and halogenated side chains. To overcome this natural constraint we have developed a method that allows unnatural amino acids, beyond the common twenty, to be genetically encoded in response to nonsense or frameshift codons in bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells with high fidelity and good yields. Here we have developed methods that allow identical or distinct noncanonical amino acids to be incorporated at multiple sites in a polypeptide chain, potentially leading to a new class of templated biopolymers. We have also developed improved methods for genetically encoding unnatural amino acids. In addition, we have genetically encoded new amino acids with novel physical and chemical properties that allow selective modification of proteins with synthetic agents. Finally, we have evolved new metal-ion binding sites in

Biopolymers Containing Unnatural Building Blocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schultz, Peter G.

2013-06-30

Although the main chain structure of polymers has a profound effect on their materials properties, the side groups can also have dramatic effects on their properties including conductivity, liquid crystallinity, hydrophobicity, elasticity and biodegradability. Unfortunately control over the side chain structure of polymers remains a challenge – it is difficult to control the sequence of chain elongation when mixtures of monomers are polymerized, and postpolymerization side chain modification is made difficult by polymer effects on side chain reactivity. In contrast, the mRNA templated synthesis of polypeptides on the ribosome affords absolute control over the primary sequence of the twenty aminomore » acid monomers. Moreover, the length of the biopolymer is precisely controlled as are sites of crosslinking. However, whereas synthetic polymers can be synthesized from monomers with a wide range of chemically defined structures, ribosomal biosynthesis is largely limited to the 20 canonical amino acids. For many applications in material sciences, additional building blocks would be desirable, for example, amino acids containing metallocene, photoactive, and halogenated side chains. To overcome this natural constraint we have developed a method that allows unnatural amino acids, beyond the common twenty, to be genetically encoded in response to nonsense or frameshift codons in bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells with high fidelity and good yields. Here we have developed methods that allow identical or distinct noncanonical amino acids to be incorporated at multiple sites in a polypeptide chain, potentially leading to a new class of templated biopolymers. We have also developed improved methods for genetically encoding unnatural amino acids. In addition, we have genetically encoded new amino acids with novel physical and chemical properties that allow selective modification of proteins with synthetic agents. Finally, we have evolved new metal-ion binding sites in

Effect of ozone on biopolymers in biofiltration and ultrafiltration processes.

PubMed

Siembida-Lösch, Barbara; Anderson, William B; Wang, Yulang Michael; Bonsteel, Jane; Huck, Peter M

2015-03-01

The focus of this full-scale study was to determine the effect of ozone on biopolymer concentrations in biofiltration and ultrafiltration (UF) processes treating surface water from Lake Ontario. Ozonation was out of service for maintenance for 9 months, hence, it was possible to investigate ozone's action on biologically active carbon contactors (BACCs) and UF, in terms of biopolymer removal. Given the importance of biopolymers for fouling, this fraction was quantified using a chromatographic technique. Ozone pre-treatment was observed to positively impact the active biomass in biofilters. However, since an increase of the active biomass did not result in higher biopolymer removal, active biomass concentration cannot be a surrogate for biofiltration performance. It was evident that increasing empty bed contact time (EBCT) from 4 to 19 min only had a positive effect on biopolymer removal through BACCs when ozone was out of service. However, as a mass balance experiment showed, ozone-free operation resulted in higher deposition of biopolymers on a UF membrane and slight deterioration in its performance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lignin biopolymer based triboelectric nanogenerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Yukai; Wang, Ruoxing; Lu, Yunmei; Wu, Wenzhuo

2017-07-01

Ongoing research in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) focuses on increasing power generation, but obstacles concerning economical and eco-friendly utilization of TENGs continue to prevail. Being the second most abundant biopolymer on earth, lignin offers a valuable opportunity for low-cost TENG applications in biomedical devices, benefitting from its biodegradability and biocompatibility. Here, we develop for the first time a lignin biopolymer based TENGs for harvesting mechanical energy in the environment, which shows great potential for self-powered biomedical devices among other applications and opens doors to new technologies that utilize otherwise wasted materials for economically feasible and ecologically friendly production of energy devices.

End-of-life of starch-polyvinyl alcohol biopolymers.

PubMed

Guo, M; Stuckey, D C; Murphy, R J

2013-01-01

This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) model comparing the waste management options for starch-polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) biopolymers including landfill, anaerobic digestion (AD), industrial composting and home composting. The ranking of biological treatment routes for starch-PVOH biopolymer wastes depended on their chemical compositions. AD represents the optimum choice for starch-PVOH biopolymer containing N and S elements in global warming potential (GWP(100)), acidification and eutrophication but not on the remaining impact categories, where home composting was shown to be a better option due to its low energy and resource inputs. For those starch-PVOH biopolymers with zero N and S contents home composting delivered the best environmental performance amongst biological treatment routes in most impact categories (except for GWP(100)). The landfill scenario performed generally well due largely to the 100-year time horizon and efficient energy recovery system modeled but this good performance is highly sensitive to assumptions adopted in landfill model. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fine Structure of Starch-Clay Composites as Biopolymers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Midsol 50 wheat starch and 5% Cloisite clay with or without the addition of glycerin were used to prepare biopolymers in a twin-screw extruder. Early trials of sectioning the unembedded biopolymer resulted in the immediate absorption of water and subsequent dissolution of the sample due to the the ...

77 FR 39210 - Xanthan Gum From Austria and the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Antidumping Duty...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-02

...\\ According to Petitioner, lysine and MSG are both produced via fermentation, use similar production equipment..., sugars, minerals, and salts. Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced by aerobic fermentation of...

Numerical simulation of a bubble rising in an environment consisting of Xanthan gum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguirre, Víctor A.; Castillo, Byron A.; Narvaez, Christian P.

2017-09-01

An improved numerical algorithm for front tracking method is developed to simulate a bubble rising in viscous liquid. In the new numerical algorithm, volume correction is introduced to conserve the bubble volume while tracking the bubble's rising and deforming. Volume flux conservation is adopted to solve the Navier-Stokes equation for fluid flow using finite volume method. Non-Newtonian fluids are widely used in industry such as feed and energy industries. In this research we used Xanthan gum which is a microbiological polysaccharide. In order to obtain the properties of the Xanthan gum, such as viscosity, storage and loss modulus, shear rate, etc., it was necessary to do an amplitude sweep and steady flow test in a rheometer with a concentric cylinder as geometry. Based on the data given and using a numerical regression, the coefficients required by Giesekus model are obtained. With these coefficients, it is possible to simulate the comportment of the fluid by the use of the developed algorithm. Once the data given by OpenFOAM is acquired, it is compared with the experimental data.

Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Bio-Polymer Graphite Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saddam Kamarudin, M.; Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Munirah Abdullah, Nur; Abdullah, M. F. L.

2017-08-01

Waste cooking oil is used as the main substances in producing graphite biopolymer thin films. Biopolymer is produce from the reaction of bio-monomer and cross linker with the ratio of 2:1 and addition of graphite with an increment of 2% through a slip casting method. The morphological surface properties of the samples are observed by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It is shown that the graphite particle is well mixed and homogenously dispersed in biopolymer matrix. Meanwhile, the mechanical response of materials by monitoring the change in the material properties in terms of frequency and temperature of the samples were determined using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The calculated cross-linked density of biopolymer composites revealed the increment of graphite particle loading at 8% gives highest results with 260.012 x 103 M/m3.

Fabrication of Porous Materials from Natural/Synthetic Biopolymers and Their Composites.

PubMed

Sampath, Udeni Gunathilake T M; Ching, Yern Chee; Chuah, Cheng Hock; Sabariah, Johari J; Lin, Pai-Chen

2016-12-07

Biopolymers and their applications have been widely studied in recent years. Replacing the oil based polymer materials with biopolymers in a sustainable manner might give not only a competitive advantage but, in addition, they possess unique properties which cannot be emulated by conventional polymers. This review covers the fabrication of porous materials from natural biopolymers (cellulose, chitosan, collagen), synthetic biopolymers (poly(lactic acid), poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid)) and their composite materials. Properties of biopolymers strongly depend on the polymer structure and are of great importance when fabricating the polymer into intended applications. Biopolymers find a large spectrum of application in the medical field. Other fields such as packaging, technical, environmental, agricultural and food are also gaining importance. The introduction of porosity into a biomaterial broadens the scope of applications. There are many techniques used to fabricate porous polymers. Fabrication methods, including the basic and conventional techniques to the more recent ones, are reviewed. Advantages and limitations of each method are discussed in detail. Special emphasis is placed on the pore characteristics of biomaterials used for various applications. This review can aid in furthering our understanding of the fabrication methods and about controlling the porosity and microarchitecture of porous biopolymer materials.

Fabrication of Porous Materials from Natural/Synthetic Biopolymers and Their Composites

PubMed Central

Sampath, Udeni Gunathilake T.M.; Ching, Yern Chee; Chuah, Cheng Hock; Sabariah, Johari J.; Lin, Pai-Chen

2016-01-01

Biopolymers and their applications have been widely studied in recent years. Replacing the oil based polymer materials with biopolymers in a sustainable manner might give not only a competitive advantage but, in addition, they possess unique properties which cannot be emulated by conventional polymers. This review covers the fabrication of porous materials from natural biopolymers (cellulose, chitosan, collagen), synthetic biopolymers (poly(lactic acid), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) and their composite materials. Properties of biopolymers strongly depend on the polymer structure and are of great importance when fabricating the polymer into intended applications. Biopolymers find a large spectrum of application in the medical field. Other fields such as packaging, technical, environmental, agricultural and food are also gaining importance. The introduction of porosity into a biomaterial broadens the scope of applications. There are many techniques used to fabricate porous polymers. Fabrication methods, including the basic and conventional techniques to the more recent ones, are reviewed. Advantages and limitations of each method are discussed in detail. Special emphasis is placed on the pore characteristics of biomaterials used for various applications. This review can aid in furthering our understanding of the fabrication methods and about controlling the porosity and microarchitecture of porous biopolymer materials. PMID:28774113

Sensory and rheological characteristics of thickened liquids differing concentrations of a xanthan gum-based thickener.

PubMed

Kim, Hyeri; Hwang, Han-Im; Song, Ki-Won; Lee, Jeehyun

2017-12-01

The objectives of this study were to develop and compare sensory characteristics of beverages and soups thickened with different concentrations of a xanthan gum-based thickener, and to examine, using rheological measurement, whether the viscosity of the thickened liquids conformed to the recommendations of the National Dysphagia Diet (NDD) Task Force. Beverages tested included water, apple juice, orange juice, soymilk, and Yakult. The thickening agent was added to samples at concentrations of 1, 2, or 3%. Addition of the thickening agent had a significant effect on the appearance, texture, and starchy flavor, which were evaluated by descriptive sensory evaluation. The reference standards of viscosity used in sensory descriptive analysis could be useful to practitioners who have to make dysphagia diets and need to learn to make them properly. In rheological measurement, viscosity of thickened liquids in stationary state would be perceived as higher compared to that while swallowing, because of the shear thinning property. This could lead to noncompliance of the medical advice or malnutrition. It is necessary to determine optimal proportion of xanthan gum-based thickener or uncover alternatives, which have shear thinning properties lower than those of xanthan gum, for the acceptance of dysphagia patients. There was no pudding-like viscosity as classified by NDD, when prepared following instructions. Future studies should include higher concentrations of thickener to find out the concentration of the thickener resulting in pudding-like viscosity as recommended by NDD. When a manufacturer modifies or develops a xanthan gum-based thickener, findings from this study can be utilized to understand sensory and rheological characteristics of thickened liquid. For practitioners who have to make dysphagia diets, the reference standards of viscosity used in sensory descriptive analysis could be helpful for deciding the viscosity level of thickened liquids based only on visual

Natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite films for packaging applications.

PubMed

Rhim, Jong-Whan; Ng, Perry K W

2007-01-01

Concerns on environmental waste problems caused by non-biodegradable petrochemical-based plastic packaging materials as well as the consumer's demand for high quality food products has caused an increasing interest in developing biodegradable packaging materials using annually renewable natural biopolymers such as polysaccharides and proteins. Inherent shortcomings of natural polymer-based packaging materials such as low mechanical properties and low water resistance can be recovered by applying a nanocomposite technology. Polymer nanocomposites, especially natural biopolymer-layered silicate nanocomposites, exhibit markedly improved packaging properties due to their nanometer size dispersion. These improvements include increased modulus and strength, decreased gas permeability, and increased water resistance. Additionally, biologically active ingredients can be added to impart the desired functional properties to the resulting packaging materials. Consequently, natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite packaging materials with bio-functional properties have a huge potential for application in the active food packaging industry. In this review, recent advances in the preparation of natural biopolymer-based films and their nanocomposites, and their potential use in packaging applications are addressed.

Effect of salt on turbulent drag reduction of xanthan gum.

PubMed

Hong, Cheng Hai; Choi, Hyoung Jin; Zhang, Ke; Renou, Frederic; Grisel, Michel

2015-05-05

The turbulent flow of an aqueous KCl solution driven by a rotating disc in a closed chamber showed significant drag reduction (DR) when a small amount of xanthan gum (XG) was added. The effects of the experimental parameters (XG and KCl concentrations, and time) on the drag reduction efficiency were examined. While the DR efficiency of XG decreased with increasing salt (KCl) concentration, the time-dependent DR efficiency was found to be fitted well using Brostow model equation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanism of the sulfurisation of phosphines and phosphites using 3-amino-1,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (xanthane hydride).

PubMed

Hanusek, Jirí; Russell, Mark A; Laws, Andrew P; Jansa, Petr; Atherton, John H; Fettes, Kevin; Page, Michael I

2007-02-07

Contrary to a previous report, the sulfurisation of phosphorus(III) derivatives by 3-amino-1,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (xanthane hydride) does not yield carbon disulfide and cyanamide as the additional reaction products. The reaction of xanthane hydride with triphenyl phosphine or trimethyl phosphite yields triphenyl phosphine sulfide or trimethyl thiophosphate, respectively, and thiocarbamoyl isothiocyanate which has been trapped with nucleophiles. The reaction pathway involves initial nucleophilic attack of the phosphorus at sulfur next to the thiocarbonyl group of xanthane hydride followed by decomposition of the phosphonium intermediate formed to products. The Hammett rho-values for the sulfurisation of substituted triphenyl phosphines and triphenyl phosphites in acetonitrile are approximately -1.0. The entropies of activation are very negative (-114+/-15 J mol-1 K-1) with little dependence on solvent which is consistent with a bimolecular association step leading to the transition state. The negative values of DeltaS(not equal) and rho values indicate that the rate limiting step of the sulfurisation reaction is formation of the phosphonium ion intermediate which has an early transition state with little covalent bond formation. The site of nucleophilic attack has been also confirmed using computational calculations.

A new approach combining different MRI methods to provide detailed view on swelling dynamics of xanthan tablets influencing drug release at different pH and ionic strength.

PubMed

Mikac, Ursa; Sepe, Ana; Kristl, Julijana; Baumgartner, Sasa

2010-08-03

The key element in drug release from hydrophilic matrix tablets is the gel layer that regulates the penetration of water and controls drug dissolution and diffusion. We have selected magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the method of choice for visualizing the dynamic processes occurring during the swelling of xanthan tablets in a variety of media. The aims were (i) to develop a new method using MRI for accurate determination of penetration, swelling and erosion fronts, (ii) to investigate the effects of pH and ionic strength on swelling, and (iii) to study the influence of structural changes in xanthan gel on drug release. Two dimensional (2D) MRI and one dimensional single point imaging (SPI) of swollen xanthan tablets were recorded, together with T(2) mapping. The border between dry and hydrated glassy xanthan-the penetration front-was determined from 1D SPI signal intensity profiles. The erosion front was obtained from signal intensity profiles of 2D MR images. The swelling front, where xanthan is transformed from a glassy to a rubbery state (gel formation), was determined from T(2) profiles. Further, the new combination of MRI methods for swelling front determination enables to explain the appearance of the unusual "bright front" observed on 2D MR images in tablets swollen in HCl pH 1.2 media, which represents the position of swelling front. All six media studied, differing in pH and ionic strength, penetrate through the whole tablet in 4h+/-0.3h, but formation of the gel layer is significantly delayed. Unexpectedly, the position of the swelling front was the same, independently of the different xanthan gel structures formed under different conditions of pH and ionic strength. The position of the erosion front, on the other hand, is strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength, as reflected in different thicknesses of the gel layers. The latter are seen to be the consequence of the different hydrodynamic radii of the xanthan molecules, which affect the drug

Electrical, structural, thermal and electrochemical properties of corn starch-based biopolymer electrolytes.

PubMed

Liew, Chiam-Wen; Ramesh, S

2015-06-25

Biopolymer electrolytes containing corn starch, lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) and ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmImPF6) are prepared by solution casting technique. Temperature dependence-ionic conductivity studies reveal Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher (VTF) relationship which is associated with free volume theory. Ionic liquid-based biopolymer electrolytes show lower glass transition temperature (Tg) than ionic liquid-free biopolymer electrolyte. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies demonstrate higher amorphous region of ionic liquid-added biopolymer electrolytes. In addition, the potential stability window of the biopolymer electrolyte becomes wider and stable up to 2.9V. Conclusively, the fabricated electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) shows improved electrochemical performance upon addition of ionic liquid into the biopolymer electrolyte. The specific capacitance of EDLC based on ionic liquid-added polymer electrolyte is relatively higher than that of ionic liquid-free polymer electrolyte as depicted in cyclic voltammogram. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 34997 - Xanthan Gum From Austria and China; Institution of Antidumping Duty Investigations and Scheduling...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-12

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1202-1203 (Preliminary)] Xanthan Gum... Phase Investigations AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The... Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. Hearing-impaired...

Enhanced removal of methylene blue and methyl violet dyes from aqueous solution using a nanocomposite of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide grafted xanthan gum and incorporated nanosilica.

PubMed

Ghorai, Soumitra; Sarkar, Asish; Raoufi, Mohammad; Panda, Asit Baran; Schönherr, Holger; Pal, Sagar

2014-04-09

The synthesis and characterization of a novel nanocomposite is reported that was developed as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of toxic methylene blue (MB) and methyl violet (MV) from aqueous solution. The nanocomposite comprises hydrolyzed polyacrylamide grafted onto xanthan gum as well as incorporated nanosilica. The synthesis exploits the saponification of the grafted polyacrylamide and the in situ formation of nanoscale SiO2 by a sol-gel reaction, in which the biopolymer matrix promotes the silica polymerization and therefore acts as a novel template for nanosilica formation. The detailed investigation of the kinetics and the adsorption isotherms of MB and MV from aqueous solution showed that the dyes adsorb rapidly, in accordance with a pseudo-second-order kinetics and a Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The entropy driven process was furthermore found to strongly depend on the point of zero charge (pzc) of the adsorbent. The remarkably high adsorption capacity of dyes on the nanocomposites (efficiency of MB removal, 99.4%; maximum specific removal Qmax, 497.5 mg g(-1); and efficiency of MV removal, 99.1%; Qmax, 378.8 mg g(-1)) is rationalized on the basis of H-bonding interactions as well as dipole-dipole and electrostatic interactions between anionic adsorbent and cationic dye molecules. Because of the excellent regeneration capacity the nanocomposites are considered interesting materials for the uptake of, for instance, toxic dyes from wastewater.

Biopolymer stabilized water dispersible polyaniline for supercapacitor electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anbalagan, Amarnath Chellachamy; Sawant, Shilpa Nandkishor

2018-04-01

Polyaniline colloidal nanoparticles (PANI CNs) were synthesized, employing biopolymer pectin (Pec) as a stabilizer along with hydrochloric acid dopant and ammonium persulfate oxidant. Chemical nature and electronic structure was studied by FT-IR and UV-visible spectroscopy respectively. FE-SEM revealed spindle like morphology of PANI CNs and displayed the nearly discrete particles without aggregation, showing stabilizing capacity of the Pec. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements demonstrated the electroactivity and supercapacitive property of the PANI CNs in 1 M HCl. The specific capacitance of PANI CNs in 1 M HCl at 1.5 A/g was found to be 197 F/g, where 70% of specific capacitance was retained even after 1000 cycles. These findings establish the feasibility of using the PANI CNs as a potential material for energy storage in aqueous acidic medium. Furthermore, this colloidal dispersion can find potential application in electrodes of flexible supercapacitor device and printable electronics.

Enhancement of Oxygen Mass Transfer and Gas Holdup Using Palm Oil in Stirred Tank Bioreactors with Xanthan Solutions as Simulated Viscous Fermentation Broths

PubMed Central

Mohd Sauid, Suhaila; Huey Ling, Tan; Veluri, Murthy V. P. S.

2013-01-01

Volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k L a) is an important parameter in bioreactors handling viscous fermentations such as xanthan gum production, as it affects the reactor performance and productivity. Published literatures showed that adding an organic phase such as hydrocarbons or vegetable oil could increase the k L a. The present study opted for palm oil as the organic phase as it is plentiful in Malaysia. Experiments were carried out to study the effect of viscosity, gas holdup, and k L a on the xanthan solution with different palm oil fractions by varying the agitation rate and aeration rate in a 5 L bench-top bioreactor fitted with twin Rushton turbines. Results showed that 10% (v/v) of palm oil raised the k L a of xanthan solution by 1.5 to 3 folds with the highest k L a value of 84.44 h−1. It was also found that palm oil increased the gas holdup and viscosity of the xanthan solution. The k L a values obtained as a function of power input, superficial gas velocity, and palm oil fraction were validated by two different empirical equations. Similarly, the gas holdup obtained as a function of power input and superficial gas velocity was validated by another empirical equation. All correlations were found to fit well with higher determination coefficients. PMID:24350269

Enhancement of oxygen mass transfer and gas holdup using palm oil in stirred tank bioreactors with xanthan solutions as simulated viscous fermentation broths.

PubMed

Mohd Sauid, Suhaila; Krishnan, Jagannathan; Huey Ling, Tan; Veluri, Murthy V P S

2013-01-01

Volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) is an important parameter in bioreactors handling viscous fermentations such as xanthan gum production, as it affects the reactor performance and productivity. Published literatures showed that adding an organic phase such as hydrocarbons or vegetable oil could increase the kLa. The present study opted for palm oil as the organic phase as it is plentiful in Malaysia. Experiments were carried out to study the effect of viscosity, gas holdup, and kLa on the xanthan solution with different palm oil fractions by varying the agitation rate and aeration rate in a 5 L bench-top bioreactor fitted with twin Rushton turbines. Results showed that 10% (v/v) of palm oil raised the kLa of xanthan solution by 1.5 to 3 folds with the highest kLa value of 84.44 h(-1). It was also found that palm oil increased the gas holdup and viscosity of the xanthan solution. The kLa values obtained as a function of power input, superficial gas velocity, and palm oil fraction were validated by two different empirical equations. Similarly, the gas holdup obtained as a function of power input and superficial gas velocity was validated by another empirical equation. All correlations were found to fit well with higher determination coefficients.

Biopolymers as transdermal drug delivery systems in dermatology therapy.

PubMed

Basavaraj, K H; Johnsy, George; Navya, M A; Rashmi, R; Siddaramaiah

2010-01-01

The skin is considered a complex organ for drug delivery because of its structure. Drug delivery systems are designed for the controlled release of drugs through the skin into the systemic circulation, maintaining consistent efficacy and reducing the dose of the drugs and their related side effects. Transdermal drug delivery represents one of the most rapidly advancing areas of novel drug delivery. The excellent impervious nature of the skin is the greatest challenge that must be overcome for successful drug delivery. Today, polymers have been proven to be successful for long-term drug delivery applications as no single polymer can satisfy all of the requirements. Biopolymers in the field of dermal application are rare and the mechanisms that affect skin absorption are almost unknown. Biopolymers are widely used as drug delivery systems, but as such the use of biopolymers as drug delivery systems in dermatologic therapy is still in progress. Commonly used biopolymers include hydrocolloids, alginates, hydrogels, polyurethane, collagen, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), chitosan, proteins and peptides, pectin, siRNAs, and hyaluronic acid. These new and exciting methods for drug delivery are already increasing the number and quality of dermal and transdermal therapies. This article reviews current research on biopolymers and focuses on their potential as drug carriers, particularly in relation to the dermatologic aspects of their use.

77 FR 65361 - Xanthan Gum From Austria and the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-26

... Austria and the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations of Antidumping Duty...: October 26, 2012. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karine Gziryan (Austria) or Brandon Farlander (People's... of initiation of antidumping duty investigations of xanthan gum from Austria and the People's...

Rapid, facile microwave-assisted synthesis of xanthan gum grafted polyaniline for chemical sensor.

PubMed

Pandey, Sadanand; Ramontja, James

2016-08-01

Grafting method, through microwave radiation procedure is extremely productive in terms of time consumption, cost effectiveness and environmental friendliness. In this study, conductive and thermally stable composite (mwXG-g-PANi) was synthesized by grafting of aniline (ANi) on to xanthan gum (XG) using catalytic weight of initiator, ammonium peroxydisulfate in the process of microwave irradiation in an aqueous medium. The synthesis of mwXG-g-PANi were confirm by FTIR, XRD, TGA, and SEM. The influence of altering the microwave power, exposure time of microwave, concentration of monomer and the amount of initiator of graft polymerization were studied over the grafting parameters, for example, grafting percentage (%G) and grafting efficiency (%E). The maximum %G and %E achieved was 172 and 74.13 respectively. The outcome demonstrates that the microwave irradiation strategy can increase the reaction rate by 72 times over the conventional method. Electrical conductivity of XG and mwXG-g-PANi composite film was performed. The fabricated grafted sample film were then examined for the chemical sensor. The mwXG-g-PANi, effectively integrated and handled, are NH3 sensitive and exhibit a rapid sensing in presence of NH3 vapor. Chemiresistive NH3 sensors with superior room temperature sensing performance were produced with sensor response of 905 at 1ppb and 90% recovery within few second. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conjugates of a Photoactivated Rhodamine with Biopolymers for Cell Staining

PubMed Central

Zaitsev, Sergei Yu.; Shaposhnikov, Mikhail N.; Solovyeva, Daria O.; Solovyeva, Valeria V.; Rizvanov, Albert A.

2014-01-01

Conjugates of the photoactivated rhodamine dyes with biopolymers (proteins, polysaccharides, and nucleic acids) are important tools for microscopic investigation of biological tissue. In this study, a precursor of the photoactivated fluorescent dye (PFD) has been successfully used for staining of numerous mammalian cells lines and for conjugate formation with chitosan (“Chitosan-PFD”) and histone H1 (“Histone H1.3-PFD”). The intensive fluorescence has been observed after photoactivation of these conjugates inside cells (A431, HaCaT, HEK239, HBL-100, and MDCK). Developed procedures and obtained data are important for further application of novel precursors of fluorescent dyes (“caged” dyes) for microscopic probing of biological objects. Thus, the synthesized “Chitosan-PFD” and “Histone H1-PFD” have been successfully applied in this study for intracellular transport visualization by fluorescent microscopy. PMID:25383365

USING BIOPOLYMERS TO REMOVE HEAVY METALS FROM SOIL AND WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Chemical remediation of soils may involve the use of harsh chemicals that generate waste streams and may adversely affect the soil's integrity and ability to support vegetation. his paper reviews the promise of benign reagents such as biopolymers to extract metals. he biopolymers...

Micro-heterogeneity of Cellulosic Fiber Biopolymer Prepared from Corn Hulls

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Z-trim is a zero calorie cellulosic fiber biopolymer produced from corn hulls. The micro-structural heterogeneities of Z-trim biopolymer were investigated by monitoring the thermally driven displacements of well-dispersed micro-spheres via video fluorescence microscopy named multiple-particle track...

Micro-Heterogeneity of Cellulosic Fiber Biopolymer Prepared from Corn Hulls

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Z-trim is a zero calorie cellulosic fiber biopolymer produced from corn hulls. The micro-structural heterogeneities of Z-trim biopolymer were investigated by monitoring the thermally driven displacements of well-dispersed micro-spheres via video fluorescence microscopy named multiple-particle track...

Biopolymers for Sample Collection, Protection, and Preservation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-19

biopolymer. The cured polymer results in a solid protective film that is stable to many organic solvents, but quickly removed by the application of the water...the biopolymer. The cured polymer results in a solid protective film that is stable to many organic solvents, but quickly removed by the appli- cation...frozen after that. RNAlater® has been demonstrated to Ta bl e 1 C om pa ri so n of ce ll an d nu cl ei c ac id pr es er va tio n te ch ni qu es Sy st

Biophysical characterization of the outer membrane polysaccharide export protein and the polysaccharide co-polymerase protein from Xanthomonas campestris.

PubMed

Bianco, M I; Jacobs, M; Salinas, S R; Salvay, A G; Ielmini, M V; Ielpi, L

2014-09-01

This study investigated the structural and biophysical characteristics of GumB and GumC, two Xanthomonas campestris membrane proteins that are involved in xanthan biosynthesis. Xanthan is an exopolysaccharide that is thought to be a virulence factor that contributes to bacterial in planta growth. It also is one of the most important industrial biopolymers. The first steps of xanthan biosynthesis are well understood, but the polymerization and export mechanisms remain unclear. For this reason, the key proteins must be characterized to better understand these processes. Here we characterized, by biochemical and biophysical techniques, GumB, the outer membrane polysaccharide export protein, and GumC, the polysaccharide co-polymerase protein of the xanthan biosynthesis system. Our results suggested that recombinant GumB is a tetrameric protein in solution. On the other hand, we observed that both native and recombinant GumC present oligomeric conformation consistent with dimers and higher-order oligomers. The transmembrane segments of GumC are required for GumC expression and/or stability. These initial results provide a starting point for additional studies that will clarify the roles of GumB and GumC in the xanthan polymerization and export processes and further elucidate their functions and mechanisms of action. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Imperfection sensitivity of pressured buckling of biopolymer spherical shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Ru, C. Q.

2016-06-01

Imperfection sensitivity is essential for mechanical behavior of biopolymer shells [such as ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) and spherical viruses] characterized by high geometric heterogeneity. In this work, an imperfection sensitivity analysis is conducted based on a refined shell model recently developed for spherical biopolymer shells of high structural heterogeneity and thickness nonuniformity. The influence of related parameters (including the ratio of radius to average shell thickness, the ratio of transverse shear modulus to in-plane shear modulus, and the ratio of effective bending thickness to average shell thickness) on imperfection sensitivity is examined for pressured buckling. Our results show that the ratio of effective bending thickness to average shell thickness has a major effect on the imperfection sensitivity, while the effect of the ratio of transverse shear modulus to in-plane shear modulus is usually negligible. For example, with physically realistic parameters for typical imperfect spherical biopolymer shells, the present model predicts that actual maximum external pressure could be reduced to as low as 60% of that of a perfect UCA spherical shell or 55%-65% of that of a perfect spherical virus shell, respectively. The moderate imperfection sensitivity of spherical biopolymer shells with physically realistic imperfection is largely attributed to the fact that biopolymer shells are relatively thicker (defined by smaller radius-to-thickness ratio) and therefore practically realistic imperfection amplitude normalized by thickness is very small as compared to that of classical elastic thin shells which have much larger radius-to-thickness ratio.

Designing biopolymer microgels to encapsulate, protect and deliver bioactive components: Physicochemical aspects.

PubMed

McClements, David Julian

2017-02-01

Biopolymer microgels have considerable potential for their ability to encapsulate, protect, and release bioactive components. Biopolymer microgels are small particles (typically 100nm to 1000μm) whose interior consists of a three-dimensional network of cross-linked biopolymer molecules that traps a considerable amount of solvent. This type of particle is also sometimes referred to as a nanogel, hydrogel bead, biopolymer particles, or microsphere. Biopolymer microgels are typically prepared using a two-step process involving particle formation and particle gelation. This article reviews the major constituents and fabrication methods that can be used to prepare microgels, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. It then provides an overview of the most important characteristics of microgel particles (such as size, shape, structure, composition, and electrical properties), and describes how these parameters can be manipulated to control the physicochemical properties and functional attributes of microgel suspensions (such as appearance, stability, rheology, and release profiles). Finally, recent examples of the utilization of biopolymer microgels to encapsulate, protect, or release bioactive agents, such as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, enzymes, flavors, and probiotics is given. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Compositional Variations on Floc Size and Strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, H.; Tan, X.; Reed, A. H.; Furukawa, Y.; Zhang, G.

2010-12-01

Clay-biopolymer micro aggregates or flocs are abundant in waters, including rivers, lakes, and oceans. Owing to their small size and charged surfaces, fine-grained inorganic sediment particles, mainly clays, interact actively with organic substances, such as organic matter and biogenic polymers, to form aggregates or flocs, typically in the size of 10-1000 μm. The flocs in ocean waters are also termed “marine snow”. These flocs are typically porous, tenuous, and soft in nature. During transport in suspension, they may breakdown and decrease in size if the turbulent shear stress exceeds their strength. They may also collide and form larger ones if the shear stress is relatively small. Since flocs of different size and structure settle at different velocities, understanding their strength is also of essential importance for sediment hydrodynamics, transport, and management. Our study focuses on investigating the influence of compositional variations on floc size and strength so that a better understanding of floc dynamics can be achieved. A laser diffraction-based Cilas® particle size and shape analyzer with controllable fluid circulation velocity was employed to conduct floc size measurements and shape imaging, the latter achieved by a high resolution inverted optical microscope, which is also installed with the size analyzer. Totally two clay minerals, kaolinite and illite, were tested as the model inorganic solid skeleton minerals for floc formation, and two biopolymers, anionic xanthan gum and neutral guar gum, were chosen as analogs of naturally occurring organic matter or biopolymers to simulate clay-biopolymer floc formation. Moreover, the concentration of both organic and inorganic phases was varied. The floc breakage or tensile strength was indirectly estimated by the varied fluid flow velocity in the particle size analyzer’s circulation system. For each individual composition, stable flocs were formed by three different fluid circulating velocities

Rate and yield relationships in the production of xanthan gum by batch fermentations using complex and chemically defined growth media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pinches, A.; Pallent, L.J.

1986-10-01

Rate and yield information relating to biomass and product formation and to nitrogen, glucose and oxygen consumption are described for xanthan gum batch fermentations in which both chemically defined (glutamate nitrogen) and complex (peptone nitrogen) media are employed. Simple growth and product models are used for data interpretation. For both nitrogen sources, rate and yield parameter estimates are shown to be independent of initial nitrogen concentrations. For stationary phases, specific rates of gum production are shown to be independent of nitrogen source but dependent on initial nitrogen concentration. The latter is modeled empirically and suggests caution in applying simple productmore » models to xanthan gum fermentations. 13 references.« less

Integrated systems for biopolymers and bioenergy production from organic waste and by-products: a review of microbial processes.

PubMed

Pagliano, Giorgia; Ventorino, Valeria; Panico, Antonio; Pepe, Olimpia

2017-01-01

Recently, issues concerning the sustainable and harmless disposal of organic solid waste have generated interest in microbial biotechnologies aimed at converting waste materials into bioenergy and biomaterials, thus contributing to a reduction in economic dependence on fossil fuels. To valorize biomass, waste materials derived from agriculture, food processing factories, and municipal organic waste can be used to produce biopolymers, such as biohydrogen and biogas, through different microbial processes. In fact, different bacterial strains can synthesize biopolymers to convert waste materials into valuable intracellular (e.g., polyhydroxyalkanoates) and extracellular (e.g., exopolysaccharides) bioproducts, which are useful for biochemical production. In particular, large numbers of bacteria, including Alcaligenes eutrophus , Alcaligenes latus , Azotobacter vinelandii , Azotobacter chroococcum , Azotobacter beijerincki , methylotrophs, Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., Rhizobium spp., Nocardia spp., and recombinant Escherichia coli , have been successfully used to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates on an industrial scale from different types of organic by-products. Therefore, the development of high-performance microbial strains and the use of by-products and waste as substrates could reasonably make the production costs of biodegradable polymers comparable to those required by petrochemical-derived plastics and promote their use. Many studies have reported use of the same organic substrates as alternative energy sources to produce biogas and biohydrogen through anaerobic digestion as well as dark and photofermentation processes under anaerobic conditions. Therefore, concurrently obtaining bioenergy and biopolymers at a reasonable cost through an integrated system is becoming feasible using by-products and waste as organic carbon sources. An overview of the suitable substrates and microbial strains used in low-cost polyhydroxyalkanoates for biohydrogen and biogas

Post-buckling of a pressured biopolymer spherical shell with the mode interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lei; Ru, C. Q.

2018-03-01

Imperfection sensitivity is essential for mechanical behaviour of biopolymer shells characterized by high geometric heterogeneity. The present work studies initial post-buckling and imperfection sensitivity of a pressured biopolymer spherical shell based on non-axisymmetric buckling modes and associated mode interaction. Our results indicate that for biopolymer spherical shells with moderate radius-to-thickness ratio (say, less than 30) and smaller effective bending thickness (say, less than 0.2 times average shell thickness), the imperfection sensitivity predicted based on the axisymmetric mode without the mode interaction is close to the present results based on non-axisymmetric modes with the mode interaction with a small (typically, less than 10%) relative errors. However, for biopolymer spherical shells with larger effective bending thickness, the maximum load an imperfect shell can sustain predicted by the present non-axisymmetric analysis can be significantly (typically, around 30%) lower than those predicted based on the axisymmetric mode without the mode interaction. In such cases, a more accurate non-axisymmetric analysis with the mode interaction, as given in the present work, is required for imperfection sensitivity of pressured buckling of biopolymer spherical shells. Finally, the implications of the present study to two specific types of biopolymer spherical shells (viral capsids and ultrasound contrast agents) are discussed.

Formulation and characterization of bread using coconut-pulp flour and wheat flour composite with addition of xanthan-gum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erminawati; Sidik, W.; Listanti, R.; Zulfakar, H.

2018-01-01

Coconut-pulp flour is coconut flour made from by-product of coconut-milk based food products. The flour contains no gluten and high fibre, which can be considered as functional potential food. Bread made from composite-flour of coconut-pulp flour and wheat flour was studied for its physic-chemical and sensory characteristics. Addition of hydrocolloid, like xanthan-gum, was aimed to provide viscoelasticity for the dough which is essential for baked product. Composite-flour proportion used in this study was; 10CPF/90WF, 15CPF/85WF and 20CPF/80WF; and xanthan gum to total flour of 0,1% and 0,4%. Variable observed were; crumb-texture, crumb-colour, taste of coconut, preference and flavour; moisture, ash, fiber and soluble-protein contents. The research showed that addition of coconut-pulp flour in the composite-flour decreased specific volume value and increased the bread texture produced. It also increased the bread moisture-content, ash-content, fibre-content and soluble protein-content. Moreover, the xanthan-gum addition resulted in decreased specific-volume value and increased texture and fiber-content of the bread produced. Overall, the sensory characteristic of crumb colour, flavour and panellist preference revealed better than control bread made from wheat flour, however its crumb texture harder compare to control bread made from wheat flour. This study showed that coconut-pulp flour potential to be developed for production of functional food.

Water desorption from a confined biopolymer.

PubMed

Pradipkanti, L; Satapathy, Dillip K

2018-03-14

We study desorption of water from a confined biopolymer (chitosan thin films) by employing temperature dependent specular X-ray reflectivity and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The water desorption is found to occur via three distinct stages with significantly different desorption rates. The distinct rates of water desorption are attributed to the presence of different kinds of water with disparate mobilities inside the biopolymer film. We identify two characteristic temperatures (T c1 and T c2 ) at which the water desorption rate changes abruptly. Interestingly, the characteristic temperatures decrease with decreasing the film thickness. The thickness dependence of the characteristic temperature is interpreted in the context of a higher mobility of polymer chains at the free surface for polymers under one-dimensional confinement.

Biopolymer Green Lubricant for Sustainable Manufacturing

PubMed Central

Shi, Shih-Chen; Lu, Fu-I

2016-01-01

We report on the preparation of a biopolymer thin film by hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), which can be used as a dry green lubricant in sustainable manufacturing. The thin films were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy; the films showed desirable levels of thickness, controllability, and uniformity. Tribology tests also showed desirable tribological and antiwear behaviors, caused by the formation of transfer layers. Zebrafish embryo toxicity studies showed that HPMC has excellent solubility and biocompatibility, which may show outstanding potential for applications as a green lubricant. The results of the present study show that these techniques for biopolymer HPMC provide an ecologically responsible and convenient method for preparing functional thin films, which is particularly applicable to sustainable manufacturing. PMID:28773462

78 FR 33354 - Xanthan Gum From Austria: Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-04

..., sugars, minerals, and salts. Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced by aerobic fermentation of... backbone of two P-1,4-D- Glucose monosaccharide units, the second with a trisaccharide side chain consisting of P-D-Mannose-(1,4)-P-DGlucuronic acid-(1,2)-a-D- Mannose monosaccharide units. The terminal...

Are biopolymers potential deodourising agents in wound management?

PubMed

Lee, G; Anand, S C; Rajendran, S

2009-07-01

To investigate the odour-adsorbing properties of biopolymers, with a view to using the findings to develop a novel dressing with odour-adsorbing properties. The odour-adsorbing properties of a selection of biopolymers (aloe vera, tea tree oil, neem oil and manuka honey) and three commercially available dressings containing activated charcoal cloth (ACC) were quantitatively assessed using laboratory test equipment. An aloe vera-containing composite dressing, designed and developed by the authors, was also compared with the ACC dressings. Aloe vera was the most adsorbent of the biopolymers and a 40% dilution had comparable values to those of the ACC dressings. Furthermore, values for the novel composite dressing were similar to those of the ACC dressings. The novel composite dressing may be a potential alternative to ACC dressings, and has the added advantages of having antimicrobial properties as well as the ability to promote a moist wound environment. However, more research is needed.

Novel Task Functionalized Biopolymers for Enhanced Change Detection in Support of C-IED Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-15

biopolymer was tested. All materials tested, PAM, chitin , the native biopolymer, and the MU conjugated biopolymer, were applied in small soil plots...phaseoli Strain 127 K36. Carbohydr. Res. 117, 141-156. EPA. 2001. Chitin ; Poly-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (128991) Fact Sheet. USEPA Fact Sheet

Sustainably Sourced, Thermally Resistant, Radiation Hard Biopolymer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pugel, Diane

2011-01-01

This material represents a breakthrough in the production, manufacturing, and application of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and radiation shielding, as this represents the first effort to develop a non-metallic, non-ceramic, biomaterial-based, sustainable TPS with the capability to also act as radiation shielding. Until now, the standing philosophy for radiation shielding involved carrying the shielding at liftoff or utilizing onboard water sources. This shielding material could be grown onboard and applied as needed prior to different radiation landscapes (commonly seen during missions involving gravitational assists). The material is a bioplastic material. Bioplastics are any combination of a biopolymer and a plasticizer. In this case, the biopolymer is a starch-based material and a commonly accessible plasticizer. Starch molecules are composed of two major polymers: amylase and amylopectin. The biopolymer phenolic compounds are common to the ablative thermal protection system family of materials. With similar constituents come similar chemical ablation processes, with the potential to have comparable, if not better, ablation characteristics. It can also be used as a flame-resistant barrier for commercial applications in buildings, homes, cars, and heater firewall material. The biopolymer is observed to undergo chemical transformations (oxidative and structural degradation) at radiation doses that are 1,000 times the maximum dose of an unmanned mission (10-25 Mrad), indicating that it would be a viable candidate for robust radiation shielding. As a comparison, the total integrated radiation dose for a three-year manned mission to Mars is 0.1 krad, far below the radiation limit at which starch molecules degrade. For electron radiation, the biopolymer starches show minimal deterioration when exposed to energies greater than 180 keV. This flame-resistant, thermal-insulating material is non-hazardous and may be sustainably sourced. It poses no hazardous

78 FR 43143 - Xanthan Gum From the People's Republic of China: Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-19

..., and salts. Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced by aerobic fermentation of Xanthomonas campestris... Biotechnologies Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Co., Ltd. (aka Ltd.)/Shandong Fufeng Inner Mongolia Fermentation Co., Ltd. Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd.)/ Shandong Fufeng Fermentation Co., Ltd. Deosen Biochemical Ltd...

Application of design of experiment for polyox and xanthan gum coated floating pulsatile delivery of sumatriptan succinate in migraine treatment.

PubMed

Jagdale, Swati C; Pawar, Chandrakala R

2014-01-01

Migraine follows circadian rhythm in which headache is more painful at the awakening time. This needs administration of dosage form at night time to release drug after lag period when pain gets worse. Sumatriptan succinate is a drug of choice for migraine. Sumatriptan succinate has bitter taste, low oral bioavailability, and shorter half-life. Present work deals with application of design of experiment for polyox and xanthan gum in development of press coated floating pulsatile tablet. Floating pulsatile concept was applied to increase gastric residence of the dosage form. Burst release was achieved through immediate release tablet using crospovidone as superdisintegrant (10%). Pulse lag time was achieved using swellable polymer polyox WSR 205 and xanthan gum. 3(2) experimental design was applied. Optimized formulation was evaluated for physical characteristics and in-vitro and in-vivo study. From results, it can be concluded that optimized batch F8 containing polyox WSR205 (72.72%) and xanthan gum (27.27%) of total weight of polymer has shown floating lag time of 55 ± 2 sec, drug content of 100.35 ± 0.4%, hardness of 6 ± 0.1 Kg/cm(2), and 98.69 ± 2% drug release in pulse manner with lag time of 7 ± 0.1 h. Optimized batch showed prolong gastric residence which was confirmed by in-vivo X-ray study.

Application of Design of Experiment for Polyox and Xanthan Gum Coated Floating Pulsatile Delivery of Sumatriptan Succinate in Migraine Treatment

PubMed Central

Jagdale, Swati C.; Pawar, Chandrakala R.

2014-01-01

Migraine follows circadian rhythm in which headache is more painful at the awakening time. This needs administration of dosage form at night time to release drug after lag period when pain gets worse. Sumatriptan succinate is a drug of choice for migraine. Sumatriptan succinate has bitter taste, low oral bioavailability, and shorter half-life. Present work deals with application of design of experiment for polyox and xanthan gum in development of press coated floating pulsatile tablet. Floating pulsatile concept was applied to increase gastric residence of the dosage form. Burst release was achieved through immediate release tablet using crospovidone as superdisintegrant (10%). Pulse lag time was achieved using swellable polymer polyox WSR 205 and xanthan gum. 32 experimental design was applied. Optimized formulation was evaluated for physical characteristics and in-vitro and in-vivo study. From results, it can be concluded that optimized batch F8 containing polyox WSR205 (72.72%) and xanthan gum (27.27%) of total weight of polymer has shown floating lag time of 55 ± 2 sec, drug content of 100.35 ± 0.4%, hardness of 6 ± 0.1 Kg/cm2, and 98.69 ± 2% drug release in pulse manner with lag time of 7 ± 0.1 h. Optimized batch showed prolong gastric residence which was confirmed by in-vivo X-ray study. PMID:25530963

Online measurement of viscosity for biological systems in stirred tank bioreactors.

PubMed

Schelden, Maximilian; Lima, William; Doerr, Eric Will; Wunderlich, Martin; Rehmann, Lars; Büchs, Jochen; Regestein, Lars

2017-05-01

One of the most critical parameters in chemical and biochemical processes is the viscosity of the medium. Its impact on mixing, as well as on mass and energy transfer is substantial. An increase of viscosity with reaction time can be caused by the formation of biopolymers like xanthan or by filamentous growth of microorganisms. In either case the properties of fermentation broth are changing and frequently non-Newtonian behavior are observed, resulting in major challenges for the measurement and control of mixing and mass transfer. This study demonstrates a method for the online determination of the viscosity inside a stirred tank reactor. The presented method is based on online measurement of heat transfer capacity from the bulk medium to the jacket of the reactor. To prove the feasibility of the method, fermentations with the xanthan producing bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris B100 as model system were performed. Excellent correlation between offline measured apparent viscosity and online determined heat transfer capacity were found. The developed tool should be applicable to any other process with formation of biopolymers and filamentous growth. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 990-997. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Entrapment of anaerobic thermophilic and hyperthermophilic marine micro-organisms in a gellan/xanthan matrix.

PubMed

Landreau, M; Duthoit, F; Claeys-Bruno, M; Vandenabeele-Trambouze, O; Aubry, T; Godfroy, A; Le Blay, G

2016-06-01

The aims of this study were (i) to develop a protocol for the entrapment of anaerobic (hyper)thermophilic marine micro-organisms; (ii) to test the use of the chosen polymers in a range of physical and chemical conditions and (iii) to validate the method with batch cultures. The best conditions for immobilization were obtained at 80°C with gellan and xanthan gums. After 5-week incubation, beads showed a good resistance to all tested conditions except those simultaneously including high temperature (100°C), low NaCl (<0∙5 mol l(-1) ) and extreme pH (4/8). To confirm the method efficiency, batch cultures with immobilized Thermosipho sp. strain AT1272 and Thermococcus kodakarensis strain KOD1 showed an absence of detrimental effect on cell viability and a good growth within and outside the beads. This suggests that entrapment in a gellan-xanthan matrix could be employed for the culture of anaerobic (hyper)thermophilic marine micro-organisms. (Hyper)thermophilic marine micro-organisms possess a high biotechnological potential. Generally microbial cells are grown as free-cell cultures. The use of immobilized cells may offer several advantages such as protection against phage attack, high cell biomass and better production rate of desired metabolites. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Biopolymers and supramolecular polymers as biomaterials for biomedical applications

PubMed Central

Freeman, Ronit; Boekhoven, Job; Dickerson, Matthew B.; Naik, Rajesh R.

2015-01-01

Protein- and peptide-based structural biopolymers are abundant building blocks of biological systems. Either in their natural forms, such as collagen, silk or fibronectin, or as related synthetic materials they can be used in various technologies. An emerging area is that of biomimetic materials inspired by protein-based biopolymers, which are made up of small molecules rather than macromolecules and can therefore be described as supramolecular polymers. These materials are very useful in biomedical applications because of their ability to imitate the extracellular matrix both in architecture and their capacity to signal cells. This article describes important features of the natural extracellular matrix and highlight how these features are being incorporated into biomaterials composed of biopolymers and supramolecular polymers. We particularly focus on the structures, properties, and functions of collagen, fibronectin, silk, and the supramolecular polymers inspired by them as biomaterials for regenerative medicine. PMID:26989295

Biopolymer-Based Nanoparticles for Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering

PubMed Central

Nitta, Sachiko Kaihara; Numata, Keiji

2013-01-01

There has been a great interest in application of nanoparticles as biomaterials for delivery of therapeutic molecules such as drugs and genes, and for tissue engineering. In particular, biopolymers are suitable materials as nanoparticles for clinical application due to their versatile traits, including biocompatibility, biodegradability and low immunogenicity. Biopolymers are polymers that are produced from living organisms, which are classified in three groups: polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic acids. It is important to control particle size, charge, morphology of surface and release rate of loaded molecules to use biopolymer-based nanoparticles as drug/gene delivery carriers. To obtain a nano-carrier for therapeutic purposes, a variety of materials and preparation process has been attempted. This review focuses on fabrication of biocompatible nanoparticles consisting of biopolymers such as protein (silk, collagen, gelatin, β-casein, zein and albumin), protein-mimicked polypeptides and polysaccharides (chitosan, alginate, pullulan, starch and heparin). The effects of the nature of the materials and the fabrication process on the characteristics of the nanoparticles are described. In addition, their application as delivery carriers of therapeutic drugs and genes and biomaterials for tissue engineering are also reviewed. PMID:23344060

In vitro assessment of biopolymer-modified porous silicon microparticles for wound healing applications.

PubMed

Mori, Michela; Almeida, Patrick V; Cola, Michela; Anselmi, Giulia; Mäkilä, Ermei; Correia, Alexandra; Salonen, Jarno; Hirvonen, Jouni; Caramella, Carla; Santos, Hélder A

2014-11-01

The wound healing stands as very complex and dynamic process, aiming the re-establishment of the damaged tissue's integrity and functionality. Thus, there is an emerging need for developing biopolymer-based composites capable of actively promoting cellular proliferation and reconstituting the extracellular matrix. The aims of the present work were to prepare and characterize biopolymer-functionalized porous silicon (PSi) microparticles, resulting in the development of drug delivery microsystems for future applications in wound healing. Thermally hydrocarbonized PSi (THCPSi) microparticles were coated with both chitosan and a mixture of chondroitin sulfate/hyaluronic acid, and subsequently loaded with two antibacterial model drugs, vancomycin and resveratrol. The biopolymer coating, drug loading degree and drug release behavior of the modified PSi microparticles were evaluated in vitro. The results showed that both the biopolymer coating and drug loading of the THCPSi microparticles were successfully achieved. In addition, a sustained release was observed for both the drugs tested. The viability and proliferation profiles of a fibroblast cell line exposed to the modified THCPSi microparticles and the subsequent reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were also evaluated. The cytotoxicity and proliferation results demonstrated less toxicity for the biopolymer-coated THCPSi microparticles at different concentrations and time points comparatively to the uncoated counterparts. The ROS production by the fibroblasts exposed to both uncoated and biopolymer-coated PSi microparticles showed that the modified PSi microparticles did not induce significant ROS production at the concentrations tested. Overall, the biopolymer-based PSi microparticles developed in this study are promising platforms for wound healing applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recent progress in biopolymer nanoparticle and microparticle formation by heat-treating electrostatic protein-polysaccharide complexes.

PubMed

Jones, Owen G; McClements, David Julian

2011-09-14

Functional biopolymer nanoparticles or microparticles can be formed by heat treatment of globular protein-ionic polysaccharide electrostatic complexes under appropriate solution conditions. These biopolymer particles can be used as encapsulation and delivery systems, fat mimetics, lightening agents, or texture modifiers. This review highlights recent progress in the design and fabrication of biopolymer particles based on heating globular protein-ionic polysaccharide complexes above the thermal denaturation temperature of the proteins. The influence of biopolymer type, protein-polysaccharide ratio, pH, ionic strength, and thermal history on the characteristics of the biopolymer particles formed is reviewed. Our current understanding of the underlying physicochemical mechanisms of particle formation and properties is given. The information provided in this review should facilitate the rational design of biopolymer particles with specific physicochemical and functional attributes, as well as stimulate further research in identifying the physicochemical origin of particle formation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Models of the solvent-accessible surface of biopolymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, R.E.

1996-09-01

Many biopolymers such as proteins, DNA, and RNA have been studied because they have important biomedical roles and may be good targets for therapeutic action in treating diseases. This report describes how plastic models of the solvent-accessible surface of biopolymers were made. Computer files containing sets of triangles were calculated, then used on a stereolithography machine to make the models. Small (2 in.) models were made to test whether the computer calculations were done correctly. Also, files of the type (.stl) required by any ISO 9001 rapid prototyping machine were written onto a CD-ROM for distribution to American companies.

78 FR 2251 - Xanthan Gum From Austria: Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-10

... limited to, sugars, minerals, and salts. Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced by aerobic fermentation... consists of a backbone of two P-1,4-D- Glucose monosaccharide units, the second with a trisaccharide side chain consisting of P-D-Mannose-(1,4)- P-DGlucuronic acid-(1,2) - a-D- Mannose monosaccharide units. The...

Biomedical Biopolymers, their Origin and Evolution in Biomedical Sciences: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Yadav, Harsh; Shah, Veena Gowri; Shah, Gaurav; Dhaka, Gaurav

2015-01-01

Biopolymers provide a plethora of applications in the pharmaceutical and medical applications. A material that can be used for biomedical applications like wound healing, drug delivery and tissue engineering should possess certain properties like biocompatibility, biodegradation to non-toxic products, low antigenicity, high bio-activity, processability to complicated shapes with appropriate porosity, ability to support cell growth and proliferation and appropriate mechanical properties, as well as maintaining mechanical strength. This paper reviews biodegradable biopolymers focusing on their potential in biomedical applications. Biopolymers most commonly used and most abundantly available have been described with focus on the properties relevant to biomedical importance. PMID:26501034

Valorisation of CO2-rich off-gases to biopolymers through biotechnological process.

PubMed

Garcia-Gonzalez, Linsey; De Wever, Heleen

2017-11-01

As one of the key enabling technologies, industrial biotechnology has a high potential to tackle harmful CO2 emissions and to turn CO2 into a valuable commodity. So far, experimental work mainly focused on the bioconversion of pure CO2 to chemicals and plastics and little is known about the tolerance of the bioprocesses to the presence of impurities. This work is the first to investigate the impact of real CO2-rich off-gases on autotrophic production of polyhydroxybutyrate. To this end, two-phase heterotrophic-autotrophic fermentation experiments were set up, consisting of heterothrophic cell mass growth using glucose as substrate followed by autotrophic biopolymer production using either pure synthetic CO2 or industrial off-gases sampled at two point sources. The use of real off-gases did not affect the bacterial performance. High biopolymer content (up to 73%) and productivities (up to 0.227 g/lh) were obtained. Characterisation of the polymers showed that all biopolymers had similar properties, independent of the CO2 source. Moreover, the CO2-derived biopolymers' properties were comparable to commercial ones and biopolymers reported in literature, which are all produced from organic carbon sources. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ant-cave structured MnCO3/Mn3O4 microcubes by biopolymer-assisted facile synthesis for high-performance pseudocapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra Sekhar, S.; Nagaraju, Goli; Yu, Jae Su

2018-03-01

Porous and ant-cave structured MnCO3/Mn3O4 microcubes (MCs) were facilely synthesized via a biopolymer-assisted hydrothermal approach. Herein, chitosan was used as a natural biopolymer, which greatly controls the surface morphology and size of the prepared composite. The amino and hydroxyl group-functionalized chitosan engraves the outer surface of MCs during the hydrothermal process, which designs the interesting morphology of nanopath ways on the surface of MCs. When used as an electrode material for pseudocapacitors, the ant-cave structured MnCO3/Mn3O4 MCs showed superior energy storage values compared to the material prepared without chitosan in aqueous electrolyte solution. Precisely, the prepared ant-cave structured MnCO3/Mn3O4 MCs exhibited a maximum specific capacitance of 116.2 F/g at a current density of 0.7 A/g with an excellent cycling stability of 73.86% after 2000 cycles. Such facile and low-cost synthesis of pseudocapacitive materials with porous nanopaths is favorable for the fabrication of high-performance energy storage devices.

Do single-use medical devices containing biopolymers reduce the environmental impacts of surgical procedures compared with their plastic equivalents?

PubMed

Unger, Scott R; Hottle, Troy A; Hobbs, Shakira R; Thiel, Cassandra L; Campion, Nicole; Bilec, Melissa M; Landis, Amy E

2017-01-01

Background While petroleum-based plastics are extensively used in health care, recent developments in biopolymer manufacturing have created new opportunities for increased integration of biopolymers into medical products, devices and services. This study compared the environmental impacts of single-use disposable devices with increased biopolymer content versus typically manufactured devices in hysterectomy. Methods A comparative life cycle assessment of single-use disposable medical products containing plastic(s) versus the same single-use medical devices with biopolymers substituted for plastic(s) at Magee-Women's Hospital (Magee) in Pittsburgh, PA and the products used in four types of hysterectomies that contained plastics potentially suitable for biopolymer substitution. Magee is a 360-bed teaching hospital, which performs approximately 1400 hysterectomies annually. Results There are life cycle environmental impact tradeoffs when substituting biopolymers for petroplastics in procedures such as hysterectomies. The substitution of biopolymers for petroleum-based plastics increased smog-related impacts by approximately 900% for laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomies, and increased ozone depletion-related impacts by approximately 125% for laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomies. Conversely, biopolymers reduced life cycle human health impacts, acidification and cumulative energy demand for the four hysterectomy procedures. The integration of biopolymers into medical products is correlated with reductions in carcinogenic impacts, non-carcinogenic impacts and respiratory effects. However, the significant agricultural inputs associated with manufacturing biopolymers exacerbate environmental impacts of products and devices made using biopolymers. Conclusions The integration of biopolymers into medical products is correlated with reductions in carcinogenic impacts, non-carcinogenic impacts and respiratory effects; however, the significant agricultural inputs associated

78 FR 13379 - Xanthan Gum from Austria and China; Scheduling of the Final Phase of an Antidumping Investigation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-27

..., sugars, minerals, and salts. Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced by aerobic fermentation of... backbone of two P-1,4-D- Glucose monosaccharide units, the second with a trisaccharide side chain consisting of P-D-Mannose-(1,4)-P-DGlucuronic acid-(1,2)-a-D- Mannose monosaccharide units. The terminal...

Terahertz Absorption and Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy of Solvated Biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jing; Plaxco, Kevin; Allen, S. James

2006-03-01

Biopolymers are expected to exhibit broad spectral features in the terahertz frequency range, corresponding to their functionally relevant, global and sub-global collective vibrational modes with ˜ picosecond timescale. Recent advances in terahertz technology have stimulated researchers to employ terahertz absorption spectroscopy to directly probe these postulated collective modes. However, these pioneering studies have been limited to dry and, at best, moist samples. Successful isolation of low frequency vibrational activities of solvated biopolymers in their natural water environment has remained elusive, due to the overwhelming attenuation of the terahertz radiation by water. Here we have developed a terahertz absorption and circular dichroism spectrometer suitable for studying biopolymers in biologically relevant water solutions. We have precisely isolated, for the first time, the terahertz absorption of solvated prototypical proteins, Bovine Serum Albumin and Lysozyme, and made important direct comparison to the existing molecular dynamic simulations and normal mode calculations. We have also successfully demonstrated the magnetic circular dichroism in semiconductors, and placed upper bounds on the terahertz circular dichroism signatures of prototypical proteins in water solution.

Biopolymer protected silver nanoparticles on the support of carbon nanotube as interface for electrocatalytic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satyanarayana, M.; Kumar, V. Sunil; Gobi, K. Vengatajalabathy

2016-04-01

In this research, silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are prepared on the surface of carbon nanotubes via chitosan, a biopolymer linkage. Here chitosan act as stabilizing agent for nanoparticles and forms a network on the surface of carbon nanotubes. Synthesized silver nanoparticles-MWCNT hybrid composite is characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD analysis, and FESEM with EDS to evaluate the structural and chemical properties of the nanocomposite. The electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated SNP-MWCNT hybrid modified glassy carbon electrode has been evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance analysis. The silver nanoparticles are of size ˜35 nm and are well distributed on the surface of carbon nanotubes with chitosan linkage. The prepared nanocomposite shows efficient electrocatalytic properties with high active surface area and excellent electron transfer behaviour.

The adsorption interaction of a rutin-biopolymer complex with nanosized silica particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedyanina, T. V.; Barvinchenko, V. N.; Lipkovskaya, N. A.; Pogorelyi, V. K.

2008-10-01

The influence of complex formation with biopolymers on the optical and acid properties of natural flavonoid rutin was studied. The adsorption interaction of biologically active flavonoids from officinal plants with the surface of nanosized silica particles was found to depend on the chemical nature of the biopolymer and adsorbate and solution properties.

Chemical modeling of acid-base properties of soluble biopolymers derived from municipal waste treatment materials.

PubMed

Tabasso, Silvia; Berto, Silvia; Rosato, Roberta; Marinos, Janeth Alicia Tafur; Ginepro, Marco; Zelano, Vincenzo; Daniele, Pier Giuseppe; Montoneri, Enzo

2015-02-04

This work reports a study of the proton-binding capacity of biopolymers obtained from different materials supplied by a municipal biowaste treatment plant located in Northern Italy. One material was the anaerobic fermentation digestate of the urban wastes organic humid fraction. The others were the compost of home and public gardening residues and the compost of the mix of the above residues, digestate and sewage sludge. These materials were hydrolyzed under alkaline conditions to yield the biopolymers by saponification. The biopolymers were characterized by 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and potentiometric titration. The titration data were elaborated to attain chemical models for interpretation of the proton-binding capacity of the biopolymers obtaining the acidic sites concentrations and their protonation constants. The results obtained with the models and by NMR spectroscopy were elaborated together in order to better characterize the nature of the macromolecules. The chemical nature of the biopolymers was found dependent upon the nature of the sourcing materials.

Chemical Modeling of Acid-Base Properties of Soluble Biopolymers Derived from Municipal Waste Treatment Materials

PubMed Central

Tabasso, Silvia; Berto, Silvia; Rosato, Roberta; Tafur Marinos, Janeth Alicia; Ginepro, Marco; Zelano, Vincenzo; Daniele, Pier Giuseppe; Montoneri, Enzo

2015-01-01

This work reports a study of the proton-binding capacity of biopolymers obtained from different materials supplied by a municipal biowaste treatment plant located in Northern Italy. One material was the anaerobic fermentation digestate of the urban wastes organic humid fraction. The others were the compost of home and public gardening residues and the compost of the mix of the above residues, digestate and sewage sludge. These materials were hydrolyzed under alkaline conditions to yield the biopolymers by saponification. The biopolymers were characterized by 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and potentiometric titration. The titration data were elaborated to attain chemical models for interpretation of the proton-binding capacity of the biopolymers obtaining the acidic sites concentrations and their protonation constants. The results obtained with the models and by NMR spectroscopy were elaborated together in order to better characterize the nature of the macromolecules. The chemical nature of the biopolymers was found dependent upon the nature of the sourcing materials. PMID:25658795

Anaerobic digestion of starch-polyvinyl alcohol biopolymer packaging: biodegradability and environmental impact assessment.

PubMed

Guo, M; Trzcinski, A P; Stuckey, D C; Murphy, R J

2011-12-01

The digestibility of a starch-polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) biopolymer insulated cardboard coolbox was investigated under a defined anaerobic digestion (AD) system with key parameters characterized. Laboratory results were combined with industrial operational data to develop a site-specific life cycle assessment (LCA) model. Inoculated with active bacterial trophic groups, the anaerobic biodegradability of three starch-PVOH biopolymers achieved 58-62%. The LCA modeling showed that the environmental burdens of the starch-PVOH biopolymer packaging under AD conditions on acidification, eutrophication, global warming and photochemical oxidation potential were dominated by atmospheric emissions released from substrate degradation and fuel combustion, whereas energy consumption and infrastructure requirements were the causes of abiotic depletion, ozone depletion and toxic impacts. Nevertheless, for this bio-packaging, AD of the starch-PVOH biopolymer combined with recycling of the cardboard emerged as the environmentally superior option and optimization of the energy utilization system could bring further environmental benefits to the AD process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enzymatic functionalization of cork surface with antimicrobial hybrid biopolymer/silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Francesko, Antonio; Blandón, Lucas; Vázquez, Mario; Petkova, Petya; Morató, Jordi; Pfeifer, Annett; Heinze, Thomas; Mendoza, Ernest; Tzanov, Tzanko

2015-05-13

Laccase-assisted assembling of hybrid biopolymer-silver nanoparticles and cork matrices into an antimicrobial material with potential for water remediation is herein described. Amino-functional biopolymers were first used as doping agents to stabilize concentrated colloidal dispersions of silver nanoparticles (AgNP), additionally providing the particles with functionalities for covalent immobilization onto cork to impart a durable antibacterial effect. The solvent-free AgNP synthesis by chemical reduction was carried out in the presence of chitosan (CS) or 6-deoxy-6-(ω-aminoethyl) aminocellulose (AC), leading to simultaneous AgNP biofunctionalization. This approach resulted in concentrated hybrid NP dispersion stable to aggregation and with hydrodynamic radius of particles of about 250 nm. Moreover, laccase enabled coupling between the phenolic groups in cork and amino moieties in the biopolymer-doped AgNP for permanent modification of the material. The antibacterial efficiency of the functionalized cork matrices, aimed as adsorbents for wastewater treatment, was evaluated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus during 5 days in conditions mimicking those in constructed wetlands. Both intrinsically antimicrobial CS and AC contributed to the bactericidal effect of the enzymatically grafted on cork AgNP. In contrast, unmodified AgNP were easily washed off from the material, confirming that the biopolymers potentiated a durable antibacterial functionalization of the cork matrices.

Mechanisms behind injecting the combination of nano-clay particles and polymer solution for enhanced oil recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalili Nezhad, Seyyed Shahram; Cheraghian, Goshtasp

2016-08-01

Laboratory investigations and field applications have proved injection of polymer solution to be an effective means to improve oil recovery for reservoirs of medium oil viscosity. The incremental oil produced in this case is the result of an increase in areal and vertical sweep efficiencies. Biopolymers and synthetic polymers are the major categories used in the petroleum industry for specific reasons. Biopolymers like xanthan are limited in their application as they are more susceptible to biodegradation. Synthetic polymers like Hydrolyzed PolyAcrylaMide (HPAM) have a much wider application as they are less susceptible to biodegradation. Furthermore, development of nanotechnology has successfully provided technical and economical viable alternatives for present materials. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of combining clay nanoparticles with polymer solution on oil recovery. This paper includes a history match of both one-dimensional and two-dimensional polymer floods using a three-dimensional numerical model for fluid flow and mass transport. Results indicated that the amount of polymer adsorption decreased when clay nanoparticles were added to the PolyAcrylaMide solution; however, mobility ratio improvement is believed to be the main contributor for the proposed method in order to enhance much oil recovery compared to xanthan flood and HPAM flood.

Molecular Biodynamers: Dynamic Covalent Analogues of Biopolymers

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Conspectus Constitutional dynamic chemistry (CDC) features the use of reversible linkages at both molecular and supramolecular levels, including reversible covalent bonds (dynamic covalent chemistry, DCC) and noncovalent interactions (dynamic noncovalent chemistry, DNCC). Due to its inherent reversibility and stimuli-responsiveness, CDC has been widely utilized as a powerful tool for the screening of bioactive compounds, the exploitation of receptors or substrates driven by molecular recognition, and the fabrication of constitutionally dynamic materials. Implementation of CDC in biopolymer science leads to the generation of constitutionally dynamic analogues of biopolymers, biodynamers, at the molecular level (molecular biodynamers) through DCC or at the supramolecular level (supramolecular biodynamers) via DNCC. Therefore, biodynamers are prepared by reversible covalent polymerization or noncovalent polyassociation of biorelevant monomers. In particular, molecular biodynamers, biodynamers of the covalent type whose monomeric units are connected by reversible covalent bonds, are generated by reversible polymerization of bio-based monomers and can be seen as a combination of biopolymers with DCC. Owing to the reversible covalent bonds used in DCC, molecular biodynamers can undergo continuous and spontaneous constitutional modifications via incorporation/decorporation and exchange of biorelevant monomers in response to internal or external stimuli. As a result, they behave as adaptive materials with novel properties, such as self-healing, stimuli-responsiveness, and tunable mechanical and optical character. More specifically, molecular biodynamers combine the biorelevant characters (e.g., biocompatibility, biodegradability, biofunctionality) of bioactive monomers with the dynamic features of reversible covalent bonds (e.g., changeable, tunable, controllable, self-healing, and stimuli-responsive capacities), to realize synergistic properties in one system. In addition

Economic assessment of flash co-pyrolysis of short rotation coppice and biopolymer waste streams.

PubMed

Kuppens, T; Cornelissen, T; Carleer, R; Yperman, J; Schreurs, S; Jans, M; Thewys, T

2010-12-01

The disposal problem associated with phytoextraction of farmland polluted with heavy metals by means of willow requires a biomass conversion technique which meets both ecological and economical needs. Combustion and gasification of willow require special and costly flue gas treatment to avoid re-emission of the metals in the atmosphere, whereas flash pyrolysis mainly results in the production of (almost) metal free bio-oil with a relatively high water content. Flash co-pyrolysis of biomass and waste of biopolymers synergistically improves the characteristics of the pyrolysis process: e.g. reduction of the water content of the bio-oil, more bio-oil and less char production and an increase of the HHV of the oil. This research paper investigates the economic consequences of the synergistic effects of flash co-pyrolysis of 1:1 w/w ratio blends of willow and different biopolymer waste streams via cost-benefit analysis and Monte Carlo simulations taking into account uncertainties. In all cases economic opportunities of flash co-pyrolysis of biomass with biopolymer waste are improved compared to flash pyrolysis of pure willow. Of all the biopolymers under investigation, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the most promising, followed by Eastar, Biopearls, potato starch, polylactic acid (PLA), corn starch and Solanyl in order of decreasing profits. Taking into account uncertainties, flash co-pyrolysis is expected to be cheaper than composting biopolymer waste streams, except for corn starch. If uncertainty increases, composting also becomes more interesting than flash co-pyrolysis for waste of Solanyl. If the investment expenditure is 15% higher in practice than estimated, the preference for flash co-pyrolysis compared to composting biopolymer waste becomes less clear. Only when the system of green current certificates is dismissed, composting clearly is a much cheaper processing technique for disposing of biopolymer waste. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mobility Enhancement of Red Blood Cells with Biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahara, Daiki; Oikawa, Noriko; Kurita, Rei

2016-03-01

Adhesion of red blood cells (RBC) to substrates are one of crucial problems for a blood clot. Here we investigate the mobility of RBC between two glass substrates in saline with polymer systems. We find that RBCs are adhered to the glass substrate with PEG, however the mobility steeply increases with fibrinogen and dextran, which are biopolymers. We also find that the mobility affects an aggregation dynamics of RBCs, which is related with diseases such as influenza, blood clot and so on. The Brownian motion helps to increase probability of contact with each other and to find a more stable condition of the aggregation. Thus the biopolymers play important roles not only for preventing the adhesion but also for the aggregation.

New Guar Biopolymer Silver Nanocomposites for Wound Healing Applications

PubMed Central

Abdullah, Md Farooque; Das, Suvadra; Roy, Partha; Datta, Sriparna; Mukherjee, Arup

2013-01-01

Wound healing is an innate physiological response that helps restore cellular and anatomic continuity of a tissue. Selective biodegradable and biocompatible polymer materials have provided useful scaffolds for wound healing and assisted cellular messaging. In the present study, guar gum, a polymeric galactomannan, was intrinsically modified to a new cationic biopolymer guar gum alkylamine (GGAA) for wound healing applications. Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Agnp) were further impregnated in GGAA for extended evaluations in punch wound models in rodents. SEM studies showed silver nanoparticles well dispersed in the new guar matrix with a particle size of ~18 nm. In wound healing experiments, faster healing and improved cosmetic appearance were observed in the new nanobiomaterial treated group compared to commercially available silver alginate cream. The total protein, DNA, and hydroxyproline contents of the wound tissues were also significantly higher in the treated group as compared with the silver alginate cream (P < 0.05). Silver nanoparticles exerted positive effects because of their antimicrobial properties. The nanobiomaterial was observed to promote wound closure by inducing proliferation and migration of the keratinocytes at the wound site. The derivatized guar gum matrix additionally provided a hydrated surface necessary for cell proliferation. PMID:24175306

New guar biopolymer silver nanocomposites for wound healing applications.

PubMed

Ghosh Auddy, Runa; Abdullah, Md Farooque; Das, Suvadra; Roy, Partha; Datta, Sriparna; Mukherjee, Arup

2013-01-01

Wound healing is an innate physiological response that helps restore cellular and anatomic continuity of a tissue. Selective biodegradable and biocompatible polymer materials have provided useful scaffolds for wound healing and assisted cellular messaging. In the present study, guar gum, a polymeric galactomannan, was intrinsically modified to a new cationic biopolymer guar gum alkylamine (GGAA) for wound healing applications. Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Agnp) were further impregnated in GGAA for extended evaluations in punch wound models in rodents. SEM studies showed silver nanoparticles well dispersed in the new guar matrix with a particle size of ~18 nm. In wound healing experiments, faster healing and improved cosmetic appearance were observed in the new nanobiomaterial treated group compared to commercially available silver alginate cream. The total protein, DNA, and hydroxyproline contents of the wound tissues were also significantly higher in the treated group as compared with the silver alginate cream (P < 0.05). Silver nanoparticles exerted positive effects because of their antimicrobial properties. The nanobiomaterial was observed to promote wound closure by inducing proliferation and migration of the keratinocytes at the wound site. The derivatized guar gum matrix additionally provided a hydrated surface necessary for cell proliferation.

Dispersion of cellulose nanofibers in biopolymer based nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bei

The focus of this work was to understand the fundamental dispersion mechanism of cellulose based nanofibers in bionanocomposites. The cellulose nanofibers were extracted from soybean pod and hemp fibers by chemo-mechanical treatments. These are bundles of cellulose nanofibers with a diameter ranging between 50 to 100 nm and lengths of thousands of nanometers which results in very high aspect ratio. In combination with a suitable matrix polymer, cellulose nanofiber networks show considerable potential as an effective reinforcement for high quality specialty applications of bio-based nanocomposites. Cellulose fibrils have a high density of --OH groups on the surface, which have a tendency to form hydrogen bonds with adjacent fibrils, reducing interaction with the surrounding matrix. The use of nanofibers has been mostly restricted to water soluble polymers. This thesis is focused on synthesizing the nanocomposite using a solid phase matrix polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE) by hot compression and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in an aqueous phase by film casting. The mechanical properties of nanofiber reinforced PVA film demonstrated a 4-5 fold increase in tensile strength, as compared to the untreated fiber-blend-PVA film. It is necessary to reduce the entanglement of the fibrils and improve their dispersion in the matrix by surface modification of fibers without deteriorating their reinforcing capability. Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) was used to explore how various surface treatments would change the dispersion component of surface energy and acid-base character of cellulose nanofibers and the effect of the incorporation of these modified nanofibers into a biopolymer matrix on the properties of their nano-composites. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) based nanocomposites using cellulose nanofibers were prepared by extrusion, injection molding and hot compression. The IGC results indicated that styrene maleic anhydride coated and ethylene

Biopolymer protected silver nanoparticles on the support of carbon nanotube as interface for electrocatalytic applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Satyanarayana, M.; Kumar, V. Sunil; Gobi, K. Vengatajalabathy, E-mail: drkvgobi@gmail.com, E-mail: satyam.nitw@gmail.com

In this research, silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are prepared on the surface of carbon nanotubes via chitosan, a biopolymer linkage. Here chitosan act as stabilizing agent for nanoparticles and forms a network on the surface of carbon nanotubes. Synthesized silver nanoparticles-MWCNT hybrid composite is characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD analysis, and FESEM with EDS to evaluate the structural and chemical properties of the nanocomposite. The electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated SNP-MWCNT hybrid modified glassy carbon electrode has been evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance analysis. The silver nanoparticles are of size ∼35 nm and are well distributed on the surface ofmore » carbon nanotubes with chitosan linkage. The prepared nanocomposite shows efficient electrocatalytic properties with high active surface area and excellent electron transfer behaviour.« less

Preparation and characterization of cross-linked excipient of coprocessed xanthan gum-acacia gum as matrix for sustained release tablets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surini, Silvia; Wati, Dina Risma; Syahdi, Rezi Riadhi

2018-02-01

Sustained release tablet is solid dosage form which is designed to release drugs slowly in the body. This research was intended to prepare and characterize the cross-linked excipients of co-processed xanthan gum-acacia gum (CL-Co-XGGA) as matrices for sustained release tablets with gliclazide as a model drug. CL-Co-XGGA excipients were cross-linked materials of co-processed excipients of xanthan gum-acacia gum (Co-XGGA) using sodium trimetaphosphate. Co-processed excipients of xanthan gum-acacia gum were prepared in the ratio of each excipient 1:2, 1:1 and 2:1. Co-XGGA and CL-Co-XGGA excipients were characterized physically, chemically and functionally. Then, the sustained release (SR) tablets were formulated by wet granulation method using CL-Co-XGGA excipients as matrices. Also, the dissolution study of the gliclazide SR tablets was carried out in phosphate buffer medium pH 7,4 containing sodium lauryl sulphate 0.2% for 12 hours. The results showed that the degree of substitution (DS) of CL-Co-XGGA 1:2, 1:1, 2:1 excipients were respectively 0.067, 0.082 and 0.08. Besides that, the excipients gel strengths were 14.03, 17.27 and 20,70 gF, respectively. The cross-linked excipients had improved flow properties and swelling capability compared to the Co-XGGA excipients. The results of the gliclazide SR tablets evaluations showed that all tablets were passed all tablet requirements. Moreover, the gliclazide release from SR tablets F1 - F6 revealed the sustained release profile, which was following zero order kinetics (F1, F2, F3, F6) and Higuchi kinetics (F4 and F5). It could be concluded that the obtained CL-Co-XGGA excipients might be used as matrices for sustained release tablets and could retard drug release up to 8 until 32 hours.

Structure and properties of hybrid biopolymer particles fabricated by co-precipitation cross-linking dissolution procedure.

PubMed

Xiong, Yu; Georgieva, Radostina; Steffen, Axel; Smuda, Kathrin; Bäumler, Hans

2018-03-15

The Co-precipitation Crosslinking Dissolution technique (CCD-technique) allows a few-steps fabrication of particles composed of different biopolymers and bioactive agents under mild conditions. Morphology and properties of the fabricated biopolymer particles depend on the fabrication conditions, the nature of the biopolymers and additives, but also on the choice of the inorganic templates for co-precipitation. Here, we investigate the influence of an acidic biopolymer, hyaluronic acid (HA), on the formation of particles from bovine hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin applying co-precipitation with CaCO 3 and MnCO 3 . CaCO 3 templated biopolymer particles are almost spherical with particle size from 2 to 20 µm and protein entrapment efficiency from 13 to 77%. Presence of HA causes significant structural changes of the particles and decreasing protein entrapment efficiency. In contrast, MnCO 3 templated particles exhibit uniform peanut shape and submicron size with remarkably high protein entrapment efficiency of nearly 100%. Addition of HA has no influence on the protein entrapment efficiency or on morphology and size of the particles. These effects can be attributed to the strong interaction of Mn 2+ with proteins and much weaker interaction with HA. Therefore, entrapment efficiency, size and structure of biopolymer particles can be optimized by varying the mineral templates and additives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comportement rhéologique des systèmes mixtes biopolymères / protéines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebiha, M.; Moulai-Mostefa, N.; Sadok, A. Hadj; Sabri, N.

2005-05-01

Dans ce travail, on s'est intéressé à l'étude des effets du caséinate de sodium et du xanthane sur les propriétés rhéologiques des solutions aqueuses, préparées suivant un plan d'expériences. Les caractéristiques mécaniques obtenues sont traduites par les coefficients du modèle rhéologique de Casson, en l'occurrence la contrainte seuil, τ 0, et la viscosité plastique, η _c. Ainsi, à l'issue de la modélisation en surface de réponses, il apparaît une interaction répulsive à l'échelle structurale entre le caséinate de sodium et le xanthane, traduite par un abaissement considérable de τ 0. Cet baissement de la rigidité peut conduire à une séparation de phases, phénomène conditionné par la viscosité limite de Casson,η _c.

Development and evaluation of Ca(+ 2) ion cross-linked carboxymethyl xanthan gum tablet prepared by wet granulation technique.

PubMed

Maity, Siddhartha; Sa, Biswanath

2014-08-01

The objective of this work was to study the release behavior of prednisolone from calcium-cross-linked carboxymethyl xanthan gum (CMXG) tablets in dissolution medium having different pH values prevailing in the gastrointestinal lumen. Xanthan gum (XG) was derivatized to CMXG which was then cross-linked in situ with Ca(+2) ion during wet massing step of tablet preparation. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry studies did not show any drug-polymer interaction although the drug underwent solid-state transformation during compression as evident from X-ray diffraction analysis. In vitro release study demonstrated that increase in the amount of Ca(+2) ion decreased the drug release, and beyond a certain amount, the drug release increased. While increase in both drug load and tablet crushing strength decreased the drug release, increase in exposure time in acid solution of pH 1.2 increased the overall release of the drug. The mechanism of drug release was non-Fickian/anomalous. The results indicated that variation in the amount of Ca(+2) ion can modulate the drug release from CMXG matrix tablets as needed.

Nanostructured Materials Utilized in Biopolymer-based Plastics for Food Packaging Applications.

PubMed

Ghanbarzadeh, Babak; Oleyaei, Seyed Amir; Almasi, Hadi

2015-01-01

Most materials currently used for food packaging are nondegradable, generating environmental problems. Several biopolymers have been exploited to develop materials for ecofriendly food packaging. However, the use of biopolymers has been limited because of their usually poor mechanical and barrier properties, which may be improved by adding reinforcing compounds (fillers), forming composites. Most reinforced materials present poor matrix-filler interactions, which tend to improve with decreasing filler dimensions. The use of fillers with at least one nanoscale dimension (nanoparticles) produces nanocomposites. Nanoparticles have proportionally larger surface area than their microscale counterparts, which favors the filler-matrix interactions and the performance of the resulting material. Besides nanoreinforcements, nanoparticles can have other functions when added to a polymer, such as antimicrobial activity, etc. in this review paper, the structure and properties of main kinds of nanostructured materials which have been studied to use as nanofiller in biopolymer matrices are overviewed, as well as their effects and applications.

Multilayered materials based on biopolymers as drug delivery systems.

PubMed

Vilela, Carla; Figueiredo, Ana R P; Silvestre, Armando J D; Freire, Carmen S R

2017-02-01

The design of efficient therapeutic delivery devices has become a tremendously active area of research with a strong contribution from the layer-by-layer (LbL) technology. The application of this simple yet firmly established technique for the design of drug reservoirs originates a multitude of multilayered systems of tailored architecture and with a high level of control of drug administration. Areas covered: This review will focus on the most recent and original research on LbL assemblies based on biopolymers including polysaccharides, polypeptides and proteins, with potential use in drug delivery. Herein, drug reservoirs consisting of multilayered planar films and capsules will be examined with emphasis on the ones benefiting from the non-cytotoxic and biocompatible nature of biopolymers, which are suitable to load, protect and release a high payload of toxic and fragile drugs. Expert opinion: The combination of biopolymers with LbL technology has undergone extensive research, still, there is a multitude of R&D opportunities for the design of smart drug delivery systems with distinct multilayered morphologies, low immunological response, non-invasive drug release devices, as well as the design of theranostic systems combining diagnostics and therapeutic features. Further developments in terms of scaling towards mass production in the pharmaceutical industry are expected in the long-term.

A Biogeotechnical approach to Stabilize Soft Marine Soil with a Microbial Organic Material called Biopolymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, I.; Cho, G. C.; Kwon, Y. M.; Im, J.

2017-12-01

The importance and demands of offshore and coastal area development are increasing due to shortage of usable land and to have access to valuable marine resources. However, most coastal soils are soft sediments, mainly composed with fines (silt and clay) and having high water and organic contents, which induce complicated mechanical- and geochemical- behaviors and even be insufficient in Geotechnical engineering aspects. At least, soil stabilization procedures are required for those soft sediments, regardless of the purpose of usage on the site. One of the most common soft soil stabilization method is using ordinary cement as a soil strengthening binder. However, the use of cement in marine environments is reported to occur environmental concerns such as pH increase and accompanying marine ecosystem disturbance. Therefore, a new environmentally-friendly treatment material for coastal and offshore soils. In this study, a biopolymer material produced by microbes is introduced to enhance the physical behavior of a soft tidal flat sediment by considering the biopolymer rheology, soil mineralogy, and chemical properties of marine water. Biopolymer material used in this study forms inter-particle bonds between particles which is promoted through cation-bridges where the cations are provided from marine water. Moreover, biopolymer treatment renders unique stress-strain relationship of soft soils. The mechanical stiffness (M) instantly increase with the presence of biopolymer, while time-dependent settlement behavior (consolidation) shows a big delay due to the viscous biopolymer hydrogels in pore spaces.

Probing the electrochemical properties of biopolymer modified EMD nanoflakes through electrodeposition for high performance alkaline batteries.

PubMed

Biswal, Avijit; Minakshi, Manickam; Tripathy, Bankim Chandra

2016-04-07

In the present work, a novel biopolymer approach has been made to electrodeposit manganese dioxide from manganese sulphate in a sulphuric acid bath containing chitosan in the absence and presence of glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. Galvanostatically synthesised electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) nanoflakes were used as electrode materials and their electrochemical properties with the influence of biopolymer chitosan were systematically characterized. The structural determination, surface morphology and porosity of nanostructured EMD were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption techniques. The results obtained were compared with that of blank EMD (polymer free). The results indicated that the EMD having chitosan cross-linked with glutaraldehyde possesses a reduced particle size and more porous structure than the blank and EMDs synthesized in the presence of chitosan but without glutaraldehyde. The results revealed that chitosan was unable to play any significant role on its own but chitosan in the presence of glutaraldehyde forms a cross-linking structure, which in turn influences the nucleation and growth of the EMDs during electrodeposition. EMDs obtained in the presence of chitosan (1 g dm(-3)) and glutaraldehyde (1% glutaraldehyde) exhibited a reversible and better discharge capacity upon cycling than the blank which showed its typical capacity fading behaviour with cycling. In addition, EMD synthesized in the presence of 1 g dm(-3) chitosan and 2% glutaraldehyde exhibited a superior electrochemical performance than the blank and lower amounts (1%; 1.5%) of glutaraldehyde, showing a stable discharge capacity of 60 mA h g(-1) recorded up to 40 cycles in alkaline KOH electrolyte for a Zn-MnO2 system. Our results demonstrate the potential of using polymer modified EMDs as a new generation of alkaline battery materials. The XPS data show that

Remediation of heavy hydrocarbon impacted soil using biopolymer and polystyrene foam beads.

PubMed

Wilton, Nicholas; Lyon-Marion, Bonnie A; Kamath, Roopa; McVey, Kevin; Pennell, Kurt D; Robbat, Albert

2018-05-05

A green chemistry solution is presented for the remediation of heavy hydrocarbon impacted soils. The two-phase recovery system relies on a plant-based biopolymer, which releases hydrocarbons from soil, and polystyrene foam beads, which recover them from solids and water. The efficiency of the process was demonstrated by comparisons with control experiments, where water, biopolymer, or beads alone yielded total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) reductions of 25%, 52%, and 58%, respectively, compared to 94% when 1.25 mL of 1% biopolymer and 15 mg beads per gram of soil were agitated for 30 min. Reductions in TPH content were substantial regardless of soil fraction, with removals of 97%, 91%, and 75% from sand, silt, and clay size fractions, respectively. Additionally, treatment efficiency was independent of carbon number, C 13 to C 43 , as demonstrated by reductions in both diesel fuel (C 13 -C 28 ) and residual-range organics (C 25 -C 43 ) of ∼90%. Compared to other published polymer- and surfactant-based treatment methods, this system requires less mobilizing agent, sorbent, and mixing time. The remediation process is both efficient and sustainable because the biopolymer is re-useable and sourced from renewable crops and polystyrene beads are obtained from recycled materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hybrid waste filler filled bio-polymer foam composites for sound absorbent materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Azahari, M. Shafiq M.; Kormin, Shaharuddin; Soon, Leong Bong; Zaliran, M. Taufiq; Ahraz Sadrina M. F., L.

2017-09-01

Sound absorption materials are one of the major requirements in many industries with regards to the sound insulation developed should be efficient to reduce sound. This is also important to contribute in economically ways of producing sound absorbing materials which is cheaper and user friendly. Thus, in this research, the sound absorbent properties of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers of wood dust and waste tire rubber has been investigated. Waste cooking oil from crisp industries was converted into bio-monomer, filled with different proportion ratio of fillers and fabricated into bio-polymer foam composite. Two fabrication methods is applied which is the Close Mold Method (CMM) and Open Mold Method (OMM). A total of four bio-polymer foam composite samples were produce for each method used. The percentage of hybrid fillers; mixture of wood dust and waste tire rubber of 2.5 %, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% weight to weight ration with bio-monomer. The sound absorption of the bio-polymer foam composites samples were tested by using the impedance tube test according to the ASTM E-1050 and Scanning Electron Microscope to determine the morphology and porosity of the samples. The sound absorption coefficient (α) at different frequency range revealed that the polymer foam of 10.0 % hybrid fillers shows highest α of 0.963. The highest hybrid filler loading contributing to smallest pore sizes but highest interconnected pores. This also revealed that when highly porous material is exposed to incident sound waves, the air molecules at the surface of the material and within the pores of the material are forced to vibrate and loses some of their original energy. This is concluded that the suitability of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers to be used in acoustic application of automotive components such as dashboards, door panels, cushion and etc.

Effect on tomato plant and fruit of the application of biopolymer-oregano essential oil coatings.

PubMed

Perdones, Ángela; Tur, Núria; Chiralt, Amparo; Vargas, Maria

2016-10-01

Oregano essential oil (EO) was incorporated into film-forming dispersions (FFDs) based on biopolymers (chitosan and/or methylcellulose) at two different concentrations. The effect of the application of the FFDs was evaluated on tomato plants (cultivar Micro-Tom) at three different stages of development, and on pre-harvest and postharvest applications on tomato fruit. The application of the FFDs at '3 Leaves' stage caused phytotoxic problems, which were lethal when the EO was applied without biopolymers. Even though plant growth and development were delayed, the total biomass and the crop yield were not affected by biopolymer-EO treatments. When the FFDs were applied in the 'Fruit' stage the pre-harvest application of FFDs had no negative effects. All FFDs containing EO significantly reduced the respiration rate of tomato fruit and diminished weight loss during storage. Moreover, biopolymer-EO FFDs led to a decrease in the fungal decay of tomato fruit inoculated with Rhizopus stolonifer spores, as compared with non-treated tomato fruit and those coated with FFDs without EO. The application of biopolymer-oregano essential oil coatings has been proven to be an effective treatment to control R. stolonifer in tomato fruit. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess

PubMed Central

Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; Liu, Yinong; Hao, Shijie; Ren, Yang; Han, Xiaodong; Liu, Zhenyang; Wang, Yunzhi; Yu, Cun; Huan, Yong; Zhao, Xinqing; Zheng, Yanjun; Xu, Huibin; Ren, Xiaobing; Li, Xiaodong

2015-01-01

The design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memory alloy to transcribe the “J-curve” mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials. PMID:25665501

A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess.

PubMed

Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; Liu, Yinong; Hao, Shijie; Ren, Yang; Han, Xiaodong; Liu, Zhenyang; Wang, Yunzhi; Yu, Cun; Huan, Yong; Zhao, Xinqing; Zheng, Yanjun; Xu, Huibin; Ren, Xiaobing; Li, Xiaodong

2015-02-10

The design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memory alloy to transcribe the "J-curve" mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials.

Surface enhaced raman scattering (SERS) with biopolymer encapsulated silver nanosubstrates for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A biopolymer encapsulated with silver nanoparticles was prepared using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution, silver nitrate, and trisodium citrate. Biopolymer based nanosubstrates were deposited on a mica sheet for SERS. Fresh cultures of Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus a...

Biopolymer as an Alternative to Petroleum-based Polymers to Control Soil Erosion: Iowa Army Ammunition Plant

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

surface. Biopolymer (first application), and biopolymer plus seed (second application), were applied using a hydroseeder. 20 Figure 9. Initial...fluid replacement. Replacement fluids can be commercial mixes such as water, Gatorade, or fruit juices . • Work/Rest Regimens: Implementation of a

Corrosion Inhibition of High Speed Steel by Biopolymer HPMC Derivatives

PubMed Central

Shi, Shih-Chen; Su, Chieh-Chang

2016-01-01

The corrosion inhibition characteristics of the derivatives of biopolymer hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) film are investigated. Based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements and potentiodynamic polarization, the corrosion inhibition performance of high speed steel coated with HPMC derivatives is evaluated. The Nyquist plot and Tafel polarization demonstrate promising anti-corrosion performance of HPMC and HPMCP. With increasing film thickness, both materials reveal improvement in corrosion inhibition. Moreover, because of a hydrophobic surface and lower moisture content, HPMCP shows better anti-corrosion performance than HPMCAS. The study is of certain importance for designing green corrosion inhibitors of high speed steel surfaces by the use of biopolymer derivatives. PMID:28773733

Rheological characteristics of cold thickened beverages containing xanthan gum-based food thickeners used for dysphagia diets.

PubMed

Cho, Hyun M; Yoo, Byoungseung

2015-01-01

Cold beverages are commonly thickened with commercial gum-based food thickeners for consumption by patients with dysphagia. In this study, the rheological properties of a thickened water and five thickened beverages (orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, whole milk, and a sport drink) that were prepared with four commercial instant xanthan gum-based thickeners (coded A-D) were investigated at a 3% thickener concentration. All thickened samples showed high shear-thinning behavior with yield stress at the serving temperature of 8°C. The magnitudes of apparent viscosity (ηa,50), consistency index (K), storage modulus (G'), and loss modulus (G'') of the thickened beverages, except for water, with food thickener A were significantly higher compared with other thickeners (B, C, and D) (P<0.05). The largest increases in K values for thickened beverages were observed at 1-hour storage, and at longer times their K values, except for milk, remained approximately constant. Rheological parameters demonstrated statistically significant differences in flow and dynamic behaviors between the cold thickened beverages prepared with the xanthan gum-based food thickeners (P<0.05), indicating that their rheological properties are strongly influenced by the dispersing medium, the type of food thickener, and storage time. In particular, appropriately selecting a commercial food thickener for preparing thickened beverages seems to be of importance for managing dysphagia. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated bioconversion of syngas into bioethanol and biopolymers.

PubMed

Lagoa-Costa, Borja; Abubackar, Haris Nalakath; Fernández-Romasanta, María; Kennes, Christian; Veiga, María C

2017-09-01

Syngas bioconversion is a promising method for bioethanol production, but some VFA remains at the end of fermentation. A two-stage process was set-up, including syngas fermentation as first stage under strict anaerobic conditions using C. autoethanogenum as inoculum, with syngas (CO/CO 2 /H 2 /N 2 , 30/10/20/40) as gaseous substrate. The second stage consisted in various fed-batch assays using a highly enriched PHA accumulating biomass as inoculum, where the potential for biopolymer production from the remaining acetic acid at the end of the syngas fermentation was evaluated. All of the acetic acid was consumed and accumulated as biopolymer, while ethanol and 2,3-butanediol remained basically unused. It can be concluded that a high C/N ratio in the effluent from the syngas fermentation stage was responsible for non-consumption of alcohols. A maximum PHA content of 24% was reached at the end of the assay. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Synthesis by Spirulina sp. LEB 18 Using Biopolymer Extraction Waste.

PubMed

da Silva, Cleber Klasener; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira; de Morais, Michele Greque

2018-01-20

The reuse of waste as well as the production of biodegradable compounds has for years been the object of studies and of global interest as a way to reduce the environmental impact generated by unsustainable exploratory processes. The conversion of linear processes into cyclical processes has environmental and economic advantages, reducing waste deposition and reducing costs. The objective of this work was to use biopolymer extraction waste in the cultivation of Spirulina sp. LEB 18, for the cyclic process of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) synthesis. Concentrations of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% (v/v) of biopolymer extraction waste were tested. For comparison, two assays were used without addition of waste, Zarrouk (SZ) and modified Zarrouk (ZM), with reduction of nitrogen. The assays were carried out in triplicate and evaluated for the production of microalgal biomass and PHB. The tests with addition of waste presented a biomass production statistically equal to ZM (0.79 g L -1 ) (p < 0.1). The production of PHB in the assay containing 25% of waste was higher when compared to the other cultivations, obtaining 10.6% (w/w) of biopolymer. From the results obtained, it is affirmed that the use of PHB extraction waste in the microalgal cultivation, aiming at the synthesis of biopolymers, can occur in a cyclic process, reducing process costs and the deposition of waste, thus favoring the preservation of the environment.

Silk fibroin/gold nanocrystals: a new example of biopolymer-based nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noinville, S.; Garnier, A.; Courty, A.

2017-05-01

The dispersion of nanoparticles in ordered polymer nanostructures can provide control over particle location and orientation, and pave the way for tailored nanomaterials that have enhanced mechanical, electrical, or optical properties. Here we used silk fibroin, a natural biopolymer, to embed gold nanocrystals (NCs), so as to obtain well-ordered structures such as nanowires and self-assembled triangular nanocomposites. Monodisperse gold NCs synthesized in organic media are mixed to silk fibroin and the obtained nanocomposites are characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Infrared spectroscopy. The optical properties study of gold NCs and silk-gold nanocomposites shows that the Surface Plasmon band is blue shifted compared to gold NCs. The size and shape of NCs gold superlattices can be well controlled by the presence of silk fibroin giving nanowires and also self-assembled triangular nanocomposites as characterized by TEM, FE-SEM and AFM. The strong interaction between gold NCs and silk fibroin is also revealed by the conformation change of silk protein in presence of gold NCs, as shown by FTIR analysis. The formation of such ordered nanocomposites (gold NCs/silk fibroin) will provide new nanoplasmonic devices.

Fast microwave-assisted green synthesis of xanthan gum grafted acrylic acid for enhanced methylene blue dye removal from aqueous solution.

PubMed

Makhado, Edwin; Pandey, Sadanand; Nomngongo, Philiswa N; Ramontja, James

2017-11-15

In the present project, graft polymerization was employed to synthesis a novel adsorbent using acrylic acid (AA) and xanthan gum (XG) for cationic methylene dye (MB + ) removal from aqueous solution. The XG was rapidly grafted with acrylic acid (CH 2 =CHCOOH) under microwave heating. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Proton Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques were used to verify the adsorbent formed under optimized reaction conditions. Optimum reaction conditions [AA (0.4M), APS (0.05M), XG (2gL -1 ), MW power (100%), MW time (80s)] offer maximum %G and %GE of 484 and 78.3, respectively. The removal ratio of adsorbent to MB + reached to 92.8% at 100mgL -1 . Equilibrium and kinetic adsorptions of dyes were better explained by the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second-order kinetic model respectively. The results demonstrate xanthan gum grafted polyacrylic acid (mw XG-g-PAA) absorbent had the universality for removal of dyes through the chemical adsorption mechanism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wetting of biopolymer coatings: contact angle kinetics and image analysis investigation.

PubMed

Farris, Stefano; Introzzi, Laura; Biagioni, Paolo; Holz, Torsten; Schiraldi, Alberto; Piergiovanni, Luciano

2011-06-21

The surface wetting of five biopolymers, used as coating materials for a plastic film, was monitored over a span of 8 min by means of the optical contact angle technique. Because most of the total variation was observed to occur during the first 60 s, we decided to focus on this curtailed temporal window. Initial contact angle values (θ(0)) ranged from ∼91° for chitosan to ∼30° for pullulan. However, the water drop profile began to change immediately following drop deposition for all biocoatings, confirming that the concept of water contact angle equilibrium is not applicable to most biopolymers. First, a three-parameter decay equation [θ(t) = θ(0) exp(kt(n))] was fit to the experimental contact angle data to describe the kinetics of the contact angle change for each biocoating. Interestingly, the k constant correlated well with the contact angle evolution rate and the n exponent seemed to be somehow linked to the physicochemical phenomena underlying the overall kinetics process. Second, to achieve a reliable description of droplet evolution, the contact angle (CA) analysis was coupled with image analysis (IA) through a combined geometric/trigonometric approach. Absorption and spreading were the key factors governing the overall mechanism of surface wetting during the 60 s analysis, although the individual quantification of both phenomena demonstrated that spreading provided the largest contribution for all biopolymers, with the only exception of gelatin, which showed two quasi-equivalent and counterbalancing effects. The possible correlation between these two phenomena and the topography of the biopolymer surfaces are then discussed on the basis of atomic force microscopy analyses. © 2011 American Chemical Society

The physicochemical properties of a spray dried glutinous rice starch biopolymer.

PubMed

Laovachirasuwan, Pornpun; Peerapattana, Jomjai; Srijesdaruk, Voranuch; Chitropas, Padungkwan; Otsuka, Makoto

2010-06-15

Glutinous rice starch (GRS) is a biopolymer used widely in the food industry but not at all in the pharmaceutical industry. There are several ways to modify this biopolymer. Physical modification is simple and cheap because it requires no chemicals or biological agents. The aim of this study was to characterize the physicochemical properties of a spray dried glutinous rice starch (SGRS) produced from pregelatinized GRS. The surface morphology changed from an irregular to concave spherical shape as revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). SGRS was almost amorphous as determined by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy. The water molecules became linked through hydrogen bonds to the exposed hydroxyl group of amorphous SGRS as determined by Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Then, SGRS formed a colloid gel matrix with water and developed a highly viscous gelatinous form as determined using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and a stress control type rheometer. In addition, SGRS can swell and produce a gelatinous surface barrier like a hydrophilic matrix biopolymer which controls drug release. Therefore, a novel application of SGRS is as a sustained release modifier for direct compression tablets in the pharmaceutical industry. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A biopolymer-like metal enabled hybrid material with exceptional mechanical prowess

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Junsong; Cui, Lishan; Jiang, Daqiang; ...

2015-02-10

In this study, the design principles for naturally occurring biological materials have inspired us to develop next-generation engineering materials with remarkable performance. Nacre, commonly referred to as nature's armor, is renowned for its unusual combination of strength and toughness. Nature's wisdom in nacre resides in its elaborate structural design and the judicious placement of a unique organic biopolymer with intelligent deformation features. However, up to now, it is still a challenge to transcribe the biopolymer's deformation attributes into a stronger substitute in the design of new materials. In this study, we propose a new design strategy that employs shape memorymore » alloy to transcribe the "J-curve'' mechanical response and uniform molecular/atomic level deformation of the organic biopolymer in the design of high-performance hybrid materials. This design strategy is verified in a TiNi-Ti 3Sn model material system. The model material demonstrates an exceptional combination of mechanical properties that are superior to other high-performance metal-based lamellar composites known to date. Our design strategy creates new opportunities for the development of high-performance bio-inspired materials.« less

Fabrication of novel metal ion imprinted xanthan gum-layered double hydroxide nanocomposite for adsorption of rare earth elements.

PubMed

Iftekhar, Sidra; Srivastava, Varsha; Hammouda, Samia Ben; Sillanpää, Mika

2018-08-15

The work focus to enhance the properties of xanthan gum (XG) by anchoring metal ions (Fe, Zr) and encapsulating inorganic matrix (M@XG-ZA). The fabricated nanocomposite was characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), surface area (BET) and zeta potential analysis. The adsorption of Sc, Nd, Tm and Yb was investigated after screening of synthesized materials in detail to understand the influence of pH, contact time, temperature and initial REE (rare earth element) concentration both in single and multicomponent system via batch adsorption. The adsorption mechanism was verified by FTIR, SEM and elemental mapping. The SEM images of Zr@XG-ZA demonstrate scutes structure, which disappeared after adsorption of REEs. The maximum adsorption capacities were 132.30, 14.01, 18.15 and 25.73 mg/g for Sc, Nd, Tm and Yb, respectively. The adsorption efficiency over Zr@XG-ZA in multicomponent system was higher than single system and the REEs followed the order: Sc > Yb > Tm > Nd. The Zr@XG-ZA demonstrate good adsorption behavior for REEs up to five cycles and then it can be used as photocatalyst for the degradation of tetracycline. Thus, the work adds a new insight to design and preparation of efficient bifunctional adsorbents from sustainable materials for water purification. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biopolymers for Antitumor Implantable Drug Delivery Systems: Recent Advances and Future Outlook.

PubMed

Talebian, Sepehr; Foroughi, Javad; Wade, Samantha J; Vine, Kara L; Dolatshahi-Pirouz, Alireza; Mehrali, Mehdi; Conde, João; Wallace, Gordon G

2018-05-13

In spite of remarkable improvements in cancer treatments and survivorship, cancer still remains as one of the major causes of death worldwide. Although current standards of care provide encouraging results, they still cause severe systemic toxicity and also fail in preventing recurrence of the disease. In order to address these issues, biomaterial-based implantable drug delivery systems (DDSs) have emerged as promising therapeutic platforms, which allow local administration of drugs directly to the tumor site. Owing to the unique properties of biopolymers, they have been used in a variety of ways to institute biodegradable implantable DDSs that exert precise spatiotemporal control over the release of therapeutic drug. Here, the most recent advances in biopolymer-based DDSs for suppressing tumor growth and preventing tumor recurrence are reviewed. Novel emerging biopolymers as well as cutting-edge polymeric microdevices deployed as implantable antitumor DDSs are discussed. Finally, a review of a new therapeutic modality within the field, which is based on implantable biopolymeric DDSs, is given. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Printed Biopolymer-Based Electro-Optic Device Components

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

devices and fabricated e-beam lithography-based master molds. Printed micro and nanostructures using a newly developed spin-on nanoprinting (SNAP...polymeric materials. Among the natural biopolymers , deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is an attractive material which can be used to make electronic and...photonic devices [2, 3]. If patterned on the micro and nanoscale using a soft lithography technique, high quality biodegradable optical devices can be

Achieving biopolymer synergy in systems chemistry.

PubMed

Bai, Yushi; Chotera, Agata; Taran, Olga; Liang, Chen; Ashkenasy, Gonen; Lynn, David G

2018-05-31

Synthetic and materials chemistry initiatives have enabled the translation of the macromolecular functions of biology into synthetic frameworks. These explorations into alternative chemistries of life attempt to capture the versatile functionality and adaptability of biopolymers in new orthogonal scaffolds. Information storage and transfer, however, so beautifully represented in the central dogma of biology, require multiple components functioning synergistically. Over a single decade, the emerging field of systems chemistry has begun to catalyze the construction of mutualistic biopolymer networks, and this review begins with the foundational small-molecule-based dynamic chemical networks and peptide amyloid-based dynamic physical networks on which this effort builds. The approach both contextualizes the versatile approaches that have been developed to enrich chemical information in synthetic networks and highlights the properties of amyloids as potential alternative genetic elements. The successful integration of both chemical and physical networks through β-sheet assisted replication processes further informs the synergistic potential of these networks. Inspired by the cooperative synergies of nucleic acids and proteins in biology, synthetic nucleic-acid-peptide chimeras are now being explored to extend their informational content. With our growing range of synthetic capabilities, structural analyses, and simulation technologies, this foundation is radically extending the structural space that might cross the Darwinian threshold for the origins of life as well as creating an array of alternative systems capable of achieving the progressive growth of novel informational materials.

Development of a biopolymer nanoparticle-based method of oral toxicity testing in aquatic invertebrates.

PubMed

Gott, Ryan C; Luo, Yangchao; Wang, Qin; Lamp, William O

2014-06-01

Aquatic toxicity testing generally focuses on the water absorption/dermal route of exposure to potential toxic chemicals, while much less work has been done on the oral route of exposure. This is due in part to the difficulties of applying traditional oral toxicity testing to aquatic environments, including the tendency for test chemicals to dissolve into water. The use of biopolymer nanoparticles to encapsulate test chemicals onto food to prevent dissolution is one solution presented herein. The biopolymers zein and chitosan were explored for their previously known nanoparticle-forming abilities. Nanoparticles containing the test chemical rhodamine B were formed, applied as films to coat food, and then fed to the test organism, the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca. In feeding trials both zein and chitosan nanoparticles showed a significantly lower release rate of rhodamine B into water than food dyed with rhodamine B without biopolymer nanoparticles. Zein nanoparticles also showed better retention ability than chitosan nanoparticles. Both kinds of nanoparticles showed no significant effect on the survival, growth, or feeding behavior of H. azteca. Thus these biopolymers may be an effective system to encapsulate and deliver chemicals to aquatic invertebrates without interfering with common toxicity assessment endpoints like survival and growth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Formulation and in vitro characterization of xanthan gum-based sustained release matrix tables of isosorbide-5- mononitrate.

PubMed

Kar, Rajat; Mohapatra, Snehamayee; Bhanja, Satyabrata; Das, Debjyoti; Barik, Bhaktibhusan

2010-01-01

In the present investigation an attempt has been made to increase therapeutic efficacy, to reduce frequency of administration and to improve patient compliance by developing a sustained release matrix tablets of isosorbide-5-mononitrate. Sustained release matrix tablets of isosorbide-5-mononitrate were developed by using different drug: polymer ratios, such in F1 (1:0.75), F2 (1:1), F3 (1:1.5), F4 (1:1.75) and F6 (1:2). Xanthan gum was used as matrix former and microcrystalline cellulose as diluent. All the lubricated formulations were compressed, using 8mm flat faced punches. Compressed tablets were evaluated for uniformity of weight, content of active ingredient, friability, hardness, thickness, in vitro dissolution study using basket method and swelling index. Each formulation showed compliance with pharmacopoeial standards. Among all formulations, F5 showed a greater sustained release pattern of drug over a 12 h period with 92.12% of drug being released. The kinetic studies showed that drug release follows the Higuchi model (r(2) =0.9851). Korsemeyer and Peppas equation gave an n-value of 0.4566, which was close to 0.5, indicating that drug release follows the Fickian diffusion. Thus, xanthan gum can be used as an effective matrix former to extend the release of isosorbide-5-mononitrate. No significant difference was observed in the dissolution profile of optimized formulation, using basket and paddle apparatus.

PALS: A unique probe for the molecular organisation of biopolymer matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roussenova, M.; Alam, M. A.

2013-06-01

This short review aims to illustrate the versatility of Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) when utilized for the characterization of biopolymers (e.g.: starch, fractionated maltooligomers, gelatin and cellulose derivatives) commonly used for the formulation of pharmaceutical encapsulants. By showing examples from a number of recent PALS studies, we illustrate that this technique can be used to probe the changes in thermodynamic state and molecular packing for a wide range of biopolymer matrices as a function of temperature, matrix composition and water content. This provides a basis for establishing composition-structure-property relationships for these materials, which would eventually enable the rational control of their macroscopic properties and the design of optimal encapsulating matrices and intelligent drug delivery systems.

The use of a combination of different MR methods to study swelling of hydrophilic xanthan matrix tablets at different pHs.

PubMed

Mikac, U; Sepe, A; Kristl, J; Baumgartner, I

2012-01-01

Modified-release matrix tablets have been extensively used by the pharmaceutical industry as one of the most successful oral drug-delivery systems. The key element in drug release from hydrophilic matrix tablets is the gel layer that regulates the penetration of water and controls drug dissolution and diffusion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful, non-invasive technique that can help improve our understanding of the gel layer formed on swellable, polymer-matrix tablets, as well as the layer's properties and its influence on the drug release. The aim was to investigate the effects of pH and ionic strength on swelling and to study the influence of structural changes in xanthan gel on drug release. For this purpose a combination of different MRI methods for accurate determination of penetration, swelling and erosion fronts was used. The position of the penetration and swelling fronts were the same, independently of the different xanthan gel structures formed under different conditions of pH and ionic strength. The position of the erosion front, on the other hand, is strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength, as reflected in different thicknesses of the gel layers.

Smart swelling biopolymer microparticles by a microfluidic approach: synthesis, in situ encapsulation and controlled release.

PubMed

Fang, Aiping; Cathala, Bernard

2011-01-01

This paper reports a microfluidic synthesis of biopolymer microparticles aiming at smart swelling. Monodisperse aqueous emulsion droplets comprising biopolymer and its cross-linking agent were formed in mineral oil and solidified in the winding microfluidic channels by in situ chaotic mixing, which resulted in internal chemical gelation for hydrogels. The achievement of pectin microparticles from in situ mixing pectin with its cross-linking agent, calcium ions, successfully demonstrates the reliability of this microfluidic synthesis approach. In order to achieve hydrogels with smart swelling, the following parameters and their impacts on the swelling behaviour, stability and morphology of microparticles were investigated: (1) the type of biopolymers (alginate or mixture of alginate and carboxymethylcellulose, A-CMC); (2) rapid mixing; (3) concentration and type of cross-linking agent. Superabsorbent microparticles were obtained from A-CMC mixture by using ferric chloride as an additional external cross-linking agent. The in situ encapsulation of a model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), was also carried out. As a potential protein drug-delivery system, the BSA release behaviours of the biopolymer particles were studied in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. Compared with alginate and A-CMC microparticles cross-linked with calcium ions, A-CMC microparticles cross-linked with both calcium and ferric ions demonstrate a significantly delayed release. The controllable release profile, the facile encapsulation as well as their biocompatibility, biodegradability, mucoadhesiveness render this microfluidic approach promising in achieving biopolymer microparticles as protein drug carrier for site-specific release. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Boletus edulis biologically active biopolymers induce cell cycle arrest in human colon adenocarcinoma cells.

PubMed

Lemieszek, Marta Kinga; Cardoso, Claudia; Ferreira Milheiro Nunes, Fernando Hermínio; Ramos Novo Amorim de Barros, Ana Isabel; Marques, Guilhermina; Pożarowski, Piotr; Rzeski, Wojciech

2013-04-25

The use of biologically active compounds isolated from edible mushrooms against cancer raises global interest. Anticancer properties are mainly attributed to biopolymers including mainly polysaccharides, polysaccharopeptides, polysaccharide proteins, glycoproteins and proteins. In spite of the fact that Boletus edulis is one of the widely occurring and most consumed edible mushrooms, antitumor biopolymers isolated from it have not been exactly defined and studied so far. The present study is an attempt to extend this knowledge on molecular mechanisms of their anticancer action. The mushroom biopolymers (polysaccharides and glycoproteins) were extracted with hot water and purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The antiproliferative activity in human colon adenocarcinoma cells (LS180) was screened by means of MTT and BrdU assays. At the same time fractions' cytotoxicity was examined on the human colon epithelial cells (CCD 841 CoTr) by means of the LDH assay. Flow cytometry and Western blotting were applied to cell cycle analysis and protein expression involved in anticancer activity of the selected biopolymer fraction. In vitro studies have shown that fractions isolated from Boletus edulis were not toxic against normal colon epithelial cells and in the same concentration range elicited a very prominent antiproliferative effect in colon cancer cells. The best results were obtained in the case of the fraction designated as BE3. The tested compound inhibited cancer cell proliferation which was accompanied by cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1-phase. Growth inhibition was associated with modulation of the p16/cyclin D1/CDK4-6/pRb pathway, an aberration of which is a critical step in the development of many human cancers including colon cancer. Our results indicate that a biopolymer BE3 from Boletus edulis possesses anticancer potential and may provide a new therapeutic/preventive option in colon cancer chemoprevention.

Its Preferential Interactions with Biopolymers Account for Diverse Observed Effects of Trehalose

PubMed Central

Hong, Jiang; Gierasch, Lila M.; Liu, Zhicheng

2015-01-01

Biopolymer homeostasis underlies the health of organisms, and protective osmolytes have emerged as one strategy used by Nature to preserve biopolymer homeostasis. However, a great deal remains unknown about the mechanism of action of osmolytes. Trehalose, as a prominent example, stabilizes proteins against denaturation by extreme temperature and denaturants, preserves membrane integrity upon freezing or in dry conditions, inhibits polyQ-mediated protein aggregation, and suppresses the aggregation of denatured proteins. The underlying thermodynamic mechanisms of such diverse effects of trehalose remain unclear or controversial. In this study, we applied the surface-additive method developed in the Record laboratory to attack this issue. We characterized the key features of trehalose-biopolymer preferential interactions and found that trehalose has strong unfavorable interactions with aliphatic carbon and significant favorable interactions with amide/anionic oxygen. This dissection has allowed us to elucidate the diverse effects of trehalose and to identify the crucial functional group(s) responsible for its effects. With (semi)quantitative thermodynamic analysis, we discovered that 1) the unfavorable interaction of trehalose with hydrophobic surfaces is the dominant factor in its effect on protein stability, 2) the favorable interaction of trehalose with polar amides enables it to inhibit polyQ-mediated protein aggregation and the aggregation of denatured protein in general, and 3) the favorable interaction of trehalose with phosphate oxygens, together with its unfavorable interaction with aliphatic carbons, enables trehalose to preserve membrane integrity in aqueous solution. These results provide a basis for a full understanding of the role of trehalose in biopolymer homeostasis and the reason behind its evolutionary selection as an osmolyte, as well as for a better application of trehalose as a chemical chaperone. PMID:26153711

Biopolymer - A beginning towards back to nature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautam, S.; Gautam, A.

2018-05-01

Biopolymer is regarded as a polymer which can be biodegradable. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) is one of the biopolymer which can be recovered from biomass. PHAs are naturally conserved in the cytoplasm of the bacterial cell during the growth. Bacteria/microbes store their energy from carbon sources in the form of hydrocarbons. Intracellular stored compounds are tightly linked with entire cell resulting difficulty of separation. The work aims to extract PHAs from biomass effectively. Chemical and mechanical separation of PHA can be done from biomass. A pretreatment of cells before chemical and mechanical separation is also effective for separation of PHA and has been carried out. Chemical extraction of PHA includes digestion of cell wall in acidic or alkaline medium and releasing PHA in broth, later sedimentation recovers PHA. In recent work different chemical methods were carried out to extract PHA of medium chain length. In one of these, sodium hypochlorite was used to denature the protein and chloroform was used for extraction of purified PHA. A recovery upto 96.6%, PHA by dried weight of cell, was obtained which is quite high comparing to reported literature. Other chemical disruption by sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide with and without pretreatment have also been carried out.

Hydration water dynamics in biopolymers from NMR relaxation in the rotating frame.

PubMed

Blicharska, Barbara; Peemoeller, Hartwig; Witek, Magdalena

2010-12-01

Assuming dipole-dipole interaction as the dominant relaxation mechanism of protons of water molecules adsorbed onto macromolecule (biopolymer) surfaces we have been able to model the dependences of relaxation rates on temperature and frequency. For adsorbed water molecules the correlation times are of the order of 10(-5)s, for which the dispersion region of spin-lattice relaxation rates in the rotating frame R(1)(ρ)=1/T(1)(ρ) appears over a range of easily accessible B(1) values. Measurements of T(1)(ρ) at constant temperature and different B(1) values then give the "dispersion profiles" for biopolymers. Fitting a theoretical relaxation model to these profiles allows for the estimation of correlation times. This way of obtaining the correlation time is easier and faster than approaches involving measurements of the temperature dependence of R(1)=1/T(1). The T(1)(ρ) dispersion approach, as a tool for molecular dynamics study, has been demonstrated for several hydrated biopolymer systems including crystalline cellulose, starch of different origins (potato, corn, oat, wheat), paper (modern, old) and lyophilized proteins (albumin, lysozyme). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Xanthan gum stabilized PEGylated gold nanoparticles for improved delivery of curcumin in cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swami Muddineti, Omkara; Kumari, Preeti; Ajjarapu, Srinivas; Manish Lakhani, Prit; Bahl, Rishabh; Ghosh, Balaram; Biswas, Swati

2016-08-01

In recent years, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have received immense interest in various biomedical applications including drug delivery, photothermal ablation of cancer and imaging agent for cancer diagnosis. However, the synthesis of AuNPs poses challenges due to the poor reproducibility and stability of the colloidal system. In the present work, we developed a one step, facile procedure for the synthesis of AuNPs from hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (III) hydrate (HAuCl4. 3H2O) by using ascorbic acid and xanthan gum (XG) as reducing agent and stabilizer, respectively. The effect of concentrations of HAuCl4, 3H2O, ascorbic acid and methoxy polyethylene glycol-thiol (mPEG800-SH) were optimized and it was observed that stable AuNPs were formed at concentrations of 0.25 mM, 50 μM and 1 mM for HAuCl4.3H2O, ascorbic acid, and mPEG800-SH, respectively. The XG stabilized, deep red wine colored AuNPs (XG-AuNPs) were obtained by drop-wise addition of aqueous solution of ascorbic acid (50 mM) and XG (1.5 mg ml-1). Synthesized XG-AuNPs showed λmax at 540 nm and a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 80 ± 3 nm. PEGylation was performed with mPEG800-SH to obtain PEGylated XG-AuNPs (PX-AuNPs) and confirmed by Ellman’s assay. No significant shift observed in λmax and hydrodynamic diameter between XG-AuNPs and PX-AuNPs. Colloidal stability of PX-AuNPs was studied in normal saline, buffers within a pH range of 1.2-7.4, DMEM complete medium and in normal storage condition at 4 ˚C. Further, water soluble curcumin was prepared using PVP-K30 as solid dispersion and loaded on to PX-AuNPs (CPX-AuNPs), and evaluated for cellular uptake and cytotoxicity in Murine melanoma (B16F10) cells. Time and concentration dependent studies using CPX-AuNPs showed efficient uptake and decreased cell viability compared to free curcumin.

Stereolithographic models of the solvent-accessible surface of biopolymers. Topical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bradford, J.; Noel, P.; Emery, J.D.

1996-11-01

The solvent-accessible surfaces of several biopolymers were calculated. As part of the DOE education outreach activity, two high school students participated in this project. Computer files containing sets of triangles were produced. These files are called stl files and are the ISO 9001 standard. They have been written onto CD-ROMs for distribution to American companies. Stereolithographic models were made of some of them to ensure that the computer calculations were done correctly. Stereolithographic models were made of interleukin 1{beta} (IL-1{beta}), three antibodies (an anti-p-azobenzene arsonate, an anti-Brucella A cell wall polysaccharide, and an HIV neutralizing antibody), a triple stranded coiledmore » coil, and an engrailed homeodomain. Also, the biopolymers and their files are described.« less

A review of combined experimental and computational procedures for assessing biopolymer structure–process–property relationships

PubMed Central

Gronau, Greta; Krishnaji, Sreevidhya T.; Kinahan, Michelle E.; Giesa, Tristan; Wong, Joyce Y.; Kaplan, David L.; Buehler, Markus J.

2013-01-01

Tailored biomaterials with tunable functional properties are desirable for many applications ranging from drug delivery to regenerative medicine. To improve the predictability of biopolymer materials functionality, multiple design parameters need to be considered, along with appropriate models. In this article we review the state of the art of synthesis and processing related to the design of biopolymers, with an emphasis on the integration of bottom-up computational modeling in the design process. We consider three prominent examples of well-studied biopolymer materials – elastin, silk, and collagen – and assess their hierarchical structure, intriguing functional properties and categorize existing approaches to study these materials. We find that an integrated design approach in which both experiments and computational modeling are used has rarely been applied for these materials due to difficulties in relating insights gained on different length- and time-scales. In this context, multiscale engineering offers a powerful means to accelerate the biomaterials design process for the development of tailored materials that suit the needs posed by the various applications. The combined use of experimental and computational tools has a very broad applicability not only in the field of biopolymers, but can be exploited to tailor the properties of other polymers and composite materials in general. PMID:22938765

A review of combined experimental and computational procedures for assessing biopolymer structure-process-property relationships.

PubMed

Gronau, Greta; Krishnaji, Sreevidhya T; Kinahan, Michelle E; Giesa, Tristan; Wong, Joyce Y; Kaplan, David L; Buehler, Markus J

2012-11-01

Tailored biomaterials with tunable functional properties are desirable for many applications ranging from drug delivery to regenerative medicine. To improve the predictability of biopolymer materials functionality, multiple design parameters need to be considered, along with appropriate models. In this article we review the state of the art of synthesis and processing related to the design of biopolymers, with an emphasis on the integration of bottom-up computational modeling in the design process. We consider three prominent examples of well-studied biopolymer materials - elastin, silk, and collagen - and assess their hierarchical structure, intriguing functional properties and categorize existing approaches to study these materials. We find that an integrated design approach in which both experiments and computational modeling are used has rarely been applied for these materials due to difficulties in relating insights gained on different length- and time-scales. In this context, multiscale engineering offers a powerful means to accelerate the biomaterials design process for the development of tailored materials that suit the needs posed by the various applications. The combined use of experimental and computational tools has a very broad applicability not only in the field of biopolymers, but can be exploited to tailor the properties of other polymers and composite materials in general. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-(Un)rolling Biopolymer Microstructures: Rings, Tubules, and Helical Tubules from the Same Material.

PubMed

Ye, Chunhong; Nikolov, Svetoslav V; Calabrese, Rossella; Dindar, Amir; Alexeev, Alexander; Kippelen, Bernard; Kaplan, David L; Tsukruk, Vladimir V

2015-07-13

We have demonstrated the facile formation of reversible and fast self-rolling biopolymer microstructures from sandwiched active-passive, silk-on-silk materials. Both experimental and modeling results confirmed that the shape of individual sheets effectively controls biaxial stresses within these sheets, which can self-roll into distinct 3D structures including microscopic rings, tubules, and helical tubules. This is a unique example of tailoring self-rolled 3D geometries through shape design without changing the inner morphology of active bimorph biomaterials. In contrast to traditional organic-soluble synthetic materials, we utilized a biocompatible and biodegradable biopolymer that underwent a facile aqueous layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly process for the fabrication of 2D films. The resulting films can undergo reversible pH-triggered rolling/unrolling, with a variety of 3D structures forming from biopolymer structures that have identical morphology and composition. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Vegetal Biopolymer-Based Biostimulant Promoted Root Growth in Melon While Triggering Brassinosteroids and Stress-Related Compounds

PubMed Central

Lucini, Luigi; Rouphael, Youssef; Cardarelli, Mariateresa; Bonini, Paolo; Baffi, Claudio; Colla, Giuseppe

2018-01-01

Plant biostimulants are receiving great interest for boosting root growth during the first phenological stages of vegetable crops. The present study aimed at elucidating the morphological, physiological, and metabolomic changes occurring in greenhouse melon treated with the biopolymer-based biostimulant Quik-link, containing lateral root promoting peptides, and lignosulphonates. The vegetal-based biopolymer was applied at five rates (0, 0.06, 0.12, 0.24, or 0.48 mL plant-1) as substrate drench. The application of biopolymer-based biostimulant at 0.12 and 0.24 mL plant-1 enhanced dry weight of melon leaves and total biomass by 30.5 and 27.7%, respectively, compared to biopolymer applications at 0.06 mL plant-1 and untreated plants. The root dry biomass, total root length, and surface in biostimulant-treated plants were significantly higher at 0.24 mL plant-1 and to a lesser extent at 0.12 and 0.48 mL plant-1, in comparison to 0.06 mL plant-1 and untreated melon plants. A convoluted biochemical response to the biostimulant treatment was highlighted through UHPLC/QTOF-MS metabolomics, in which brassinosteroids and their interaction with other hormones appeared to play a pivotal role. Root metabolic profile was more markedly altered than leaves, following application of the biopolymer-based biostimulant. Brassinosteroids triggered in roots could have been involved in changes of root development observed after biostimulant application. These hormones, once transported to shoots, could have caused an hormonal imbalance. Indeed, the involvement of abscisic acid, cytokinins, and gibberellin related compounds was observed in leaves following root application of the biopolymer-based biostimulant. Nonetheless, the treatment triggered an accumulation of several metabolites involved in defense mechanisms against biotic and abiotic stresses, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, and glucosinolates, thus potentially improving resistance toward plant stresses. PMID:29692795

Biosurfactant-biopolymer driven microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) and its optimization by an ANN-GA hybrid technique.

PubMed

Dhanarajan, Gunaseelan; Rangarajan, Vivek; Bandi, Chandrakanth; Dixit, Abhivyakti; Das, Susmita; Ale, Kranthikiran; Sen, Ramkrishna

2017-08-20

A lipopeptide biosurfactant produced by marine Bacillus megaterium and a biopolymer produced by thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis were tested for their application potential in the enhanced oil recovery. The crude biosurfactant obtained after acid precipitation effectively reduced the surface tension of deionized water from 70.5 to 28.25mN/m and the interfacial tension between lube oil and water from 18.6 to 1.5mN/m at a concentration of 250mgL -1 . The biosurfactant exhibited a maximum emulsification activity (E 24 ) of 81.66% against lube oil. The lipopeptide micelles were stabilized by addition of Ca 2+ ions to the biosurfactant solution. The oil recovery efficiency of Ca 2+ conditioned lipopeptide solution from a sand-packed column was optimized by using artificial neural network (ANN) modelling coupled with genetic algorithm (GA) optimization. Three important parameters namely lipopeptide concentration, Ca 2+ concentration and solution pH were considered for optimization studies. In order to further improve the recovery efficiency, a water soluble biopolymer produced by Bacillus licheniformis was used as a flooding agent after biosurfactant incubation. Upon ANN-GA optimization, 45% tertiary oil recovery was achieved, when biopolymer at a concentration of 3gL -1 was used as a flooding agent. Oil recovery was only 29% at optimal conditions predicted by ANN-GA, when only water was used as flooding solution. The important characteristics of biopolymers such as its viscosity, pore plugging capabilities and bio-cementing ability have also been tested. Thus, as a result of biosurfactant incubation and biopolymer flooding under the optimal process conditions, a maximum oil recovery of 45% was achieved. Therefore, this study is novel, timely and interesting for it showed the combined influence of biosurfactant and biopolymer on solubilisation and mobilization of oil from the soil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immobilization of Lipase Inhibitor on the Biopolymers from Agaricus bisporus Cell Walls

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Summary One of the methods for curing obesity is the inclusion of some substances with the antilipase activity in the diet and thus reducing the uptake of fat components from food. The aim of this research is to provide a stabilized form of lipase inhibitor by immobilization of enzyme on the biopolymers from Agaricus bisporus cell walls. The phenolic compounds extracted from the rapeseed were considered as the lipase inhibitor. The activity of the inhibitor was considerably reduced in the gastric juice, as well as at temperatures above 37 °C and during its storage, which determined the suitability of the inhibitor for stabilization on the matrix. The effectiveness of the phenolic compound stabilization was investigated by means of immobilization on the biopolymers from Agaricus bisporus cell wall matrix. The biopolymers used were β-glucan, chitin, melanin and proteins. A number of samples, which differed both in the content of the inhibitor (from 1 to 16%) and in the ratio of biopolymers in the matrix composition, was obtained. The conditions of immobilization (temperature, duration of the process) were also varied. The expediency of obtaining the sample with the inhibitor content of 12% and matrix containing 47.9% of glucan, 18.8% of chitin, 18.8% of melanin and 11.1% of proteins was shown. The best immobilization was carried out at 20–25 °C for 30 min. Thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy data confirmed that immobilization of the lipase inhibitor on the matrix was due to the hydrogen bonds. The immobilized inhibitor had higher pH stability and higher thermal stability than the original one. The remaining activity of the immobilized inhibitor was higher than the original one after incubation in the gastric acid and bile. The immobilized inhibitor was characterized by a low loss of activity after 12 months of storage. PMID:29540987

Biopolymers produced from gelatin and other sustainable resources using polyphenols

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several researchers have recently demonstrated the feasibility of producing biopolymers from the reaction of polyphenolics with gelatin in combination with other proteins (e.g. whey) or with carbohydrates (e.g. chitosan and pectin). These combinations would take advantage of the unique properties o...

USING BIOPOLYMERS TO REMOVE HEAVY METALS FROM SOIL AND WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Chemical remediation of soil may involve the use of harsh chemicals that generate waste streams, which may adversely affect the soil's integrity and ability to support vegetation. This article reviews the potential use of benign reagents, such as biopolymers, to extract heavy me...

Temperature Sensitivity of Water-Soluble CdTe and CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots Incorporated into Biopolymer Submicron Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slyusarenko, N. V.; Gerasimova, M. A.; Slabko, V. V.; Slyusareva, E. A.

2017-07-01

Polymer particles with sizes 0.3-0.4 μm are synthesized based on chitosan and chondroitin sulfate with incorporated CdTe (core) and CdSe/ZnS (core-shell) quantum dots. Their morphological and spectral properties are investigated by the methods of dynamic scattering, electron microscopy, and absorption and luminescence spectroscopy at temperatures from 10 to 80°C. Spectral effects associated with a change in temperature (a red shift and a decrease in the amplitude of the photoluminescence spectrum) can be explained by the temperature expansion of the quantum dots and activation of surface traps. It is shown that the temperature sensitivity of spectra of the quantum dots incorporated into the biopolymer particles is not less than in water. To develop an optical temperature sensor, the core quantum dots are more preferable than the core-shell quantum dots.

Interaction between xanthan gum and cationic cellulose JR400 in aqueous solution.

PubMed

Li, Haiping; Hou, Wanguo; Li, Xiuzhi

2012-06-05

The electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions between xanthan gum (XG) and semisynthetic cationic cellulose (JR400) in aqueous solution are investigated via stability map, FT-IR spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, potentiometric measurement and rheological method. The stability map shows three regions, a stable region with XG as the major component, a flocculated region and another stable region with JR400 as the major component. The stability of mixing system depends on both the concentration fraction of JR400 (fJR) and the overlapping concentrations of these two polymers. In the region near the stoichiometric fJR, the mixture shows stoichiometric flocculation, which is independent of the total polymer concentration. However, in the regions away from the stoichiometric fJR, the mixtures are stable when the concentration of major polymer component is higher than its overlapping concentration. In stable regions, the electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions can enhance the viscosity of mixing system at appropriate fJR values. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biopolymers as an Alternative to Petroleum-Based Polymers for Soil Modification; ESTCP ER-0920: Treatability Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

carboxylic, amine, hydroxyl). Molasses produced more carboxylic acid groups than the corn syrup -based material and was composed of high ...molecular weight EPS units (as high as 800 KDa). Corn syrup -derived biopolymer, on the other hand, showed a greater number of small molecular weight...biopolymer by R. tropici: corn syrup , maltose, sorghum, and molasses. The maltose, being a very expensive carbon source, has been replaced by the sorghum

Biopolymers as an Alternative to Petroleum-Based Polymers for Soil Modification, ESTCP ER-0920: Treatability Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

carboxylic, amine, hydroxyl). Molasses produced more carboxylic acid groups than the corn syrup -based material and was composed of high ...molecular weight EPS units (as high as 800 KDa). Corn syrup -derived biopolymer, on the other hand, showed a greater number of small molecular weight...biopolymer by R. tropici: corn syrup , maltose, sorghum, and molasses. The maltose, being a very expensive carbon source, has been replaced by the sorghum

Natural biopolymers : novel templates for the synthesis of nanostructures.

Treesearch

Sonal Padalkar; J.R. Capadona; S.J. Rowan; C. Weder; Yu-Ho Won; Lia A. Stanciu; Robert J. Moon

2010-01-01

Biological systems such as proteins, viruses, and DNA have been most often reported to be used as templates for the synthesis of functional nanomaterials, but the properties of widely available biopolymers, such as cellulose, have been much less exploited for this purpose. Here, we report for the first time that cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) have the capacity to assist...

Biological Effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira) Biopolymers and Biomass in the Development of Nanostructured Scaffolds

PubMed Central

de Morais, Michele Greque; Vaz, Bruna da Silva; de Morais, Etiele Greque; Costa, Jorge Alberto Vieira

2014-01-01

Spirulina is produced from pure cultures of the photosynthetic prokaryotic cyanobacteria Arthrospira. For many years research centers throughout the world have studied its application in various scientific fields, especially in foods and medicine. The biomass produced from Spirulina cultivation contains a variety of biocompounds, including biopeptides, biopolymers, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, minerals, oligoelements, and sterols. Some of these compounds are bioactive and have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal properties. These compounds can be used in tissue engineering, the interdisciplinary field that combines techniques from cell science, engineering, and materials science and which has grown in importance over the past few decades. Spirulina biomass can be used to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biopolymers that can substitute synthetic polymers in the construction of engineered extracellular matrices (scaffolds) for use in tissue cultures or bioactive molecule construction. This review describes the development of nanostructured scaffolds based on biopolymers extracted from microalgae and biomass from Spirulina production. These scaffolds have the potential to encourage cell growth while reducing the risk of organ or tissue rejection. PMID:25157367

Attachment of a hydrophobically modified biopolymer at the oil-water interface in the treatment of oil spills.

PubMed

Venkataraman, Pradeep; Tang, Jingjian; Frenkel, Etham; McPherson, Gary L; He, Jibao; Raghavan, Srinivasa R; Kolesnichenko, Vladimir; Bose, Arijit; John, Vijay T

2013-05-01

The stability of crude oil droplets formed by adding chemical dispersants can be considerably enhanced by the use of the biopolymer, hydrophobically modified chitosan. Turbidimetric analyses show that emulsions of crude oil in saline water prepared using a combination of the biopolymer and the well-studied chemical dispersant (Corexit 9500A) remain stable for extended periods in comparison to emulsions stabilized by the dispersant alone. We hypothesize that the hydrophobic residues from the polymer preferentially anchor in the oil droplets, thereby forming a layer of the polymer around the droplets. The enhanced stability of the droplets is due to the polymer layer providing an increase in electrostatic and steric repulsions and thereby a large barrier to droplet coalescence. Our results show that the addition of hydrophobically modified chitosan following the application of chemical dispersant to an oil spill can potentially reduce the use of chemical dispersants. Increasing the molecular weight of the biopolymer changes the rheological properties of the oil-in-water emulsion to that of a weak gel. The ability of the biopolymer to tether the oil droplets in a gel-like matrix has potential applications in the immobilization of surface oil spills for enhanced removal.

Self-Renewing Microns-Thick Biopolymer Brush Made of Hyaluronan under Active Synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, W.; Washburn, J.; Weigel, P.; Curtis, J. E.

Hyaluronan (HA) is a large anionic polysaccharide distributed throughout many vertebrate tissues. We introduce a technology to produce dynamic HA polymer brush interfaces. The strategy relies on the enzyme hyaluronan synthase (HA synthase), which synthesizes and extrudes HA polymers up to 20 microns in length. We show that interfaces decorated by HA synthase-rich membrane fragments robustly produce polymer brushes of predictable heights and concentration profiles. The brush thickness can be tuned by the duration of growth or the enzyme density in the membranes. The system is self-renewing in that old polymers desorb and new polymers are produced. The brush can also be replenished after enzymatic removal multiple times. The large extent of the polymer interface allows for characterization of the brush architecture and for studying dynamic processes inside the brush using optical microscopy. At low ionic strengths (1 mM), we measure one of the largest polymer brushes yet reported, an average of 7.8 microns thick. For applications that require a stable brush interface, we have covalently reinforced the HA to the surfaces, and demonstrated that the brush is stable for at least two months. This self-renewing, dynamic biopolymer brush has great potential as a new biomaterial for implants, antifouling, tissue engineering and drug delivery.

Cellulose synthase complexes act in a concerted fashion to synthesize highly aggregated cellulose in secondary cell walls of plants.

PubMed

Li, Shundai; Bashline, Logan; Zheng, Yunzhen; Xin, Xiaoran; Huang, Shixin; Kong, Zhaosheng; Kim, Seong H; Cosgrove, Daniel J; Gu, Ying

2016-10-04

Cellulose, often touted as the most abundant biopolymer on Earth, is a critical component of the plant cell wall and is synthesized by plasma membrane-spanning cellulose synthase (CESA) enzymes, which in plants are organized into rosette-like CESA complexes (CSCs). Plants construct two types of cell walls, primary cell walls (PCWs) and secondary cell walls (SCWs), which differ in composition, structure, and purpose. Cellulose in PCWs and SCWs is chemically identical but has different physical characteristics. During PCW synthesis, multiple dispersed CSCs move along a shared linear track in opposing directions while synthesizing cellulose microfibrils with low aggregation. In contrast, during SCW synthesis, we observed swaths of densely arranged CSCs that moved in the same direction along tracks while synthesizing cellulose microfibrils that became highly aggregated. Our data support a model in which distinct spatiotemporal features of active CSCs during PCW and SCW synthesis contribute to the formation of cellulose with distinct structure and organization in PCWs and SCWs of Arabidopsis thaliana This study provides a foundation for understanding differences in the formation, structure, and organization of cellulose in PCWs and SCWs.

Biopolymer-based membranes associated with osteogenic growth peptide for guided bone regeneration.

PubMed

Saska, Sybele; Pigossi, Suzane C; Oliveira, Guilherme J P L; Teixeira, Lucas N; Capela, Marisa V; Gonçalves, Andreia; de Oliveira, Paulo T; Messaddeq, Younès; Ribeiro, Sidney J L; Gaspar, Ana Maria Minarelli; Marchetto, Reinaldo

2018-03-14

Barrier membranes for guided bone regeneration (GBR) mainly promote mechanical maintenance of bone defect space and induce osteopromotion. Additionally, biopolymer-based membranes may provide greater bioactivity and biocompatibility due to their similarity to extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, biopolymers-based membranes from bacterial cellulose (BC) and collagen (COL) associated with osteogenic growth peptide (OGP(10-14)) were evaluated to determine in vitro osteoinductive potential in early osteogenesis; moreover, histological study was performed to evaluate the BC-COL OGP(10-14) membranes on bone healing after GBR in noncritical defects in rat femur. The results showed that the BC-COL and BC-COL OGP(10-14) membranes promoted cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity in osteoblastic cell cultures. However, ECM mineralization was similar between cultures grown on BC OGP(10-14) and BC-COL OGP(10-14) membranes. In vivo results showed that all the membranes tested, including the peptide-free BC membrane, promoted better bone regeneration than control group. Furthermore, the BC-COL OGP(10-14) membranes induced higher radiographic density in the repaired bone than the other groups at 1, 4 and 16 weeks. Histomorphometric analyses revealed that the BC-COL OGP(10-14) induced higher percentage of bone tissue in the repaired area at 2 and 4 weeks than others membranes. In general, these biopolymer-based membranes might be potential candidates for bone regeneration applications.

Blocking Gastric Lipase Adsorption and Displacement Processes with Viscoelastic Biopolymer Adsorption Layers.

PubMed

Scheuble, Nathalie; Lussi, Micha; Geue, Thomas; Carrière, Frédéric; Fischer, Peter

2016-10-10

Delayed fat digestion might help to fight obesity. Fat digestion begins in the stomach by adsorption of gastric lipases to oil/water interfaces. In this study we show how biopolymer covered interfaces can act as a physical barrier for recombinant dog gastric lipase (rDGL) adsorption and thus gastric lipolysis. We used β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) and thermosensitive methylated nanocrystalline cellulose (metNCC) as model biopolymers to investigate the role of interfacial fluid dynamics and morphology for interfacial displacement processes by rDGL and polysorbate 20 (P20) under gastric conditions. Moreover, the influence of the combination of the flexible β-lg and the elastic metNCC was studied. The interfaces were investigated combining interfacial techniques, such as pendant drop, interfacial shear and dilatational rheology, and neutron reflectometry. Displacement of biopolymer layers depended mainly on the fluid dynamics and thickness of the layers, both of which were drastically increased by the thermal induced gelation of metNCC at body temperature. Soft, thin β-lg interfaces were almost fully displaced from the interface, whereas the composite β-lg-metNCC layer thermogelled to a thick interfacial layer incorporating β-lg as filler material and therefore resisted higher shear forces than a pure metNCC layer. Hence, with metNCC alone lipolysis by rDGL was inhibited, whereas the layer performance could be increased by the combination with β-lg.

Biopolymers production with carbon source from the wastes of a beer brewery industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Phoeby Ai Ling

The main purpose of this study was to assess the potential and feasibility of malt wastes, and other food wastes, such as soy wastes, ice-cream wastes, confectionery wastes, vinegar wastes, milk waste and sesame oil, in the induction of biosynthesis of PHA, in the cellular assembly of novel PHA with improved physical and chemical properties, and in the reduction of the cost of PHA production. In the first part of the experiments, a specific culture of Alcaligenes latus DSM 1124 was selected to ferment several types of food wastes as carbon sources into biopolymers. In addition, the biopolymer production, by way of using malt waste, of microorganisms from municipal activated sludge was also investigated. In the second part, the experiments focused on the synthesis of biopolymer with a higher molecular mass via the bacterial strain, which was selected and isolated from sesame oil, identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis . Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of PHB were studied by GPC. Molecular weight of PHB produced from various types of food wastes by Alcaligenes latus was higher than using synthetic sucrose medium as nutrient, however, it resulted in the reverse by Staphylococcus epidermidis. Thermal properties of biopolymers were studied by DSC and TG. Using malt wastes as nutrients by Alcaligenes latus gave a higher melting temperature. Using sucrose, confectionery and sesame oil as nutrients by Staphylococcus epidermidis gave higher melting temperature. Optimization was carried out for the recovery of microbial PHB from Alcaligenes latus. Results showed that molecular weight can be controlled by changing the hypochlorite concentration, the ratio of chloroform to hypochlorite solution and the extraction time. In addition, the determination of PHB content by thermogravimetric analysis method with wet cell was the first report in our study. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Chitosan biopolymer for fuel cell applications.

PubMed

Ma, Jia; Sahai, Yogeshwar

2013-02-15

Fuel cell is an electrochemical device which converts chemical energy stored in a fuel into electrical energy. Fuel cells have been receiving attention due to its potential applicability as a good alternative power source. Recently, cost-effective and eco-friendly biopolymer chitosan has been extensively studied as a material for membrane electrolytes and electrodes in low to intermediate temperature hydrogen polymer electrolyte fuel cell, direct methanol fuel cell, alkaline fuel cell, and biofuel cell. This paper reviews structure and property of chitosan with respect to its applications in fuel cells. Recent achievements and prospect of its applications have also been included. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrical study on Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Polyvinyl alcohol based bio-polymer blend electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saadiah, M. A.; Samsudin, A. S.

2018-04-01

The present work deals with the formulation of bio-materials namely carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for bio-polymer blend electrolytes (BBEs) system which was successfully carried out with different ratio of polymer blend. The biopolymer blend was prepared via economical & classical technique that is solution casting technique and was characterized by using impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The ionic conductivity was achieved to optimum value 9.12 x 10-6 S/cm at room temperature for sample containing ratio 80:20 of CMC:PVA. The highest conducting sample was found to obey the Arrhenius behaviour with a function of temperature. The electrical properties were analyzed using complex permittivity ε* and complex electrical modulus M* for BBEs system and it shows the non-Debye characteristics where no single relaxation time has observed.

Chemical evolution - Recent syntheses of bioorganic molecules.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephen-Sherwood, E.; Oro, J.

1973-01-01

Review of the important developments that have occurred in abiological biomonomer and biopolymer synthesis since about 1967, and discussion of their significance for the field of chemical evolution and the origin of life. The major portion of the review is devoted to important developments in the abiotic formation of bioorganic monomers and their condensation to biopolymers under conditions presumed to have prevailed on the primeval earth. Special attention is given to contributions shedding light on the mechanism of synthesis and selection of amino acids and on interactions of amino acids and polypeptides with nucleotides and oligonucleotides.

Decomposition and transformation of cutin and cutan biopolymers in soils: effect on their sorptive capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shechter, M.; Chefetz, B.

2009-04-01

Plant cuticle materials, especially the highly aliphatic biopolymers cutin and cutan, have been reported as highly efficient natural sorbents. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of decomposition on their sorption behavior with naphthol and phenanthrene. The level of cutin and cutan was reduced by 15 and 27% respectively during the first 3 mo of incubation. From that point, the level of the cutan did not change, while the level of the cutin continued to decrease up to 32% after 20 mo. 13C NMR analysis suggested transformation of cutan mainly within its alkyl-C structure which are assigned as crystalline moieties. Cutin, however, did not exhibit significant structure changes with time. The level of humic-like substances increased due to cutin decomposition but was not influenced in the cutan system after 20 mo of incubation. This indicates that the cutin biopolymer has been decomposed and transformed into humic-like substances, whereas the cutan was less subject to transformation. Decomposition affected sorption properties in similar trends for both cutin and cutan. The Freundlich capacity coefficients (KFOC) of naphthol were much lower than phenanthrene and were less influenced by the decomposition, whereas with phenanthrene KFOC values increased significantly with time. Naphthol exhibited non-linear isotherms; and nonlinearity was decreased with incubation time. In contrast, phenanthrene isotherms were more linear and showed only moderate change with time. The decrease in the linearity of naphthol isotherms might relate to the transformation of the sorption sites due to structural changes in the biopolymers. However, with phenanthrene, these changes did not affect sorption linearity but increased sorption affinities mainly for cutan. This is probably due to decomposition of the rigid alkyl-C moieties in the cutan biopolymer. Our data suggest that both biopolymers were relatively stable in the soil for 20 mo. Cutan is less degradable than cutin

Milliscale Self-Integration of Megamolecule Biopolymers on a Drying Gas-Aqueous Liquid Crystalline Interface.

PubMed

Okeyoshi, Kosuke; Okajima, Maiko K; Kaneko, Tatsuo

2016-06-13

A drying environment is always a proposition faced by dynamic living organisms using water, which are driven by biopolymer-based micro- and macrostructures. Here, we introduce a drying process for aqueous liquid crystalline (LC) solutions composed of biopolymer with extremely high molecular weight components such as polysaccharides, cytoskeletal proteins, and DNA. On controlling the mobility of the LC microdomain, the solutions showed milliscale self-integration starting from the unstable gas-LC interface during drying. In particular, we first identified giant rod-like microdomains (∼1 μm diameter and more than 20 μm length) of the mega-molecular polysaccharide, sacran, which is remarkably larger than other polysaccharides. These microdomains led to the formation of a single milliscale macrodomain on the interface. In addition, the dried polymer films on a solid substrate also revealed that such integration depends on the size of the microdomain. We envision that this simple drying method will be useful not only for understanding the biopolymer hierarchization at the macroscale level but also for preparation of surfaces with direction controllability, as seen in living organisms, for use in various fields such as diffusion, mechanics, and photonics.

Geophysical and Geotechnical Characterization of Beta-1,3/1,6-glucan Biopolymer treated Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, I.; Cho, G.

2012-12-01

Bacteria or microbes in soil excrete hydrocarbon (e.g. polysaccharide) by-products which are called biopolymers. These biopolymers (or sometime biofilms) recently begun to make a mark on soil erosion control, aggregate stabilization, and drilling enhancement. However, the biological effect on soil behavior (e.g. bio-clogging or bio-cementation) has been poorly understood. In this study, the bio-cementation and bio-clogging effect induced by the existence of β-1,3/1,6-glucan biopolymers in soil were evaluated through a series of geophysical and geotechnical characterization tests in laboratory. According to the experimental test results, as the β-1,3/1,6-glucan content in soil increases, the compressive strength and shear wave velocity increase (i.e., bio-cementation) while the hydraulic conductivity decreases (i.e., bio-clogging) but the electrical conductivity increases due to the high electrical conductivity characteristic of β-1,3/1,6-glucan fibers. Coefficient of consolidation variation with the increases of β-1,3/1,6-glucan content in soil. SEM image of β-1,3/1,6-glucan treated soil. Fibers are form matices with soil particles.

Preparation and in vitro evaluation of xanthan gum facilitated superabsorbent polymeric microspheres.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Shiv Sankar; Mazahir, Farhan; Banerjee, Subham; Verma, Anurag; Ghosh, Amitava

2013-10-15

Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel microspheres of xanthan gum (XG) based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared by water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion crosslinking method for sustained release of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIPRO). The microspheres were prepared with various ratios of hydrolyzed SAP to PVA and extent of crosslinking density. The prepared microspheres with loose and rigid surfaces were evidenced by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the IPN formation. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study was performed to understand the dispersion nature of drug after encapsulation. The in vitro drug release study was extensively evaluated depending on the process variables in both acidic and alkaline media. All the formulations exhibited satisfactory physicochemical and in vitro release characteristics. Release data indicated a non-Fickian trend of drug release from the formulations. Based on the results, this study suggest that CIPRO loaded IPN microspheres were suitable for sustained release application. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rheological and mechanical properties of recycled polyethylene films contaminated by biopolymer.

PubMed

Gere, D; Czigany, T

2018-06-01

Nowadays, with the increasing amount of biopolymers used, it can be expected that biodegradable polymers (e.g. PLA, PBAT) may appear in the petrol-based polymer waste stream. However, their impact on the recycling processes is not known yet; moreover, the properties of the products made from contaminated polymer blends are not easily predictable. Therefore, our goal was to investigate the rheological and mechanical properties of synthetic and biopolymer compounds. We made different compounds from regranulates of mixed polyethylene film waste and original polylactic acid (PLA) by extruison, and injection molded specimens from the compounds. We investigated the rheological properties of the regranulates, and the mechanical properties of the samples. When PLA was added, the viscosity and specific volume of all the blends decreased, and mechanical properties (tensile strength, modulus, and impact strength) changed significantly. Young's modulus increased, while elongation at break and impact strength decreased with the increase of the weight fraction of PLA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extracellular polymer substance synthesized by a halophilic bacterium Chromohalobacter canadensis 28.

PubMed

Radchenkova, Nadja; Boyadzhieva, Ivanka; Atanasova, Nikolina; Poli, Annarita; Finore, Ilaria; Di Donato, Paola; Nicolaus, Barbara; Panchev, Ivan; Kuncheva, Margarita; Kambourova, Margarita

2018-04-03

Halophilic microorganisms are producers of a lot of new compounds whose properties suggest promising perspectives for their biotechnological exploration. Moderate halophilic bacterium Chromohalobacter canadensis 28 was isolated from Pomorie salterns as an extracellular polymer substance (EP) producer. The best carbon source for extracellular polymer production was found to be lactose, a sugar received as a by-product from the dairy industry. After optimization of the culture medium and physicochemical conditions for cultivation, polymer biosynthesis increased more than 2-fold. The highest level of extracellular polymer synthesis by C. canadensis 28 was observed in an unusually high NaCl concentration (15% w/v). Chemical analysis of the purified polymer revealed the presence of an exopolysaccharide (EPS) fraction (14.3% w/w) and protein fraction (72% w/w). HPLC analysis of the protein fraction showed the main presence of polyglutamic acid (PGA) (75.7% w/w). EPS fraction analysis revealed the following sugar composition (% w/w): glucosamine 36.7, glucose 32.3, rhamnose 25.4, xylose 1.7, and not identified sugar 3.9. The hydrogel formed by PGA and EPS fractions showed high swelling behavior, very good emulsifying and stabilizing properties, and good foaming ability. This is the first report for halophilic bacterium able to synthesize a polymer containing PGA fraction. The synthesized biopolymer shows an extremely high hydrophilicity, due to the simultaneous presence of PGA and EPS. The analysis of its functional properties and the presence of glucosamine in the highest proportion in EPS fraction clearly determine the potential of EP synthesized by C. canadensis 28 for application in the cosmetics industry.

Surface Morphology of Vapor-Deposited Chitosan: Evidence of Solid-State Dewetting during the Formation of Biopolymer Films.

PubMed

Retamal, Maria Jose; Corrales, Tomas P; Cisternas, Marcelo A; Moraga, Nicolas H; Diaz, Diego I; Catalan, Rodrigo E; Seifert, Birger; Huber, Patrick; Volkmann, Ulrich G

2016-03-14

Chitosan is a useful and versatile biopolymer with several industrial and biological applications. Whereas its physical and physicochemical bulk properties have been explored quite intensively in the past, there is a lack of studies regarding the morphology and growth mechanisms of thin films of this biopolymer. Of particular interest for applications in bionanotechnology are ultrathin films with thicknesses under 500 Å. Here, we present a study of thin chitosan films prepared in a dry process using physical vapor deposition and in situ ellipsometric monitoring. The prepared films were analyzed with atomic force microscopy in order to correlate surface morphology with evaporation parameters. We find that the surface morphology of our final thin films depends on both the optical thickness, i.e., measured with ellipsometry, and the deposition rate. Our work shows that ultrathin biopolymer films can undergo dewetting during film formation, even in the absence of solvents and thermal annealing.

Single Molecule Science for Personalized Nanomedicine: Atomic Force Microscopy of Biopolymer-Protein Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsueh, Carlin

Nanotechnology has a unique and relatively untapped utility in the fields of medicine and dentistry at the level of single-biopolymer and -molecule diagnostics. In recent years atomic force microscopy (AFM) has garnered much interest due to its ability to obtain atomic-resolution of molecular structures and probe biophysical behaviors of biopolymers and proteins in a variety of biologically significant environments. The work presented in this thesis focuses on the nanoscale manipulation and observation of biopolymers to develop an innovative technology for personalized medicine while understanding complex biological systems. These studies described here primarily use AFM to observe biopolymer interactions with proteins and its surroundings with unprecedented resolution, providing a better understanding of these systems and interactions at the nanoscale. Transcriptional profiling, the measure of messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance in a single cell, is a powerful technique that detects "behavior" or "symptoms" at the tissue and cellular level. We have sought to develop an alternative approach, using our expertise in AFM and single molecule nanotechnology, to achieve a cost-effective high throughput method for sensitive detection and profiling of subtle changes in transcript abundance. The technique does not require amplification of the mRNA sample because the AFM provides three-dimensional views of molecules with unprecedented resolution, requires minimal sample preparation, and utilizes a simple tagging chemistry on cDNA molecules. AFM images showed collagen polymers in teeth and of Drebrin-A remodeling of filamentous actin structure and mechanics. AFM was used to image collagen on exposed dentine tubules and confirmed tubule occlusion with a desensitizing prophylaxis paste by Colgate-Palmolive. The AFM also superseded other microscopy tools in resolving F-actin helix remodeling and possible cooperative binding by a neuronal actin binding protein---Drebrin-A, an

Understanding anisotropy and architecture in ice-templated biopolymer scaffolds.

PubMed

Pawelec, K M; Husmann, A; Best, S M; Cameron, R E

2014-04-01

Biopolymer scaffolds have great therapeutic potential within tissue engineering due to their large interconnected porosity and biocompatibility. Using an ice-templated technique, where collagen is concentrated into a porous network by ice nucleation and growth, scaffolds with anisotropic pore architecture can be created, mimicking natural tissues like cardiac muscle and bone. This paper describes a systematic set of experiments undertaken to understand the effect of local temperatures on architecture in ice-templated biopolymer scaffolds. The scaffolds within this study were at least 10mm in all dimensions, making them applicable to critical sized defects for biomedical applications. It was found that monitoring the local freezing behavior within the slurry was critical to predicting scaffold structure. Aligned porosity was produced only in parts of the slurry volume which were above the equilibrium freezing temperature (0°C) at the time when nucleation first occurs in the sample as a whole. Thus, to create anisotropic scaffolds, local slurry cooling rates must be sufficiently different to ensure that the equilibrium freezing temperature is not reached throughout the slurry at nucleation. This principal was valid over a range of collagen slurries, demonstrating that by monitoring the temperature within slurry during freezing, scaffold anisotropy with ice-templated scaffolds can be predicted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear viscoelasticity and generalized failure criterion for biopolymer gels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Divoux, Thibaut; Keshavarz, Bavand; Manneville, Sébastien; McKinley, Gareth

2016-11-01

Biopolymer gels display a multiscale microstructure that is responsible for their solid-like properties. Upon external deformation, these soft viscoelastic solids exhibit a generic nonlinear mechanical response characterized by pronounced stress- or strain-stiffening prior to irreversible damage and failure, most often through macroscopic fractures. Here we show on a model acid-induced protein gel that the nonlinear viscoelastic properties of the gel can be described in terms of a 'damping function' which predicts the gel mechanical response quantitatively up to the onset of macroscopic failure. Using a nonlinear integral constitutive equation built upon the experimentally-measured damping function in conjunction with power-law linear viscoelastic response, we derive the form of the stress growth in the gel following the start up of steady shear. We also couple the shear stress response with Bailey's durability criteria for brittle solids in order to predict the critical values of the stress σc and strain γc for failure of the gel, and how they scale with the applied shear rate. This provides a generalized failure criterion for biopolymer gels in a range of different deformation histories. This work was funded by the MIT-France seed fund and by the CNRS PICS-USA scheme (#36939). BK acknowledges financial support from Axalta Coating Systems.

Could essential oils enhance biopolymers performance for wound healing? A systematic review.

PubMed

Pérez-Recalde, Mercedes; Ruiz Arias, Ignacio E; Hermida, Élida B

2018-01-01

Millions of people in the world suffer from chronic wounds of different etiologies such as diabetic foot and leg ulcers, without solutions nowadays. Molecules obtained from plants offer an alternative to aid wound healing. Strong evidence about essential oils (EO) anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties is thoroughly described in literature and their chemical compositions are well characterized. More recently, EO effects in experimental wounds have begun to be analyzed. We aim to summarize the evidence of EO in experimental wounds, and the possibility of combining them with biopolymers commonly used in skin regeneration. Electronic databases such as ScienceDirect, PubMed and Scopus were used to search scientific contributions until March 2017, using relevant keywords. In a first step, literature focusing on EO and/or mono- or sesqui-terpenoids effects in rodent wounds was identified and summarized. In all cases, chemical structures and EO composition were detailed, as well as references to in vitro activities previously determined, e.g. antibacterial, antioxidant or anti-inflammatory. In a second step, scientific literature devoted to combine EO and biopolymers with the focus set on wound healing innovations, was collected and analyzed. Treatments with EO from species of genders Lavandula, Croton, Blumea, Eucalyptus, Pinus, Cymbopogon, Eucalyptus, Cedrus, Abies, Rosmarinus, Origanum, Salvia and Plectranthus, have shown positive results in rodent wounds. All of these EO were mainly composed by monoterpenoids-thymol, 1,8-cineole, linalool-or monoterpenes, as limonene or pinenes. Experimental wounds in rodents have shown faster closure rate, better collagen deposition and/or enhanced fibroblasts proliferation. In blends with biopolymers, several EO combined with chitosan, alginate, gelatin or collagen, were processed to give active films or nanofibers, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial activities. Curiously, all of these works were carried

Applications of free-electron lasers to measurements of energy transfer in biopolymers and materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Glenn S.; Johnson, J. B.; Kozub, John A.; Tribble, Jerri A.; Wagner, Katrina

1992-08-01

Free-electron lasers (FELs) provide tunable, pulsed radiation in the infrared. Using the FEL as a pump beam, we are investigating the mechanisms for energy transfer between localized vibrational modes and between vibrational modes and lattice or phonon modes. Either a laser-Raman system or a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer will serve as the probe beam, with the attribute of placing the burden of detection on two conventional spectroscopic techniques that circumvent the limited response of infrared detectors. More specifically, the Raman effect inelastically shifts an exciting laser line, typically a visible frequency, by the energy of the vibrational mode; however, the shifted Raman lines also lie in the visible, allowing for detection with highly efficient visible detectors. With regards to FTIR spectroscopy, the multiplex advantage yields a distinct benefit for infrared detector response. Our group is investigating intramolecular and intermolecular energy transfer processes in both biopolymers and more traditional materials. For example, alkali halides contain a number of defect types that effectively transfer energy in an intermolecular process. Similarly, the functioning of biopolymers depends on efficient intramolecular energy transfer. Understanding these mechanisms will enhance our ability to modify biopolymers and materials with applications to biology, medecine, and materials science.

Effects of Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Biopolymer Encapsulation on Lipid Metabolism in Mice

PubMed Central

Hur, Sun Jin; Kim, Doo Hwan; Chun, Se Chul; Lee, Si Kyung

2013-01-01

Forty mice were randomly divided into four groups on the basis of the diet to be fed as follows: 5% (low) fat diet (T1: LF); 20% (high) fat diet (T2: HF); 20% fat containing 1% conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (T3: HFC); and 20% fat containing 1% CLA with 0.5% biopolymers (T4: HFCB). The high-fat with CLA diet groups (HFC and HFCB) and the low-fat diet group (LF) tended to have lower body weights and total adipose tissue weights than those of the high-fat diet group (HF). Serum leptin and triglyceride were significantly lower in the high fat with CLA-fed groups (HFC and HFCB) and the low-fat diet group (LF) than those in the high-fat diet group (HF). It is noteworthy that the high-fat with CLA and biopolymers group (HFCB) showed the lowest serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations. In the high-fat-fed group (HF), voluntary travel distance as a measure of physical activity decreased after three weeks of feeding. However, the CLA-fed groups showed increased physical activity. The groups fed high-fat diets supplemented with CLA alone and with CLA and biopolymers had higher viscosity of small intestinal contents than that in the low- and high-fat dietary groups. PMID:23531540

Cellulose synthase complexes act in a concerted fashion to synthesize highly aggregated cellulose in secondary cell walls of plants

PubMed Central

Li, Shundai; Bashline, Logan; Zheng, Yunzhen; Xin, Xiaoran; Huang, Shixin; Kong, Zhaosheng; Kim, Seong H.; Cosgrove, Daniel J.; Gu, Ying

2016-01-01

Cellulose, often touted as the most abundant biopolymer on Earth, is a critical component of the plant cell wall and is synthesized by plasma membrane-spanning cellulose synthase (CESA) enzymes, which in plants are organized into rosette-like CESA complexes (CSCs). Plants construct two types of cell walls, primary cell walls (PCWs) and secondary cell walls (SCWs), which differ in composition, structure, and purpose. Cellulose in PCWs and SCWs is chemically identical but has different physical characteristics. During PCW synthesis, multiple dispersed CSCs move along a shared linear track in opposing directions while synthesizing cellulose microfibrils with low aggregation. In contrast, during SCW synthesis, we observed swaths of densely arranged CSCs that moved in the same direction along tracks while synthesizing cellulose microfibrils that became highly aggregated. Our data support a model in which distinct spatiotemporal features of active CSCs during PCW and SCW synthesis contribute to the formation of cellulose with distinct structure and organization in PCWs and SCWs of Arabidopsis thaliana. This study provides a foundation for understanding differences in the formation, structure, and organization of cellulose in PCWs and SCWs. PMID:27647923

MOLECULAR TRACERS FOR SMOKE FROM CHARRING/BURNING OF CHITIN BIOPOLYMER. (R823990)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

Monosaccharide derivatives from the breakdown of cellulose are the major organic components of smoke particles emitted to the atmosphere from biomass burning. In urban areas a related biopolymer, chitin, may contribute markers to smoke from grilling/charring o...

Reaction Event Counting Statistics of Biopolymer Reaction Systems with Dynamic Heterogeneity.

PubMed

Lim, Yu Rim; Park, Seong Jun; Park, Bo Jung; Cao, Jianshu; Silbey, Robert J; Sung, Jaeyoung

2012-04-10

We investigate the reaction event counting statistics (RECS) of an elementary biopolymer reaction in which the rate coefficient is dependent on states of the biopolymer and the surrounding environment and discover a universal kinetic phase transition in the RECS of the reaction system with dynamic heterogeneity. From an exact analysis for a general model of elementary biopolymer reactions, we find that the variance in the number of reaction events is dependent on the square of the mean number of the reaction events when the size of measurement time is small on the relaxation time scale of rate coefficient fluctuations, which does not conform to renewal statistics. On the other hand, when the size of the measurement time interval is much greater than the relaxation time of rate coefficient fluctuations, the variance becomes linearly proportional to the mean reaction number in accordance with renewal statistics. Gillespie's stochastic simulation method is generalized for the reaction system with a rate coefficient fluctuation. The simulation results confirm the correctness of the analytic results for the time dependent mean and variance of the reaction event number distribution. On the basis of the obtained results, we propose a method of quantitative analysis for the reaction event counting statistics of reaction systems with rate coefficient fluctuations, which enables one to extract information about the magnitude and the relaxation times of the fluctuating reaction rate coefficient, without a bias that can be introduced by assuming a particular kinetic model of conformational dynamics and the conformation dependent reactivity. An exact relationship is established between a higher moment of the reaction event number distribution and the multitime correlation of the reaction rate for the reaction system with a nonequilibrium initial state distribution as well as for the system with the equilibrium initial state distribution.

Interaction between polymer constituents and the structure of biopolymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rein, R.

1974-01-01

The paper reviews the current status of methods for calculating intermolecular interactions between biopolymer units. The nature of forces contributing to the various domains of intermolecular separations is investigated, and various approximations applicable in the respective regions are examined. The predictive value of current theory is tested by establishing a connection with macroscopic properties and comparing the theoretical predicted values with those derived from experimental data. This has led to the introduction of a statistical model describing DNA.

Water adsorption isotherms of carboxymethyl cellulose, guar, locust bean, tragacanth and xanthan gums.

PubMed

Torres, María D; Moreira, Ramón; Chenlo, Francisco; Vázquez, María J

2012-06-20

Water adsorption isotherms of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), guar gum (GG), locust bean gum (LBG), tragacanth gum (TG) and xanthan gum (XG) were determined at different temperatures (20, 35, 50, and 65°C) using a gravimetric method. Several saturated salt solutions were selected to obtain different water activities in the range from 0.09 to 0.91. Water adsorption isotherms of tested hydrocolloids were classified like type II isotherms. In all cases, equilibrium moisture content decreased with increasing temperature at each water activity value. Three-parameter Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) model was employed to fit the experimental data in the water activity range and statistical analysis indicated that this model gave satisfactory results. CMC and GG were the most and the least hygroscopic gums, respectively. Sorption heats decreased with increasing moisture content. Monolayer moisture content evaluated with GAB model was consistent with equilibrium conditions of maximum stability calculated from thermodynamic analysis of net integral entropy. Values of equilibrium relative humidity at 20°C are proposed to storage adequately the tested gums. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Equilibrium & Nonequilibrium Fluctuation Effects in Biopolymer Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kachan, Devin Michael

Fluctuation-induced interactions are an important organizing principle in a variety of soft matter systems. In this dissertation, I explore the role of both thermal and active fluctuations within cross-linked polymer networks. The systems I study are in large part inspired by the amazing physics found within the cytoskeleton of eukaryotic cells. I first predict and verify the existence of a thermal Casimir force between cross-linkers bound to a semi-flexible polymer. The calculation is complicated by the appearance of second order derivatives in the bending Hamiltonian for such polymers, which requires a careful evaluation of the the path integral formulation of the partition function in order to arrive at the physically correct continuum limit and properly address ultraviolet divergences. I find that cross linkers interact along a filament with an attractive logarithmic potential proportional to thermal energy. The proportionality constant depends on whether and how the cross linkers constrain the relative angle between the two filaments to which they are bound. The interaction has important implications for the synthesis of biopolymer bundles within cells. I model the cross-linkers as existing in two phases: bound to the bundle and free in solution. When the cross-linkers are bound, they behave as a one-dimensional gas of particles interacting with the Casimir force, while the free phase is a simple ideal gas. Demanding equilibrium between the two phases, I find a discontinuous transition between a sparsely and a densely bound bundle. This discontinuous condensation transition induced by the long-ranged nature of the Casimir interaction allows for a similarly abrupt structural transition in semiflexible filament networks between a low cross linker density isotropic phase and a higher cross link density bundle network. This work is supported by the results of finite element Brownian dynamics simulations of semiflexible filaments and transient cross-linkers. I

Immunomodulatory effects of xanthan gum in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.

PubMed

Liu, Fuyan; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Ling, Peixue; Liao, Joshua; Zhao, Mingsheng; Mei, Li; Shao, Huarong; Jiang, Peng; Song, Zhigang; Chen, Qixin; Wang, Fengshan

2017-08-01

In this study, we evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of xanthan gum (XG) in RAW264.7 macrophages and the underlying molecular mechanisms. We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze the morphology of XG-treated RAW264.7 cells with and without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation and investigated the subsequent effects on nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) levels in LPS-activated mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. We also analyzed the binding affinity of XG to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis and observed that XG decreased NO, IL-6 and TNF-α secretion into the culture medium and iNOS and COX-2 protein levels induced by LPS. This study reveals a two-way immunomodulatory effect of XG on inflammatory mediators in RAW264.7 macrophages that may involve the TLR4 signal pathway, providing a pharmacological basis for the use of XG in the control of inflammatory disorders. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Rheological characterizations of concentrated binary gum mixtures with xanthan gum and galactomannans.

PubMed

Jo, Wonjun; Bak, June Ha; Yoo, Byoungseung

2018-03-20

The steady and dynamic shear rheological properties of binary gum mixtures with xanthan gum (XG) and galactomannans (guar gum (GG) and locust bean gum (LBG)) were examined in a concentrated solution (1% w/w) as a function of gum mixing ratio (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, and 0/100). All samples, except for individual GG and LBG, showed high shear-thinning behavior with yield stress. The values of flow (K, η a,50 , and σ oc ) and dynamic rheological parameters (G' and G″) of XG-GG and XG-LBG mixtures were significantly higher compared to XG alone, indicating that the flow and viscoelastic properties of binary gum mixtures were greatly affected by the addition of GG and LBG. The maximum elasticity synergistic interaction for XG-galactomannans mixtures was observed at a mixing ratio of 50/50, showing a greatly positive deviation between measured and calculated values of G'. These results suggest that the synergistic effect of GG and LBG addition on rheological properties of XG appears to be due to intermolecular interaction occurred between XG and galactomannans, as confirmed by dynamic rheological properties. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single walled carbon nanotubes functionally adsorbed to biopolymers for use as chemical sensors

DOEpatents

Johnson, Jr., Alan T.; Gelperin, Alan [Princeton, NJ; Staii, Cristian [Madison, WI

2011-07-12

Chemical field effect sensors comprising nanotube field effect devices having biopolymers such as single stranded DNA functionally adsorbed to the nanotubes are provided. Also included are arrays comprising the sensors and methods of using the devices to detect volatile compounds.

Terrestrial plant biopolymers in marine sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, Mark A.; Fauzi, R.; Mantoura, C.; Preston, Martin

1993-03-01

The vascular land plant biopolymers lignin and cutin were surveyed in the surface sediments of coastal and open ocean waters by controlled alkaline CuO oxidation/reaction. Two contrasting oceanic regimes were studied: the northwest Mediterranean (NWM) Sea, which receives significant particulate terrigenous debris through riverine discharge; and the northeast Atlantic (NEA) Ocean, with poorly characterised terrestrial carbon inputs. In the NWM products of lignin and cutin co-occurred at all stations, elevated levels (ca. 0.5-3.0 mg lignin phenols/100 mg organic carbon; ca. 0.01-0.09 mg cutin acids/100 mg organic carbon) were observed for near-shore deltaic and shelf sediments. The influence of terrestrial land plant inputs extended across the shelf and through the slope to the abyssal plain, providing molecular evidence for advective offshore transfer of terrestrial carbon. Mass balance estimates for the basin suggest riverine inputs account for the majority of surface sedimentary lignin/cutin, most of which (>90%) is deposited on the shelf. Products of CuO oxidation of lignin and cutin were also detected in NEA surface sediments, at levels comparable to those observed for the NWM continental slope, and were detectable at low concentrations ( ca. 0.5 μgg-1 in the sediments of the abyssal plains (>4,000 m depth). While atmospheric deposition of lignin/cutin-derived material cannot be discounted in this open ocean system, lateral advective transfer of enriched shelf sediments is inferred as a possible transport process. A progressive enrichment in cutin-derived material relative to lignin was observed offshore, with evidence of an increase in the degree of oxidative alteration of lignin residues. To account for these observations, preferential offshore transport of finer and more degraded material is proposed. Nonspecific oxidation products dominated the gas chromatograms of NEA sediments, which appear to originate from marine sources of sedimentary organic carbon

Structurally colored biopolymer thin films for detection of dissolved metal ions in aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cathell, Matthew David

Natural polymers, such as the polysaccharides alginate and chitosan, are noted sorbents of heavy metals. Their polymer backbone structures are rich in ligands that can interact with metal ions through chelation, electrostatics, ion exchange and nonspecific mechanisms. These water-soluble biopolymer materials can be processed into hydrogel thin films, creating high surface area interfaces ideal for binding and sequestering metal ions from solution. By virtue of their uniform nanoscale dimensions (with thicknesses smaller than wavelengths of visible light) polymer thin films exhibit structure-based coloration. This phenomenon, frequently observed in nature, causes the transparent and essentially colorless films to reflect light in a wide array of colors. The lamellar film structures act as one-dimensional photonic crystals, allowing selective reflection of certain wavelengths of light while minimizing other wavelengths by out-of-phase interference. The combination of metal-binding and reflective properties make alginate and chitosan thin films attractive candidates for analyte sensing. Interactions with metal ions can induce changes in film thicknesses and refractive indices, thus altering the path of light reflected through the film. Small changes in dimensional or optical properties can lead to shifts in film color that are perceivable by the unaided eye. These thin films offer the potential for optical sensing of toxic dissolved materials without the need for instrumentation, external power or scientific expertise. With the use of a spectroscopic ellipsometer and a fiber optic reflectance spectrometer, the physical and optical characteristics of biopolymer thin films have been characterized in response to 50 ppm metal ion solutions. It has been determined that metal interactions can lead to measurable changes in both film thicknesses and effective refractive indices. The intrinsic response behaviors of alginate and chitosan, as well as the responses of modified

Biopolymer-based structuring of liquid oil into soft solids and oleogels using water-continuous emulsions as templates.

PubMed

Patel, Ashok R; Rajarethinem, Pravin S; Cludts, Nick; Lewille, Benny; De Vos, Winnok H; Lesaffer, Ans; Dewettinck, Koen

2015-02-24

Physical trapping of a hydrophobic liquid oil in a matrix of water-soluble biopolymers was achieved using a facile two-step process by first formulating a surfactant-free oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by biopolymers (a protein and a polysaccharide) followed by complete removal of the water phase (by either high- or low-temperature drying of the emulsion) resulting in structured solid systems containing a high concentration of liquid oil (above 97 wt %). The microstructure of these systems was revealed by confocal and cryo-scanning electron microscopy, and the effect of biopolymer concentrations on the consistency of emulsions as well as the dried product was evaluated using a combination of small-amplitude oscillatory shear rheometry and large deformation fracture studies. The oleogel prepared by shearing the dried product showed a high gel strength as well as a certain degree of thixotropic recovery even at high temperatures. Moreover, the reversibility of the process was demonstrated by shearing the dried product in the presence of water to obtain reconstituted emulsions with rheological properties comparable to those of the fresh emulsion.

The Effects of Biopolymers Composite Based Waste Cooking Oil and Titanium Dioxide Fillers as Superhydrophobic Coatings.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsi, N.; Rus, A. Z. M.

2017-08-01

This project presents the effect of biopolymer composite surface coating on TiO2 fillers by analysing the static water contact angle, SEM micrographs, porosity, density and refractive index of biopolymer doped with different loading of TiO2. The different ratio loading of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 (wt/wt%) TiO2 can be used to improve the material properties in practical use for outdoor application especially to enhance the stability of surface coating. It is found that the smooth surfaces with a low ratio loading of TiO2 fillers on biopolymer composite surface coating increases the static water contact angle up to 162.29°. It is interpreted with respect to nano- features existing on the surface of the water repellent creates a thin superhydrphobic layer. The relationship between porosity and density is indirectly proportional where the higher the loading of TiO2 filler produce the lower porosity up to 0.86% of the surface coating. The movement from shorter to longer of wavelength was observed before and after exposure indicates that there are optimization of absorption of UV-B radiation as the amount of delocalisation.

Strong, Thermally Superinsulating Biopolymer-Silica Aerogel Hybrids by Cogelation of Silicic Acid with Pectin.

PubMed

Zhao, Shanyu; Malfait, Wim J; Demilecamps, Arnaud; Zhang, Yucheng; Brunner, Samuel; Huber, Lukas; Tingaut, Philippe; Rigacci, Arnaud; Budtova, Tatiana; Koebel, Matthias M

2015-11-23

Silica aerogels are excellent thermal insulators, but their brittle nature has prevented widespread application. To overcome these mechanical limitations, silica-biopolymer hybrids are a promising alternative. A one-pot process to monolithic, superinsulating pectin-silica hybrid aerogels is presented. Their structural and physical properties can be tuned by adjusting the gelation pH and pectin concentration. Hybrid aerogels made at pH 1.5 exhibit minimal dust release and vastly improved mechanical properties while remaining excellent thermal insulators. The change in the mechanical properties is directly linked to the observed "neck-free" nanoscale network structure with thicker struts. Such a design is superior to "neck-limited", classical inorganic aerogels. This new class of materials opens up new perspectives for novel silica-biopolymer nanocomposite aerogels. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Role of Native and Exotic Earthworms in Plant Biopolymer Dynamics in Forest Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filley, Timothy

2010-05-01

Many forests within northern North America are experiencing the introduction of earthworms for the first time, presumably since before the last major glaciation. Forest dynamics are undergoing substantial changes because of the activity of the mainly European lumbricid species. Documented losses in litter layers, expansion of A-horizons, loss of the organic horizon, changes in fine root density, and shifts in microbial populations have all been documented in invaded zones. Two free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) forest experiments (aspen FACE at Rhinelander, Wisconsin and sweet gum FACE at Oak Ridge National Lab, Tennessee) lie within the zones of invasion and exhibit differences in amounts of exotic and native species as well as endogeic (predominantly mineral soil dwelling) and epigeic (litter and organic matter horizon dwelling) types. Considerations of carbon accrual dynamics and relative input of above vs. below ground plant input in these young successional systems do not consider the potential impact of these ecosystem engineers. We investigated the impact of earthworm activity by tracking the relative abundance and stable carbon isotope compositions of lignin and substituted fatty acids extracted from isolated earthworms and their fecal pellets and from host soils. Indications of root vs leaf input to earthworm casts and fecal matter were derived from differences in the chemical composition of cutin, suberin, and lignin. The isotopically depleted CO2 used in FACE and the resulting isotopically depleted plant organic matter afford an excellent opportunity to assess biopolymer-specific turnover dynamics. We find that endogeic species are proportionately more responsible for fine root cycling while some epigeic species are responsible for microaggregation of foliar cutin. CSIA of fecal pellet lignin and SFA indicates how these biopolymer pools can be derived from variable sources, roots, background soil, foliar tissue within one earthworm. Additionally, CSIA

Single walled carbon nanotubes with functionally adsorbed biopolymers for use as chemical sensors

DOEpatents

Johnson, Jr., Alan T

2013-12-17

Chemical field effect sensors comprising nanotube field effect devices having biopolymers such as single stranded DNA or RNA functionally adsorbed to the nanotubes are provided. Also included are arrays comprising the sensors and methods of using the devices to detect volatile compounds.

Load sharing in the growth of bundled biopolymers

PubMed Central

Wang, Ruizhe; Carlsson, A. E.

2014-01-01

To elucidate the nature of load sharing in the growth of multiple biopolymers, we perform stochastic simulations of the growth of biopolymer bundles against obstacles under a broad range of conditions and varying assumptions. The obstacle motion due to thermal fluctuations is treated explicitly. We assume the “Perfect Brownian Ratchet” (PBR) model, in which the polymerization rate equals the free-filament rate as soon as the filament-obstacle distance exceeds the monomer size. Accurate closed-form formulas are obtained for the case of a rapidly moving obstacle. We find the following: (1) load sharing is usually sub-perfect in the sense that polymerization is slower than for a single filament carrying the same average force; (2) the sub-perfect behavior becomes significant at a total force proportional to the logarithm or the square root of the number of filaments, depending on the alignment of the filaments; (3) for the special case of slow barrier diffusion and low opposing force, an enhanced obstacle velocity for an increasing number of filaments is possible; (4) the obstacle velocity is very sensitive to the alignment of the filaments in the bundle, with a staggered alignment being an order of magnitude faster than an unstaggered one at forces of only 0.5 pN per filament for 20 filaments; (5) for large numbers of filaments, the power is maximized at a force well below 1 pN per filament; (6) for intermediate values of the obstacle diffusion coefficient, the shape of the force velocity relation is very similar to that for rapid obstacle diffusion. PMID:25489273

Load sharing in the growth of bundled biopolymers.

PubMed

Wang, Ruizhe; Carlsson, A E

2014-11-01

To elucidate the nature of load sharing in the growth of multiple biopolymers, we perform stochastic simulations of the growth of biopolymer bundles against obstacles under a broad range of conditions and varying assumptions. The obstacle motion due to thermal fluctuations is treated explicitly. We assume the "Perfect Brownian Ratchet" (PBR) model, in which the polymerization rate equals the free-filament rate as soon as the filament-obstacle distance exceeds the monomer size. Accurate closed-form formulas are obtained for the case of a rapidly moving obstacle. We find the following: (1) load sharing is usually sub-perfect in the sense that polymerization is slower than for a single filament carrying the same average force; (2) the sub-perfect behavior becomes significant at a total force proportional to the logarithm or the square root of the number of filaments, depending on the alignment of the filaments; (3) for the special case of slow barrier diffusion and low opposing force, an enhanced obstacle velocity for an increasing number of filaments is possible; (4) the obstacle velocity is very sensitive to the alignment of the filaments in the bundle, with a staggered alignment being an order of magnitude faster than an unstaggered one at forces of only 0.5 pN per filament for 20 filaments; (5) for large numbers of filaments, the power is maximized at a force well below 1 pN per filament; (6) for intermediate values of the obstacle diffusion coefficient, the shape of the force velocity relation is very similar to that for rapid obstacle diffusion.

Valorization of industrial waste and by-product streams via fermentation for the production of chemicals and biopolymers.

PubMed

Koutinas, Apostolis A; Vlysidis, Anestis; Pleissner, Daniel; Kopsahelis, Nikolaos; Lopez Garcia, Isabel; Kookos, Ioannis K; Papanikolaou, Seraphim; Kwan, Tsz Him; Lin, Carol Sze Ki

2014-04-21

The transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a bio-based economy necessitates the exploitation of synergies, scientific innovations and breakthroughs, and step changes in the infrastructure of chemical industry. Sustainable production of chemicals and biopolymers should be dependent entirely on renewable carbon. White biotechnology could provide the necessary tools for the evolution of microbial bioconversion into a key unit operation in future biorefineries. Waste and by-product streams from existing industrial sectors (e.g., food industry, pulp and paper industry, biodiesel and bioethanol production) could be used as renewable resources for both biorefinery development and production of nutrient-complete fermentation feedstocks. This review focuses on the potential of utilizing waste and by-product streams from current industrial activities for the production of chemicals and biopolymers via microbial bioconversion. The first part of this review presents the current status and prospects on fermentative production of important platform chemicals (i.e., selected C2-C6 metabolic products and single cell oil) and biopolymers (i.e., polyhydroxyalkanoates and bacterial cellulose). In the second part, the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of waste and by-product streams from existing industrial sectors are presented. In the third part, the techno-economic aspects of bioconversion processes are critically reviewed. Four case studies showing the potential of case-specific waste and by-product streams for the production of succinic acid and polyhydroxyalkanoates are presented. It is evident that fermentative production of chemicals and biopolymers via refining of waste and by-product streams is a highly important research area with significant prospects for industrial applications.

Adsorption of aluminum and lead from wastewater by chitosan-tannic acid modified biopolymers: Isotherms, kinetics, thermodynamics and process mechanism.

PubMed

Badawi, M A; Negm, N A; Abou Kana, M T H; Hefni, H H; Abdel Moneem, M M

2017-06-01

Chitosan was reacted by tannic acid to obtain three modified chitosan biopolymer. Their chemical structures were characterized by FTIR and elemental analysis. The prepared biopolymers were used to adsorb Al(III) and Pb(II) metal ions from industrial wastewater. The factors affecting the adsorption process were biosorbent amount, initial concentration of metal ion and pH of the medium. The adsorption efficiency increased considerably with the increase of the biosorbent amount and pH of the medium. The adsorption process of biosorbent on different metal ions was fitted by Freundlich adsorption model. The adsorption kinetics was followed Pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption process occurred according to diffusion mechanism which was confirmed by the interparticle diffusion model. The modified biopolymers were efficient biosorbents for removal of Pb(II) and Al(III) metal ions from the medium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of Seaweed-based Biopolymers for Edible Films and Lectins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Praseptiangga, D.

2017-04-01

Marine macroalgae (seaweeds) as one of important groups of biopolymers play an important role in human life. Biopolymers have been studied regarding their film-forming properties to produce edible films intended as food packaging and active ingredient carriers. Edible film, a thin layer or which is an integral part of food and can be eaten together with, have been used to avoid food quality deterioration due to physico-chemical changes, texture changes, or chemical reactions. Film-forming materials can be utilized individually or as mixed composite blends. Proteins and polysaccharides used for their mechanical and structural properties, and hydrophobic substances (lipids, essential oils, and emulsifiers) to provide good moisture barrier properties. In addition, bioactive substances from marine natural products, including seaweeds, have been explored for being used in the fields of medicine, food science, pharmaceutical science, biochemistry, and glycobiology. Among them, lectins or carbohydrate-binding proteins from seaweeds have recently been remarked. Lectins (hemagglutinins) are widely distributed in nature and also good candidates in such prospecting of seaweeds. They are useful as convenient tools to discriminate differences in carbohydrate structures and reveal various biological activities through binding and interacting to carbohydrates, suggesting that they are promising candidates for medicinal and clinical application.

Defluoridation using biomimetically synthesized nano zirconium chitosan composite: kinetic and equilibrium studies.

PubMed

Prasad, Kumar Suranjit; Amin, Yesha; Selvaraj, Kaliaperumal

2014-07-15

The present study reports a novel approach for synthesis of Zr nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Aloe vera. Resulting nanoparticles were embedded into chitosan biopolymer and termed as CNZr composite. The composite was subjected to detailed adsorption studies for removal of fluoride from aqueous solution. The synthesized Zr nanoparticles showed UV-vis absorption peak at 420nm. TEM result showed the formation of polydispersed, nanoparticles ranging from 18nm to 42nm. SAED and XRD analysis suggested an fcc (face centered cubic) Zr crystallites. EDAX analysis suggested that Zr was an integral component of synthesized nanoparticles. FT-IR study indicated that functional group like NH, CO, CN and CC were involved in particle formation. The adsorption of fluoride on to CNZr composite worked well at pH 7.0, where ∼99% of fluoride was found to be adsorbed on adsorbent. Langmuir isotherm model best fitted the equilibrium data since it presented higher R(2) value than Freundlich model. In comparison to pseudo-first order kinetic model, the pseudo-second order model could explain adsorption kinetic behavior of F(-) onto CNZr composite satisfactorily with a good correlation coefficient. The present study revealed that CNZr composite may work as an effective tool for removal of fluoride from contaminated water. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design of polymer-biopolymer-hydroxyapatite biomaterials for bone tissue engineering: Through molecular control of interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Devendra

In this dissertation, novel biomaterials are designed for bone biomaterials and bone tissue engineering applications. Novel biomaterials of hydroxyapatite with synthetic and natural polymers have been fabricated using a combination of processing routes. Initially, we investigated hydroxyapatite-polycaprolactone-polyacrylic acid composites and observed that minimal interfacial interactions between polymer and mineral led to inadequate improvement in the mechanical properties. Bioactivity experiments on these composites showed that the presence of functional groups, such as carboxylate groups, influence bioactivity of the composites. We have developed and investigated composites of hydroxyapatite with chitosan and polygalacturonic acid (PgA). Chitosan and PgA are biocompatible, biodegradable, and also electrostatically complementary to each other. This strategy led to significant improvement in mechanical properties of new composites. The nanostructure analysis using atomic force microscopy revealed a multilevel organization in these composites. Enhancement in mechanical response was attributed to stronger interfaces due to strong electrostatic interaction between oppositely charged chitosan and PgA. Further analysis using the Rietveld method showed that biopolymers have marked impact on hydroxyapatite crystal growth and also on its crystal structure. Significant changes were observed in the lattice parameters of hydroxyapatite synthesized by following biomineralization method (organics mediated mineralization). For scaffold preparation, chitosan and PgA were mixed first, and then, nano-hydroxyapatite was added. Oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, such as chitosan and PgA, spontaneously form complex upon mixing. The poly-electrolyte complex exists as nano-sized particles. Chitosan/PgA scaffolds with and without hydroxyapatite were prepared by the freeze drying method. By controlling the rate of cooling and concentration, we have produced both fibrous and sheet

Complex coacervation in charge complementary biopolymers: Electrostatic versus surface patch binding.

PubMed

Pathak, Jyotsana; Priyadarshini, Eepsita; Rawat, Kamla; Bohidar, H B

2017-12-01

In this review, a number of systems are described to demonstrate the effect of polyelectrolyte chain stiffness (persistence length) on the coacervation phenomena, after we briefly review the field. We consider two specific types of complexation/coacervation: in the first type, DNA is used as a fixed substrate binding to flexible polyions such as gelatin A, bovine serum albumin and chitosan (large persistence length polyelectrolyte binding to low persistence length biopolymer), and in the second case, different substrates such as gelatin A, bovine serum albumin, and chitosan were made to bind to a polyion gelatin B (low persistence length substrate binding to comparable persistence length polyion). Polyelectrolyte chain flexibility was found to have remarkable effect on the polyelectrolyte-protein complex coacervation. The competitive interplay of electrostatic versus surface patch binding (SPB) leading to associative interaction followed by complex coacervation between these biopolymers is elucidated. We modelled the SPB interaction in terms of linear combination of attractive and repulsive Coulombic forces with respect to the solution ionic strength. The aforesaid interactions were established via a universal phase diagram, considering the persistence length of polyion as the sole independent variable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of xanthan and locust bean gum synergistic interaction on characteristics of biodegradable edible film.

PubMed

Kurt, Abdullah; Toker, Omer Said; Tornuk, Fatih

2017-09-01

The present study was aimed to use different combinations of xanthan (XG) and locust bean gum (LBG) in the biodegradable edible film preparation by benefitting from their synergistic interactions for the first time. Concentrations of LBG, XG and glycerol of the optimized film sample were found to be 89.6%, 10.4% and 20%, respectively. At the optimum point the WVP, TS, E% and EM values of film were found 0.22gmmh -1 m 2 kPa, 86.97MPa, 33.34% and 177.25MPa, respectively. The optimized film was characterized for its physical, thermal and structural behavior. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses exhibited miscibility and presence of interaction between polymers. In conclusion, XG and LBG interaction was used successfully to get biodegradable films and coatings with improved characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Formulation and in vitro evaluation of xanthan gum-based bilayered mucoadhesive buccal patches of zolmitriptan.

PubMed

Shiledar, Rewathi R; Tagalpallewar, Amol A; Kokare, Chandrakant R

2014-01-30

A novel bilayered mucoadhesive buccal patch of zolmitriptan was prepared using xanthan gum (XG) as mucoadhesive polymer. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose E-15 was used as film-former and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was incorporated, to increase the tensile strength of the patches. To study the effect of independent variables viz. concentrations of XG and PVA, on various dependent variables like in vitro drug release, ex vivo mucoadhesive strength and swelling index, 3(2) factorial design was employed. In vitro drug release studies of optimized formulation showed initially, rapid drug release; 43.15% within 15 min, followed by sustained release profile over 5h. Incorporation of 4% dimethyl sulfoxide enhanced drug permeability by 3.29 folds, transported 29.10% of drug after 5h and showed no buccal mucosal damage after histopathological studies. In conclusion, XG can be used as a potential drug release modifier and mucoadhesive polymer for successful formulation of zolmitriptan buccal patches. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Derivation of a variational principle for plane strain elastic-plastic silk biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, J. H.; Liu, F. J.; Cao, J. H.; Zhang, L.

2014-01-01

Silk biopolymers, such as spider silk and Bombyx mori silk, behave always elastic-plastically. An elastic-plastic model is adopted and a variational principle for the small strain, rate plasticity problem is established by semi-inverse method. A trial Lagrangian is constructed where an unknown function is included which can be identified step by step.

In situ enzyme aided adsorption of soluble xylan biopolymers onto cellulosic material.

PubMed

Chimphango, Annie F A; Görgens, J F; van Zyl, W H

2016-06-05

The functional properties of cellulose fibers can be modified by adsorption of xylan biopolymers. The adsorption is improved when the degree of biopolymers substitution with arabinose and 4-O-methyl-glucuronic acid (MeGlcA) side groups, is reduced. α-l-Arabinofuranosidase (AbfB) and α-d-glucuronidase (AguA) enzymes were applied for side group removal, to increase adsorption of xylan from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L) bagasse (BH), bamboo (Bambusa balcooa) (BM), Pinus patula (PP) and Eucalyptus grandis (EH) onto cotton lint. The AguA treatment increased the adsorption of all xylans by up to 334%, whereas, the AbfB increased the adsorption of the BM and PP by 31% and 44%, respectively. A combination of AguA and AbfB treatment increased the adsorption, but to a lesser extent than achieved with AguA treatment. This indicated that the removal of the glucuronic acid side groups provided the most significant increase in xylan adsorption to cellulose, in particular through enzymatic treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The correlation between biofilm biopolymer composition and membrane fouling in submerged membrane bioreactors.

PubMed

Luo, Jinxue; Zhang, Jinsong; Tan, Xiaohui; McDougald, Diane; Zhuang, Guoqiang; Fane, Anthony G; Kjelleberg, Staffan; Cohen, Yehuda; Rice, Scott A

2014-10-01

Biofouling, the combined effect of microorganism and biopolymer accumulation, significantly reduces the process efficiency of membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Here, four biofilm components, alpha-polysaccharides, beta-polysaccharides, proteins and microorganisms, were quantified in MBRs. The biomass of each component was positively correlated with the transmembrane pressure increase in MBRs. Proteins were the most abundant biopolymer in biofilms and showed the fastest rate of increase. The spatial distribution and co-localization analysis of the biofouling components indicated at least 60% of the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) components were associated with the microbial cells when the transmembrane pressure (TMP) entered the jump phase, suggesting that the EPS components were either secreted by the biofilm cells or that the deposition of these components facilitated biofilm formation. It is suggested that biofilm formation and the accumulation of EPS are intrinsically coupled, resulting in biofouling and loss of system performance. Therefore, strategies that control biofilm formation on membranes may result in a significant improvement of MBR performance.

Optimization of methylene blue using Ca(2+) and Zn(2+) bio-polymer hydrogel beads: A comparative study.

PubMed

Kumar, M; Tamilarasan, R; Arthanareeswaran, G; Ismail, A F

2015-11-01

Recently noted that the methylene blue cause severe central nervous system toxicity. It is essential to optimize the methylene blue from aqueous environment. In this study, a comparison of an optimization of methylene blue was investigated by using modified Ca(2+) and Zn(2+) bio-polymer hydrogel beads. A batch mode study was conducted using various parameters like time, dye concentration, bio-polymer dose, pH and process temperature. The isotherms, kinetics, diffusion and thermodynamic studies were performed for feasibility of the optimization process. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm equations were used for the prediction of isotherm parameters and correlated with dimensionless separation factor (RL). Pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order Lagegren's kinetic equations were used for the correlation of kinetic parameters. Intraparticle diffusion model was employed for diffusion of the optimization process. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) shows different absorbent peaks of Ca(2+) and Zn(2+) beads and the morphology of the bio-polymer material analyzed with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The TG & DTA studies show that good thermal stability with less humidity without production of any non-degraded products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advanced biohybrid materials based on nanoclays for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Hitzky, Eduardo; Darder, Margarita; Wicklein, Bernd; Fernandes, Francisco M.; Castro-Smirnov, Fidel A.; Martín del Burgo, M. Angeles; del Real, Gustavo; Aranda, Pilar

2012-10-01

Bio-nanohybrids prepared by assembling natural polymers (polysaccharides, proteins, nucleic acids, etc) to nanosized silicates (nanoclays) and related solids (layered double hydroxides, LDHs) give rise to the so-called bionanocomposites constituting a group of biomaterials with potential applications in medicine. In this way, biopolymers, including chitosan, pectin, alginate, xanthan gum, ι-carrageenan, gelatin, zein, and DNA, as well as phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine, have been incorporated in layered host matrices by means of ion-exchange mechanisms producing intercalation composites. Also bio-nanohybrids have been prepared by the assembly of diverse bio-polymers with sepiolite, a natural microfibrous magnesium silicate, in this case through interactions affecting the external surface of this silicate. The properties and applications of these resulting biomaterials as active phases of ion-sensors and biosensors, for potential uses as scaffolds for tissue engineering, drug delivery, and gene transfection systems, are introduced and discussed in this work. It is also considered the use of synthetic bionanocomposites as new substrates to immobilize microorganisms, as for instance to bind Influenza virus particles, allowing their application as effective low-cost vaccine adjuvants and carriers.

Ricinus communis-based biopolymer and epidermal growth factor regulations on bone defect repair: A rat tibia model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza-Barrera, C.; Meléndez-Lira, M.; Altuzar, V.; Tomás, S. A.

2003-01-01

We report the effect of the addition of an epidermal growth factor to a Ricinus communis-based biopolymer in the healing of a rat tibia model. Bone repair and osteointegration after a period of three weeks were evaluated employing photoacoustic spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. A parallel study was performed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 weeks with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. We conclude that the use of an epidermal growth factor (group EGF) in vivo accelerates the process of bony repair in comparison with other groups, and that the employment of the Ricinus communis-based biopolymer as a bone substitute decreases bone production.

Starch-entrapped biopolymer microspheres as a novel approach to vary blood glucose profiles.

PubMed

Venkatachalam, Mahesh; Kushnick, Michael R; Zhang, Genyi; Hamaker, Bruce R

2009-10-01

With emerging knowledge of the impact of the metabolic quality of glycemic carbohydrates on human health, there is a need for novel carbohydrate ingredients that can be custom-made to deliver controlled amounts of glucose to the body and to test hypotheses on the postprandial metabolic consequences of carbohydrates. The goal of the present study was to demonstrate the applicability and action of starch-entrapped biopolymer microspheres as customized, novel, slowly digestible carbohydrates to obtain desired glycemic responses. Starch-entrapped microspheres were developed; and starch digestion and glucose release, subsequent to their cooking (100 degrees C, 20 min) in water, were initially monitored by measuring the rapidly digestible, slowly digestible, and resistant starch fractions using the in vitro Englyst assay. Glycemic and insulinemic responses after consumption of glucose and two different slowly digestible starch microsphere diets were compared using a crossover study in 10 healthy individuals. The mechanism of starch digestion in the microspheres was elucidated from scanning electron microscopic images of the in vitro digested microspheres. Factors such as biopolymer type and concentration, microsphere size, and starch type were manipulated to obtain starch materials with defined amounts of slowly digestible starch based on in vitro studies. Scanning electron microscopy showed that cooked starch entrapped in the dense biopolymer matrix is digested layer by layer from the outside to the inside of the microsphere. Glycemic and insulinemic responses to microsphere test diets were moderate as compared to a glucose diet, but more important, they showed extended glucose release. Starch-entrapped microspheres provide a useful tool to study the postprandial metabolic consequences of slowly digestible carbohydrates.

Physicochemical and Immunomodulatory Properties of Gum Exudates Obtained from Astragalus myriacanthus and Some of Its Isolated Carbohydrate Biopolymers

PubMed Central

Hamedi, Azadeh; Yousefi, Gholamhossein; Farjadian, Shirin; Bour Bour, Mitra Saadat; Parhizkar, Elahenaz

2017-01-01

Plants gums are complex mixtures of different polysaccharides with a variety of biological activities and pharmaceutical applications. Few studies have focused on physicochemical and biological properties of gums obtained from different plants. This study was designed to determine potential pharmaceutical and pharmacological values of the gum exudates and its isolated biopolymers obtained from Astragalus myriacanthus Boiss [syn. Astracantha myriacantha (Boiss.) Podlech] (Fabaceae). The physicochemical, rheological, and mucoadhesion properties of the gum and its fractions was measured at 7, 27, and 37 °C with and without the presence of NaCl (1%). Also, the structural and immunomodulatory properties of several water soluble biopolymers isolated using ion exchange and size exclusion chromatographic methods were investigated on Jurkat cells at concentrations of 31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 μg/mL. The consistency and shear-thinning property of the gum and its fractions decreased as temperature increased. In the presence of NaCl, the consistency increased but no regular pattern was observed regarding to shear-thinning behavior. The mucoadhesion strength was 40.66 ± 2.08 g/cm2 which is suitable for use as a formulary mucoadhesive polymer. The isolated biopolymers had proteo-arabinoglycan structure. Their molecular weight was calculated to be 1.67-667 kDa. One biopolymer had a proliferative effect and others had dose dependent cytotoxic/proliferative properties. The crude gum and its insoluble fraction showed suitable mucoadhesion, swellability and rheological properties which makes them suitable for designing drug delivery systems. The gum proteo-arabinoglycans with different molecular weight and structures had different immunomodulatory properties. PMID:29552060

Time-dependent rheological behavior of natural polysaccharide xanthan gum solutions in interrupted shear and step-incremental/reductional shear flow fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ji-Seok; Song, Ki-Won

2015-11-01

The objective of the present study is to systematically elucidate the time-dependent rheological behavior of concentrated xanthan gum systems in complicated step-shear flow fields. Using a strain-controlled rheometer (ARES), step-shear flow behaviors of a concentrated xanthan gum model solution have been experimentally investigated in interrupted shear flow fields with a various combination of different shear rates, shearing times and rest times, and step-incremental and step-reductional shear flow fields with various shearing times. The main findings obtained from this study are summarized as follows. (i) In interrupted shear flow fields, the shear stress is sharply increased until reaching the maximum stress at an initial stage of shearing times, and then a stress decay towards a steady state is observed as the shearing time is increased in both start-up shear flow fields. The shear stress is suddenly decreased immediately after the imposed shear rate is stopped, and then slowly decayed during the period of a rest time. (ii) As an increase in rest time, the difference in the maximum stress values between the two start-up shear flow fields is decreased whereas the shearing time exerts a slight influence on this behavior. (iii) In step-incremental shear flow fields, after passing through the maximum stress, structural destruction causes a stress decay behavior towards a steady state as an increase in shearing time in each step shear flow region. The time needed to reach the maximum stress value is shortened as an increase in step-increased shear rate. (iv) In step-reductional shear flow fields, after passing through the minimum stress, structural recovery induces a stress growth behavior towards an equilibrium state as an increase in shearing time in each step shear flow region. The time needed to reach the minimum stress value is lengthened as a decrease in step-decreased shear rate.

A review of experimental and modeling techniques to determine properties of biopolymer-based nanocomposites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The nonbiodegradable and nonrenewable nature of plastic packaging has led to a renewed interest in packaging materials based on bio-nanocomposites (biopolymer matrix reinforced with nanoparticles such as layered silicates). One of the reasons for unique properties of bio-nanocomposites is the differ...

Stable silver/biopolymer hybrid plasmonic nanostructures for high performance surface enhanced raman scattering (SERS)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Silver/biopolymer nanoparticles were prepared by adding 100 mg silver nitrate to 2% polyvinyl alcohol solution and reduced the silver nitrate into silver ion using 2 % trisodium citrate for high performance Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) substrates. Optical properties of nanoparticle were ...

Beyond Textbook Illustrations: Hand-Held Models of Ordered DNA and Protein Structures as 3D Supplements to Enhance Student Learning of Helical Biopolymers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jittivadhna, Karnyupha; Ruenwongsa, Pintip; Panijpan, Bhinyo

2010-01-01

Textbook illustrations of 3D biopolymers on printed paper, regardless of how detailed and colorful, suffer from its two-dimensionality. For beginners, computer screen display of skeletal models of biopolymers and their animation usually does not provide the at-a-glance 3D perception and details, which can be done by good hand-held models. Here, we…

Associative Interactions in Crowded Solutions of Biopolymers Counteract Depletion Effects.

PubMed

Groen, Joost; Foschepoth, David; te Brinke, Esra; Boersma, Arnold J; Imamura, Hiromi; Rivas, Germán; Heus, Hans A; Huck, Wilhelm T S

2015-10-14

The cytosol of Escherichia coli is an extremely crowded environment, containing high concentrations of biopolymers which occupy 20-30% of the available volume. Such conditions are expected to yield depletion forces, which strongly promote macromolecular complexation. However, crowded macromolecule solutions, like the cytosol, are very prone to nonspecific associative interactions that can potentially counteract depletion. It remains unclear how the cytosol balances these opposing interactions. We used a FRET-based probe to systematically study depletion in vitro in different crowded environments, including a cytosolic mimic, E. coli lysate. We also studied bundle formation of FtsZ protofilaments under identical crowded conditions as a probe for depletion interactions at much larger overlap volumes of the probe molecule. The FRET probe showed a more compact conformation in synthetic crowding agents, suggesting strong depletion interactions. However, depletion was completely negated in cell lysate and other protein crowding agents, where the FRET probe even occupied slightly more volume. In contrast, bundle formation of FtsZ protofilaments proceeded as readily in E. coli lysate and other protein solutions as in synthetic crowding agents. Our experimental results and model suggest that, in crowded biopolymer solutions, associative interactions counterbalance depletion forces for small macromolecules. Furthermore, the net effects of macromolecular crowding will be dependent on both the size of the macromolecule and its associative interactions with the crowded background.

The correlation between gelatin macroscale differences and nanoparticle properties: providing insight into biopolymer variability.

PubMed

Stevenson, André T; Jankus, Danny J; Tarshis, Max A; Whittington, Abby R

2018-05-21

From therapeutic delivery to sustainable packaging, manipulation of biopolymers into nanostructures imparts biocompatibility to numerous materials with minimal environmental pollution during processing. While biopolymers are appealing natural based materials, the lack of nanoparticle (NP) physicochemical consistency has decreased their nanoscale translation into actual products. Insights regarding the macroscale and nanoscale property variation of gelatin, one of the most common biopolymers already utilized in its bulk form, are presented. Novel correlations between macroscale and nanoscale properties were made by characterizing similar gelatin rigidities obtained from different manufacturers. Samples with significant differences in clarity, indicating sample purity, obtained the largest deviations in NP diameter. Furthermore, a statistically significant positive correlation between macroscale molecular weight dispersity and NP diameter was determined. New theoretical calculations proposing the limited number of gelatin chains that can aggregate and subsequently get crosslinked for NP formation were presented as one possible reason to substantiate the correlation analysis. NP charge and crosslinking extent were also related to diameter. Lower gelatin sample molecular weight dispersities produced statistically smaller average diameters (<75 nm), and higher average electrostatic charges (∼30 mV) and crosslinking extents (∼95%), which were independent of gelatin rigidity, conclusions not shown in the literature. This study demonstrates that the molecular weight composition of the starting material is one significant factor affecting gelatin nanoscale properties and must be characterized prior to NP preparation. Identifying gelatin macroscale and nanoscale correlations offers a route toward greater physicochemical property control and reproducibility of new NP formulations for translation to industry.

Biopolymer films to control fusarium dry rot and their application to preserve potato tubers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Films were cast using sodium alginate (NaAlg), high molecular weight (HMW) chitosan, and low molecular weight (LMW) chitosan as film forming biopolymers. Fludioxonil (Fl) at 1% concentration was used as fungicide. Thermal stability, mechanical, and water sorption properties of the films were examine...

Micro-heterogeneity of corn hulls cellulosic fiber biopolymer studied by multiple-particle tracking (MPT)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A novel technique named multiple-particle tracking (MPT) was used to investigate the micro-structural heterogeneities of Z-trim, a zero calorie cellulosic fiber biopolymer produced from corn hulls. The Multiple-Particle Tracking (MPT) method was used in this study, which was originally described by ...

Decolorization of Distillery Spent Wash Using Biopolymer Synthesized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Tannery Effluent.

PubMed

David, Charles; Arivazhagan, M; Balamurali, M N; Shanmugarajan, Dhivya

2015-01-01

A bacterial strain was isolated from tannery effluent which can tolerate high concentrations of potassium dichromate up to 1000 ppm. The isolated microorganism was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa by performing biochemical tests and molecular characterization. In the presence of excess of carbohydrate source, which is a physiological stress, this strain produces Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). This intracellular polymer, which is synthesized, is primarily a product of carbon assimilation and is employed by microorganisms as an energy storage molecule to be metabolized when other common energy sources are limitedly available. Efforts were taken to check whether the PHB has any positive effect on spent wash decolorization. When a combination of PHB and the isolated bacterial culture was added to spent wash, a maximum color removal of 92.77% was found which was comparatively higher than the color removed when the spent wash was treated individually with the PHB and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PHB behaved as a support material for the bacteria to bind to it and thus develops biofilm, which is one of the natural physiological growth forms of microorganisms. The bacterial growth in the biofilm and the polymer together acted in synergy, adsorbing and coagulating the pollutants in the form of color pigments.

Green synthesis and characterization of ANbO3 (A = Na, K) nanopowders fabricated using a biopolymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khorrami, Gh. H.; Mousavi, M.; Khayatian, S. A.; Kompany, A.; Khorsand Zak, A.

2017-10-01

Lead-free sodium niobate (NaNbO3, NN) and potassium niobate (KNbO3, KN) nanopowders were successfully synthesized by a simple and green synthesis process in gelatin media. Gelatin, which is a biopolymer, was used as stabilizer. In order to determine the lowest calcination temperature needed to obtain pure NN and KN nanopowders, the produced gels were analyzed by thermogravometric analyzer (TGA). The produced gels were calcined at 500∘C and 600∘C. The structural and optical properties of the prepared powders were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The XRD results revealed that pure phase NN and KN nanopowders were formed at low temperature calcination of 500∘C and 600∘C, respectively. The Scherrer formula and size-strain plot (SSP) method were employed to estimate crystallite size and lattice strain of the samples. The TEM images show that the NN and KN samples calcined at 600∘C have cubic shape with an average particle size of 60.95 and 39.29 nm, respectively. The optical bandgap energy of the samples was calculated using UV-Vis diffused reflectance spectra of the samples and Kubelka-Munck relation.

Extraction of cellulose microcrystalline from galam wood for biopolymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Ika; Sa'adiyah, Devy; Rahajeng, Putri; Suprayitno, Abdi; Andiana, Rocky

2018-04-01

Consumption of plastic raw materials tends to increase, but until now the meet of the consumption of plastic raw are still low, even some are still imported. Nowadays, Indonesia's plastic needs are supported by petrochemicals where raw materials are still dependent abroad and petropolymer raw materials are derived from petroleum which will soon be depleted due to rising petroleum needs. Therefore, various studies have been conducted to develop natural fiber-based polymers that are biodegradable and abundant in nature. It is because the natural polymer production process is very efficient and very environmentally friendly. There have been many studies of biopolymers especially natural fiber-based polymers from plants, due to plants containing cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. However, cellulose is the only one who has crystalline structures. Cellulose has a high crystality compared to amorphous lignin and hemicellulose. In this study, extracted cellulose as biopolymer and amplifier on composite. The cellulose is extracted from galam wood from East Kalimantan. Cellulose extraction will be obtained in nano / micro form through chemical and mechanical treatment processes. The chemical treatment of cellulose extraction is alkalinization process using NaOH solution, bleaching using NaClO2 and acid hydrolysis using sulfuric acid. After chemical treatment, ultrasonic mechanical treatment is made to make cellulose fibers into micro or nano size. Besides, cellulose results will be characterized. Characterization was performed to analyze molecules of cellulose compounds extracted from plants using Fourier Transformation Infra Red (FTIR) testing. XRD testing to analyze cellulose crystallinity. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) test to analyze morphology and fiber size.

Introductory lecture: interpreting and predicting Hofmeister salt ion and solute effects on biopolymer and model processes using the solute partitioning model.

PubMed

Record, M Thomas; Guinn, Emily; Pegram, Laurel; Capp, Michael

2013-01-01

Understanding how Hofmeister salt ions and other solutes interact with proteins, nucleic acids, other biopolymers and water and thereby affect protein and nucleic acid processes as well as model processes (e.g. solubility of model compounds) in aqueous solution is a longstanding goal of biophysical research. Empirical Hofmeister salt and solute "m-values" (derivatives of the observed standard free energy change for a model or biopolymer process with respect to solute or salt concentration m3) are equal to differences in chemical potential derivatives: m-value = delta(dmu2/dm3) = delta mu23, which quantify the preferential interactions of the solute or salt with the surface of the biopolymer or model system (component 2) exposed or buried in the process. Using the solute partitioning model (SPM), we dissect mu23 values for interactions of a solute or Hofmeister salt with a set of model compounds displaying the key functional groups of biopolymers to obtain interaction potentials (called alpha-values) that quantify the interaction of the solute or salt per unit area of each functional group or type of surface. Interpreted using the SPM, these alpha-values provide quantitative information about both the hydration of functional groups and the competitive interaction of water and the solute or salt with functional groups. The analysis corroborates and quantifies previous proposals that the Hofmeister anion and cation series for biopolymer processes are determined by ion-specific, mostly unfavorable interactions with hydrocarbon surfaces; the balance between these unfavorable nonpolar interactions and often-favorable interactions of ions with polar functional groups determine the series null points. The placement of urea and glycine betaine (GB) at opposite ends of the corresponding series of nonelectrolytes results from the favorable interactions of urea, and unfavorable interactions of GB, with many (but not all) biopolymer functional groups. Interaction potentials and

Xanthan Gum Production by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris IBSBF 1866 and 1867 from Lignocellulosic Agroindustrial Wastes.

PubMed

da Silva, Juliana Albuquerque; Cardoso, Lucas Guimarães; de Jesus Assis, Denilson; Gomes, Gleice Valéria Pacheco; Oliveira, Maria Beatriz Prior Pinto; de Souza, Carolina Oliveira; Druzian, Janice Izabel

2018-05-05

This study aimed to evaluate the properties of xanthan gum produced by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris 1866 and 1867 from lignocellulosic agroindustrial wastes. XG was produced using an orbital shaker in a culture medium containing coconut shell (CS), cocoa husks (CH), or sucrose (S) minimally supplemented with urea and potassium. The XG production results varied between the CS, CH, and S means, and it was higher with the CH in strains 1866 (4.48 g L -1 ) and 1867 (3.89 g L -1 ). However, there was more apparent viscosity in the S gum (181.88 mPas) and the CS gum (112.06 mPas) for both 1866 and 1867, respectively. The ability of XG CS and XG CH to emulsify different vegetable oils was similar to the ability of XG S . All gums exhibited good thermal stability and marked groups in the elucidation of compounds and particles with rough surfaces.

Micro-heterogeneity of corn hulls cellulosic fiber biopolymer studied by multiple-particle tracking (MPT)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A novel technique named multiple-particle tracking (MPT) was used to investigate the micro-structural heterogeneities of Z-trim, a zero calorie cellulosic fiber biopolymer produced from corn hulls. The principle of MPT technique is to monitor the thermally driven motion of inert micro-spheres, which...

Role of adsorption in combined membrane fouling by biopolymers coexisting with inorganic particles.

PubMed

Chen, Xu-di; Wang, Zhi; Liu, Dan-Yang; Xiao, Kang; Guan, Jing; Xie, Yuefeng F; Wang, Xiao-Mao; Waite, T David

2018-01-01

This study was conducted in order to obtain a better understanding of the combined fouling by biopolymers coexisting with inorganic particles from the aspects of fouling index, fouling layer structure and biopolymer-particle interactions. Calcium alginate was used as the model biopolymer and Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , kaolin, and SiO 2 were used as model inorganic particles. Results showed that the combined fouling differed greatly among the four types of inorganic particles. The differences were attributed particularly to the different adsorption capacities for calcium alginate by the particles with this capacity decreasing in the order of Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 , kaolin and SiO 2 . Particle size measurement and electron microscopic observation indicated the formation of agglomerates between calcium alginate and those inorganic particles exhibiting strong adsorption capacity. A structure was proposed for the combined fouling layer comprised of a backbone cake layer of alginate-inorganic particle agglomerates with the pores partially filled with discontinuous calcium alginate gels. The filterability of the fouling layer was primarily determined by the abundance of the gels. The strength of physical interaction between calcium alginate and each type of inorganic particle was calculated from the respective surface energies and zeta potentials. Calculation results showed that the extent of physical interaction increased in the order of Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , kaolin and SiO 2 , with this order differing from that of adsorption capacity. Chemical interactions may also play an important role in the adsorption of alginate and the consequent combined fouling. High-resolution XPS scans revealed a slight shift of electron binding energies when alginate was adsorbed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, physiochemical and optical properties of chitosan based dye containing naphthalimide group.

PubMed

Kumar, Santosh; Koh, Joonseok

2013-04-15

A new biopolymer dye containing naphthalimide moiety was synthesized by reaction of N-naphthaloyl chitosan with 1-ethyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-piperazino-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid. N-naphthaloyl chitosan was synthesized by reaction of chitosan with 4-bromo-1,8-naphthalic anhydride in aqueous media by greener approach. The degree of substitution of chitosan biopolymer dye is 0.55 with a yield of 70%. The synthesized materials were characterized by using UV-vis, (1)H NMR, FTIR, and FT-Raman spectroscopy. Some physical properties and surface morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optical properties of chitosan biopolymer dye were evaluated by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy that showed red shift (λ(em)) peak at 442 nm and 551 nm at excitation wavelength 325 nm in comparison to chitosan. The solubility of chitosan biopolymer dye increased in most of the organic solvents. These results may provide new perspectives in biomedical applications as an optical and sensitive biosensor material. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modified biopolymers as sorbents for the removal of naphthenic acids from oil sands process affected water (OSPW).

PubMed

Arshad, Muhammad; Khosa, M A; Siddique, Tariq; Ullah, Aman

2016-11-01

Oil sands operations consume large volumes of water in bitumen extraction process and produce tailings that express pore water to the surface of tailings ponds known as oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). The OSPW is toxic and cannot be released into the environment without treatment. In addition to metals, dissolved solids, dissolved gases, hydrocarbons and polyaromatic compounds etc., OSPW also contains a complex mixture of dissolved organic acids, referred to as naphthenic acids (NAs). The NAs are highly toxic and react with metals to develop highly corrosive functionalities which cause corrosion in the oil sands processing and refining processes. We have chemically modified keratin biopolymer using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) nanocages and goethite dopant to unfold keratinous structure for improving functionality. The untreated neat keratin and two modified sorbents were characterized to investigate structural, morphological, dimensional and thermal properties. These sorbents were then tested for the removal of NAs from OSPW. The NAs were selectively extracted and quantified before and after sorption process. The biosorption capacity (Q), rejection percentage (R%) and isotherm models were studied to investigate NAs removal efficiency of POSS modified keratin biopolymer (PMKB) and goethite modified keratin biopolymer (GMKB) from aliquots of OSPW. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of biopolymer on the dewatering characteristics of autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion of sludges.

PubMed

Agarwal, S; Abu-Orf, M M; Novak, J T

2006-03-01

Autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion of sludge is known to produce poorly dewatering sludges. Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the reasons for the poor dewatering. It was found that, during digestion, proteins and polysaccharides were released into solution, and that these could be linked to the deterioration in dewatering. The biopolymer release was accompanied by an increase in the monovalent-to-divalent (M/D) cation ratio. The degree to which the M/D caused deterioration of the sludges depended on the presence of iron in sludge. When the iron content was high, the release of protein and polysaccharides was low. When iron was low, the release of protein and polysaccharides increased linearly with the M/D ratio. The dose of conditioning chemicals, cationic polymer or ferric chloride, was related to the amount of colloidal biopolymer present in solution. The findings suggest that the addition of iron during the digestion process has the potential to produce better dewatering sludges.

Polymethacrylate-based monoliths as stationary phases for separation of biopolymers and immobilization of enzymes.

PubMed

Martinović, Tamara; Josić, Djuro

2017-11-01

The experiences in the production and application of polymethacrylate-based monolithic supports, since their development almost thirty years ago, are presented. The main driving force for the development of new chromatographic supports was the necessity for the isolation and separation of physiologically active biopolymers and their use for therapeutic purposes. For this sake, a development of a method for fast separation, preventing denaturation and preserving their biological activity was necessary. Development of polysaccharide-based supports, followed by the introduction of polymer-based chromatographic media, is shortly described. This development was followed by the advances in monolithic media that are now used for both large- and small-scale separation of biopolymers and nanoparticles. Finally, a short overview is given about the applications of monoliths for sample displacement chromatography, resulting in isolation of physiologically active biomolecules, such as proteins, protein complexes, and nucleic acid, as well as high-throughput sample preparation for proteomic investigations. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of Cross-Linked Porous Gelatin Carriers and Their Interaction with Corneal Endothelium: Biopolymer Concentration Effect

PubMed Central

Lai, Jui-Yang; Ma, David Hui-Kang; Lai, Meng-Heng; Li, Ya-Ting; Chang, Ren-Jie; Chen, Li-Mei

2013-01-01

Cell sheet-mediated tissue regeneration is a promising approach for corneal reconstruction. However, the fragility of bioengineered corneal endothelial cell (CEC) monolayers allows us to take advantage of cross-linked porous gelatin hydrogels as cell sheet carriers for intraocular delivery. The aim of this study was to further investigate the effects of biopolymer concentrations (5–15 wt%) on the characteristic and safety of hydrogel discs fabricated by a simple stirring process combined with freeze-drying method. Results of scanning electron microscopy, porosity measurements, and ninhydrin assays showed that, with increasing solid content, the pore size, porosity, and cross-linking index of carbodiimide treated samples significantly decreased from 508±30 to 292±42 µm, 59.8±1.1 to 33.2±1.9%, and 56.2±1.6 to 34.3±1.8%, respectively. The variation in biopolymer concentrations and degrees of cross-linking greatly affects the Young’s modulus and swelling ratio of the gelatin carriers. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements and glucose permeation studies indicated that for the samples with a highest solid content, the highest pore wall thickness and the lowest fraction of mobile water may inhibit solute transport. When the biopolymer concentration is in the range of 5–10 wt%, the hydrogels have high freezable water content (0.89–0.93) and concentration of permeated glucose (591.3–615.5 µg/ml). These features are beneficial to the in vitro cultivation of CECs without limiting proliferation and changing expression of ion channel and pump genes such as ATP1A1, VDAC2, and AQP1. In vivo studies by analyzing the rabbit CEC morphology and count also demonstrate that the implanted gelatin discs with the highest solid content may cause unfavorable tissue-material interactions. It is concluded that the characteristics of cross-linked porous gelatin hydrogel carriers and their triggered biological responses are in relation to biopolymer concentration

Biopolymer encapsulated live influenza virus as a universal CD8+ T cell vaccine against influenza virus.

PubMed

Boesteanu, Alina C; Babu, Nadarajan S; Wheatley, Margaret; Papazoglou, Elisabeth S; Katsikis, Peter D

2010-12-16

Current influenza virus vaccines primarily elicit antibodies and can be rendered ineffective by antigenic drift and shift. Vaccines that elicit CD8+ T cell responses targeting less variable proteins may function as universal vaccines that have broad reactivity against different influenza virus strains. To generate such a universal vaccine, we encapsulated live influenza virus in a biopolymer and delivered it to mice subcutaneously. This vaccine was safe, induced potent CD8+ T cell immunity and protected mice against heterosubtypic lethal challenge. Safety of subcutaneous (SQ) vaccination was tested in Rag-/-γc-/- double knockout mice which we show cannot control intranasal infection. Biopolymer encapsulation of live influenza virus could be used to develop universal CD8+ T cell vaccines against heterosubtypic and pandemic strains. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beyond textbook illustrations: Hand-held models of ordered DNA and protein structures as 3D supplements to enhance student learning of helical biopolymers.

PubMed

Jittivadhna, Karnyupha; Ruenwongsa, Pintip; Panijpan, Bhinyo

2010-11-01

Textbook illustrations of 3D biopolymers on printed paper, regardless of how detailed and colorful, suffer from its two-dimensionality. For beginners, computer screen display of skeletal models of biopolymers and their animation usually does not provide the at-a-glance 3D perception and details, which can be done by good hand-held models. Here, we report a study on how our students learned more from using our ordered DNA and protein models assembled from colored computer-printouts on transparency film sheets that have useful structural details. Our models (reported in BAMBED 2009), having certain distinguished features, helped our students to grasp various aspects of these biopolymers that they usually find difficult. Quantitative and qualitative learning data from this study are reported. Copyright © 2010 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Oxidation of alginate and pectate biopolymers by cerium(IV) in perchloric and sulfuric acid solutions: A comparative kinetic and mechanistic study.

PubMed

Fawzy, Ahmed

2016-03-15

The kinetics of oxidation of alginate (Alg) and pectate (Pec) carbohydrate biopolymers was studied by spectrophotometry in aqueous perchloric and sulfuric acid solutions at fixed ionic strengths and temperature. In both acids, the reactions showed a first order dependence on [Ce(IV)], whereas the orders with respect to biopolymer concentrations are less than unity. In perchloric acid, the reactions exhibited less than unit orders with respect to [H(+)] whereas those proceeded in sulfuric acid showed negative fractional-first order dependences on [H(+)]. The effect of ionic strength and dielectric constant was studied. Probable mechanistic schemes for oxidation reactions were proposed. In both acids, the final oxidation products were characterized as mono-keto derivatives of both biopolymers. The activation parameters with respect to the slow step of the mechanisms were computed and discussed. The rate laws were derived and the reaction constants involved in the different steps of the mechanisms were calculated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biophysical and biochemical characteristics of cutin, a plant barrier biopolymer.

PubMed

Heredia, Antonio

2003-03-17

Cutin is a support biopolyester involved in waterproofing the leaves and fruits of higher plants, regulating the flow of nutrients among various plant cells and organs, and minimizing the deleterious impact of pathogens. Despite the complexity and intractable nature of this biopolymer, significant progress in chemical composition, molecular architecture and, more recently, biosynthesis have been made in the past 10 years. This review is focused in the description of these advances and their physiological impacts to improve our knowledge on plant cutin, an unusual topic in most plant physiology and biochemistry books and reviews.

The Effects of Biopolymer Encapsulation on Total Lipids and Cholesterol in Egg Yolk during in Vitro Human Digestion

PubMed Central

Hur, Sun-Jin; Kim, Young-Chan; Choi, Inwook; Lee, Si-Kyung

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of biopolymer encapsulation on the digestion of total lipids and cholesterol in egg yolk using an in vitro human digestion model. Egg yolks were encapsulated with 1% cellulose, pectin, or chitosan. The samples were then passed through an in vitro human digestion model that simulated the composition of mouth saliva, stomach acid, and the intestinal juice of the small intestine by using a dialysis tubing system. The change in digestion of total lipids was monitored by confocal fluorescence microscopy. The digestion rate of total lipids and cholesterol in all egg yolk samples dramatically increased after in vitro human digestion. The digestion rate of total lipids and cholesterol in egg yolks encapsulated with chitosan or pectin was reduced compared to the digestion rate of total lipids and cholesterol in other egg yolk samples. Egg yolks encapsulated with pectin or chitosan had lower free fatty acid content, and lipid oxidation values than samples without biopolymer encapsulation. Moreover, the lipase activity decreased, after in vitro digestion, in egg yolks encapsulated with biopolymers. These results improve our understanding of the effects of digestion on total lipids and cholesterol in egg yolk within the gastrointestinal tract. PMID:23965957

Effects of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc. extract and its biopolymer encapsulation on a mouse model of colitis.

PubMed

Lee, Seung Yun; Lee, Seung-Jae; Hur, Sun Jin

2017-01-01

Prunus mume suppresses various diseases caused by inflammation response and exhibits antioxidant and free radical-scavenging activities. Therefore this study determined the effect of an aqueous P. mume (PM) extract in a mouse colitis model and investigated the value of biopolymer encapsulation, facilitating targeted delivery to the colon. Colitis was induced by administration of 30 g kg -1 dextran sulfate sodium to male BALB/c mice for 7 days prior to treatment with vehicle, 50 mg kg -1 PM extract or biopolymer-encapsulated PM extract, or 50 mg kg -1 sulfasalazine. Histological examination of the colon in BALB/c mice showed epithelial destruction and mucosal infiltration of inflammatory cells. These changes were attenuated in PM-treated mice, which had lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, cyclooxygenase 2 and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM and IgE) compared with the vehicle-treated colitis group. The PM extract showed concentration-dependent radical scavenging and superoxide dismutase-like antioxidant activities. These results indicated that the effects of the PM extract on colitis were not influenced by biopolymer encapsulation and that this PM extract could be a potential therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel disease. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Faraday Discussion 160 Introductory Lecture: Interpreting and Predicting Hofmeister Salt Ion and Solute Effects on Biopolymer and Model Processes Using the Solute Partitioning Model

PubMed Central

Record, M. Thomas; Guinn, Emily; Pegram, Laurel; Capp, Michael

2013-01-01

Understanding how Hofmeister salt ions and other solutes interact with proteins, nucleic acids, other biopolymers and water and thereby affect protein and nucleic acid processes as well as model processes (e.g solubility of model compounds) in aqueous solution is a longstanding goal of biophysical research. Empirical Hofmeister salt and solute “m-values” (derivatives of the observed standard free energy change for a model or biopolymer process with respect to solute or salt concentration m3) are equal to differences in chemical potential derivatives: m-value = Δ(dμ2/dm3) = Δμ23 which quantify the preferential interactions of the solute or salt with the surface of the biopolymer or model system (component 2) exposed or buried in the process. Using the SPM, we dissect μ23 values for interactions of a solute or Hofmeister salt with a set of model compounds displaying the key functional groups of biopolymers to obtain interaction potentials (called α-values) that quantify the interaction of the solute or salt per unit area of each functional group or type of surface. Interpreted using the SPM, these α-values provide quantitative information about both the hydration of functional groups and the competitive interaction of water and the solute or salt with functional groups. The analysis corroborates and quantifies previous proposals that the Hofmeister anion and cation series for biopolymer processes are determined by ion-specific, mostly unfavorable interactions with hydrocarbon surfaces; the balance between these unfavorable nonpolar interactions and often-favorable interactions of ions with polar functional groups determine the series null points. The placement of urea and glycine betaine (GB) at opposite ends of the corresponding series of nonelectrolytes results from the favorable interactions of urea, and unfavorable interactions of GB, with many (but not all) biopolymer functional groups. Interaction potentials and local-bulk partition coefficients

Biopolymers codelivering engineered T cells and STING agonists can eliminate heterogeneous tumors.

PubMed

Smith, Tyrel T; Moffett, Howell F; Stephan, Sirkka B; Opel, Cary F; Dumigan, Amy G; Jiang, Xiuyun; Pillarisetty, Venu G; Pillai, Smitha P S; Wittrup, K Dane; Stephan, Matthias T

2017-06-01

Therapies using T cells that are programmed to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) consistently produce positive results in patients with hematologic malignancies. However, CAR T cell treatments are less effective in solid tumors for several reasons. First, lymphocytes do not efficiently target CAR T cells; second, solid tumors create an immunosuppressive microenvironment that inactivates T cell responses; and third, solid cancers are typified by phenotypic diversity and thus include cells that do not express proteins targeted by the engineered receptors, enabling the formation of escape variants that elude CAR T cell targeting. Here, we have tested implantable biopolymer devices that deliver CAR T cells directly to the surfaces of solid tumors, thereby exposing them to high concentrations of immune cells for a substantial time period. In immunocompetent orthotopic mouse models of pancreatic cancer and melanoma, we found that CAR T cells can migrate from biopolymer scaffolds and eradicate tumors more effectively than does systemic delivery of the same cells. We have also demonstrated that codelivery of stimulator of IFN genes (STING) agonists stimulates immune responses to eliminate tumor cells that are not recognized by the adoptively transferred lymphocytes. Thus, these devices may improve the effectiveness of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors and help protect against the emergence of escape variants.

Construction of new biopolymer (chitosan)-based pincer-type Pd(II) complex and its catalytic application in Suzuki cross coupling reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baran, Talat; Menteş, Ayfer

2017-04-01

In this paper we described the fabrication, characterization and application of a new biopolymer (chitosan)-based pincer-type Pd(II) catalyst in Suzuki cross coupling reactions using a non-toxic, cheap, eco-friendly and practical method. The catalytic activity tests showed remarkable product yields as well as TON (19800) and TOF (330000) values with a small catalyst loading. In addition, the catalyst indicated good recyclability in the Suzuki C-C reaction. This biopolymer supported catalyst can be used with various catalyst systems due to its unique properties, such as being inert, green in nature, low cost and chemically durable.

Surface changes of biopolymers PHB and PLLA induced by Ar+ plasma treatment and wet etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slepičková Kasálková, N.; Slepička, P.; Sajdl, P.; Švorčík, V.

2014-08-01

Polymers, especially group of biopolymers find potential application in a wide range of disciplines due to their biodegradability. In biomedical applications these materials can be used as a scaffold or matrix. In this work, the influence of the Ar+ plasma treatment and subsequent wet etching (acetone/water) on the surface properties of polymers were studied. Two biopolymers - polyhydroxybutyrate with 8% polyhydroxyvalerate (PHB) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) were used in these experiments. Modified surface layers were analyzed by different methods. Surface wettability was characterized by determination of water contact angle. Changes in elemental composition of modified surfaces were performed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Surface morphology and roughness was examined using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Gravimetry method was used to study the mass loss. It was found that the modification from both with plasma and wet etching leads to dramatic changes of surface properties (surface chemistry, morphology and roughness). Rate of changes of these features strongly depends on the modification parameters.

Core-shell biopolymer nanoparticle delivery systems: synthesis and characterization of curcumin fortified zein-pectin nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hu, Kun; Huang, Xiaoxia; Gao, Yongqing; Huang, Xulin; Xiao, Hang; McClements, David Julian

2015-09-01

Biopolymer core-shell nanoparticles were fabricated using a hydrophobic protein (zein) as the core and a hydrophilic polysaccharide (pectin) as the shell. Particles were prepared by coating cationic zein nanoparticles with anionic pectin molecules using electrostatic deposition (pH 4). The core-shell nanoparticles were fortified with curcumin (a hydrophobic bioactive molecule) at a high loading efficiency (>86%). The resulting nanoparticles were spherical, relatively small (diameter ≈ 250 nm), and had a narrow size distribution (polydispersity index ≈ 0.24). The encapsulated curcumin was in an amorphous (rather than crystalline form) as detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectra indicated that the encapsulated curcumin interacted with zein mainly through hydrophobic interactions. The nanoparticles were converted into a powdered form that had good water-dispersibility. These core-shell biopolymer nanoparticles could be useful for incorporating curcumin into functional foods and beverages, as well as dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rapp, F., E-mail: florian.rapp@ict.fraunhofer.de, E-mail: anja.schneider@ict.fraunhofer.de; Schneider, A., E-mail: florian.rapp@ict.fraunhofer.de, E-mail: anja.schneider@ict.fraunhofer.de; Elsner, P., E-mail: peter.elsner@ict.fraunhofer.de

2014-05-15

Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO{sub 2} balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry),more » melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength)« less

Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapp, F.; Schneider, A.; Elsner, P.

2014-05-01

Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO2 balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry), melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength).

Characterizing the changes in biopolymer composition in roots of photosynthetically divergent grasses exposed to future climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suseela, V.; Tharayil, N.; Pendall, E.

2014-12-01

A majority of carbon in soil is derived from plant roots, yet roots remain remarkably less explored. Root tissues are abundant in heteropolymers such as suberin, lignin and tannins which are energetically demanding to depolymerize, thus facilitating the accrual of carbon in soil. Most biopolymers are operationally/functionally defined and their function is regulated by the identity of monomers and the linkages connecting these monomers. The structural chemistry of these biopolymers could vary with the environmental conditions experienced during their formative stage thus altering the potential for soil carbon sequestration. We examined the biopolymer composition in the roots of a C3 (Hesperostipa comata) and a C4 (Bouteloua gracilis) grass species exposed to a factorial combination of warming and elevated CO2 at the Prairie Heating and CO2 Enrichment (PHACE) experiment, Wyoming, USA. The grass roots were subjected to a sequential solvent extraction and base hydrolysis to delineate various operational fractions within the polydisperse matrix. The extracted fractions were analyzed using various chromatography mass spectrometry platforms. Warming and elevated CO2 increased the total suberin content and the amount of ω-hydroxy acids in C4 grass species while in C3 species there was a trend of increasing concentration of α,ω-dioic acids in roots exposed to elevated CO2 compared to ambient CO2 treatment. Our results highlight the effect of warming and elevated CO2 on the chemical composition of heteropolymers in roots that may potentially alter root function and rate of decomposition leading to changes in soil carbon in a future warmer world.

Quercetin as natural stabilizing agent for bio-polymer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morici, Elisabetta; Arrigo, Rossella; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova

The introduction of antioxidants in polymers is the main way to prevent or delay the degradation process. In particular natural antioxidants receive attention in the food industry also because of their presumed safety. In this work bio-polymers, i.e. a commercial starch-based polymer (Mater-Bi®) and a bio-polyester (PLA), and a bio-polyether (PEO) were additivated with quercetin, a natural flavonoid antioxidants, in order to formulate bio-based films for ecosustainable packaging and outdoor applications. The photo-oxidation behavior of unstabilized and quercetin stabilized films was analyzed and compared with the behavior of films additivated with a commercial synthetic light stabilizer. The quercetin is ablemore » to slow down the photo-degradation rate of all bio-polymeric films investigated in similar way to the synthetic stabilizer.« less

Quercetin as natural stabilizing agent for bio-polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morici, Elisabetta; Arrigo, Rossella; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova

2014-05-01

The introduction of antioxidants in polymers is the main way to prevent or delay the degradation process. In particular natural antioxidants receive attention in the food industry also because of their presumed safety. In this work bio-polymers, i.e. a commercial starch-based polymer (Mater-Bi®) and a bio-polyester (PLA), and a bio-polyether (PEO) were additivated with quercetin, a natural flavonoid antioxidants, in order to formulate bio-based films for ecosustainable packaging and outdoor applications. The photo-oxidation behavior of unstabilized and quercetin stabilized films was analyzed and compared with the behavior of films additivated with a commercial synthetic light stabilizer. The quercetin is able to slow down the photo-degradation rate of all bio-polymeric films investigated in similar way to the synthetic stabilizer.

Is there a field-theoretic explanation for precursor biopolymers?

PubMed

Rosen, Gerald

2002-08-01

A Hu-Barkana-Gruzinov cold dark matter scalar field phi may enter a weak isospin invariant derivative interaction that causes the flow of right-handed electrons to align parallel to (inverted delta phi). Hence, in the outer regions of galaxies where (inverted delta phi) is large, as in galactic halos, the derivative interaction may induce a chirality-imbued quantum chemistry. Such a chirality-imbued chemistry would in turn be conducive to the formation of abundant precursor biopolymers on interstellar dust grains, comets and meteors in galactic halo regions, with subsequent delivery to planets in the inner galactic regions where phi and (inverted delta phi) are concomitantly near zero and left-right symmetric terrestrial quantum chemistry prevails.

Interfacial behaviour of biopolymer multilayers: Influence of in vitro digestive conditions.

PubMed

Corstens, Meinou N; Osorio Caltenco, Lilia A; de Vries, Renko; Schroën, Karin; Berton-Carabin, Claire C

2017-05-01

Although multilayered emulsions have been related to reduced lipolysis, the involved interfacial phenomena have never been studied directly. In this work, we systematically built multilayers of whey protein and pectin, which we further subjected to digestive conditions, using two different techniques: droplet volume tensiometry to investigate interfacial rheology, and reflectometry to determine the amount of adsorbed material. Interfacial tension and dilatational rheology were linked to adsorption/desorption kinetics measured under static in vitro conditions. The interfacial tension and rheology of the multilayers was rather similar to those found for single whey protein layers, as well as their resistance to duodenal conditions and lipolytic components, which is explained by the rapid destabilisation of multilayers at neutral pH. Sequential adsorption of bile extract or lipase to pre-adsorbed films rapidly lowered the interfacial tension via co-adsorption and displacement, forming a viscoelastic film with low mechanical strength, and highly dynamic adsorption/desorption. When both were present, bile salts dominated the initial adsorption, followed by lipase co-adsorption and formation of lipolysis products that further lowered the interfacial tension, forming a complex interface (including biopolymers, bile salts, lipase, and lipolysis products), independent of pre-adsorbed biopolymer layers. Our study shows that the combination of drop volume tensiometry and reflectometry can be used to study complex interfacial behaviours under digestive conditions, which can lead to smart design of interfacial structures for controlled lipolysis in food emulsions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient global biopolymer sampling with end-transfer configurational bias Monte Carlo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arya, Gaurav; Schlick, Tamar

2007-01-01

We develop an "end-transfer configurational bias Monte Carlo" method for efficient thermodynamic sampling of complex biopolymers and assess its performance on a mesoscale model of chromatin (oligonucleosome) at different salt conditions compared to other Monte Carlo moves. Our method extends traditional configurational bias by deleting a repeating motif (monomer) from one end of the biopolymer and regrowing it at the opposite end using the standard Rosenbluth scheme. The method's sampling efficiency compared to local moves, pivot rotations, and standard configurational bias is assessed by parameters relating to translational, rotational, and internal degrees of freedom of the oligonucleosome. Our results show that the end-transfer method is superior in sampling every degree of freedom of the oligonucleosomes over other methods at high salt concentrations (weak electrostatics) but worse than the pivot rotations in terms of sampling internal and rotational sampling at low-to-moderate salt concentrations (strong electrostatics). Under all conditions investigated, however, the end-transfer method is several orders of magnitude more efficient than the standard configurational bias approach. This is because the characteristic sampling time of the innermost oligonucleosome motif scales quadratically with the length of the oligonucleosomes for the end-transfer method while it scales exponentially for the traditional configurational-bias method. Thus, the method we propose can significantly improve performance for global biomolecular applications, especially in condensed systems with weak nonbonded interactions and may be combined with local enhancements to improve local sampling.

Natural Minerals Coated by Biopolymer Chitosan: Synthesis, Physicochemical, and Adsorption Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budnyak, T. M.; Yanovska, E. S.; Kichkiruk, O. Yu.; Sternik, D.; Tertykh, V. A.

2016-11-01

Natural minerals are widely used in treatment technologies as mineral fertilizer, food additive in animal husbandry, and cosmetics because they combine valuable ion-exchanging and adsorption properties together with unique physicochemical and medical properties. Saponite (saponite clay) of the Ukrainian Podillya refers to the class of bentonites, a subclass of layered magnesium silicate montmorillonite. Clinoptilolits are aluminosilicates with carcase structure. In our work, we have coated biopolymer chitosan on the surfaces of natural minerals of Ukrainian origin — Podilsky saponite and Sokyrnitsky clinoptilolite. Chitosan mineral composites have been obtained by crosslinking of adsorbed biopolymer on saponite and clinoptilolite surface with glutaraldehyde. The obtained composites have been characterized by the physicochemical methods such as thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyses (DTA, DTG, TG), differential scanning calorimetry, mass analysis, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine possible interactions between the silica and chitosan molecule. The adsorption of microquantities of cations Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Cd(II), and Pb(II) by the obtained composites and the initial natural minerals has been studied from aqueous solutions. The sorption capacities and kinetic adsorption characteristics of the adsorbents were estimated. It was found that the obtained results have shown that the ability of chitosan to coordinate heavy metal ions Zn(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Fe(III) is less or equal to the ability to retain ions of these metals in the pores of minerals without forming chemical bonds.

Rotational molding of bio-polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greco, Antonio; Maffezzoli, Alfonso; Forleo, Stefania

2014-05-01

This paper is aimed to study the suitability of bio-polymers, including poly-lactic acid (PLLA) and Mater-Bi, for the production of hollow components by rotational molding. In order to reduce the brittleness of PLLA, the material was mixed with two different plasticizers, bis-ethyl-hexyl-phthalate (DEHP) and poly-ethylene-glycol (PEG). The materials were characterized in terms of sinterability. To this purpose, thermomechanical (TMA) analysis was performed at different heating rates, in order to identify the endset temperatures of densification and the onset temperatures of degradation. Results obtained indicated that the materials are characterized by a very fast sintering process, occurring just above the melting temperature, and an adequately high onset of degradation. The difference between the onset of degradation and the endset of sintering, defined as the processing window of the polymer, is sufficiently wide, indicating that the polymers can be efficiently processed by rotational molding. Therefore, a laboratory scale apparatus was used for the production of PLLA and Mater-Bi prototypes. The materials were processed using very similar conditions to those used for LLDPE. The production of void-free samples of uniform wall thickness was considered as an indication of the potentiality of the process for the production of biodegradable containers.

Effect of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as biopolymers to the edible film sorghum starch hydrophobicity characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putri, Rr. Dewi Artanti; Setiawan, Aji; Anggraini, Puji D.

2017-03-01

The use of synthetic plastic should be limited because it causes the plastic waste that can not be decomposed quickly, triggering environmental problems. The solution of the plastic usage is the use of biodegradable plastic as packaging which is environmentally friendly. Synthesis of edible film can be done with a variety of components. The component mixture of starch and cellulose derivative products are one of the methods for making edible film. Sorghum is a species of cereal crops containing starch amounted to 80.42%, where the use of sorghum in Indonesia merely fodder. Therefore, sorghum is a potential material to be used as a source of starch synthesis edible film. This research aims to study the characteristics of edible starch films Sorghum and assess the effect of CMC (Carboxymethyl Cellulose) as additional materials on the characteristics of biopolymers edible film produced sorghum starch. This study is started with the production of sorghum starch, then the film synthesizing with addition of CMC (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% w/w starch), and finally the hydrophobicity characteristics test (water uptake test and water solubility test). The addition of CMC will decrease the percentage of water absorption to the film with lowest level of 65.8% in the degree of CMC in 25% (w/w starch). The addition of CMC also influences the water solubility of film, where in the degree of 25% CMC (w/w starch) the solubility of water was the lowest, which was 28.2% TSM.

Biopolymers codelivering engineered T cells and STING agonists can eliminate heterogeneous tumors

PubMed Central

Smith, Tyrel T.; Moffett, Howell F.; Stephan, Sirkka B.; Opel, Cary F.; Dumigan, Amy G.; Jiang, Xiuyun; Pillarisetty, Venu G.; Pillai, Smitha P. S.; Wittrup, K. Dane; Stephan, Matthias T.

2017-01-01

Therapies using T cells that are programmed to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) consistently produce positive results in patients with hematologic malignancies. However, CAR T cell treatments are less effective in solid tumors for several reasons. First, lymphocytes do not efficiently target CAR T cells; second, solid tumors create an immunosuppressive microenvironment that inactivates T cell responses; and third, solid cancers are typified by phenotypic diversity and thus include cells that do not express proteins targeted by the engineered receptors, enabling the formation of escape variants that elude CAR T cell targeting. Here, we have tested implantable biopolymer devices that deliver CAR T cells directly to the surfaces of solid tumors, thereby exposing them to high concentrations of immune cells for a substantial time period. In immunocompetent orthotopic mouse models of pancreatic cancer and melanoma, we found that CAR T cells can migrate from biopolymer scaffolds and eradicate tumors more effectively than does systemic delivery of the same cells. We have also demonstrated that codelivery of stimulator of IFN genes (STING) agonists stimulates immune responses to eliminate tumor cells that are not recognized by the adoptively transferred lymphocytes. Thus, these devices may improve the effectiveness of CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors and help protect against the emergence of escape variants. PMID:28436934

`Reverse Chemical Evolution': A New Method to Search for Thermally Stable Biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsuzawa, Shigenobu; Yukawa, Tetsuyuki

2003-04-01

The primitive sea on Earth may have had high-temperature and high-pressure conditions similar to those in present-day hydrothermal environments. If life originated in the hot sea, thermal stability of the constituent molecules would have been necessary. Thus far, however, it has been reported that biopolymers hydrolyze too rapidly to support life at temperatures of more than 200 °C. We herein propose a novel approach, called reverse chemical evolution, to search for biopolymers notably more stable against thermal decomposition than previously reported. The essence of the approach is that hydrolysis of a protein or functional RNA (m-, t-, r-RNA) at high temperature and high pressure simulating the ancient sea environment may yield thermally stable peptides or RNAs at higher concentrations than other peptides or RNAs. An experimental test hydrolyzing bovine ribonuclease A in aqueous solution at 205 °C and 25 MPa yielded three prominently stable molecules weighing 859, 1030 and 695 Da. They are thermally some tens or hundreds times more stable than a polyglycine of comparable mass. Sequence analyses of the 859- and 1030-Da molecules revealed that they are a heptapeptide and its homologue, respectively, elongated by two amino acids at the N-terminal region, originally embedded as residues 112-120 in the protein. They consist mainly of hydrophobic amino acids.

Metrologically Traceable Determination of the Water Content in Biopolymers: INRiM Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rolle, F.; Beltramino, G.; Fernicola, V.; Sega, M.; Verdoja, A.

2017-03-01

Water content in materials is a key factor affecting many chemical and physical properties. In polymers of biological origin, it influences their stability and mechanical properties as well as their biodegradability. The present work describes the activity carried out at INRiM on the determination of water content in samples of a commercial starch-derived biopolymer widely used in shopping bags (Mater-Bi^{circledR }). Its water content, together with temperature, is the most influencing parameter affecting its biodegradability, because of the considerable impact on the microbial activity which is responsible for the biopolymer degradation in the environment. The main scope of the work was the establishment of a metrologically traceable procedure for the determination of water content by using two electrochemical methods, namely coulometric Karl Fischer (cKF) titration and evolved water vapour (EWV) analysis. The obtained results are presented. The most significant operational parameters were considered, and a particular attention was devoted to the establishment of metrological traceability of the measurement results by using appropriate calibration procedures, calibrated standards and suitable certified reference materials. Sample homogeneity and oven-drying temperature were found to be the most important influence quantities in the whole water content measurement process. The results of the two methods were in agreement within the stated uncertainties. Further development is foreseen for the application of cKF and EWV to other polymers.

Viscoplastic fracture transition of a biopolymer gel.

PubMed

Frieberg, Bradley R; Garatsa, Ray-Shimry; Jones, Ronald L; Bachert, John O; Crawshaw, Benjamin; Liu, X Michael; Chan, Edwin P

2018-06-13

Physical gels are swollen polymer networks consisting of transient crosslink junctions associated with hydrogen or ionic bonds. Unlike covalently crosslinked gels, these physical crosslinks are reversible thus enabling these materials to display highly tunable and dynamic mechanical properties. In this work, we study the polymer composition effects on the fracture behavior of a gelatin gel, which is a thermoreversible biopolymer gel consisting of denatured collagen chains bridging physical network junctions formed from triple helices. Below the critical volume fraction for chain entanglement, which we confirm via neutron scattering measurements, we find that the fracture behavior is consistent with a viscoplastic type process characterized by hydrodynamic friction of individual polymer chains through the polymer mesh to show that the enhancement in fracture scales inversely with the squared of the mesh size of the gelatin gel network. Above this critical volume fraction, the fracture process can be described by the Lake-Thomas theory that considers fracture as a chain scission process due to chain entanglements.

Effects of xanthan, guar, carrageenan and locust bean gum addition on physical, chemical and sensory properties of meatballs.

PubMed

Demirci, Zeynep Ozben; Yılmaz, Ismail; Demirci, Ahmet Şukru

2014-05-01

This study evaluated the effects of xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan and locust bean gum on physical, chemical and sensory properties of meatballs. Meatball samples were produced with three different formulations including of 0.5, 1, and 1.5% each gum addition and gum added samples were compared with the control meatballs. Physical and chemical analyses were carried out on raw and cooked samples separately. Moisture contents of raw samples decreased by addition of gums. There were significant decreases (p < 0.05) in moisture and fat contents of raw and cooked meatball samples formulated with gum when compared with control. Ash contents and texture values increased with gum addition to meatballs. Meatball redness decreased with more gum addition in raw and cooked meatball samples, which means that addition of gums resulted in a lighter-coloured product. According to sensory analysis results, locust bean gum added (1%) samples were much preferred by the panelists.

Layer-by-layer assembled biopolymer microcapsule with separate layer cavities generated by gas-liquid microfluidic approach.

PubMed

Wang, Yifeng; Zhou, Jing; Guo, Xuecheng; Hu, Qian; Qin, Chaoran; Liu, Hui; Dong, Meng; Chen, Yanjun

2017-12-01

In this work, a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled biopolymer microcapsule with separate layer cavities is generated by a novel and convenient gas-liquid microfluidic approach. This approach exhibits combined advantages of microfluidic approach and LbL assembly method, and it can straightforwardly build LbL-assembled capsules in mild aqueous environments at room temperature. In particular, using this approach we can build the polyelectrolyte multilayer capsule with favorable cavities in each layer, and without the need for organic solvent, emulsifying agent, or sacrificial template. Various components (e.g., drugs, proteins, fluorescent dyes, and nanoparticles) can be respectively encapsulated in the separate layer cavities of the LbL-assembled capsules. Moreover, the encapsulated capsules present the ability as colorimetric sensors, and they also exhibit the interesting release behavior. Therefore, the LbL-assembled biopolymer capsule is a promising candidate for biomedical applications in targeted delivery, controlled release, and bio-detection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Importance of coccolithophore-associated organic biopolymers for fractionating particle-reactive radionuclides (234Th, 233Pa, 210Pb, 210Po, and 7Be) in the ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Peng; Xu, Chen; Zhang, Saijin; Sun, Luni; Schwehr, Kathleen A.; Bretherton, Laura; Quigg, Antonietta; Santschi, Peter H.

2017-08-01

Laboratory incubation experiments using the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi were conducted in the presence of 234Th, 233Pa, 210Pb, 210Po, and 7Be to differentiate radionuclide uptake to the CaCO3 coccosphere from coccolithophore-associated biopolymers. The coccosphere (biogenic calcite exterior and its associated biopolymers), extracellular (nonattached and attached exopolymeric substances), and intracellular (sodium-dodecyl-sulfate extractable and Fe-Mn-associated metabolites) fractions were obtained by sequentially extraction after E. huxleyi reached its stationary growth phase. Radionuclide partitioning and the composition of different organic compound classes, including proteins, total carbohydrates (TCHO), and uronic acids (URA), were assessed. 210Po was closely associated with the more hydrophobic biopolymers (high protein/TCHO ratio, e.g., in attached exopolymeric substances), while 234Th and 233Pa showed similar partitioning behavior with most activity being distributed in URA-enriched, nonattached exopolymeric substances and intracellular biopolymers. 234Th and 233Pa were nearly undetectable in the coccosphere, with a minor abundance of organic components in the associated biopolymers. These findings provide solid evidence that biogenic calcite is not the actual main carrier phase for Th and Pa isotopes in the ocean. In contrast, both 210Pb and 7Be were found to be mostly concentrated in the CaCO3 coccosphere, likely substituting for Ca2+ during coccolith formation. Our results demonstrate that even small cells (E. huxleyi) can play an important role in the scavenging and fractionation of radionuclides. Furthermore, the distinct partitioning behavior of radionuclides in diatoms (previous studies) and coccolithophores (present study) explains the difference in the scavenging of radionuclides between diatom- and coccolithophore-dominated marine environments.

Novel synthesis and characterization of a collagen-based biopolymer initiated by hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

PubMed

Bhuiyan, D; Jablonsky, M J; Kolesov, I; Middleton, J; Wick, T M; Tannenbaum, R

2015-03-01

In this study, we developed a novel synthesis method to create a complex collagen-based biopolymer that promises to possess the necessary material properties for a bone graft substitute. The synthesis was carried out in several steps. In the first step, a ring-opening polymerization reaction initiated by hydroxyapatite nanoparticles was used to polymerize d,l-lactide and glycolide monomers to form poly(lactide-co-glycolide) co-polymer. In the second step, the polymerization product was coupled with succinic anhydride, and subsequently was reacted with N-hydroxysuccinimide in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as the cross-linking agent, in order to activate the co-polymer for collagen attachment. In the third and final step, the activated co-polymer was attached to calf skin collagen type I, in hydrochloric acid/phosphate buffer solution and the precipitated co-polymer with attached collagen was isolated. The synthesis was monitored by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared and Raman spectroscopies, and the products after each step were characterized by thermal and mechanical analysis. Calculations of the relative amounts of the various components, coupled with initial dynamic mechanical analysis testing of the resulting biopolymer, afforded a preliminary assessment of the structure of the complex biomaterial formed by this novel polymerization process. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Woody Plant Invasion of Grassland: Lignin and Aliphatic Biopolymer Chemistry and Carbon Isotope Composition in Physical Fractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamblin, D.; Boutton, T.; Liao, J.; Jastrow, J.; Filley, T.

2003-12-01

Significant changes in the apportionment of organic carbon in grassland and savanna soils have been document as a result of woody plant encroachment. In the Rio Grande Plains of Texas, C4 grasslands (d13C = -14 0/00) have undergone succession to trees and shrubs of a subtropical thorn woodland (d13C = -27 0/00) over the past 150 y which has resulted in increased soil organic carbon storage. Large differences in the turnover times of physical fractions in this system indicate selective preservation mechanisms which may include physical protection or inherent biochemical recalcitrance. To elucidate mechanisms of SOC sequestration during woody plant succession in this system, we are investigating the chemistry and compound-specific stable carbon isotope composition of lignin and aliphatic biopolymers in specific physical (size, density) soil fractions within a chronosequence that includes remnant grasslands (Time 0) and woody plant stands ranging in age from 10-130 y. The soil fraction data is being compared to biopolymer and isotope chemistry of the root, stem and/or leaf tissue of 20 of the dominant genus of plants in the system. Lignin phenols and suberin and cutin-derived hydroxyfatty acids are being isolated using alkaline CuO oxidation and tetramethylammonium hydroxide thermochemolysis. A comparison of the macroaggregate (greater than 250 um), microaggregate (53-250 um), and free silt and clay fractions in the oldest stand indicates that lignin is the most concentrated (organic carbon normalized values) in macroaggregates and is significantly less degraded, as determined by relative yields of oxidized and reduced lignin phenols. Additionally, the intra-aggregate silt and clay fraction from the macroaggregates contains less than half of the organic carbon normalized lignin phenols and is relatively more oxidized than what is found in the total macroaggregate pool. From these preliminary results it appears that the bulk macroaggregate pool contains the least

The Rheological Properties of the Biopolymers in Synovial Fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, Wendy E.; Klossner, Rebecca R.; Wetsch, Julie; Oates, Katherine M. N.; Colby, Ralph H.

2005-03-01

The polyelectrolyte hyaluronic acid (HA, hyaluronan), its interactions with anti-inflammatory drugs and other biopolymers, and its role in synovial fluid are being studied. We are investigating the rheological properties of sodium hyaluronate (NaHA) solutions and an experimental model of synovial fluid (comprised of NaHA, and the plasma proteins albumin and γ-globulins). Steady shear measurements on bovine synovial fluid and the synovial fluid model indicate that the fluids are highly viscoeleastic and rheopectic (stress increases with time under steady shear). In addition, the influence of anti-inflammatory agents on these solutions is being explored. Initial results indicate that D-penicillamine and hydroxychloroquine affect the rheology of the synovial fluid model and its components. The potential implications of these results will be discussed.

Aliphatic and aromatic plant biopolymer dynamics in soil particles isolated from sequential density fractionation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldwell, B.; Filley, T.; Sollins, P.; Lajtha, K.; Swanston, C.; Kleber, M.; Kramer, M.

2007-12-01

A recent multi-layer-based soil organic matter-mineral interaction mechanistic model to describe the nature of soil organic matter-mineral surface mechanism for soil organic matter stabilization predicts that proteinaceous and aliphatic materials establish the core of strong binding-interactions upon which other organic matter is layered. A key methodology providing data underpinning this hypothesis is sequential density fractionation where soil is partitioned into particles of increasing density with the assumption that a partial control on organic matter distribution through density series is the thickness of its layering. Four soils of varying mineralogy and texture were investigated for their biopolymer, isotopic, and mineralogical properties. Light fractions (<1.8 g/cm3), although dominanted by organic detritus, did not always contain the highest concentration of lignin and substituted fatty acids from cutin and suberin while heavier fractions, 1.8-2.6 g/cm3, exhibited a progressive decrease in concentration in plant derived biopolymers with density. Extractable lignin phenols exhibited a progressive oxidation state with density. The concentration of biopolymers roughly mirrored the C:N ratio of soil particles which dropped consistently with increasing particle density. Although, in all soils, both lignin phenols and SFA concentration generally decreased with increasing density the ratio SFA/lignin varied with density and depending upon the soil. All soils, except the oxisol, exhibited an increase in SFA with respect to lignin suggesting a selective stabilization of those material with respect to lignin. In the oxisol, which showed little variation in its hematite dominated mineralogy across density, SFA/lignin remained constant, potentially indicating a greater capacity to stabilize lignin in that system. Interestingly, the lignin oxidation state increased with density in the oxisol. Given the variation in soil character, the consistency in these trends it

Glycerine and levulinic acid: renewable co-substrates for the fermentative synthesis of short-chain poly(hydroxyalkanoate) biopolymers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Glycerine and levulinic acid were used alone and in combination for the fermentative synthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB/V) biopolymers. Shake-flask cultures of Pseudomonas oleovorans NRRL B-14682 containing different glycerine:levulinic acid ratios (1%, w/v total carbon ...

Constitutive modelling of composite biopolymer networks.

PubMed

Fallqvist, B; Kroon, M

2016-04-21

The mechanical behaviour of biopolymer networks is to a large extent determined at a microstructural level where the characteristics of individual filaments and the interactions between them determine the response at a macroscopic level. Phenomena such as viscoelasticity and strain-hardening followed by strain-softening are observed experimentally in these networks, often due to microstructural changes (such as filament sliding, rupture and cross-link debonding). Further, composite structures can also be formed with vastly different mechanical properties as compared to the individual networks. In this present paper, we present a constitutive model presented in a continuum framework aimed at capturing these effects. Special care is taken to formulate thermodynamically consistent evolution laws for dissipative effects. This model, incorporating possible anisotropic network properties, is based on a strain energy function, split into an isochoric and a volumetric part. Generalisation to three dimensions is performed by numerical integration over the unit sphere. Model predictions indicate that the constitutive model is well able to predict the elastic and viscoelastic response of biological networks, and to an extent also composite structures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic cell culture on porous biopolymer microcarriers in a spinner flask for bone tissue engineering: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Jin, Guang-Zhen; Park, Jeong-Hui; Seo, Seog-Jin; Kim, Hae-Won

2014-07-01

Porous microspherical carriers have great promise for cell culture and tissue engineering. Dynamic cultures enable more uniform cell population and effective differentiation than static cultures. Here we applied dynamic spinner flask culture for the loading and multiplication of cells onto porous biopolymer microcarriers. The abilities of the microcarriers to populate cells and to induce osteogenic differentiation were examined and the feasibility of in vivo delivery of the constructs was addressed. Over time, the porous microcarriers enabled cell adhesion and expansion under proper dynamic culture conditions. Osteogenic markers were substantially expressed by the dynamic cell cultures. The cell-cultured microcarriers implanted in the mouse subcutaneous tissue for 4 weeks showed excellent tissue compatibility, with minimal inflammatory signs and significant induction of bone tissues. This first report on dynamic culture of porous biopolymer microcarriers providing an effective tool for bone tissue engineering.

Highly hydrophobic biopolymers prepared by the surface pentafluorobenzoylation of cellulose substrates.

PubMed

Cunha, Ana G; Freire, Carmen S R; Silvestre, Armando J D; Pascoal Neto, Carlos; Gandini, Alessandro; Orblin, Elina; Fardim, Pedro

2007-04-01

New highly hydrophobic/lipophobic biopolymers were prepared by the controlled heterogeneous pentafluorobenzoylation of cellulose substrates, i.e., plant and bacterial cellulose fibers. The characterization of the modified fibers was performed by elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and surface analysis (XPS, ToF-SIMS, and contact angle measurements). The degree of substitution of the ensuing pentafluorobenzoylated fibers ranged from 0.014 to 0.39. The hydrolytic stability of these perfluorinated cellulose derivatives was also evaluated and showed that they were quite water stable, although of course the fluorinated moieties could readily be removed by hydrolysis in an aqueous alkaline medium.

Invited review nonmulberry silk biopolymers.

PubMed

Kundu, S C; Kundu, Banani; Talukdar, Sarmistha; Bano, Subia; Nayak, Sunita; Kundu, Joydip; Mandal, Biman B; Bhardwaj, Nandana; Botlagunta, Mahendran; Dash, Biraja C; Acharya, Chitrangada; Ghosh, Ananta K

2012-06-01

The silk produced by silkworms are biopolymers and can be classified into two types--mulberry and nonmulberry. Mulberry silk of silkworm Bombyx mori has been extensively explored and used for century old textiles and sutures. But for the last few decades it is being extensively exploited for biomedical applications. However, the transformation of nonmulberry silk from being a textile commodity to biomaterials is relatively new. Within a very short period of time, the combination of load bearing capability and tensile strength of nonmulberry silk has been equally envisioned for bone, cartilage, adipose, and other tissue regeneration. Adding to its advantage is its diverse morphology, including macro to nano architectures with controllable degradation and biocompatibility yields novel natural material systems in vitro. Its follow on applications involve sustained release of model compounds and anticancer drugs. Its 3D cancer models provide compatible microenvironment systems for better understanding of the cancer progression mechanism and screening of anticancer compounds. Diversely designed nonmulberry matrices thus provide an array of new cutting age technologies, which is unattainable with the current synthetic materials that lack biodegradability and biocompatibility. Scientific exploration of nonmulberry silk in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and biotechnological applications promises advancement of sericulture industries in India and China, largest nonmulberry silk producers of the world. This review discusses the prospective biomedical applications of nonmulberry silk proteins as natural biomaterials. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fabrication, functionalization, and application of electrospun biopolymer nanofibers.

PubMed

Kriegel, Christina; Arecchi, Alessandra; Arrechi, Alessandra; Kit, Kevin; McClements, D J; Weiss, Jochen

2008-09-01

-fiber manufacturing with a particular emphasis on the use of biopolymers. We will review typical fabrication set-ups, discuss the influence of process conditions on nanofiber properties, and then review previous studies that describe the production of biopolymer-based nanofibers. Finally we briefly discuss emerging methods to further functionalize fibers and discuss potential applications in the area of food science and technology.

The enhanced stability and biodegradation of dispersed crude oil droplets by Xanthan Gum as an additive of chemical dispersant.

PubMed

Wang, Aiqin; Li, Yiming; Yang, Xiaolong; Bao, Mutai; Cheng, Hua

2017-05-15

It is necessary for chemical dispersant to disperse oil effectively and maintain the stability of oil droplets. In this work, Xanthan Gum (XG) was used as an environmentally friendly additive in oil dispersant formulation to enhance the stability and biodegradation of dispersed crude oil droplets. When XG was used together with chemical dispersant 9500A, the dispersion effectiveness of crude oil in artificial sea water (ASW) and the oil droplet stability were both greatly enhanced. In the presence of XG, lower concentration of 9500A was needed to achieve the effective dispersion and stabilization. In addition to the enhancement of dispersion and stabilization, it was found that the biodegradation rate of crude oil by bacteria was dramatically enhanced when a mixture of 9500A and XG was used as a dispersant. Because of the low environmental impact of XG, this would be a potential way to formulate the dispersant with lower toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of immobilization conditions on the properties of β-galactosidase immobilized in xanthan/chitosan multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yovcheva, T.; Vasileva, T.; Viraneva, A.; Cholev, D.; Bodurov, I.; Marudova, M.; Bivolarski, V.; Iliev, I.

2017-01-01

The effect of lactose concentration on the activity of the immobilised enzyme β-galactosidase from Aspergillus niger has been evaluated, considering future applications for the production of galactooligosaccahrides with prebiotic potential. The following enzyme was immobilized in xanthan and chitosan polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) deposited by dip coating method on polylactic acid positively corona charged pads. The pads were charged in a corona discharge system, consisting of a corona electrode (needle), a grounded plate, and a metal grid placed between them. Positive 5 kV voltage was applied to the corona electrode. 1 kV voltage of the same polarity as that of the corona electrode was applied to the grid. The chitosan layers were crosslinked with sodium tripolyphosphate (Na-TPP). The enzyme showed a temperature optimum at 50 °C and a pH optimum at 5.0. The immobilization was carried out over the different adsorption time and optimum conditions were determined. These results give insights for further optimization of transgalactosydase reactions in order to produce galactooligosaccharides with specific structure and having pronounced better prebiotic properties. For the determination of the surface morphology of the investigated samples an atomic force microscope was used and root mean square roughness was obtained.

The stability and degradation kinetics of Sulforaphene in microcapsules based on several biopolymers via spray drying.

PubMed

Tian, Guifang; Li, Yuan; Yuan, Qipeng; Cheng, Li; Kuang, Pengqun; Tang, Pingwah

2015-05-20

Sulforaphene (SFE) was extracted from the radish seeds and the purity of SFE extracted by our laboratory was 95%. It is well known that SFE can prevent cancers. It is also known that SFE is unstable to heat. To overcome the problem, SFE microcapsules using natural biopolymers were prepared by spray drying. The results indicated that SFE microcapsules using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), maltodextrin (MD) and isolated soybean protein (SPI) as wall materials could effectively improve its stability against heat, especially SFE-loaded HP-β-CD and MD microcapsules. The amount of SFE in the microcapsules was found 20% higher than that of the non-encapsulated SFE under 90 °C in 168 h. Our finding suggested that the rate of degradation of the non-encapsulated and encapsulated SFE with HP-β-CD, MD and SPI followed the first-order kinetics. The speed of the degradation of the encapsulated SFE in biopolymers increased from SFE with HP-β-CD, to SFE with MD, and to SFE-SPI. The non-encapsulated SFE degrades fastest. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of γ-irradiation on the physical and mechanical properties of kefiran biopolymer film.

PubMed

Shahabi-Ghahfarrokhi, Iman; Khodaiyan, Faramarz; Mousavi, Mohammad; Yousefi, Hossein

2015-03-01

In this study, the effect of different γ-ray dosages (3, 6, and 9 kGy) on the functional properties of kefiran biopolymer was investigated. The obtained results showed that increasing γ-ray dosage brought about an increase in the tensile strength of film specimens up to three-times. However, elongation at break, and tensile energy to break of γ-irradiated kefiran films decreased in the wake of increasing γ-ray dosage. γ-Irradiation could improve surface hydrophobicity, sensitivity of kefiran film specimens to water, and water vapor permeability, but yellowness of films increased, simultaneously. XRD spectrum confirmed increased crystallinity of γ-irradiated films. Melting point of films was constant but glass transition temperature decreased drastically at high γ-ray dosage (9 kGy). ATR-FTIR analysis confirmed that γ-ray engendered no changes in chemical functional groups. According to the result, a mechanism was proposed to percept the effects of γ-irradiation on kefiran biopolymer and its role on the functional properties of kefiran film. Hence, the functional properties of kefiran films were depend on the ratio of cross-linkages between polymer chains and produced mono and disaccharide by γ-irradiation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Weak temporal signals can synchronize and accelerate the transition dynamics of biopolymers under tension.

PubMed

Kim, Won Kyu; Hyeon, Changbong; Sung, Wokyung

2012-09-04

In addition to thermal noise, which is essential to promote conformational transitions in biopolymers, the cellular environment is replete with a spectrum of athermal fluctuations that are produced from a plethora of active processes. To understand the effect of athermal noise on biological processes, we studied how a small oscillatory force affects the thermally induced folding and unfolding transition of an RNA hairpin, whose response to constant tension had been investigated extensively in both theory and experiments. Strikingly, our molecular simulations performed under overdamped condition show that even at a high (low) tension that renders the hairpin (un)folding improbable, a weak external oscillatory force at a certain frequency can synchronously enhance the transition dynamics of RNA hairpin and increase the mean transition rate. Furthermore, the RNA dynamics can still discriminate a signal with resonance frequency even when the signal is mixed among other signals with nonresonant frequencies. In fact, our computational demonstration of thermally induced resonance in RNA hairpin dynamics is a direct realization of the phenomena called stochastic resonance and resonant activation. Our study, amenable to experimental tests using optical tweezers, is of great significance to the folding of biopolymers in vivo that are subject to the broad spectrum of cellular noises.

Active biopolymers in green non-conventional media: a sustainable tool for developing clean chemical processes.

PubMed

Lozano, Pedro; Bernal, Juana M; Nieto, Susana; Gomez, Celia; Garcia-Verdugo, Eduardo; Luis, Santiago V

2015-12-21

The greenness of chemical processes turns around two main axes: the selectivity of catalytic transformations, and the separation of pure products. The transfer of the exquisite catalytic efficiency shown by enzymes in nature to chemical processes is an important challenge. By using appropriate reaction systems, the combination of biopolymers with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) and ionic liquids (ILs) resulted in synergetic and outstanding platforms for developing (multi)catalytic green chemical processes, even under flow conditions. The stabilization of biocatalysts, together with the design of straightforward approaches for separation of pure products including the full recovery and reuse of enzymes/ILs systems, are essential elements for developing clean chemical processes. By understanding structure-function relationships of biopolymers in ILs, as well as for ILs themselves (e.g. sponge-like ionic liquids, SLILs; supported ionic liquids-like phases, SILLPs, etc.), several integral green chemical processes of (bio)catalytic transformation and pure product separation are pointed out (e.g. the biocatalytic production of biodiesel in SLILs, etc.). Other developments based on DNA/ILs systems, as pathfinder studies for further technological applications in the near future, are also considered.

Chemical composition and molecular structure of polysaccharide-protein biopolymer from Durio zibethinus seed: extraction and purification process

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The biological functions of natural biopolymers from plant sources depend on their chemical composition and molecular structure. In addition, the extraction and further processing conditions significantly influence the chemical and molecular structure of the plant biopolymer. The main objective of the present study was to characterize the chemical and molecular structure of a natural biopolymer from Durio zibethinus seed. A size-exclusion chromatography coupled to multi angle laser light-scattering (SEC-MALS) was applied to analyze the molecular weight (Mw), number average molecular weight (Mn), and polydispersity index (Mw/Mn). Results The most abundant monosaccharide in the carbohydrate composition of durian seed gum were galactose (48.6-59.9%), glucose (37.1-45.1%), arabinose (0.58-3.41%), and xylose (0.3-3.21%). The predominant fatty acid of the lipid fraction from the durian seed gum were palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and linolenic acid (C18:2). The most abundant amino acids of durian seed gum were: leucine (30.9-37.3%), lysine (6.04-8.36%), aspartic acid (6.10-7.19%), glycine (6.07-7.42%), alanine (5.24-6.14%), glutamic acid (5.57-7.09%), valine (4.5-5.50%), proline (3.87-4.81%), serine (4.39-5.18%), threonine (3.44-6.50%), isoleucine (3.30-4.07%), and phenylalanine (3.11-9.04%). Conclusion The presence of essential amino acids in the chemical structure of durian seed gum reinforces its nutritional value. PMID:23062269

Application of guar gum biopolymer in the prescription of tablets with sodium ibuprofen--quality tests and pharmaceutical availability in vitro.

PubMed

Berner-Strzelczyk, Aneta; Kołodziejska, Justyna; Zgoda, Marian Mikołaj

2006-01-01

The increasing interest of the technology of drug form in natural biopolymers has become the reason for undertaking investigations on the possibility of guar gum application in the prescription of oral solid form of a drug. Alternative compositions and technology of the production of tablets of regulated in time sodium ibuprofen release were worked out for children. Two series of tablets were prepared with guar gum (5 and 10% content) and a series without the biopolymer. The tablet mass in each case contained keryostatic sorbitol and bioadhesive polyvinylpyrrolidone. All tablets were tested as regards the quality of production, compliance with the requirements of Polish Pharmacopoeia VI and potential therapeutic usefulness, manifestation of which is pharmaceutical availability of the therapeutic agent (sodium ibuprofen). The tests demonstrated that the produced tablets with sodium ibuprofen have proper physicochemical properties, in compliance with Polish Pharmacopoeia VI requirements. Application of biopolymer of guar gum type as adjuvant substance contributes to the improvement of the tablet hardness parameters and prevents technological problems (lining mixture of powders to tableting machine punch). The designed tablets demonstrate proper pharmaceutical availability of over 80%. Introduction of guar gum into their prescription prolonged their disintegration time and the rate of sodium ibuprofen release, which predisposes the produced form of a drug to have the function of a tablet with slowed-down release.

Dynamics of Biopolymer Turnover in Soil Physical Fractions Following Land-Cover yChange in a Subtropical Savanna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filley, T. R.; Gamblin, D.; Wang, Y.; Liao, J.; Boutton, T.; Jastrow, J.

2004-12-01

Changes in the apportionment of organic carbon and nitrogen among soil physical yfractions following land-cover shifts are of critical importance to the debate surrounding ythe capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to store or release greenhouse gases. For example, ythe difference between the mean residence times (MRTs) of light particulate organic ymatter (POM) vs. silts and clays is typically quite large, with silt and clay associated yorganic matter having the longest MRTs and the greatest likelihood to contribute to long yterm carbon storage. A few studies in agricultural and forest systems have demonstrated ythat biopolymer chemistry also varies along physical, as well as density, fractionation ygradients. We quantified changes in biopolymer (lignin, suberin and cutin, and yhydrolysable amino acids) chemistry of size and density fractionated soil from the Rio yGrande Plains of Texas where C4 grasslands (d13C = -14 %) have undergone succession yto subtropical thorn woodland dominated by C3 trees/shrubs (d13C = -27 %) over the ypast 150 years. This natural isotopic distinction was used to determine MRTs of free ylight organic matter (density less than 1.0 g/cc), macroaggregate (greater than 250 um), ymicroaggregate (53-250 um) and silt+clay (less than 53 um) fractions (see Liao et al., ythis session) which were then related to their specific biopolymer chemistries. Our yresults illustrate that lignin and aliphatic biopolymers (as measured by hydroxyl fatty yacids) are apportioned differently among size/density fractions and along the successional ychronosequence. Lignin is incorporated into all soil fractions soon after woody yencroachment, whereas aliphatic components are slow to be incorporated in the silt and yclay fractions. The lignin components that do become associated with silts and clays are, yin general, highly oxidized. Differences in foliar chemistry among the plant sources yindicate selective movement of leaf cutins into POM, macro- and microaggregate

Eco-Friendly Extraction of Biopolymer Chitin and Carotenoids from Shrimp Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prameela, K.; Venkatesh, K.; Divya vani, K.; Sudesh Kumar, E.; Mohan, CH Murali

2017-08-01

Astaxanthin a nutraceutical and chitin a natural biopolymer present in shrimp waste. In current chemical extraction methods HCl and NaOH are used for extraction and these chemicals are introduced into aquatic ecosystems are spoiling aquatic flora and fauna, pollute the environment and destroy astaxanthin. Lactobacillus species were isolated from gut of Solenocera melantho and characterized phenotypically and genotypically. Initial screening experiments have shown to be an effective and identified as Lactobacillus plantaram based on morphological, biochemical characteristics and molecular analysis. Efficiency of fermentation has shown with good yield of astaxanthin and recovery of chitin. Hence this alternative microbial process is having advantage than existing hazardous, non-economical chemical process.

Engineered, thermoresponsive, magnetic nanocarriers of oligo(ethylene glycol)-methacrylate-based biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCallister, Thomas; Gidney, Elwood; Adams, Devin; Diercks, David R.; Ghosh, Santaneel

2014-11-01

Engineered magnetic nanocarriers offer attractive options for implementing novel therapeutic solutions in biomedical research; however lack of biocompatibility and external tunability have prevented a biomedical breakthrough. Here we report multifunctional, magnetic nanospheres with tailored size, volumetric transition range, and magnetic properties based on biocompatible, thermo-responsive oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate biopolymers. Precise control of the nanosphere size in the range 100-300 nm, coupled with a higher and broader volumetric transition range (32-42 °C), is ideal for various biomedical applications. More importantly, super-paramagnetic behavior of the nanocarriers, even after polymer shell shrinkage, indicates stable and easily controllable loss mechanisms under exposure to an ac magnetic field.

Evolutionary optimization of biopolymers and sequence structure maps

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reidys, C.M.; Kopp, S.; Schuster, P.

1996-06-01

Searching for biopolymers having a predefined function is a core problem of biotechnology, biochemistry and pharmacy. On the level of RNA sequences and their corresponding secondary structures we show that this problem can be analyzed mathematically. The strategy will be to study the properties of the RNA sequence to secondary structure mapping that is essential for the understanding of the search process. We show that to each secondary structure s there exists a neutral network consisting of all sequences folding into s. This network can be modeled as a random graph and has the following generic properties: it is densemore » and has a giant component within the graph of compatible sequences. The neutral network percolates sequence space and any two neutral nets come close in terms of Hamming distance. We investigate the distribution of the orders of neutral nets and show that above a certain threshold the topology of neutral nets allows to find practically all frequent secondary structures.« less

GeneBee-net: Internet-based server for analyzing biopolymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brodsky, L.I.; Ivanov, V.V.; Nikolaev, V.K.

This work describes a network server for searching databanks of biopolymer structures and performing other biocomputing procedures; it is available via direct Internet connection. Basic server procedures are dedicated to homology (similarity) search of sequence and 3D structure of proteins. The homologies found could be used to build multiple alignments, predict protein and RNA secondary structure, and construct phylogenetic trees. In addition to traditional methods of sequence similarity search, the authors propose {open_quotes}non-matrix{close_quotes} (correlational) search. An analogous approach is used to identify regions of similar tertiary structure of proteins. Algorithm concepts and usage examples are presented for new methods. Servicemore » logic is based upon interaction of a client program and server procedures. The client program allows the compilation of queries and the processing of results of an analysis.« less

Fabrication of Biopolymer Nanofibers of Hyaluronic Acid via Electrospinning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Denice; Queen, Hailey; Krause, Wendy

2006-03-01

Electrospinning is a novel technology that uses an electric field to form fibrous materials from a polymer solution. Unlike traditional spinning techniques, electrospinning can produce fibers on the order of 100 nm that can be utilized in applications where nanoscale fibers are necessary for successful implementation, including tissue engineering. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a widely used biopolymer found in the extracellular matrix and currently marketed in medical applications for joint lubrications and tissue engineering. The high viscosity and surface tension of HA make it an unlikely candidate for electrospinning processes as viscosity is an important parameter in successful electrospinning. To promote HA fiber formation by electrospinning, the effects of salt (NaCl), which is used to reduce the viscosity of aqueous HA solutions; molecular weight of the HA; and an additional biocompatible polymer (e.g., PEO) are under investigation.

Hemostatic, antibacterial biopolymers from Acacia arabica (Lam.) Willd. and Moringa oleifera (Lam.) as potential wound dressing materials.

PubMed

Bhatnagar, Monica; Parwani, Laxmi; Sharma, Vinay; Ganguli, Jhuma; Bhatnagar, Ashish

2013-10-01

Acacia arabica and Moringa oleifera are credited with a number of medicinal properties. Traditionally gum of Acacia plant is used in the treatment of skin disorders to soothe skin rashes, soreness, inflammation and burns while Moringa seed extracts are known to have antibacterial activity. In the present study the potential of the polymeric component of aqueous extracts of gum acacia (GA) and the seeds of M. oleifera (MSP) in wound management was evaluated. The results revealed that both biopolymers were hemostatic and hasten blood coagulation. They showed shortening of activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time and were non-cytotoxic in nature. Both showed antibacterial activity against organisms known to be involved in wound infections with MIC ranging from 500-600 microg mL(-1) for GA and 300-700 microg mL(-1) for MSP. They were biodegradable and exhibited water absorption capacity in the range of 415 to 935%. The hemostatic character coupled to these properties envisions their potential in preparation of dressings for bleeding and profusely exuding wounds. The biopolymers have been further analysed for their composition by Gas chromatography.

Biopolymer-based strategies in the design of smart medical devices and artificial organs.

PubMed

Altomare, Lina; Bonetti, Lorenzo; Campiglio, Chiara E; De Nardo, Luigi; Draghi, Lorenza; Tana, Francesca; Farè, Silvia

2018-06-01

Advances in regenerative medicine and in modern biomedical therapies are fast evolving and set goals causing an upheaval in the field of materials science. This review discusses recent developments involving the use of biopolymers as smart materials, in terms of material properties and stimulus-responsive behavior, in the presence of environmental physico-chemical changes. An overview on the transformations that can be triggered in natural-based polymeric systems (sol-gel transition, polymer relaxation, cross-linking, and swelling) is presented, with specific focus on the benefits these materials can provide in biomedical applications.

Mechanism insights into enhanced trichloroethylene removal using xanthan gum-modified microscale zero-valent iron particles.

PubMed

Xin, Jia; Han, Jun; Zheng, Xilai; Shao, Haibing; Kolditz, Olaf

2015-03-01

This report focuses on the enhancement in trichloroethylene (TCE) removal from contaminated groundwater using xanthan gum (XG)-modified, microscale, zero-valent iron (mZVI). Compared with bare mZVI, XG-coated mZVI increased the TCE removal efficiency by 30.37% over a 480-h experimental period. Because the TCE removal is attributed to both sorption and reduction processes, the contributions from sorption and reduction were separately investigated to determine the mechanism of XG on TCE removal using mZVI. The results showed that the TCE sorption capacity of mZVI was lower in the presence of XG, whereas the TCE reduction capacity was significantly increased. The FTIR spectra confirmed that XG, which is rich in hydrophilic functional groups, was adsorbed onto the iron surface through intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which competitively repelled the sorption and mass transfer of TCE toward reactive sites. The variations in the pH, Eh, and Fe(2+) concentration as functions of the reaction time were recorded and indicated that XG buffered the solution pH, inhibited surface passivation, and promoted TCE reduction by mZVI. Overall, the XG-modified mZVI was considered to be potentially effective for the in-situ remediation of TCE contaminated groundwater due to its high stability and dechlorination reactivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A CRADLE TO GATE LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF THE BIOPOLYMER POLYLACTIC ACID: LOOKING BEYOND GLOBAL WARMING AND FOSSIL FUEL USE

EPA Science Inventory

Derived from corn, the biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA) has recently emerged in the marketplace and is advertised as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymers. Research into the environmental implications of biobased production has focused primarily on global warming...

Formation and stabilization of nanoemulsion-based vitamin E delivery systems using natural biopolymers: Whey protein isolate and gum arabic.

PubMed

Ozturk, Bengu; Argin, Sanem; Ozilgen, Mustafa; McClements, David Julian

2015-12-01

Natural biopolymers, whey protein isolate (WPI) and gum arabic (GA), were used to fabricate emulsion-based delivery systems for vitamin E-acetate. Stable delivery systems could be formed when vitamin E-acetate was mixed with sufficient orange oil prior to high pressure homogenization. WPI (d32=0.11 μm, 1% emulsifier) was better than GA (d32=0.38 μm, 10% emulsifier) at producing small droplets at low emulsifier concentrations. However, WPI-stabilized nanoemulsions were unstable to flocculation near the protein isoelectric point (pH 5.0), at high ionic strength (>100mM), and at elevated temperatures (>60 °C), whereas GA-stabilized emulsions were stable. This difference was attributed to differences in emulsifier stabilization mechanisms: WPI by electrostatic repulsion; GA by steric repulsion. These results provide useful information about the emulsifying and stabilizing capacities of natural biopolymers for forming food-grade vitamin-enriched delivery systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solid-State (13)C NMR Delineates the Architectural Design of Biopolymers in Native and Genetically Altered Tomato Fruit Cuticles.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Subhasish; Matas, Antonio J; Isaacson, Tal; Kehlet, Cindie; Rose, Jocelyn K C; Stark, Ruth E

2016-01-11

Plant cuticles on outer fruit and leaf surfaces are natural macromolecular composites of waxes and polyesters that ensure mechanical integrity and mitigate environmental challenges. They also provide renewable raw materials for cosmetics, packaging, and coatings. To delineate the structural framework and flexibility underlying the versatile functions of cutin biopolymers associated with polysaccharide-rich cell-wall matrices, solid-state NMR spectra and spin relaxation times were measured in a tomato fruit model system, including different developmental stages and surface phenotypes. The hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of the cutin ensures compatibility with the underlying polysaccharide cell walls; the hydroxy fatty acid structures of outer epidermal cutin also support deposition of hydrophobic waxes and aromatic moieties while promoting the formation of cell-wall cross-links that rigidify and strengthen the cuticle composite during fruit development. Fruit cutin-deficient tomato mutants with compromised microbial resistance exhibit less efficient local and collective biopolymer motions, stiffening their cuticular surfaces and increasing their susceptibility to fracture.

Design and characterization of a composite material based on Sr(II)-loaded clay nanotubes included within a biopolymer matrix.

PubMed

Del Buffa, Stefano; Bonini, Massimo; Ridi, Francesca; Severi, Mirko; Losi, Paola; Volpi, Silvia; Al Kayal, Tamer; Soldani, Giorgio; Baglioni, Piero

2015-06-15

This paper reports on the preparation, characterization, and cytotoxicity of a hybrid nanocomposite material made of Sr(II)-loaded Halloysite nanotubes included within a biopolymer (3-polyhydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) matrix. The Sr(II)-loaded inorganic scaffold is intended to provide mechanical resistance, multi-scale porosity, and to favor the in-situ regeneration of bone tissue thanks to its biocompatibility and bioactivity. The interaction of the hybrid system with the physiological environment is mediated by the biopolymer coating, which acts as a binder, as well as a diffusional barrier to the Sr(II) release. The degradation of the polymer progressively leads to the exposure of the Sr(II)-loaded Halloysite scaffold, tuning its interaction with osteogenic cells. The in vitro biocompatibility of the composite was demonstrated by cytotoxicity tests on L929 fibroblast cells. The results indicate that this composite material could be of interest for multiple strategies in the field of bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biphasic response of cell invasion to matrix stiffness in 3-dimensional biopolymer networks

PubMed Central

Lang, Nadine R.; Skodzek, Kai; Hurst, Sebastian; Mainka, Astrid; Steinwachs, Julian; Schneider, Julia; Aifantis, Katerina E.; Fabry, Ben

2015-01-01

When cells come in contact with an adhesive matrix, they begin to spread and migrate with a speed that depends on the stiffness of the extracellular matrix. On a flat surface, migration speed decreases with matrix stiffness mainly due to an increased stability of focal adhesions. In a 3-dimensional (3D) environment, cell migration is thought to be additionally impaired by the steric hindrance imposed by the surrounding matrix. For porous 3D biopolymer networks such as collagen gels, however, the effect of matrix stiffness on cell migration is difficult to separate from effects of matrix pore size and adhesive ligand density, and is therefore unknown. Here we used glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker to increase the stiffness of self-assembled collagen biopolymer networks independently of collagen concentration or pore size. Breast carcinoma cells were seeded onto the surface of 3D collagen gels, and the invasion depth was measured after 3 days of culture. Cell invasion in gels with pore sizes larger than 5 μm increased with higher gel stiffness, whereas invasion in gels with smaller pores decreased with higher gel stiffness. These data show that 3D cell invasion is enhanced by higher matrix stiffness, opposite to cell behavior in 2D, as long as the pore size does not fall below a critical value where it causes excessive steric hindrance. These findings may be important for optimizing the recellularization of soft tissue implants or for the design of 3D invasion models in cancer research. PMID:25462839

Portable Speech Synthesizer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leibfritz, Gilbert H.; Larson, Howard K.

1987-01-01

Compact speech synthesizer useful traveling companion to speech-handicapped. User simply enters statement on board, and synthesizer converts statement into spoken words. Battery-powered and housed in briefcase, easily carried on trips. Unit used on telephones and face-to-face communication. Synthesizer consists of micro-computer with memory-expansion module, speech-synthesizer circuit, batteries, recharger, dc-to-dc converter, and telephone amplifier. Components, commercially available, fit neatly in 17-by 13-by 5-in. briefcase. Weighs about 20 lb (9 kg) and operates and recharges from ac receptable.

Rapid nano impact printing of silk biopolymer thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Robert D.; Gray, Caprice; Mandelup, Ethan; Amsden, Jason J.; Kaplan, David L.; Omenetto, Fiorenzo G.

2011-11-01

In this paper, nano impact printing of silk biopolymer films is described. An indenter is rapidly accelerated and transfers the nanopattern from a silicon master into the silk film during an impact event that occurs in less than 1 ms. Contact stresses of greater than 100 MPa can be achieved during the short impact period with low power and inexpensive hardware. Ring shaped features with a diameter of 2 µm and a ring width of 100-200 nm were successfully transferred into untreated silk films using this method at room temperature. Mechanical modeling was carried out to determine the contact stress distribution, and demonstrates that imprinting can occur for contact stresses of less than 2 MPa. Thermal characterization at the impact location shows that raising the temperature to 70 °C has only a limited effect on pattern transfer. Contact stresses of greater than approximately 100 MPa result in excessive deformation of the film and poor pattern transfer.

Detecting the Biopolymer Behavior of Graphene Nanoribbons in Aqueous Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jingqiang; Wijeratne, Sithara; Penev, Evgeni; Lu, Wei; Duque, Amanda; Yakobson, Boris; Tour, James; Kiang, Ching-Hwa; Boris I. Yakobson Group Team; James M. Tour Group Team; Ching-Hwa Kiang Group Team

Graphene nanoribbons (GNR), can be prepared in bulk quantities for large-area applications by reducing the product from the lengthwise oxidative unzipping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Recently, the biomaterials application of GNR has been explored, for example, in the pore to be used for DNA sequencing. Therefore, understanding the polymer behavior of GNR in solution is essential in predicting GNR interaction with biomaterials. Here, we report experimental studies of the solutionbased mechanical properties of GNR and their parent products, graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study their mechanical properties in solution and showed that GNR and GONR have similar force-extension behavior as in biopolymers such as proteins and DNA. The rigidity increases with reducing chemical functionalities. The similarities in rigidity and tunability between nanoribbons and biomolecules might enable the design and fabrication of GNR-biomimetic interfaces.

Biopolymer-based thermoplastic mixture for producing solid biodegradable shaped bodies and its photo degradation stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulong, Nurulsaidatulsyida; Rus, Anika Zafiah M.

2013-12-01

In recent years, biopolymers with controllable lifetimes have become increasingly important for many applications in the areas of agriculture, biomedical implants and drug release, forestry, wild life conservation and waste management. Natural oils are considered to be the most important class of renewable sources. They can be obtained from naturally occurring plants, such as sunflower, cotton, linseed and palm oil. In Malaysia, palm oil is an inexpensive and commodity material. Biopolymer produced from palm oil (Bio-VOP) is a naturally occurring biodegradable polymer and readily available from agriculture. For packaging use however, Bio-VOP is not thermoplastic and its granular form is unsuitable for most uses in the plastics industry, mainly due to processing difficulties during extrusion or injection moulding. Thus, research workers have developed several methods to blend Bio-VOP appropriately for industrial uses. In particular, injections moulding processes, graft copolymerisation, and preparation of blends with thermoplastic polymers have been studied to produce solid biodegradable shaped bodies. HDPE was chosen as commercial thermoplastic materials and was added with 10% Bio-VOP for the preparation of solid biodegradable shaped bodies named as HD-VOP. The UV light exposure of HD-VOP at 12 minutes upon gives the highest strength of this material that is 17.6 MPa. The morphological structure of HD-VOP shows dwi structure surface fracture which is brittle and ductile properties.

Steering air bubbles with an add-on vacuum layer for biopolymer membrane biofabrication in PDMS microfluidics.

PubMed

Pham, Phu; Vo, Thanh; Luo, Xiaolong

2017-01-17

Membrane functionality is crucial in microfluidics for realizing operations such as filtration, separation, concentration, signaling among cells and gradient generation. Currently, common methods often sandwich commercially available membranes in multi-layer devices, or use photopolymerization or temperature-induced gelation to fabricate membrane structures in one-layer devices. Biofabrication offers an alternative to forming membrane structures with biomimetic materials and mechanisms in mild conditions. We have recently developed a biofabrication strategy to form parallel biopolymer membranes in gas-permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices, which used positive pressure to dissipate air bubbles through PDMS to initiate membrane formation but required careful pressure balancing between two flows. Here, we report a technical innovation by simply placing as needed an add-on PDMS vacuum layer on PDMS microfluidic devices to dissipate air bubbles and guide the biofabrication of biopolymer membranes. Vacuuming through PDMS was simply achieved by either withdrawing a syringe or releasing a squeezed nasal aspirator. Upon vacuuming, air bubbles dissipated within minutes, membranes were effortlessly formed, and the add-on vacuum layer can be removed. Subsequent membrane growth could be robustly controlled with the flows and pH of solutions. This new process is user-friendly and has achieved a 100% success rate in more than 200 trials in membrane biofabrication.

Biopolymer mediated nanoparticles synthesized from Adenia hondala for enhanced tamoxifen drug delivery in breast cancer cell line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varadharajaperumal, Pradeepa; Subramanian, Balakumar; Santhanam, Amutha

2017-09-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are an important class of nanomaterials, which have used as antimicrobial and disinfectant agents due to their detrimental effect on target cells. In the present study it was explored to deliver a novel tamoxifen drug system that can be used in breast cancer treatment, based on chitosan coated silver nanoparticles on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. AgNPs synthesized from Adenia hondala tuber extract were used to make the chitosan coated AgNPs (Ch-AgNPs), in which the drug tamoxifen was loaded on chitosan coated silver nanoparticles (Tam-Ch-AgNPs) to construct drug loaded nanoparticles as drug delivery system. The morphology and characteristics of the Ch-AgNPs were investigated by UV, FTIR, zeta potential and FESEM. Furthermore, the toxicity of AgNPs, Ch-AgNPs, Tam-Ch-AgNPs was evaluated through cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase leakage, reactive oxygen species generation, caspase-3, DNA laddering, and TUNEL assay in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and HBL-100 continuous cell line as a control. Treatment of cancer cells with various concentrations of AgNPs, Ch-AgNPs, Tam-Ch-AgNPs for 24 h revealed that Tam-Ch-AgNPs could inhibit cell viability and induce significant membrane leakage in a dose-dependent manner. Cells exposed to Tam-Ch-AgNPs showed increased reactive oxygen species and hydroxyl radical production when compared to AgNPs, Ch-AgNPs. Furthermore, the apoptotic effects of AgNPs, Ch-AgNPs, Tam-Ch-AgNPs were confirmed by activation of caspase-3 and DNA nuclear fragmentation. The present findings suggest that Tam-Ch-AgNPs could contribute to the development of a suitable anticancer drug delivery.

Detecting the Biopolymer Behavior of Graphene Nanoribbons in Aqueous Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijeratne, Sithara S.; Penev, Evgeni S.; Lu, Wei; Li, Jingqiang; Duque, Amanda L.; Yakobson, Boris I.; Tour, James M.; Kiang, Ching-Hwa

2016-08-01

Graphene nanoribbons (GNR), can be prepared in bulk quantities for large-area applications by reducing the product from the lengthwise oxidative unzipping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Recently, the biomaterials application of GNR has been explored, for example, in the pore to be used for DNA sequencing. Therefore, understanding the polymer behavior of GNR in solution is essential in predicting GNR interaction with biomaterials. Here, we report experimental studies of the solution-based mechanical properties of GNR and their parent products, graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study their mechanical properties in solution and showed that GNR and GONR have similar force-extension behavior as in biopolymers such as proteins and DNA. The rigidity increases with reducing chemical functionalities. The similarities in rigidity and tunability between nanoribbons and biomolecules might enable the design and fabrication of GNR-biomimetic interfaces.

Detecting the Biopolymer Behavior of Graphene Nanoribbons in Aqueous Solution

PubMed Central

Wijeratne, Sithara S.; Penev, Evgeni S.; Lu, Wei; Li, Jingqiang; Duque, Amanda L.; Yakobson, Boris I.; Tour, James M.; Kiang, Ching-Hwa

2016-01-01

Graphene nanoribbons (GNR), can be prepared in bulk quantities for large-area applications by reducing the product from the lengthwise oxidative unzipping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Recently, the biomaterials application of GNR has been explored, for example, in the pore to be used for DNA sequencing. Therefore, understanding the polymer behavior of GNR in solution is essential in predicting GNR interaction with biomaterials. Here, we report experimental studies of the solution-based mechanical properties of GNR and their parent products, graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study their mechanical properties in solution and showed that GNR and GONR have similar force-extension behavior as in biopolymers such as proteins and DNA. The rigidity increases with reducing chemical functionalities. The similarities in rigidity and tunability between nanoribbons and biomolecules might enable the design and fabrication of GNR-biomimetic interfaces. PMID:27503635

The Impact of Invasive Earthworm Activity on Biopolymer Character of ýDecayed Litter ý

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filley, T.; Crow, S.; Johnston, C.; McCormick, M.; Szlavecz, K.

2007-12-01

Over the last 400-500 years invasive European earthworm populations have ýmoved steadily into North American forests either previously devoid of ýearthworms or that contained their own native populations. This has profound ýimpacts upon litter decay and soil organic matter dynamics. To determine the ýimpact of earthworm activity on the biopolymer and stable isotope chemistry of ýlitter residues and the nature of organic carbon moved to the soil profile we ýanalyzed tulip poplar leaves from a multi-year addition experiment in open ýsurface decay litter and litter bag decay experiments, as well as the associated ýsoils among forest plots that varied in non-native earthworm density and ýbiomass. The chemical alteration of biopolymers was tracked with FTIR ýspectroscopy, 13C-TMAH thermochemolysis, alkaline CuO extraction, and stable ýisotope mass spectrometry. Earthworm activity resulted in residues and soil ýparticulate organic matter depleted in cuticular aliphatic components and ýpolyphenols but highly enriched in ether-linked lignin with respect to initial litter ýmaterial. Decay in low earthworm abundance plots, as well as all experiments ýwith earthworm-excluding litter bags, resulted in enrichment in cutin aliphatics ýand only minor increases in ether linked lignin phenols which was also reflected ýin the soils below the amendments. Additionally, the stable carbon and nitrogen ýisotope composition of tulip poplar residues became isotopically distinct. The ýresults from litter bag decays were only reflective of the chemistry at sites with ývery low earthworm abundances. ý

Hygroscopic growth and cloud droplet activation of xanthan gum as a proxy for marine hydrogels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, K. W.; Petters, M. D.; Meskhidze, N.; Petters, S. Suda; Kreidenweis, S. M.

2016-10-01

Knowledge of the physical characteristics and chemical composition of marine organic aerosols is needed for the quantification of their effects on cloud microphysical processes and solar radiative transfer. Here we use xanthan gum (XG)—a bacterial biopolymer—as a proxy for marine hydrogels. Measurements were performed for pure XG particles and mixtures of XG with sodium chloride, calcium nitrate, and calcium carbonate. The aerosol hygroscopicity parameter (κ) is derived from hygroscopic growth factor measurements (κgf) at variable water activity (aw) and from cloud condensation nuclei activation efficiency (κccn). The Zdanovskii, Stokes, and Robinson (ZSR) hygroscopicity parameter derived for multicomponent systems (κmix, sol) is used to compare measurements of κgf and κccn. Pure XG shows close agreement of κgf (at aw = 0.9) and κccn of 0.09 and 0.10, respectively. Adding salts to the system results in deviations of κgf (at aw = 0.9) from κccn. The measured κgf and ZSR-derived hygroscopicity parameter (κmix, sol) values for different solutions show close agreement at aw > 0.9, while κgf is lower in comparison to κmix, sol at aw < 0.9. The differences between predicted κmix, sol and measured κgf and κccn values are explained by the effects of hydration and presence of salt ions on the structure of the polymer networks. Results from this study imply that at supersaturations of 0.1 and 0.5%, the presence of 30% sea salt by mass can reduce the activation diameter of pure primary marine organic aerosols from 257 to 156 nm and from 87 to 53 nm, respectively.

Biopolymer-based nanocomposites: effect of lignin acetylation in cellulose triacetate films

PubMed Central

Nevárez, Laura Alicia Manjarrez; Casarrubias, Lourdes Ballinas; Celzard, Alain; Fierro, Vanessa; Muñoz, Vinicio Torres; Davila, Alejandro Camacho; Lubian, José Román Torres; Sánchez, Guillermo González

2011-01-01

We have prepared all-biopolymer nanocomposite films using lignin as a filler and cellulose triacetate (CTA) as a polymer matrix, and characterized them by several analytical methods. Three types of lignin were tested: organosolv, hydrolytic and kraft, with or without acetylation. They were used in the form of nanoparticles incorporated at 1 wt% in CTA. Self-supported films were prepared by vapor-induced phase separation at controlled temperature (35–55 °C) and relative humidity (10–70%). The efficiency of acetylation of each type of lignin was studied and discussed, as well as its effects on film structure, homogeneity and mechanical properties. The obtained results are explained in terms of intermolecular filler-matrix interaction at the nanometer scale, for which the highest mechanical resistance was reached using hydrolytic lignin in the nanocomposite. PMID:27877425

Identification of microbial populations driving biopolymer degradation in acidic peatlands by metatranscriptomic analysis.

PubMed

Ivanova, Anastasia A; Wegner, Carl-Eric; Kim, Yongkyu; Liesack, Werner; Dedysh, Svetlana N

2016-10-01

Northern peatlands play a crucial role in the global carbon balance, serving as a persistent sink for atmospheric CO2 and a global carbon store. Their most extensive type, Sphagnum-dominated acidic peatlands, is inhabited by microorganisms with poorly understood degradation capabilities. Here, we applied a combination of barcoded pyrosequencing of SSU rRNA genes and Illumina RNA-Seq of total RNA (metatranscriptomics) to identify microbial populations and enzymes involved in degrading the major components of Sphagnum-derived litter and exoskeletons of peat-inhabiting arthropods: cellulose, xylan, pectin and chitin. Biopolymer addition to peat induced a threefold to fivefold increase in bacterial cell numbers. Functional community profiles of assembled mRNA differed between experimental treatments. In particular, pectin and xylan triggered increased transcript abundance of genes involved in energy metabolism and central carbon metabolism, such as glycolysis and TCA cycle. Concurrently, the substrate-induced activity of bacteria on these two biopolymers stimulated grazing of peat-inhabiting protozoa. Alveolata (ciliates) was the most responsive protozoa group as confirmed by analysis of both SSU rRNA genes and SSU rRNA. A stimulation of alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs on pectin was consistently shown by rRNA and mRNA data. Most likely, their significant enrichment was due to the utilization of methanol released during the degradation of pectin. Analysis of SSU rRNA and total mRNA revealed a specific response of Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria to chitin and pectin, respectively. Relatives of Telmatobacter bradus were most responsive among the Acidobacteria, while the actinobacterial response was primarily affiliated with Frankiales and Propionibacteriales. The expression of a wide repertoire of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) corresponded well to the detection of a highly diverse peat-inhabiting microbial community, which is dominated by yet uncultivated

Effects of carrot pomace powder and a mixture of pectin and xanthan on the quality of gluten-free batter and cakes.

PubMed

Majzoobi, Mahsa; Vosooghi Poor, Zahra; Mesbahi, Gholamreza; Jamalian, Jalal; Farahnaky, Asgar

2017-12-01

Carrot pomace powder (CPP) is a valuable by-product of carrot processing containing nutrients and fiber and can be utilized for enrichment of gluten-free products. The main purpose of this study was to determine the effects of various levels of CPP (0, 10, 20, and 30%) and a mixture of hydrocolloids (HC) including pectin and xanthan (1.5% of each) on the quality of batter and gluten-free cakes. With increasing the level of CPP and inclusion of HC the viscosity of the batter increased significantly from 87 mPa s for the control to >7000 mPa s for 30%CCP + HC sample. The density of the control batter was 1.2 g/cm 3 which reduced significantly to 0.899 g/cm 3 for HC sample. The pH of the cake reduced from 7.23 to 6.78 with addition of CPP but increased slightly with inclusion of HC. The density of the cake reduced from 0.510 g/cm 3 for the control to 0.395 g/cm 3 for 20%CCP + C sample. The texture of the cakes became softer, more springy and chewable with addition of CPP, CPP + HC, and HC. The control sample had the lowest uniformity index (0.178) which improved with addition of CPP and CPP + HC and a highly uniform cake with a uniformity index of 0.045 was obtained for the 30%CCP + HC cake. Addition of CPP increased the dark color of the cakes while inclusion of HC had no effect on the appearance of the cake and color. It was concluded that inclusion of maximum 30%CCP and 20%CPP + HC promoted the quality and sensory attributes of gluten-free cakes. Although different types of gluten-free products are available in the market, most of them contain insufficient amount of fiber and nutrients. Despite popularity, gluten-free cakes are poor in fiber and nutrient contents. Therefore, improving the nutritional value of these products has received an increasing attention by the food industry. Carrot pomace powder (CPP) is an available source of fiber and nutrients and hence can be utilized for enrichment of gluten-free products. This study showed that

Stereo matching image processing by synthesized color and the characteristic area by the synthesized color

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiyama, Akira; Mutoh, Eiichiro; Kumagai, Hideo

2014-09-01

We have developed the stereo matching image processing by synthesized color and the corresponding area by the synthesized color for ranging the object and image recognition. The typical images from a pair of the stereo imagers may have some image disagreement each other due to the size change, missed place, appearance change and deformation of characteristic area. We constructed the synthesized color and corresponding color area with the same synthesized color to make the distinct stereo matching. We constructed the synthesized color and corresponding color area with the same synthesized color by the 3 steps. The first step is making binary edge image by differentiating the focused image from each imager and verifying that differentiated image has normal density of frequency distribution to find the threshold level of binary procedure. We used Daubechies wavelet transformation for the procedures of differentiating in this study. The second step is deriving the synthesized color by averaging color brightness between binary edge points with respect to horizontal direction and vertical direction alternatively. The averaging color procedure was done many times until the fluctuation of averaged color become negligible with respect to 256 levels in brightness. The third step is extracting area with same synthesized color by collecting the pixel of same synthesized color and grouping these pixel points by 4 directional connectivity relations. The matching areas for the stereo matching are determined by using synthesized color areas. The matching point is the center of gravity of each synthesized color area. The parallax between a pair of images is derived by the center of gravity of synthesized color area easily. The experiment of this stereo matching was done for the object of the soccer ball toy. From this experiment we showed that stereo matching by the synthesized color technique are simple and effective.

Infrared spectroscopic study of thermotropic phase behavior of newly developed synthetic biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bista, Rajan K.; Bruch, Reinhard F.; Covington, Aaron M.

2011-10-01

The thermotropic phase behavior of a suite of newly developed self-forming synthetic biopolymers has been investigated by variable-temperature Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) absorption spectroscopy. The temperature-induced infrared spectra of these artificial biopolymers (lipids) composed of 1,2-dimyristoyl- rac-glycerol-3-dodecaethylene glycol (GDM-12), 1,2-dioleoyl- rac-glycerol-3-dodecaethylene glycol (GDO-12) and 1,2-distearoyl- rac-glycerol-3-triicosaethylene glycol (GDS-23) in the spectral range of 4000-500 cm -1 have been acquired by using a thin layered FT-IR spectrometer in conjunction with a custom built temperature-controlled demountable liquid cell having a pathlength of ˜15 μm. The lipids under consideration have long hydrophobic acyl chains and contain various units of hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) headgroups. In contrast to conventional phospholipids, this new kind of lipids forms liposomes or nanovesicles spontaneously upon hydration, without requiring external activation energy. We have found that the thermal stability of the PEGylated lipids differs greatly depending upon the acyl chain-lengths as well as the nature of the associated bonds and the number of PEG headgroup units. In particular, GDM-12 (saturated 14 hydrocarbon chains with 12 units of PEG headgroup) exhibits one sharp order-disorder phase transition over a temperature range increasing from 3 °C to 5 °C. Similarly, GDS-23 (saturated 18 hydrocarbon chains with 23 units of PEG headgroup) displays comparatively broad order-disorder phase transition profiles between temperature 17 °C and 22 °C. In contrast, GDO-12 (monounsaturated 18 hydrocarbon chains with 12 units of PEG headgroup) does not reveal any order-disorder transition phenomena demonstrating a highly disordered behavior for the entire temperature range. To confirm these observations, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was applied to the samples and revealed good agreement with the infrared spectroscopy

An advanced communications synthesizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherer, Ernst F.

1994-02-01

With the proliferation of smaller and lower cost EHF terminals, the fast-hopping microwave synthesizer subsystem is rapidly becoming the limiting factor for further size and cost reduction. A new approach, based on a high-speed direct digital synthesizer (DDS) and a very fast voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) tracking loop, has yielded a highly integrable design with true low-cost potential. A frequency range of 1 to 20 GHz can be covered by a simple substitution of the VCO module. This advanced synthesizer realization promises a generic solution to a large class of synthesizer requirements, greatly facilitating standardization and promoting modular system concepts.

Chitosan-bound pyridinedicarboxylate Ni(II) and Fe(III) complex biopolymer films as waste water decyanidation agents.

PubMed

Adewuyi, Sheriff; Jacob, Julianah Modupe; Olaleye, Oluwatoyin Omolola; Abdulraheem, Taofiq Olanrewaju; Tayo, Jubril Ayopo; Oladoyinbo, Fatai Oladipupo

2016-10-20

Chitosan is a biopolymer with immense structural advantage for chemical and mechanical modifications to generate novel properties, functions and applications. This work depicts new pyridinedicarboxylicacid (PDC) crosslinked chitosan-metal ion films as veritable material for cyanide ion removal from aqueous solution. The PDC-crosslinked chitosan-metal films (PDC-Chit-Ni(II) and PDC-Chit-Fe(III)) were formed by complexing PDC-crosslinked chitosan film with anhydrous nickel(II) and iron(III) chloride salts respectively. The PDC-Chit and its metal films were characterized employing various analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The FT-IR, UV-vis and the XRD results confirm the presence of the metal ions in the metal coordinated PDC-crosslinked chitosan film. The surface morphological difference of PDC-Chit-Ni(II) film before and after decyanidation was explored with scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the quantitative amount of nickel(II) and iron(III) present in the complex were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer as 32.3 and 37.2μg/g respectively which portends the biopolymer film as a good complexing agent. Removal of cyanide from aqueous solution with PDC-Chit, PDC-Chit-Ni(II) and PDC-Chit-Fe(III) films was studied with batch equilibrium experiments. At equilibrium, decyanidation capacity (DC) followed the order PDC-Chit-Ni (II)≈PDC-Chit-Fe(III)>PDC-Chit. PDC-Chit-Ni(II) film gave 100% CN(-) removal within 40min decyanidation owing to favorable coordination geometry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanostructured gellan and xanthan hydrogel depot integrated within a baghdadite scaffold augments bone regeneration.

PubMed

Sehgal, Rekha R; Roohani-Esfahani, S I; Zreiqat, Hala; Banerjee, Rinti

2017-04-01

Controlled delivery of biological cues through synthetic scaffolds to enhance the healing capacity of bone defects is yet to be realized clinically. The purpose of this study was development of a bioactive tissue-engineered scaffold providing the sustained delivery of an osteoinductive drug, dexamethasone disodium phosphate (DXP), encapsulated within chitosan nanoparticles (CN). Porous baghdadite (BD; Ca 3 ZrSi 2 O 9 ) scaffolds, a zirconia-modified calcium silicate ceramic, was coated with DXP-encapsulated CN nanoparticles (DXP-CN) using nanostructured gellan and xanthan hydrogel (GX). Crosslinker and GX polymer concentrations were optimized to achieve a homogeneous distribution of hydrogel coating within BD scaffolds. Dynamic laser scattering indicated an average size of 521 ± 21 nm for the DXP-CN nanoparticles. In vitro drug-release studies demonstrated that the developed DXP-CN-GX hydrogel-coated BD scaffolds (DXP-CN-GX-BD) resulted in a sustained delivery of DXP over the 5 days (78 ± 6% of drug release) compared with burst release over 1 h, seen from free DXP loaded in uncoated BD scaffolds (92 ± 8% release in 1 h). To estimate the influence of controlled delivery of DXP from the developed scaffolds, the effect on MG 63 cells was evaluated using various bone differentiation assays. Cell culture within DXP-CN-GX-BD scaffolds demonstrated a significant increase in the expression of early and late osteogenic markers of alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen type 1 and osteocalcin, compared to the uncoated BD scaffold. The results suggest that the DXP-releasing nanostructured hydrogel integrated within the BD scaffold caused sustained release of DXP, improving the potential for osteogenic differentiation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hindrances to precise recovery of cellular forces in fibrous biopolymer networks.

PubMed

Zhang, Yunsong; Feng, Jingchen; Heizler, Shay I; Levine, Herbert

2018-01-11

How cells move through the three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) is of increasing interest in attempts to understand important biological processes such as cancer metastasis. Just as in motion on flat surfaces, it is expected that experimental measurements of cell-generated forces will provide valuable information for uncovering the mechanisms of cell migration. However, the recovery of forces in fibrous biopolymer networks may suffer from large errors. Here, within the framework of lattice-based models, we explore possible issues in force recovery by solving the inverse problem: how can one determine the forces cells exert to their surroundings from the deformation of the ECM? Our results indicate that irregular cell traction patterns, the uncertainty of local fiber stiffness, the non-affine nature of ECM deformations and inadequate knowledge of network topology will all prevent the precise force determination. At the end, we discuss possible ways of overcoming these difficulties.

Hindrances to precise recovery of cellular forces in fibrous biopolymer networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunsong; Feng, Jingchen; Heizler, Shay I.; Levine, Herbert

2018-03-01

How cells move through the three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) is of increasing interest in attempts to understand important biological processes such as cancer metastasis. Just as in motion on flat surfaces, it is expected that experimental measurements of cell-generated forces will provide valuable information for uncovering the mechanisms of cell migration. However, the recovery of forces in fibrous biopolymer networks may suffer from large errors. Here, within the framework of lattice-based models, we explore possible issues in force recovery by solving the inverse problem: how can one determine the forces cells exert to their surroundings from the deformation of the ECM? Our results indicate that irregular cell traction patterns, the uncertainty of local fiber stiffness, the non-affine nature of ECM deformations and inadequate knowledge of network topology will all prevent the precise force determination. At the end, we discuss possible ways of overcoming these difficulties.

Novel synergistic transparent k-Carrageenan/Xanthan gum/Gellan gum hydrogel film: Mechanical, thermal and water barrier properties.

PubMed

Balasubramanian, R; Kim, Sam Soo; Lee, Jaewoong

2018-06-24

The aim is to develop novel synergistic transparent k-Carrageenan/Xanthan gum/Gellan gum (k-C/X/G) hydrogel films with different weight ratio composition and to study the effect of these compositions on the physical properties of the films. The structure and morphological properties of the films were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Results for FT-IR, DSC and SEM analysis showed a clear interaction between k-C, X, and G to form a new material. The mechanical, thermal and water barrier properties such as water vapor permeability (WVP), water contact angle (WCA) and moisture content were determined. The temperature at 5% weight loss (T 5% ) are in the range of 64.2-121.9 °C. The WVP exhibits are in the range of 1.8-2.4, contact angle are in the range of 32-65.8° and moisture content 16.5-21.51. The hydrogel film had good tensile strength of 19.1-31.0 MPa and elongation at break of 13-19% and tensile modulus of 1.6-2.4 GPa. The UV results indicate that the films were very transparent. The range of properties of the ternary k-C/X/G hydrogel films suggest that the presence molecular interaction and cross linking within the blends. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

SPECIAL ISSUE DEVOTED TO THE 80TH BIRTHDAY OF S.A. AKHMANOV: Four-photon microwave laser spectroscopy of molecules in the hydration layers of biopolymers and nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunkin, Aleksei F.; Pershin, Sergei M.

2009-07-01

Four-photon laser scattering spectra of bidistilled water and aqueous solutions of biopolymers (proteins and DNA), carbon nanotubes and hydrogen peroxide have been measured in the range ±10 cm-1. The spectra show rotational resonances of H2O2, ortho-H2O and para-H2O molecules. The resonance contribution of the H2O rotational spectrum to the four-photon scattering signal in the solutions of the biopolymers and hydrophobic nanoparticles is an order of magnitude larger in comparison with water, which points to free rotation of the water molecules near the surface of such particles. This effect is due to the formation of water depletion layers near hydrophobic nanoparticles, as predicted in earlier theoretical studies.

Relevant insight of surface characterization techniques to study covalent grafting of a biopolymer to titanium implant and its acidic resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Almeida, Mélanie; Amalric, Julien; Brunon, Céline; Grosgogeat, Brigitte; Toury, Bérangère

2015-02-01

Peri-implant bacterial infections are the main cause of complications in dentistry. Our group has previously proposed the attachment of chitosan on titanium implants via a covalent bond to improve its antibacterial properties while maintaining its biocompatibility. A better knowledge of the coating preparation process allows a better understanding of the bioactive coating in biological conditions. In this work, several relevant characterization techniques were used to assess an implant device during its production phase and its resistance in natural media at different pH. The titanium surface was functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) followed by grafting of an organic coupling agent; succinic anhydride, able to form two covalent links, with the substrate through a Ti-O-Si bond and the biopolymer through a peptide bond. Each step of the coating synthesis as well as the presence confirmation of the biopolymer on titanium after saliva immersion was followed by FTIR-ATR, SEM, EDS, 3D profilometry, XPS and ToF-SIMS analyses. Results allowed to highlight the efficiency of each step of the process, and to propose a mechanism occurring during the chitosan coating degradation in saliva media at pH 5 and at pH 3.

Chitosan and alginate types of bio-membrane in fuel cell application: An overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaari, N.; Kamarudin, S. K.

2015-09-01

The major problems of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell technology that need to be highlighted are fuel crossovers (e.g., methanol or hydrogen leaking across fuel cell membranes), CO poisoning, low durability, and high cost. Chitosan and alginate-based biopolymer membranes have recently been used to solve these problems with promising results. Current research in biopolymer membrane materials and systems has focused on the following: 1) the development of novel and efficient biopolymer materials; and 2) increasing the processing capacity of membrane operations. Consequently, chitosan and alginate-based biopolymers seek to enhance fuel cell performance by improving proton conductivity, membrane durability, and reducing fuel crossover and electro-osmotic drag. There are four groups of chitosan-based membranes (categorized according to their reaction and preparation): self-cross-linked and salt-complexed chitosans, chitosan-based polymer blends, chitosan/inorganic filler composites, and chitosan/polymer composites. There are only three alginate-based membranes that have been synthesized for fuel cell application. This work aims to review the state-of-the-art in the growth of chitosan and alginate-based biopolymer membranes for fuel cell applications.

Commercial versus synthesized polymers for soil erosion control and growth of Chinese cabbage.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Soo; Chang, Scott X; Chang, Yoon-Young; Ok, Yong Sik

2013-01-01

Soil erosion leads to environmental degradation and reduces soil productivity. The use of anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) and synthesized biopolymer (BP) using lignin, corn starch, acrylamide, and acrylic acid were tested to evaluate soil erosion, water quality, and growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L.). Each treatment of PAM and BP was applied at 200 kg ha(-1) to loamy sand soil and subjected to a slope of 36% with a 20 mm h(-1) simulated rainfall. Application of BP decreased soil pH compared to the untreated check (CK); however, the soil pH was not altered with PAM. The decrease in pH might most likely be due to availability of anionic sites to be protonated on soils having pH >6 and soil buffering capacity. Both PAM and BP applications may not induce eutrophication with stable levels of total contents of N and P. With PAM and BP, the average values of suspended soil (SS) and turbidity were reduced by up to 96.0 and 99.9%, respectively, compared to CK. Reduction of SS can be attributed to increasing soil stability and shear strength by clay flocculation. There was no toxicity effects resulting from germination tests and the dry weight was increased by 17.7% (vs. CK) when PAM and BP were applied. These results are attributed to increases in water retention and plant-available water. The use of polymeric soil amendments is an environmentally friendly way to mitigate soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution.

Effective recovery of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) biopolymer from Cupriavidus necator using a novel and environmentally friendly solvent system.

PubMed

Fei, Tao; Cazeneuve, Stacy; Wen, Zhiyou; Wu, Lei; Wang, Tong

2016-05-01

This work demonstrates a significant advance in bioprocessing for a high-melting lipid polymer. A novel and environmental friendly solvent mixture, acetone/ethanol/propylene carbonate (A/E/P, 1:1:1 v/v/v) was identified for extracting poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), a high-value biopolymer, from Cupriavidus necator. A set of solubility curves of PHB in various solvents was established. PHB recovery of 85% and purity of 92% were obtained from defatted dry biomass (DDB) using A/E/P. This solvent mixture is compatible with water, and from non-defatted wet biomass, PHB recovery of 83% and purity of 90% were achieved. Water and hexane were evaluated as anti-solvents to assist PHB precipitation, and hexane improved recovery of PHB from biomass to 92% and the purity to 93%. A scale-up extraction and separation reactor was designed, built and successfully tested. Properties of PHB recovered were not significantly affected by the extraction solvent and conditions, as shown by average molecular weight (1.4 × 10(6) ) and melting point (175.2°C) not being different from PHB extracted using chloroform. Therefore, this biorenewable solvent system was effective and versatile for extracting PHB biopolymers. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:678-685, 2016. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Changes in spectrochemical and catalytic properties of biopolymer anchored Cu(II) and Ni(II) catalysts by electron beam irradiation.

PubMed

Antony, R; Suja Pon Mini, P S; Theodore David Manickam, S; Sanjeev, Ganesh; Mitu, Liviu; Balakumar, S

2015-01-01

Chitosan (a biopolymer) anchored Cu(II) and Ni(II) Schiff base complexes, [M(OIAC)Cl2] (M: Cu/Ni and OIAC: ([2-oxo-1H-indol-3-ylidene]amino)chitosan) were electron beam irradiated by different doses (100 Gy, 1 kGy and 10 kGy). The electron beam has shown potential impact on biopolymer's support, in detail chain linking and chain scissoring, as evidenced by viscosity studies, FT-IR and X-ray diffraction spectroscopic techniques. Due to these structural changes, thermal properties of the complexes were found to be changed. The surface of these heterogeneous complexes was also effectually altered by electron beam. As a consequence, pores and holes were created as probed by SEM technique. The catalytic activity of both non-irradiated and irradiated complexes was investigated in the aerobic oxidation of cyclohexane using hydrogen peroxide oxidant. The catalytic ability of the complexes was enhanced significantly after irradiation as the result of surface changes. The reusability of the complexes was also greatly affected because of the structural variations in polymeric support. In terms of both better catalytic activity along with the reusability, 1 kGy is suggested as the best dose to attain adequate increase in catalytic activity and good reusability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The influence of hydrolysis induced biopolymers from recycled aerobic sludge on specific methanogenic activity and sludge filterability in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor.

PubMed

Buntner, D; Spanjers, H; van Lier, J B

2014-03-15

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of excess aerobic sludge on the specific methanogenic activity (SMA), in order to establish the maximum allowable aerobic sludge loading. In batch tests, different ratios of aerobic sludge to anaerobic inoculum were used, i.e. 0.03, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15, showing that low ratios led to an increased SMA. However, the ratio 0.15 caused more than 20% SMA decrease. In addition to the SMA tests, the potential influence of biopolymers and extracellular substances, that are generated as a result of excess aerobic sludge hydrolysis, on membrane performance was determined by assessing the fouling potential of the liquid broth, taking into account parameters such as specific resistance to filtration (SRF) and supernatant filterability (SF). Addition of aerobic sludge to the anaerobic biomass resulted in a high membrane fouling potential. The increase in biopolymers could be ascribed to aerobic sludge hydrolysis. A clear positive correlation between the concentration of the colloidal fraction of biopolymer clusters (cBPC) and the SRF was observed and a negative correlation between the cBPC and the SF measured at the end of the above described SMA tests. The latter implies that sludge filtration resistance increases when more aerobic sludge is hydrolyzed, and thus more cBPC is released. During AnMBR operation, proteins significantly contributed to sludge filterability decrease expressed as SRF and SF, whereas the carbohydrate fraction of SMP was of less importance due to low concentrations. On the contrary, carbohydrates seemed to improve filterability and diminish SRF of the sludge. Albeit, cBPC increase caused an increase in mean TMP during the AnMBR operation, confirming that cBPC is positively correlated to membrane fouling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear optical probe of biopolymer adsorption on colloidal particle surface: poly-L-lysine on polystyrene sulfate microspheres.

PubMed

Eckenrode, Heather M; Dai, Hai-Lung

2004-10-12

A nonlinear optical technique--second harmonic generation (SHG)--has been applied to characterize the adsorption of poly-L-lysine on micrometer size polystyrene particles, whose surface is covered with negatively charged sulfonate groups, in aqueous solutions. Adsorption behavior of the biopolymer with two chain lengths (14 and 75 amino acid units; PL14 and PL75) has been examined. Centrifugation experiments were also performed to support the adsorption measurements made using SHG. The adsorption free energies of the two polymers PL75 and PL14 are determined as -16.57 and -14.40 kcal/mol, respectively. The small difference in the adsorption free energies of the two chain lengths, however, leads to dramatic difference in the concentration needed for saturated surface coverage: nearly 50 times higher concentration is needed for the smaller polymer. Under acidic colloidal conditions, polylysine is found to adsorb in a relatively flat conformation on the surface. The surface area that each polylysine molecule occupies is nearly 1 order of magnitude larger than the size of the molecule in its extended form. The low adsorption density is likely a result from Coulombic repulsion between the positive charges on the amino acid units of PL. The measurements demonstrate the utility of SHG as an efficient and sensitive experimental approach for measuring adsorption characteristics of bio/macromolecules on colloidal particles and define surface and colloidal conditions for achieving maximum surface coverage of a widely used biopolymer. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

Biopolymers for sample collection, protection, and preservation.

PubMed

Sorokulova, Iryna; Olsen, Eric; Vodyanoy, Vitaly

2015-07-01

One of the principal challenges in the collection of biological samples from air, water, and soil matrices is that the target agents are not stable enough to be transferred from the collection point to the laboratory of choice without experiencing significant degradation and loss of viability. At present, there is no method to transport biological samples over considerable distances safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively without the use of ice or refrigeration. Current techniques of protection and preservation of biological materials have serious drawbacks. Many known techniques of preservation cause structural damages, so that biological materials lose their structural integrity and viability. We review applications of a novel bacterial preservation process, which is nontoxic and water soluble and allows for the storage of samples without refrigeration. The method is capable of protecting the biological sample from the effects of environment for extended periods of time and then allows for the easy release of these collected biological materials from the protective medium without structural or DNA damage. Strategies for sample collection, preservation, and shipment of bacterial, viral samples are described. The water-soluble polymer is used to immobilize the biological material by replacing the water molecules within the sample with molecules of the biopolymer. The cured polymer results in a solid protective film that is stable to many organic solvents, but quickly removed by the application of the water-based solution. The process of immobilization does not require the use of any additives, accelerators, or plastifiers and does not involve high temperature or radiation to promote polymerization.

A linear biopolymer in the vicinity of the triple point. The homopolymer case.

PubMed

Frank-Kamenetskii, M D; Chogovadze, G I

1984-06-01

This is a theoretical study of a situation where each residue of a linear biopolymer may adopt one of three conformational states. Such a situation exists in the case of DNA, since it may be in helical A, B, . . ., Z forms as well as the melted state. In the vicinity of the triple point in the phrase diagram three states, e.g. the A form, the B form and the denatured state, co-exist within a given molecule. We present an exact analytical solution of the simplest homopolymer model. Theory predicts that the presence of two helical states in one molecule should affect the helix-coil transition in two ways. The melting temperature experiences an upward shift and the melting range width is increased, by a factor of square root of two as a maximum.

Efficacy of a fixed combination of 0.09 % xanthan gum/0.1 % chondroitin sulfate preservative free vs polyethylene glycol/propylene glycol in subjects with dry eye disease: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pérez-Balbuena, Ana L; Ochoa-Tabares, Juan C; Belalcazar-Rey, Sandra; Urzúa-Salinas, Cristian; Saucedo-Rodríguez, Laura R; Velasco-Ramos, Regina; Suárez-Sánchez, Raúl G; Rodríguez-Carrizalez, Adolfo D; Oregón-Miranda, Aldo A

2016-09-20

Dry eye disease (DED) is multifactorial, affecting 5-34 % of the global adult population and reducing quality of life. The artificial tears or lubricants are the therapy most used for the treatment of DED, due to their low side effect profile, which attempt to modify the properties of the tear film. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a fixed combination of xanthan gum and chondroitin sulfate preservative free on the ocular surface of patients with dry eye disease during 60 days of intervention. A phase III, double-blind, masked, controlled, multicenter, clinical trial of 148 subjects, randomized to either a fixed combination of xanthan gum 0.09 % and chondroitin sulfate 0.1 % (XG/CS) ophthalmic solution (n = 76) or a fixed combination of polyethylene glycol 400 0.4 % and propylene glycol 0.3 % (PEG/PG) (n = 72). Subjects self-dosed four times daily during 60 days. Follow-up was set on days 2, 7, 15, 30 and 60. Assessments of anterior/posterior segment ocular signs were performed. The outcome measures included Schirmer test, tear film break-up time and OSDI score. Security variables included intraocular pressure, lisamine green and fluorescein ocular surface stains. The primary efficacy endpoints were similar between groups at baseline. After intervention time Schirmer test increased in both groups compared to baseline, XG/CS (6.4 ± 2.2 vs 11.0 ± 6.6; p = 0.002) and PEG/PG (6.5 ± 2.5 vs 10.5 ± 5.6; p = 0.019) respectively. Similar results were reported in the tear film break-up time in XG/CS (5.5 ± 2.1 vs 7.4 ± 2.9; p = 0.027) and PEG/PG (5.2 ± 2.0 vs 7.4 ± 2.7; p = 0.046) respectively. The OSDI score decreased to normal values in both groups, XG/CS (19.3 ± 7.4 vs 7.3 ± 5.9; p = 0.001) and PEG/PG (19.3 ± 7.5 vs 7.9 ± 8.2; p = 0.001) respectively. There was no significant difference between treatments for any parameter. Moreover, both

Porous silicon photonic crystals as hosts for polymers, biopolymers, and magnetic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang Yang

This thesis describes the construction of one-dimensional photonic crystals of porous silicon by electrochemically etching and the use of these materials as hosts for polymers, biopolymers, and magnetic nanoparticles. The spectral features of the photonic crystals derive from a porosity gradient that is determined by the electrochemical etching parameters. Since the photonic crystals are constructed of a porous material, they can serve as hosts for other materials. The first chapter of the thesis provides an introduction to porous Si, templating techniques and the use of porous materials for controlled release of drugs. This latter section is added because much of the thesis work addresses the application of porous Si hosts for controlled release of drugs. In the second chapter, it is shown that the spectral properties of the porous Si photonic crystal template can be transferred to a variety of organic and biopolymers. It is demonstrated that these castings can be used as vapor sensors and as self-reporting, bioresorbable materials. If the template is not removed, porous Si polymer composites are formed. The third chapter discussed that by spray-coating a fine mist of polymer solution onto the porous Si film, robust and smooth micron-sized cylindrical photonic crystals suitable for bioassays can be prepared. The fourth chapter focuses on using porous Si photonic crystals as a host for magnetic nanoparticles. The magnetic nanoparticles in this work are found to adhere to the surface of the porous Si film as well to infiltrate the pore structure. In a demonstration of optical switching that may be useful for information display applications, flipping between the colored to dark sides by application of a magnetic field is found to occur at rates of as large as 175 Hz. As the host for soluble molecular species, porous Si photonic crystals can be impregnated from solution. The aggregates that form upon evaporation of solvent are found to scatter light from the resonant

A Comparative Study Between Modified Starch and Xanthan Gum Thickeners in Post-Stroke Oropharyngeal Dysphagia.

PubMed

Vilardell, N; Rofes, L; Arreola, V; Speyer, R; Clavé, P

2016-04-01

Thickeners are used in post-stroke oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) as a compensatory therapeutic strategy against aspirations. To compare the therapeutic effects of modified starch (MS) and xanthan gum (XG) thickeners on swallow safety and efficacy in chronic post-stroke OD patients using clinical and videofluoroscopic (VFS) assessment. Patients were studied by clinical assessment (volume-viscosity swallow test, V-VST) and VFS using 3 volumes (5, 10, 20 mL) and 3 viscosities (liquid, nectar and spoon thick), comparing MS and XG. We studied 122 patients (46MS, 76XG). (A) V-VST showed that both thickeners similarly improved safety of swallow. Prevalence of safe swallowing significantly increased with enhanced viscosity (P < 0.001 vs liquid), MS: 47.83 % at liquid, 84.93 % at nectar and 92.96 % at spoon thick; XG: 55.31 % at liquid, 77.78 % at nectar and 97.84 % at spoon thick. Patients on MS reported higher prevalence of pharyngeal residue at spoon-thick viscosities. (B) VFS: increasing bolus viscosity with either thickener increased prevalence of safe swallows (P < 0.001 vs liquid), MS: 30.25 % liquid, 61.07 % nectar and 92.64 % spoon thick; XG: 29.12 % liquid, 71.30 % nectar and 89.91 % spoon thick. Penetration-aspiration scale score was significantly reduced with increased viscosity with both thickeners. MS increased oral and pharyngeal residues at nectar and spoon-thick viscosities but XG did not. Timing of airway protection mechanisms and bolus velocity were not affected by either thickener. Increasing bolus viscosity with MS and XG thickeners strongly and similarly improved safety of swallow in chronic post-stroke OD by a compensatory mechanism; in contrast only MS thickeners increased oropharyngeal residue.

Production of novel biopolymers in plants: recent technological advances and future prospects.

PubMed

Snell, Kristi D; Singh, Vijay; Brumbley, Stevens M

2015-04-01

The production of novel biopolymers in plants has the potential to provide renewable sources of industrial materials through agriculture. In this review we will highlight recent progress with plant-based production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), silk, elastin, collagen, and cyanophycin with an emphasis on the synthesis of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB), a renewable biodegradable PHA polymer with potential commercial applications in plastics, chemicals, and feed markets. Improved production of PHB has required manipulation of promoters driving expression of transgenes, reduction in activity of endogenous enzymes in competing metabolic pathways, insertion of genes to increase carbon flow to polymer, and basic plant biochemistry to understand metabolic limitations. These experiments have increased our understanding of carbon availability and partitioning in different plant organelles, cell types, and organs, information that is useful for the production of other novel molecules in plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect on Ammonium Bromide in dielectric behavior based Alginate Solid Biopolymer electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuzlin, A. F.; Rasali, N. M. J.; Samsudin, A. S.

2018-04-01

This paper present the development of solid biopolymer electrolytes (SBEs) system which has been accomplished by incorporating various composition of ionic dopant namely ammonium bromide (NH4Br) with alginate solution casting method. The prepared sample of SBEs has been analyzed via electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the ionic conductivity at room temperature was increased from 4.67 x 10-7 S cm-1 for un-doped sample to optimum value at 4.41 x 10-5 S cm-1 for composition of 20 wt. % NH4Br. The SBEs system was found to obey the Arrhenius characteristics with R2~1where all sample is thermally activated when increasing temperature. The dielectric behavior of the alginate-NH4Br SBEs system were measured using complex permittivity (ε*) and complex electrical modulus (M*) and shown the non-debye behavior where no single relaxation was found for present SBEs system.

Tunable deformation modes shape contractility in active biopolymer networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stam, Samantha; Banerjee, Shiladitya; Weirich, Kim; Freedman, Simon; Dinner, Aaron; Gardel, Margaret

Biological polymer-based materials remodel under active, molecular motor-driven forces to perform diverse physiological roles, such as force transmission and spatial self-organization. Critical to understanding these biomaterials is elucidating the role of microscopic polymer deformations, such as stretching, bending, buckling, and relative sliding, on material remodeling. Here, we report that the shape of motor-driven deformations can be used to identify microscopic deformation modes and determine how they propagate to longer length scales. In cross-linked actin networks with sufficiently low densities of the motor protein myosin II, microscopic network deformations are predominantly uniaxial, or dominated by sliding. However, longer-wavelength modes are mostly biaxial, or dominated by bending and buckling, indicating that deformations with uniaxial shapes do not propagate across length scales significantly larger than that of individual polymers. As the density of myosin II is increased, biaxial modes dominate on all length scales we examine due to buildup of sufficient stress to produce smaller-wavelength buckling. In contrast, when we construct networks from unipolar, rigid actin bundles, we observe uniaxial, sliding-based contractions on 1 to 100 μm length scales. Our results demonstrate the biopolymer mechanics can be used to tune deformation modes which, in turn, control shape changes in active materials.

Inhibitory effect of xanthan gum and synergistic surfactant additives for mild steel corrosion in 1M HCl.

PubMed

Mobin, Mohammad; Rizvi, Marziya

2016-01-20

Natural polymer xanthan gum (XG) was investigated as eco friendly corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1M HCl at 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C and 60 °C, respectively. The inhibition studies were performed using gravimetric analysis, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), quantum chemical calculations, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-visible spectrophotometry. XG significantly reduces the corrosion rates of mild steel. The inhibition efficiency (IE) of the XG increased with increase in concentration, but decreased with temperature; the maximum IE of 74.24% was obtained at concentration of 1000 ppm at 30 °C. The inhibiting action of XG is synergistically enhanced on addition of very small amount of surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC) and Triton X-100 (TX). The effect of SDS is more pronounced than other surfactants. Potentiodynamic polarization studies confirm XG as a mixed type inhibitor. Results of weight loss measurements are in good agreement of the results of electrochemical measurements. The UV-visible spectroscopic results indicate the formation of complex between XG and Fe(2+) ions during corrosion reaction. Mechanism of inhibition was also investigated by calculating the thermodynamic and activation parameters like ΔG(0), Ea, ΔH and ΔS. The adsorption of inhibitor on mild steel surface obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm. SEM micrographs show a clearly different morphology in presence of XG and XG-surfactant additives and confirmed the existence of an adsorbed protective film on the mild steel surface. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid adsorptive removal of toxic Pb(2+) ion from aqueous solution using recyclable, biodegradable nanocomposite derived from templated partially hydrolyzed xanthan gum and nanosilica.

PubMed

Ghorai, Soumitra; Sarkar, Amit Kumar; Pal, Sagar

2014-10-01

This work studied the application of a novel biodegradable nanocomposite based on partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide grafted xanthan gum and nanosilica (h-XG/SiO2) towards efficient and rapid removal of toxic Pb(2+) ions from aqueous environment. The uptake ability of Pb(2+) using h-XG/SiO2 has been studied in batch adsorption experiments with variation of adsorption parameters. The excellent removal rate (99.54% adsorption within 25min) and superior adsorption capacity (Qmax=1012.15mgg(-1)) of the composite material have been explained on the basis of synergistic and chelating effects of h-XG/SiO2 with Pb(2+) ion through electrostatic interactions. The kinetics, isotherm and thermodynamics studies reveal that Pb(2+) adsorb rapidly on nanocomposite surface, which is in agreement with pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir adsorption isotherm models. In consequence of excellent adsorption as well as regeneration characteristics of nanocomposite, it has been found to be a promising adsorbent towards removal of Pb(2+) ions from battery industry wastewater. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in carinata seeds as energy feedstock and their coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bio-oil processing before and after biodegradation: current advanced molecular spectroscopic investigations.

PubMed

Yu, Peiqiang; Xin, Hangshu; Ban, Yajing; Zhang, Xuewei

2014-05-07

Recent advances in biofuel and bio-oil processing technology require huge supplies of energy feedstocks for processing. Very recently, new carinata seeds have been developed as energy feedstocks for biofuel and bio-oil production. The processing results in a large amount of coproducts, which are carinata meal. To date, there is no systematic study on interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in carinata seed as energy feedstocks for biofuel and bioethanol processing and their processing coproducts (carinata meal). Molecular spectroscopy with synchrotron and globar sources is a rapid and noninvasive analytical technique and is able to investigate molecular structure conformation in relation to biopolymer functions and bioavailability. However, to date, these techniques are seldom used in biofuel and bioethanol processing in other research laboratories. This paper aims to provide research progress and updates with molecular spectroscopy on the energy feedstock (carinata seed) and coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bioethanol processing and show how to use these molecular techniques to study the interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in the energy feedstocks and their coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bio-oil processing before and after biodegradation.

21 CFR 201.319 - Water-soluble gums, hydrophilic gums, and hydrophilic mucilloids (including, but not limited to...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... gum, kelp, methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil tragacanth, and xanthan gum) as... gum, kelp, methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil tragacanth, and xanthan gum) as..., methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil, tragacanth, and xanthan gum. Esophageal obstruction and...

21 CFR 201.319 - Water-soluble gums, hydrophilic gums, and hydrophilic mucilloids (including, but not limited to...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... gum, kelp, methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil tragacanth, and xanthan gum) as... gum, kelp, methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil tragacanth, and xanthan gum) as..., methylcellulose, plantago seed (psyllium), polycarbophil, tragacanth, and xanthan gum. Esophageal obstruction and...

Active biopolymer film based on carboxymethyl cellulose and ascorbic acid for food preservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halim, Al Luqman Abdul; Kamari, Azlan

2017-05-01

In the present study, an active biopolymer film based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and ascorbic acid (AA) was synthesised at an incorporation rate of 15% (w/w). Several analytical instruments such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Thermogravimetry Analyser (TGA), UV-Visible Spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Universal Testing Machine were used to characterise the physical and chemical properties of CMC-AA film. The addition of AA significantly reduced elongation at break (322%) and tensile strength (10 MPa) of CMC-AA film. However, CMC-AA film shows a better antimicrobial property against two bacteria, namely Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) as compared to CMC film. The CMC-AA film was able to preserve cherry tomato with low weight loss and browning index. Overall, results from this study highlight the feasibility of CSAA film for food preservation.

Advanced textile materials and biopolymers in wound management.

PubMed

Petrulyte, Salvinija

2008-02-01

New generation medical textiles are an important growing field with great expansion in wound management products. Virtually new products are coming but also well known materials with significantly improved properties using advanced technologies and new methods are in the centre of research which are highly technical, technological, functional, and effective oriented. The key qualities of fibres and dressings as wound care products include that they are bacteriostatic, anti-viral, fungistatic, non-toxic, high absorbent, non-allergic, breathable, haemostatic, biocompatible, and manipulatable to incorporate medications, also provide reasonable mechanical properties. Many advantages over traditional materials have products modified or blended with also based on alginate, chitin/chitosan, collagen, branan ferulate, carbon fibres. Textile structures used for modern wound dressings are of large variety: sliver, yarn, woven, non-woven, knitted, crochet, braided, embroidered, composite materials. Wound care also applies to materials like hydrogels, matrix (tissue engineering), films, hydrocolloids, foams. Specialized additives with special functions can be introduced in advanced wound dressings with the aim to absorb odours, provide strong antibacterial properties, smooth pain and relieve irritation. Because of unique properties as high surface area to volume ratio, film thinness, nano scale fibre diameter, porosity, light weight, nanofibres are used in wound care. The aim of this study is to outline and review the latest developments and advance in medical textiles and biopolymers for wound management providing the overview with generalized scope about novelties in products and properties.

Sugar Metabolism of the First Thermophilic Planctomycete Thermogutta terrifontis: Comparative Genomic and Transcriptomic Approaches

PubMed Central

Elcheninov, Alexander G.; Menzel, Peter; Gudbergsdottir, Soley R.; Slesarev, Alexei I.; Kadnikov, Vitaly V.; Krogh, Anders; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A.; Peng, Xu; Kublanov, Ilya V.

2017-01-01

Xanthan gum, a complex polysaccharide comprising glucose, mannose and glucuronic acid residues, is involved in numerous biotechnological applications in cosmetics, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, food and petroleum industries. Additionally, its oligosaccharides were shown to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant, and few other properties. Yet, despite its extensive usage, little is known about xanthan gum degradation pathways and mechanisms. Thermogutta terrifontis, isolated from a sample of microbial mat developed in a terrestrial hot spring of Kunashir island (Far-East of Russia), was described as the first thermophilic representative of the Planctomycetes phylum. It grows well on xanthan gum either at aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Genomic analysis unraveled the pathways of oligo- and polysaccharides utilization, as well as the mechanisms of aerobic and anaerobic respiration. The combination of genomic and transcriptomic approaches suggested a novel xanthan gum degradation pathway which involves novel glycosidase(s) of DUF1080 family, hydrolyzing xanthan gum backbone beta-glucosidic linkages and beta-mannosidases instead of xanthan lyases, catalyzing cleavage of terminal beta-mannosidic linkages. Surprisingly, the genes coding DUF1080 proteins were abundant in T. terrifontis and in many other Planctomycetes genomes, which, together with our observation that xanthan gum being a selective substrate for many planctomycetes, suggest crucial role of DUF1080 in xanthan gum degradation. Our findings shed light on the metabolism of the first thermophilic planctomycete, capable to degrade a number of polysaccharides, either aerobically or anaerobically, including the biotechnologically important bacterial polysaccharide xanthan gum. PMID:29163426

Fractional Generalizations of Maxwell and Kelvin-Voigt Models for Biopolymer Characterization

PubMed Central

Jóźwiak, Bertrand; Orczykowska, Magdalena; Dziubiński, Marek

2015-01-01

The paper proposes a fractional generalization of the Maxwell and Kelvin-Voigt rheological models for a description of dynamic behavior of biopolymer materials. It was found that the rheological models of Maxwell-type do not work in the case of modeling of viscoelastic solids, and the model which significantly better describes the nature of changes in rheological properties of such media is the modified fractional Kelvin-Voigt model with two built-in springpots (MFKVM2). The proposed model was used to describe the experimental data from the oscillatory and creep tests of 3% (w/v) kuzu starch pastes, and to determine the values of their rheological parameters as a function of pasting time. These parameters provide a lot of additional information about structure and viscoelastic properties of the medium in comparison to the classical analysis of dynamic curves G’ and G” and shear creep compliance J(t). It allowed for a comprehensive description of a wide range of properties of kuzu starch pastes, depending on the conditions of pasting process. PMID:26599756

Biocompatible ionic liquid-biopolymer electrolyte-enabled thin and compact magnesium-air batteries.

PubMed

Jia, Xiaoteng; Yang, Yang; Wang, Caiyun; Zhao, Chen; Vijayaraghavan, R; MacFarlane, Douglas R; Forsyth, Maria; Wallace, Gordon G

2014-12-10

With the surge of interest in miniaturized implanted medical devices (IMDs), implantable power sources with small dimensions and biocompatibility are in high demand. Implanted battery/supercapacitor devices are commonly packaged within a case that occupies a large volume, making miniaturization difficult. In this study, we demonstrate a polymer electrolyte-enabled biocompatible magnesium-air battery device with a total thickness of approximately 300 μm. It consists of a biocompatible polypyrrole-para(toluene sulfonic acid) cathode and a bioresorbable magnesium alloy anode. The biocompatible electrolyte used is made of choline nitrate (ionic liquid) embedded in a biopolymer, chitosan. This polymer electrolyte is mechanically robust and offers a high ionic conductivity of 8.9 × 10(-3) S cm(-1). The assembled battery delivers a maximum volumetric power density of 3.9 W L(-1), which is sufficient to drive some types of IMDs, such as cardiac pacemakers or biomonitoring systems. This miniaturized, biocompatible magnesium-air battery may pave the way to a future generation of implantable power sources.

Rapid communication: Computational simulation and analysis of a candidate for the design of a novel silk-based biopolymer.

PubMed

Golas, Ewa I; Czaplewski, Cezary

2014-09-01

This work theoretically investigates the mechanical properties of a novel silk-derived biopolymer as polymerized in silico from sericin and elastin-like monomers. Molecular Dynamics simulations and Steered Molecular Dynamics were the principal computational methods used, the latter of which applies an external force onto the system and thereby enables an observation of its response to stress. The models explored herein are single-molecule approximations, and primarily serve as tools in a rational design process for the preliminary assessment of properties in a new material candidate. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Influence of High Drug Loading in Xanthan Tablets and Media with Different Physiological pH and Ionic Strength on Swelling and Release.

PubMed

Mikac, Urša; Sepe, Ana; Baumgartner, Saša; Kristl, Julijana

2016-03-07

The formation of a gel coat around xanthan (Xan) tablets, empty or loaded with pentoxifylline (PF), and its release in media differing in pH and ionic strength by NMR, MR imaging, and two release methods were studied. The T1 and T2 NMR relaxation times in gels depend predominantly on Xan concentration; the presence of PF has negligible influence on them. It is interesting that the matrix swelling is primarily regulated by Xan despite high drug loading (25%, 50%). The gastric pH and high ionic strength of the media do not influence the position of the penetration and swelling fronts but do affect the erosion front and gel thickness. The different release profiles obtained in mixing and nonmixing in vitro methods are the consequence of matrix hydration level and erosion at the surface. In water and in diluted acid medium with low ionic strength, the main release mechanism is erosion, whereas in other media (pH 1.2, μ ≥ 0.20 M), anomalous transport dominates as was found out by fitting of measured data with theoretical model. Besides the in vitro investigation that mimics gastric conditions, mathematical modeling makes the product development more successful.

Intrinsic viscosity of binary gum mixtures with xanthan gum and guar gum: Effect of NaCl, sucrose, and pH.

PubMed

Bak, J H; Yoo, B

2018-05-01

The intrinsic viscosity ([η]) values of binary gum mixtures with xanthan gum (XG) and guar gum (GG) mixed with NaCl and sucrose at different concentrations as well as in the presence of different pH levels were examined in dilute solution as a function of XG/GG mixing ratio (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, and 0/100). Experimental values of concentration (C) and relative viscosity (η rel ) or specific viscosity (η sp ) of gums in dilute solution were fitted to five models to determine [η] values of binary gum mixtures including individual gums. A [η] model (η rel =1+[η]C) of Tanglertpaibul and Rao is recommended as the best model to estimate [η] values for the binary gum mixtures with XG and GG as affected by NaCl, sucrose, and pH. Overall, the synergistic interaction of XG-GG mixtures in the presence of NaCl and sucrose showed a greatly positive variation between measured and calculated values of [η]. In contrast, the binary gum mixtures showed synergy only under an acidic condition (pH3). These results suggest that the NaCl and sucrose addition or acidic condition appears to affect the intermolecular interaction occurred between XG and GG at different gum mixing ratios. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Probing the structure and function of biopolymer-carbon nanotube hybrids with molecular dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Robert R.

2009-12-01

Nanoscience deals with the characterization and manipulation of matter on the atomic/molecular size scale in order to deepen our understanding of condensed matter and develop revolutionary technology. Meeting the demands of the rapidly advancing nanotechnological frontier requires novel, multifunctional nanoscale materials. Among the most promising nanomaterials to fulfill this need are biopolymer-carbon nanotube hybrids (Bio-CNT). Bio-CNT consists of a single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) coated with a self-assembled layer of biopolymers such as DNA or protein. Experiments have demonstrated that these nanomaterials possess a wide range of technologically useful properties with applications in nanoelectronics, medicine, homeland security, environmental safety and microbiology. However, a fundamental understanding of the self-assembly mechanics, structure and energetics of Bio-CNT is lacking. The objective of this thesis is to address this deficiency through molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, which provides an atomic-scale window into the behavior of this unique nanomaterial. MD shows that Bio-CNT composed of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) self-assembles via the formation of high affinity contacts between DNA bases and the CNT sidewall. Calculation of the base-CNT binding free energy by thermodynamic integration reveals that these contacts result from the attractive pi--pi stacking interaction. Binding affinities follow the trend G > A > T > C. MD reveals that long ssDNA sequences are driven into a helical wrapping about CNT with a sub-10 nm pitch by electrostatic and torsional interactions in the backbone. A large-scale replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation reveals that ssDNA-CNT hybrids are disordered. At room temperature, ssDNA can reside in several low-energy conformations that contain a sequence-specific arrangement of bases detached from CNT surface. MD demonstrates that protein-CNT hybrids composed of the Coxsackie-adenovirus receptor are biologically

The effects of a xanthan gum-based thickener on the swallowing function of patients with dysphagia.

PubMed

Rofes, L; Arreola, V; Mukherjee, R; Swanson, J; Clavé, P

2014-05-01

Increasing bolus viscosity of thin liquids is a basic therapeutic strategy to protect patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) from aspiration. However, conventional starch thickeners increase post-deglutitive residue. To assess the therapeutic effect of a new xanthan gum-based thickener, Resource ThickenUp Clear (Nestlé Health Science, Vevey, Switzerland) on patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia. We studied the effect of Resource ThickenUp Clear using a clinical method and videofluoroscopy on 120 patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia (66 with stroke, 41 older and 13 with neurodegenerative diseases) and 14 healthy volunteers while swallowing thin-liquid, nectar-like and spoon-thick boluses. We assessed the prevalence of signs of impaired safety and efficacy of swallow and the physiology of the swallow response. Increasing bolus viscosity with Resource ThickenUp Clear: (i) improved safety of swallow demonstrated by a reduction in the prevalence of cough and voice changes in the clinical study and penetrations and aspirations during video fluoroscopy. Prevalence of aspirations was 12.7% with thin liquid, 7.7% with nectar-like (P < 0.01) and 3.4% with spoon-thick (P < 0.01) viscosities. Penetration-Aspiration Scale was reduced from 3.24 ± 0.18 at thin liquid to 2.20 ± 0.18 at nectar-like (P < 0.001) and to 1.53 ± 0.13 at spoon-thick (P < 0.001) viscosities; (ii) did not enhance pharyngeal residue; (iii) nectar-like viscosity did not affect bolus velocity nor timing of swallow response and (iv) spoon-thick viscosity reduced bolus velocity. Resource ThickenUp Clear improves the safety of swallow without increasing residue providing a viscosity-dependent therapeutic effect for patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia. At nectar viscosity, the effect is due to intrinsic texture properties, spoon-thick viscosity adding changes in swallow physiology. NCT01158313. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biodegradation of polyether-polyol-based polyurethane elastomeric films: influence of partial replacement of polyether polyol by biopolymers of renewable origin.

PubMed

Obruca, Stanislav; Marova, Ivana; Vojtova, Lucy

2011-07-01

In this work we investigated the degradation process ofpolyether-polyol-based polyurethane (PUR) elastomeric films in the presence of a mixed thermophilic culture as a model of a natural bacterial consortium. The presence of PUR material in cultivation medium resulted in delayed but intensive growth of the bacterial culture. The unusually long lag phase was caused by the release of unreacted polyether polyol and tin catalyst from the material. The lag phase was significantly shortened and the biodegradability of PUR materials was enhanced by partial replacement (10%) of polyether polyol with biopolymers (carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, acetyl cellulose and actylated starch). The process of material degradation consisted of two steps. First, the materials were mechanically disrupted and, second, the bacterial culture was able to utilize abiotic degradation products, which resulted in supported bacterial growth. Direct utilization of PUR by the bacterial culture was observed as well, but the bacterial culture contributed only slightly to the total mass losses. The only exception was PUR material modified by acetyl cellulose. In this case, direct biodegradation represented the major mechanism of material decomposition. Moreover, PUR material modified by acetyl cellulose did not tend to undergo abiotic degradation. In conclusion, the modification of PUR by proper biopolymers is a promising strategy for reducing potential negative effects of waste PUR materials on the environment and enhancing their biodegradability.

Effective adsorption of oil droplets from oil-in-water emulsion using metal ions encapsulated biopolymers: Role of metal ions and their mechanism in oil removal.

PubMed

Elanchezhiyan, S Sd; Prabhu, Subbaiah Muthu; Meenakshi, Sankaran

2018-06-01

Herein, synthesized and compared the three different kinds of hybrid bio-polymeric composites viz., lanthanum embedded chitosan/gelatin (La@CS-GEL), zirconium embedded chitosan/gelatin (Zr@CS-GEL) and cerium embedded chitosan/gelatin (Ce@CS-GEL) in terms of their oil uptake efficiency. The adsorption efficiency was studied under various optimized parameters like contact time, pH, dose, initial oil concentration and temperature. The oil adsorption capacity was found to be 91, 82 and 45% for La@CS-GEL, Zr@CS-GEL and Ce@CS-GEL composites respectively. The metals were used as a bridging material to connect both CS and GEL using the hydrophilic groups to enhance the oil recovery by hydrophobic interaction. Also, the introduction of metal ions on the surface of biopolymers would modify the oil/water properties which in turn, decrease the interfacial tension between oil and water phases. The mechanism of oil uptake was explained using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) and heat of combustion. The experimental data confirmed Langmuir isotherm as the best fit for oil adsorption process. Thermodynamic parameters such as standard free energy (ΔG°), standard enthalpy (ΔH°) and standard entropy (ΔS°) indicated that the oil adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic. The oil adsorption mechanism was established based on isotherm and thermodynamic models. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthetic and Biopolymer Gels - Similarities and Difference.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horkay, Ferenc

2006-03-01

Ion exchange plays a central role in a variety of physiological processes, such as nerve excitation, muscle contraction and cell locomotion. Hydrogels can be used as model systems for identifying fundamental chemical and physical interactions that govern structure formation, phase transition, etc. in biopolymer systems. Polyelectrolyte gels are particularly well-suited to study ion-polymer interactions because their structure and physical-chemical properties (charge density, crosslink density, etc) can be carefully controlled. They are sensitive to different external stimuli such as temperature, ionic composition and pH. Surprisingly few investigations have been made on polyelectrolyte gels in salt solutions containing both monovalent and multivalent cations. We have developed an experimental approach that combines small angle neutron scattering and osmotic swelling pressure measurements. The osmotic pressure exerted on a macroscopic scale is a consequence of changes occurring at a molecular level. The intensity of the neutron scattering signal, which provides structural information as a function of spatial resolution, is directly related to the osmotic pressure. We have found a striking similarity in the scattering and osmotic behavior of polyacrylic acid gels and DNA gels swollen in nearly physiological salt solutions. Addition of calcium ions to both systems causes a sudden volume change. This volume transition, which occurs when the majority of the sodium counterions are replaced by calcium ions, is reversible. Such reversibility implies that the calcium ions are not strongly bound by the polyanion, but are free to move along the polymer chain, which allows these ions to form temporary bridges between negative charges on adjacent chains. Mechanical measurements reveal that the elastic modulus is practically unchanged in the calcium-containing gels, i.e., ion bridging is qualitatively different from covalent crosslinks.

Adsorption of aquaculture pollutants using a sustainable biopolymer.

PubMed

Zadinelo, Izabel Volkweis; Dos Santos, Lilian Dena; Cagol, Luana; de Muniz, Graciela Inês Bolzón; de Souza Neves Ellendersen, Luciana; Alves, Helton José; Bombardelli, Robie Allan

2018-02-01

Intensive aquaculture needs to adopt techniques that are able to contribute towards sustainability. Closed systems that employ water recirculation can combine intensive production with environmental sustainability, since there is no exchange of water or discharge of effluents into the environment. In order to achieve this, effective filtration systems are required to ensure that the water quality is satisfactory for the cultivation of aquatic organisms. Chitosan, an industrial waste material derived from crustacean farming, is a renewable natural material that is biodegradable and possesses adsorbent characteristics. In this work, chitosan foam was incorporated in filters and was evaluated as an adsorbent of aquaculture pollutants, adding value to the material and at the same time providing a use for industrial waste. The foam was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, apparent density, and water absorption capacity. It was used to remove ammonia, nitrite, orthophosphate, and turbidity from aquaculture effluents. The foam consisted of a bilayer with smooth and porous sides, which presented low density, flexibility, and high water absorption capacity. The best proportion of the foam, in terms of the mass of foam per volume of solution (% m v -1 ), was 0.10, which resulted in removal of 32.8, 57.2, 89.5, and 99.9% of ammonia, nitrite, orthophosphate, and turbidity, respectively. This biopolymer produced is biodegradable, and when saturated with organic compounds from aquaculture, and no longer suitable for reuse as a filter material, it can be employed as a fertilizer, hence closing the sustainability cycle of the aquaculture production chain.

Development of pH-responsive biopolymer-silica composites loaded with Larrea divaricata Cav. extract with antioxidant activity.

PubMed

Alvarez Echazú, María Inés; Olivetti, Christian Ezequiel; Peralta, Ignacio; Alonso, Maria Rosario; Anesini, Claudia; Perez, Claudio Javier; Alvarez, Gisela Solange; Desimone, Martin Federico

2018-05-07

A detailed study of biomaterials is mandatory to comprehend their feasible biomedical applications in terms of drug delivery and tissue regeneration. Particularly, mucoadhesive biopolymers such as chitosan (chi) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) have become interesting biomaterials regards to their biocompatibility and non-toxicity for oral mucosal drug delivery. In this work, pH-responsive biopolymer-silica composites (Chi-SiO 2 , Chi-CMC-SiO 2 ) were developed. These two types of composites presented a different swelling behavior due to the environmental pH. Moreover, the nanocomposites were loaded with aqueous Larrea divaricata Cav. extract (Ld), a South American plant which presents antioxidant properties suitable for the treatment of gingivoperiodontal diseases. Chi-CMC-SiO 2 composites showed the highest incorporation and reached the 100% of extract release in almost 4 days while they preserved their antioxidant properties. In this study, thermal and swelling behavior were pointed out to show the distinct water-composite interaction and therefore to evaluate their mucoadhesivity. Furthermore, a cytotoxicity test with 3T3 fibroblasts was assessed, showing that in both composites the addition of Larrea divaricata Cav. extract increased fibroblast proliferation. Lastly, preliminary in vitro studies were performed with simulated body fluids. Indeed, SEM-EDS analysis indicated that only chi-SiO 2 composite may provide an environment for possible biomineralization while the addition of CMC to the composites discouraged calcium accumulation. In conclusion, the development of bioactive composites could promote the regeneration of periodontal tissue damaged throughout periodontal disease and the presence of silica nanoparticles could provide an environment for biomineralization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the mechanical properties of tough biopolymer fibres from the mussel byssus of Aulacomya ater.

PubMed

Troncoso, O P; Torres, F G; Grande, C J

2008-07-01

Byssus fibres are tough biopolymer fibres produced by mussels to attach themselves to rocks. In this communication, we present the mechanical properties of the byssus from the South American mussel Aulacomya ater which have not been previously reported in the literature. The mechanical properties of the whole threads were assessed by uniaxial tensile tests of dry and hydrated specimens. Elastoplastic and elastomeric stress-strain curves were found for byssal threads from A. ater in the dry and hydrated state, respectively. The results obtained from mechanical tests were modelled using linear, power-law-type and Mooney-Rivlin relationships. These methods for dealing with tensile measurements of mussel byssus have the potential to be used with other stretchy biomaterials.

PULSE SYNTHESIZING GENERATOR

DOEpatents

Kerns, Q.A.

1963-08-01

>An electronlc circuit for synthesizing electrical current pulses having very fast rise times includes several sinewave generators tuned to progressively higher harmonic frequencies with signal amplitudes and phases selectable according to the Fourier series of the waveform that is to be synthesized. Phase control is provided by periodically triggering the generators at precisely controlled times. The outputs of the generators are combined in a coaxial transmission line. Any frequency-dependent delays that occur in the transmission line can be readily compensated for so that the desired signal wave shape is obtained at the output of the line. (AEC)

The effect of sodium hydroxide on drag reduction using banana peel as a drag reduction agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, H.; Jaafar, A.

2018-02-01

Drag reduction is observed as reduced frictional pressure losses under turbulent flow conditions. Drag reduction agent such as polymers can be introduced to increase the flowrate of water flowing and reduce the water accumulation in the system. Currently used polymers are synthetic polymers, which will harm our environment in excessive use of accumulation. A more environmentally-friendly drag reduction agent such as the polymer derived from natural sources or biopolymer, is then required for such purpose. As opposed to the synthetic polymers, the potential of biopolymers as drag reduction agents, especially those derived from a local plant source are not extensively explored. The drag reduction of a polymer produced from a local plant source within the turbulent regime was explored and assessed in this study using a rheometer, where a reduced a torque produced was perceived as a reduction of drag. This method proposed is less time consuming and is more practical which is producing carboxymethylcellulose from the banana peel. The cellulose powder was converted to carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) by etherification process. The carboxymethylation reaction during the synthesizing process was then optimized against the reaction temperature, reaction time and solubility. The biopolymers were then rheologically characterized, where the viscoelastic effects and the normal stresses produced by these biopolymers were utilized to further relate and explain the drag reduction phenomena. The research was structured to focus on producing the biopolymer and to assess the drag reduction ability of the biopolymer produced. The rheological behavior of the biopolymers was then analyzed based on the ability of reducing drag. The results are intended to expand the currently extremely limited experimental database. Based on the results, the biopolymer works as a good DRA.

Production and properties of an exopolysaccharide synthesized by the extreme halophilic archaeon Haloterrigena turkmenica.

PubMed

Squillaci, Giuseppe; Finamore, Rosario; Diana, Paola; Restaino, Odile Francesca; Schiraldi, Chiara; Arbucci, Salvatore; Ionata, Elena; La Cara, Francesco; Morana, Alessandra

2016-01-01

We have isolated a novel exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by the extreme halophilic archaeon Haloterrigena turkmenica. Some features, remarkable from an industrial point of view, such as emulsifying and antioxidant properties, were investigated. H. turkmenica excreted 20.68 mg of EPS per 100 ml of culture medium when grown in usual medium supplemented with glucose. The microorganism excreted the biopolymer mainly in the middle exponential growth phase and reached the maximal production in the stationary phase. Analyses by anion exchange chromatography and SEC-TDA Viscotek indicated that the EPS was composed of two main fractions of 801.7 and 206.0 kDa. It was a sulfated heteropolysaccharide containing glucose, galactose, glucosamine, galactosamine, and glucuronic acid. Studies performed utilizing the mixture of EPS anionic fractions showed that the biopolymer had emulsifying activity towards vegetable oils comparable or superior to that exhibited by the controls, moderate antioxidant power when tested with 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(·)), and moisture-retention ability higher than hyaluronic acid (HA). The EPS from H. turkmenica is the first exopolysaccharide produced by an archaea to be characterized in terms of properties that can have potential biotechnological applications.

Luminescence properties of femtosecond-laser-activated silver oxide nanoparticles embedded in a biopolymer matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gleitsmann, T.; Bernhardt, T. M.; Wöste, L.

2006-01-01

Strong visible luminescence is observed from silver clusters generated by femtosecond-laser-induced reduction of silver oxide nanoparticles embedded in a polymeric gelatin matrix. Light emission from the femtosecond-laser-activated matrix areas considerably exceeds the luminescence intensity of similarly activated bare silver oxide nanoparticle films. Optical spectroscopy of the activated polymer films supports the assignment of the emissive properties to the formation of small silver clusters under focused femtosecond-laser irradiation. The size of the photogenerated clusters is found to sensitively depend on the laser exposure time, eventually leading to the formation of areas of metallic silver in the biopolymer matrix. In this case, luminescence can still be observed in the periphery of the metallic silver structures, emphasizing the importance of the organic matrix for the stabilization of the luminescent nanocluster structures at the metal matrix interface.

A Targeted Nanoprobe Based on Carbon Nanotubes-Natural Biopolymer Chitosan Composites

PubMed Central

Wu, Baoyan; Zhao, Na

2016-01-01

A novel targeting theranostic nanoprobe based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-natural biopolymer chitosan composites was developed for cancer cell targeting imaging and fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy. First, chitosan was respectively conjugated with a tumor-homing molecule folic acid, or a photosensitizing drug pyropheophorbide a using a water-soluble carbodiimide coupling chemistry. Chitosan was fluorescently labeled by fluorescein isothiocyanate via the covalently linkage of the isothiocyanate group with the amino group. Second, SWCNTs were sonicated in the functional chitosan aqueous solution for 6 h at room temperature in order to obtain the nanoprobe (PPa/FITC-SWCNT-FA). The as-prepared nanoprobe has been characterized with transmission electron microscope, confocal microscopy, and cell cytotoxicity tests. Chitosan was decorated onto SWCNTs resulting in the water-dispersible PPa/FITC-SWCNT-FA, and can be selectively transported inside folate receptor-positive tumor cell with good targeting imaging. PPa/FITC-SWCNT-FA exhibited low dark toxicity about 7%–13%, and high phototoxicity about 60%–74% against HeLa cells upon a 635 nm laser irradiation, indicating satisfying biocompatibility and antitumor activity. These results suggest the study could offer a feasible alternative to presently available nanoparticle-based theranostic agents. PMID:28335344

Impact of amylases on biopolymer dynamics during storage of straight-dough wheat bread.

PubMed

Bosmans, Geertrui M; Lagrain, Bert; Fierens, Ellen; Delcour, Jan A

2013-07-03

When Bacillus stearothermophilus α-amylase (BStA), Pseudomonas saccharophila α-amylase (PSA), or Bacillus subtilis α-amylase (BSuA) was added to a bread recipe to impact bread firming, amylose crystal formation was facilitated, leading to lower initial crumb resilience. Bread loaves that best retained their quality were those obtained when BStA was used. The enzyme hindered formation of an extended starch network, resulting in less water immobilization and smaller changes in crumb firmness and resilience. BSuA led to extensive degradation of the starch network during bread storage with release of immobilized water, eventually resulting in partial structure collapse and poor crumb resilience. The most important effect of PSA was an increased bread volume, resulting in smaller changes in crumb firmness and resilience. A negative linear relation was found between NMR proton mobilities of water and biopolymers in the crumb and crumb firmness. The slope of that relation gave an indication of the strength of the starch network.

Inorganic polyphosphate in the microbial world. Emerging roles for a multifaceted biopolymer.

PubMed

Albi, Tomás; Serrano, Aurelio

2016-02-01

Inorganic polyphosphates (polyP) are linear polymers of tens to hundreds orthophosphate residues linked by phosphoanhydride bonds. These fairly abundant biopolymers occur in all extant forms of life, from prokaryotes to mammals, and could have played a relevant role in prebiotic evolution. Since the first identification of polyP deposits as metachromatic or volutin granules in yeasts in the nineteenth century, an increasing number of varied physiological functions have been reported. Due to their "high energy" bonds analogous to those in ATP and their properties as polyanions, polyP serve as microbial phosphagens for a variety of biochemical reactions, as a buffer against alkalis, as a storage of Ca(2+) and as a metal-chelating agent. In addition, recent studies have revealed polyP importance in signaling and regulatory processes, cell viability and proliferation, pathogen virulence, as a structural component and chemical chaperone, and as modulator of microbial stress response. This review summarizes the current status of knowledge and future perspectives of polyP functions and their related enzymes in the microbial world.

Monomers of cutin biopolymer: sorption and esterification on montmorillonite surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olshansky, Yaniv; Polubesova, Tamara; Chefetz, Benny

2013-04-01

One of the important precursors for soil organic matter is plant cuticle, a thin layer of predominantly lipids that cover all primary aerial surfaces of vascular plants. In most plant species cutin biopolymer is the major component of the cuticle (30-85% weight). Therefore cutin is the third most abundant plant biopolymer (after lignin and cellulose). Cutin is an insoluble, high molecular weight bio-polyester, which is constructed of inter-esterified cross linked hydroxy-fatty acids and hydroxyepoxy-fatty acids. The most common building blocks of the cutin are derivatives of palmitic acid, among them 9(10),16 dihydroxy palmitic acid (diHPA) is the main component. These fatty acids and their esters are commonly found in major organo-mineral soil fraction-humin. Hence, the complexes of cutin monomers with minerals may serve as model of humin. Both cutin and humin act as adsorption efficient domains for organic contaminants. However, only scarce information is available about the interactions of cutin with soil mineral surfaces, in particular with common soil mineral montmorillonite. The main hypothesize of the study is that adsorbed cutin monomers will be reconstituted on montmorillonite surface due to esterification and oligomerization, and that interactions of cutin monomers with montmorillonite will be affected by the type of exchangeable cation. Cutin monomers were obtained from the fruits of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Adsorption of monomers was measured for crude Wyoming montmorillonites and montmorillonites saturated with Fe3+ and Ca2+. To understand the mechanism of monomer-clay interactions and to evaluate esterification on the clay surface, XRD and FTIR analyses of the montmorillonite-monomers complexes were performed. Our results demonstrated that the interactions of cutin monomers with montmorillonite are affected by the type of exchangeable cation. Isotherms of adsorption of cutin monomers on montmorillonites were fitted by a dual mode model of

pH induced contrast in viscoelasticity imaging of biopolymers

PubMed Central

Yapp, R D; Insana, M F

2009-01-01

Understanding contrast mechanisms and identifying discriminating features is at the heart of diagnostic imaging development. This report focuses on how pH influences the viscoelastic properties of biopolymers to better understand the effects of extracellular pH on breast tumour elasticity imaging. Extracellular pH is known to decrease as much as 1 pH unit in breast tumours, thus creating a dangerous environment that increases cellular mutatation rates and therapeutic resistance. We used a gelatin hydrogel phantom to isolate the effects of pH on a polymer network with similarities to the extracellular matrix in breast stroma. Using compressive unconfined creep and stress relaxation measurements, we systematically measured the viscoelastic features sensitive to pH by way of time domain models and complex modulus analysis. These results are used to determine the sensitivity of quasi-static ultrasonic elasticity imaging to pH. We found a strong elastic response of the polymer network to pH, such that the matrix stiffness decreases as pH was reduced, however the viscous response of the medium to pH was negligible. While physiological features of breast stroma such as proteoglycans and vascular networks are not included in our hydrogel model, observations in this study provide insight into viscoelastic features specific to pH changes in the collagenous stromal network. These observations suggest that the large contrast common in breast tumours with desmoplasia may be reduced under acidic conditions, and that viscoelastic features are unlikely to improve discriminability. PMID:19174599

Optimization of Analytical Potentials for Coarse-Grained Biopolymer Models.

PubMed

Mereghetti, Paolo; Maccari, Giuseppe; Spampinato, Giulia Lia Beatrice; Tozzini, Valentina

2016-08-25

The increasing trend in the recent literature on coarse grained (CG) models testifies their impact in the study of complex systems. However, the CG model landscape is variegated: even considering a given resolution level, the force fields are very heterogeneous and optimized with very different parametrization procedures. Along the road for standardization of CG models for biopolymers, here we describe a strategy to aid building and optimization of statistics based analytical force fields and its implementation in the software package AsParaGS (Assisted Parameterization platform for coarse Grained modelS). Our method is based on the use and optimization of analytical potentials, optimized by targeting internal variables statistical distributions by means of the combination of different algorithms (i.e., relative entropy driven stochastic exploration of the parameter space and iterative Boltzmann inversion). This allows designing a custom model that endows the force field terms with a physically sound meaning. Furthermore, the level of transferability and accuracy can be tuned through the choice of statistical data set composition. The method-illustrated by means of applications to helical polypeptides-also involves the analysis of two and three variable distributions, and allows handling issues related to the FF term correlations. AsParaGS is interfaced with general-purpose molecular dynamics codes and currently implements the "minimalist" subclass of CG models (i.e., one bead per amino acid, Cα based). Extensions to nucleic acids and different levels of coarse graining are in the course.

Multiplexed chirp waveform synthesizer

DOEpatents

Dudley, Peter A.; Tise, Bert L.

2003-09-02

A synthesizer for generating a desired chirp signal has M parallel channels, where M is an integer greater than 1, each channel including a chirp waveform synthesizer generating at an output a portion of a digital representation of the desired chirp signal; and a multiplexer for multiplexing the M outputs to create a digital representation of the desired chirp signal. Preferably, each channel receives input information that is a function of information representing the desired chirp signal.

Use of gamma-irradiation technology in the manufacture of biopolymer-based packaging films for shelf-stable foods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parra, Duclerc F.; Rodrigues, Juliana A. F. R.; Lugão, Ademar B.

2005-07-01

Gamma irradiation is an alternative method for the manufacture of sterilized packaging with increased storage stability and microbiological safety. Biopolymer-based packaging films are a potential solution to many environmental problems that have emerged from the production and accumulation of significant amounts of synthetic polymeric waste. This work was undertaken to verify the effectiveness of low-dose gamma-irradiation in obtaining biopolymer-based packaging films for shelf-stable foods. PHB polyester poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) is an interesting biodegradable polymer that has been intensely investigated as cast and sheet films, with applications in the food industry and medicine. The films obtained are, however, typically brittle, and many scientists have attempted to reduce this brittleness by blending PHB with other polymers. In the present work, PHB was blended with PEG (polyethyleneglycol) to obtain films by the casting method that were then irradiated at a dose rate of 5.72 kGy/h with a 60Co source. Samples were melted at 200 °C and quenched to 0 °C in order to evaluate film crystallinity levels by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC analyses were performed with the samples (10 mg) under N2 atmosphere, heating from -50 to 200 °C (10 °C min-1), cooling from 200 to -50 °C (10 °C min-1); and heating from -50 to 200 °C (10 °C min-1). The thermal and mechanical resistances of the films after irradiation at low doses (5, 10, 20 kGy) are discussed. Water vapour transmission decreased with increasing irradiation dose, indicating that the films' performance as water vapour barrier had improved. Critical loss of the mechanical properties was observed at 40 kGy.

Characterization of novel Acidobacteria exopolysaccharides with potential industrial and ecological applications

PubMed Central

Kielak, Anna M.; Castellane, Tereza C. L.; Campanharo, Joao C.; Colnago, Luiz A.; Costa, Ohana Y. A.; Corradi da Silva, Maria L.; van Veen, Johannes A.; Lemos, Eliana G. M.; Kuramae, Eiko E.

2017-01-01

Acidobacteria have been described as one of the most abundant and ubiquitous bacterial phyla in soil. However, factors contributing to this ecological success are not well elucidated mainly due to difficulties in bacterial isolation. Acidobacteria may be able to survive for long periods in soil due to protection provided by secreted extracellular polymeric substances that include exopolysaccharides (EPSs). Here we present the first study to characterize EPSs derived from two strains of Acidobacteria from subdivision 1 belonging to Granulicella sp. EPS are unique heteropolysaccharides containing mannose, glucose, galactose and xylose as major components, and are modified with carboxyl and methoxyl functional groups that we characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Both EPS compounds we identified can efficiently emulsify various oils (sunflower seed, diesel, and liquid paraffin) and hydrocarbons (toluene and hexane). Moreover, the emulsions are more thermostable over time than those of commercialized xanthan. Acidobacterial EPS can now be explored as a source of biopolymers that may be attractive and valuable for industrial applications due to their natural origin, sustainability, biodegradability and low toxicity. PMID:28117455

Barrier and Mechanical Properties of Starch-Clay Nanocomposite Films

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The poor barrier and mechanical properties of biopolymer-based food packaging can potentially be enhanced by the use of layered silicates (nanoclay) to produce nanocomposites. In this study, starch-clay nano-composites were synthesized by a melt extrusion method. Natural (MMT) and organically modifi...

A study of electrochemical devices based on Agar-Agar-NH4I biopolymer electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvalakshmi, S.; Mathavan, T.; Selvasekarapandian, S.; Premalatha, M.

2018-04-01

A polymer electrolyte system has been developed using a biopolymer namely, Agar-Agar in combination with ammonium iodide in different weight percentages by solution casting technique. The films were characterized electrically by AC Impedance Spectroscopy for its conductivity. The highest conductivity achieved at room temperature was for 50 wt. % agar-agar: 50 wt. % NH4I with a conductivity value of 1.20 × 10-4 Scm-1. An electrochemical cell was fabricated in the configuration of: Zn + ZnSO4.7H2O + graphite (anode) | 50 wt. % (Agar-agar): 50 wt. % NH4I (electrolyte) | PbO2 + V2O5 + graphite (cathode) and it produced a maximum open circuit voltage of 1.73 V. A single PEM fuel cell was constructed with the highest conducting sample (50 wt. % (Agar-agar): 50 wt. % NH4I) and it exhibited an output voltage of 408mV.

Composites comprising biologically-synthesized nanomaterials

DOEpatents

Curran, Seamus; Dias, Sampath; Blau, Werner; Wang, Jun; Oremland, Ronald S; Baesman, Shaun

2013-04-30

The present disclosure describes composite materials containing a polymer material and a nanoscale material dispersed in the polymer material. The nanoscale materials may be biologically synthesized, such as tellurium nanorods synthesized by Bacillus selenitireducens. Composite materials of the present disclosure may have optical limiting properties and find use in optical limiting devices.

Psychoacoustic Analysis of Synthesized Jet Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okcu, Selen; Rathsam, Jonathan; Rizzi, Stephen A.

2013-01-01

An aircraft noise synthesis capability is being developed so the annoyance caused by proposed aircraft can be assessed during the design stage. To make synthesized signals as realistic as possible, high fidelity simulation is required for source (e.g., engine noise, airframe noise), propagation and receiver effects. This psychoacoustic study tests whether the jet noise component of synthesized aircraft engine noise can be made more realistic using a low frequency oscillator (LFO) technique to simulate fluctuations in level observed in recordings. Jet noise predictions are commonly made in the frequency domain based on models of time-averaged empirical data. The synthesis process involves conversion of the frequency domain prediction into an audible pressure time history. However, because the predictions are time-invariant, the synthesized sound lacks fluctuations observed in recordings. Such fluctuations are hypothesized to be perceptually important. To introduce time-varying characteristics into jet noise synthesis, a method has been developed that modulates measured or predicted 1/3-octave band levels with a (<20Hz) LFO. The LFO characteristics are determined through analysis of laboratory jet noise recordings. For the aft emission angle, results indicate that signals synthesized using a generic LFO are perceived as more similar to recordings than those using no LFO, and signals synthesized with an angle-specific LFO are more similar to recordings than those synthesized with a generic LFO.

The Trajectory Synthesizer Generalized Profile Interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Alan G.; Bouyssounouse, Xavier; Murphy, James R.

2010-01-01

The Trajectory Synthesizer is a software program that generates aircraft predictions for Air Traffic Management decision support tools. The Trajectory Synthesizer being used by researchers at NASA Ames Research Center was restricted in the number of trajectory types that could be generated. This limitation was not sufficient to support the rapidly changing Air Traffic Management research requirements. The Generalized Profile Interface was developed to address this issue. It provides a flexible approach to describe the constraints applied to trajectory generation and may provide a method for interoperability between trajectory generators. It also supports the request and generation of new types of trajectory profiles not possible with the previous interface to the Trajectory Synthesizer. Other enhancements allow the Trajectory Synthesizer to meet the current and future needs of Air Traffic Management research.

Rheological Behaviors of Thickened Infant Formula Prepared with Xanthan Gum-Based Food Thickeners for Dysphagic Infants.

PubMed

Yoon, Sung-No; Yoo, Byoungseung

2017-06-01

Thickened infant formula (TIF) prepared with commercial xanthan gum (XG)-based food thickeners are commonly used to care for infants with swallowing difficulties or regurgitation. In this study, the rheological properties of TIF prepared with four commercial food thickeners (coded A-D) were determined as a function of thickener concentration, thickener type, and setting time because the selection of an appropriate food thickener for TIF preparation is necessary for managing dysphagia in infants. The flow and dynamic rheological properties of TIF were investigated at three different concentrations (1.0, 2.0, and 3.0% w/w) of XG-based thickener. The flow properties of TIF were described by the power law and Casson models. All TIF samples demonstrated high shear-thinning (n = 0.12-0.33) behavior at all concentrations (1.0-3.0%). Their apparent viscosity (η a,50 ), consistency index (K), yield stress (σ oc ), storage modulus (G'), and loss modulus (G″) increased with an increase in thickener concentration. In general, TIF with thickener A had much higher values for all flow parameters at each thickener concentration when compared to TIF with other thickeners (B, C, and D). However, the n values of TIF samples with thickener A were much lower, indicating that they are less slimy and have better mouthfeel than those of TIF samples with other thickeners. All TIF samples with different thickeners produced different thickening patterns over a setting time. The flow and dynamic rheological parameters demonstrated differences in the rheological behaviors between XG-based thickeners, indicating that their rheological properties are related to the concentration and type of thickener as well as the setting time. These results suggest the importance of considering not only the concentration and type of thickeners but also the time being administered after its addition to effectively treat dysphagic infants. In addition, selecting an appropriate commercial food thickener

Refolding dynamics of stretched biopolymers upon force quench

PubMed Central

Hyeon, Changbong; Morrison, Greg; Pincus, David L.; Thirumalai, D.

2009-01-01

Single-molecule force spectroscopy methods can be used to generate folding trajectories of biopolymers from arbitrary regions of the folding landscape. We illustrate the complexity of the folding kinetics and generic aspects of the collapse of RNA and proteins upon force quench by using simulations of an RNA hairpin and theory based on the de Gennes model for homopolymer collapse. The folding time, τF, depends asymmetrically on δfS = f S − f m and δf Q = f m − f Q where f S (f Q) is the stretch (quench) force and f m is the transition midforce of the RNA hairpin. In accord with experiments, the relaxation kinetics of the molecular extension, R(t), occurs in three stages: A rapid initial decrease in the extension is followed by a plateau and finally, an abrupt reduction in R(t) occurs as the native state is approached. The duration of the plateau increases as λ = τ Q/τ F decreases (where τ Q is the time in which the force is reduced from f S to f Q). Variations in the mechanisms of force-quench relaxation as λ is altered are reflected in the experimentally measurable time-dependent entropy, which is computed directly from the folding trajectories. An analytical solution of the de Gennes model under tension reproduces the multistage stage kinetics in R(t). The prediction that the initial stages of collapse should also be a generic feature of polymers is validated by simulation of the kinetics of toroid (globule) formation in semiflexible (flexible) homopolymers in poor solvents upon quenching the force from a fully stretched state. Our findings give a unified explanation for multiple disparate experimental observations of protein folding. PMID:19915145

Waveform synthesizer

DOEpatents

Franks, Larry A.; Nelson, Melvin A.

1981-01-01

A method of producing optical and electrical pulses of desired shape. An optical pulse of arbitrary but defined shape illuminates one end of an array of optical fiber waveguides of differing lengths to time differentiate the input pulse. The optical outputs at the other end of the array are combined to form a synthesized pulse of desired shape.

Molecular dynamics study on the structural and dynamic properties of xanthan gum in a dilute solution under the effect of temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ong, Ernest E. S.; O'Byrne, Sean; Liow, Jong-Leng

2018-04-01

Xanthan gum (XG) is considered one of the most industrially important polysaccharides, with applications ranging from food products such as ice creams and salad dressings to pharmaceuticals and oil well drilling fluids. The wide application of XG is due to its favourable rheological properties and its capability to resist degradation under a high shear or high temperature environment. It is generally accepted that both inter- and intramolecular interactions, including hydrogen bonding (HB), are responsible for its unique properties. To date, there is still a lack of comprehensive examination on the HB mechanism in polysaccharides. Therefore, the study proposed here was conducted using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that are able to provide insights with an unparalleled temporal and spatial resolution. Since XG is used over a broad range of temperatures, the implications of thermal effect on the structure and molecular interactions of XG in an aqueous solution are discussed in this paper. MD simulations were run at an isobaric-isothermal condition with 1 atm target pressure and five temperatures ranging between 283K and 353K. From the simulation results, an increasingly extended conformation of XG is observed as the temperature rises, and this finding matches qualitatively with the results published in the literature. The radius of gyration, radial pair distribution functions and intramolecular HB of XG were also discussed. The outcomes of the present study may serve as a stepping stone for the future studies on polysaccharides using MD simulations.

Effects of addition of hydrocolloids on the textural and structural properties of high-protein intermediate moisture food model systems containing sodium caseinate.

PubMed

Li, J; Wu, Y; Ma, Y; Lu, N; Regenstein, J M; Zhou, P

2017-08-01

High-protein intermediate moisture food (HPIMF) containing sodium caseinate (NaCN) often gave a harder texture compared with that made from whey proteins or soy proteins, due to the aggregation of protein particles. The objectives of this study were to explore whether the addition of hydrocolloids could soften the texture and illustrate the possible mechanism. Three kinds of hydrocolloids, xanthan gum, κ-carrageenan, and gum arabic were chosen, and samples including of these three kinds of hydrocolloids were studied through texture analysis using a TPA test and microstructure observation by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The texture analysis results showed that xanthan gum was more effective at softening the HPIMF containing NaCN compared to κ-carrageenan and gum arabic. In addition, with the increase of xanthan gum concentration from 0.2 to 2%, the HPIMF matrix became softer, and fractures were observed during the compression for samples with xanthan gum added at low concentrations but not 2%. Microstructure observation suggested that the matrix originally dominated by the network formed through the aggregation of swollen protein particles was inhibited by the addition of xanthan gum, resulting in the softening of the texture and also contributing to the fracture during compression. With the increase of xanthan gum concentration up to 2%, the protein dominating network would be gradually replaced with a matrix dominated by the newly formed network of xanthan gum with protein particles as fillers. Furthermore, this formation of a xanthan gum dominating network structure also resulted in changes in small molecule distribution, as observed using low-field NMR.

An optically transparent, flexible, patterned and conductive silk biopolymer film (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umar, Muhammad; Min, Kyungtaek; Kim, Sunghwan

2017-02-01

Transparent, flexible, and conducting films are of great interest for wearable electronics. For better biotic/abiotic interface, the films to integrate the electronics components requires the patterned surface conductors with optical transparency, smoothness, good electrical conductivity, along with the biofriendly traits of films. We focus on silk fibroin, a natural biopolymer extracted from the Bombyx mori cocoons, for this bioelectronics applications. Here we report an optically transparent, flexible, and patterned surface conductor on a silk film by burying a silver nanowires (AgNW) network below the surface of the silk film. The conducting silk film reveals high optical transparency of 80% and the excellent electronic conductivity of 15 Ω/sq, along with smooth surface. The integration of light emitting diode (LED) chip on the patterned electrodes confirms that the current can flow through the transparent and patterned electrodes on the silk film, and this result shows an application for integration of functional electronic/opto-electronic devices. Additionally, we fabricate a transparent and flexible radio frequency (RF) antenna and resistor on a silk film and apply these as a food sensor by monitoring the increasing resistance by the flow of gases from the spoiled food.

Estimation of ultrashort laser irradiation effect over thin transparent biopolymer films morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daskalova, A.; Nathala, C.; Bliznakova, I.; Slavov, D.; Husinsky, W.

2015-01-01

The collagen - elastin biopolymer thin films treated by CPA Ti:Sapphire laser (Femtopower - Compact Pro) at 800nm central wavelength with 30fs and 1kHz repetition rate are investigated. A process of surface modifications and microporous scaffold creation after ultrashort laser irradiation has been observed. The single-shot (N=1) and multi-shot (N<1) ablation threshold values were estimated by studying the linear relationship between the square of the crater diameter D2 and the logarithm of the laser fluence F for determination of the threshold fluences for N=1, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 30 number of laser pulses. The incubation analysis by calculation of the incubation coefficient ξ for multi - shot fluence threshold for selected materials by power - law relationship form Fth(N)=Fth(1)Nξ-1 was also obtained. In this paper, we have also shown another consideration of the multi - shot ablation threshold calculation by logarithmic dependence of the ablation rate d on the laser fluence. The morphological surface changes of the modified regions were characterized by scanning electron microscopy to estimate the generated variations after the laser treatment.

Interfacial rheology of surface-active biopolymers: Acacia senegal gum versus hydrophobically modified starch.

PubMed

Erni, Philipp; Windhab, Erich J; Gunde, Rok; Graber, Muriel; Pfister, Bruno; Parker, Alan; Fischer, Peter

2007-11-01

Acacia gum is a hybrid polyelectrolyte containing both protein and polysaccharide subunits. We study the interfacial rheology of its adsorption layers at the oil/water interface and compare it with adsorbed layers of hydrophobically modified starch, which for economic and political reasons is often used as a substitute for Acacia gum in technological applications. Both the shear and the dilatational rheological responses of the interfaces are considered. In dilatational experiments, the viscoelastic response of the starch derivative is just slightly weaker than that for Acacia gum, whereas we found pronounced differences in shear flow: The interfaces covered with the plant gum flow like a rigid, solidlike material with large storage moduli and a linear viscoelastic regime limited to small shear deformations, above which we observe apparent yielding behavior. In contrast, the films formed by hydrophobically modified starch are predominantly viscous, and the shear moduli are only weakly dependent on the deformation. Concerning their most important technological use as emulsion stabilizers, the dynamic interfacial responses imply not only distinct interfacial dynamics but also different stabilizing mechanisms for these two biopolymers.

Application of an amine functionalized biopolymer in the colonic delivery of glycyrrhizin: a design and in vivo efficacy study.

PubMed

Kumar De, Amit; Datta, Sriparna; Mukherjee, Arup

2013-01-01

In our current study, a newer amine functionalized guar gum derivative was studied for its efficacy in colonic drug delivery. Glycyrrhizic acid mono-ammonium salt was used as the model drug. Drug-loaded microparticles were formulated by ionic crosslinking using sodium tripolyphosphate. The Scanning Electron Microscopic study revealed spherical particles of sizes from 4.9 ± 3.8 μm to 6.9 ± 3.9 μm. The FT-IR studies presented a possible interaction between the drug and the polymer. The drug was encapsulated in amorphous form as observed from the powder X-Ray Diffraction studies. A cumulative drug release study was carried out in simulated gastric, intestinal, and colonic fluids. The cumulative drug release studies presented a burst release followed by a sustained release of the drug in simulated colonic fluid containing rat cecal contents. The drug-polymer ratio was optimised using a 3(2) factorial design by taking the amounts of glycyrrhizic acid (X1) and guar gum alkyl amine (X2) as the independant variables. The percent cumulative drug release at 240 mins (Q240), 720 mins (Q720), and at 1,440 mins (Q1440) were considered as the dependant variables. The efficacy of the optimized formulation was studied in a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced rat colitis model. The tissue's nitric oxide, malondialdehyde, and myeloperoxidase activities were found to be much lower in the microparticle-treated group compared to free drug-treated group. The histology of the colonic tissue from the treated group of animals revealed almost no infiltration of inflammatory cells in the tissue for the microparticle-treated group of animals. The synthesized amine derivative of guar gum was found to be better in vitro with a better in vivo efficacy in the colonic delivery of glycyrrhizic acid monoammonium salt and can be considered as a newer modified biopolymer for colonic drug delivery.

A fluorescence-based method for direct measurement of submicrosecond intramolecular contact formation in biopolymers: an exploratory study with polypeptides.

PubMed

Hudgins, Robert R; Huang, Fang; Gramlich, Gabriela; Nau, Werner M

2002-01-30

A fluorescent amino acid derivative (Fmoc-DBO) has been synthesized, which contains 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) as a small, hydrophilic fluorophore with an extremely long fluorescence lifetime (325 ns in H2O and 505 ns in D2O under air). Polypeptides containing both the DBO residue and an efficient fluorescence quencher allow the measurement of rate constants for intramolecular end-to-end contact formation. Bimolecular quenching experiments indicated that Trp, Cys, Met, and Tyr are efficient quenchers of DBO (k(q) = 20, 5.1, 4.5, and 3.6 x 10(8) M(-1) x s(-1) in D2O), while the other amino acids are inefficient. The quenching by Trp, which was selected as an intrinsic quencher, is presumed to involve exciplex-induced deactivation. Flexible, structureless polypeptides, Trp-(Gly-Ser)n-DBO-NH2, were prepared by standard solid-phase synthesis, and the rates of contact formation were measured through the intramolecular fluorescence quenching of DBO by Trp with time-correlated single-photon counting, laser flash photolysis, and steady-state fluorometry. Rate constants of 4.1, 6.8, 4.9, 3.1, 2.0, and 1.1 x 10(7) s(-1) for n = 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 10 were obtained. Noteworthy was the relatively slow quenching for the shortest peptide (n = 0). The kinetic data are in agreement with recent transient absorption studies of triplet probes for related peptides, but the rate constants are significantly larger. In contrast to the flexible structureless Gly-Ser polypeptides, the polyproline Trp-Pro4-DBO-NH2 showed insignificant fluorescence quenching, suggesting that a high polypeptide flexibility and the possibility of probe-quencher contact is essential to induce quenching. Advantages of the new fluorescence-based method for measuring contact formation rates in biopolymers include high accuracy, fast time range (100 ps-1 micros), and the possibility to perform measurements in water under air.

[Critical phenomena, phase equilibria, and the temperature and structural optimum of homeostasis, as revealed by a model system water-biopolymer-electrolyte].

PubMed

Rozhkov, S P

2005-01-01

Equations of spinodal and two quasispinodals corresponding to critical and supercritical phase transitions leading to a rise of different dynamic structures of solution in the phase diagram of a model system water-biopolymer-electrolyte were obtained. The section of the phase diagram was considered where there exists the probability of quasi-equilibrium monomer-cluster and the principle of water-ion homeostasis is realized. Based on these results, a possible mechanism of origination of unspecific adaptation reactions of a biomolecular system at the stage of chemical evolution was suggested.

Synthetic biology projects in vitro.

PubMed

Forster, Anthony C; Church, George M

2007-01-01

Advances in the in vitro synthesis and evolution of DNA, RNA, and polypeptides are accelerating the construction of biopolymers, pathways, and organisms with novel functions. Known functions are being integrated and debugged with the aim of synthesizing life-like systems. The goals are knowledge, tools, smart materials, and therapies.

(R)-3-hydroxyacyl-ACP:CoA transacylase of Pseudomonas chlororaphis: gene cloning, characterization and knock-out on PHA and rhamnolipid syntheses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pseudomonas chlororaphis is a useful microorganism capable of producing polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer and rhamnolipid (RL) biosurfactants by using carbon- and nitrogen-sources derived from renewable feedstocks as substrates of fermentation. We are interested in increasing the yield of RL pr...

Hypoglycemic Effects of Exo-biopolymers Produced by Five Different Medicinal Mushrooms in STZ-induced Diabetic Rats

PubMed Central

Yang, Byung-Keun; Kim, Guk-Nam; Jeong, Yong-Tae; Jeong, Hun; Mehta, Pradeep

2008-01-01

Hypoglycemic effects of exo-biopolymers (EBP) produced by submerged mycelial cultures of Coriolus versicolor, Cordyceps sinensis, Paecilomyces japonica, Armillariella mellea, and Fomes fomentarius were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The rats from each experimental group were orally administered with EBPs (100 mg/kg BW) daily for 2 weeks. Though the hypoglycemic effect was achieved in all the cases, however, C. versicolor EBP proved as the most potent one. The administration of the C. versicolor EBP substantially reduced (29.9%) the plasma glucose level as compared to the saline administered group (control). It also reduced the plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels by 9.22, 23.83, 16.93, and 27.31%, respectively. The sugar and amino acid compositions of this EBP were also analyzed in detail. PMID:23997607

An innovative approach to bioremediation of mercury contaminated soils from industrial mining operations.

PubMed

McCarthy, Damien; Edwards, Grant C; Gustin, Mae S; Care, Andrew; Miller, Matthieu B; Sunna, Anwar

2017-10-01

Soils contaminated with mercury (Hg) have proved expensive and logistically difficult to remediate. Research continues into finding suitable environmentally-friendly and efficient ways of achieving this end. Bioremediation is an option, which employs the strategies microorganisms have evolved to deal with Hg. One microbial strategy involves uptake and intracellular volatilisation of mercuric ions, which passively diffuse from the cell and back into the atmosphere. In this work, Pseudomonas veronii cells grown to stationary phase were immobilised in a xanthan gum-based biopolymer via encapsulation. The P. veronii-biopolymer mix was then coated onto natural zeolite granules. Zeolite immobilised cells remained viable for at least 16 weeks stored under ambient room temperature. Furthermore, the immobilised cells were shown to retain both viability and Hg volatilisation functionality after transportation from Australia to the USA, where they were applied to Hg contaminated soil. Maximum flux rates exceeded 10 μg Hg m 2  h -1 from mine tailings (≈7 mg kg -1  Hg with 50% v/v water). This was 4 orders of magnitude above background flux levels. It is envisioned that emitted gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) can be readily captured, and transformed back into metallic Hg, which can then be stored appropriately or recycled. This breaks the Hg cycle, as GEM is no longer translocated back to the atmospheric compartment. The immobilising excipients used in this research overcome many logistical issues with delivery of suitable microbial loads to locations of mercury contamination and presents a facile and inexpensive method of augmenting contaminated sites with selected microbial consortia for bioremediation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical systems for improved oil recovery: Phase behavior, oil recovery, and mobility control studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Llave, F.; Gall, B.; Gao, H., Scott, L., Cook, I.

Selected surfactant systems containing a series of ethoxylated nonionic surfactants in combination with an anionic surfactant system have been studied to evaluate phase behavior as well as oil recovery potential. These experiments were conducted to evaluate possible improved phase behavior and overall oil recovery potential of mixed surfactant systems over a broad range of conditions. Both polyacrylamide polymers and Xanthan biopolymers were evaluated. Studies were initiated to use a chemical flooding simulation program, UTCHEM, to simulate oil recovery for laboratory and field applications and evaluate its use to simulate oil saturation distributions obtained in CT-monitoring of oil recovery experiments. Themore » phase behavior studies focused on evaluating the effect of anionic-nonionic surfactant proportion on overall phase behavior. Two distinct transition behaviors were observed, depending on the dominant surfactant in the overall system. The first type of transition corresponded to more conventional behavior attributed to nonionic-dominant surfactant systems. This behavior is manifested by an oil-water-surfactant system that inverts from a water-external (highly conducting) microemulsion to an oil-external (nonconducting) one, as a function of temperature. The latter type which inverts in an opposite manner can be attributed to the separation of the anionic-nonionic mixtures into water- and oil-soluble surfactants. Both types of transition behavior can still be used to identify relative proximity to optimal areas. Determining these transition ranges provided more insight on how the behavior of these surfactant mixtures was affected by altering component proportions. Efforts to optimize the chemical system for oil displacement experiments were also undertaken. Phase behavior studies with systems formulated with biopolymer in solution were conducted.« less

Organic Chemicals from Bioprocesses in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jin; Huang, Lei; Lin, Jianping; Xu, Zhinan; Cen, Peilin

Over the last 20 years, China has successfully established a modern biotechnology industry from almost nothing. Presently, China is a major producer of a vast array of products involving bioprocesses, for some China is even the world's top producer. The ever-increasing list of products includes organic acids, amino acids, antibiotics, solvents, chiral chemicals, biopesticides, and biopolymers. Herein, the research and development of bioprocesses in China will be reviewed briefly. We will concentrate on three categories of products: small molecules produced via fermentation, biopolymers produced via fermentation and small chemicals produced by enzyme-catalyzed reactions. In comparison with the traditional chemical process, in which, nonrenewable mineral resources are generally used, products in the first and second categories noted above can use renewable bioresources as raw materials. The bioprocesses are generally energy saving and environmentally benign. For products developed via the third category, although the raw materials still need to be obtained from mineral resources, the biocatalysts are more effective with higher selectivity and productivity, and the bioprocesses occur under ambient temperature and pressure, therefore, these are "green processes." Most of the products such as citric acid, xanthan and acrylamide etc., discussed in this paper have been in large-scale commercial production in China. Also introduced herein are three scientists, Prof. Shen Yinchu, Prof. Ouyang Pingkai and Prof. Chen Guoqiang, and six enterprises, Anhui Fengyuan Biochemical Co. Ltd., Shandong Hiland Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Shandong Fufeng Fermentation Co. Ltd., Shandong Bausch & Lomb-Freda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., and Changzhou Changmao Biochemical Engineering Co. Ltd.; they have all contributed a great deal to research and development in the commercialization of bioprocesses.

Antibacterial activity of combination of synthetic and biopolymer non-woven structures.

PubMed

Bhullar, Sukhwinder K; Özsel, Burcak Kaya; Yadav, Ramesh; Kaur, Ginpreet; Chintamaneni, Meena; Buttar, Harpal S

2015-12-01

Fibrous structures and synthetic polymer blends offer potential usages in making biomedical devices, textiles used in medical practices, food packaging, tissue engineering, environmental applications and biomedical arena. These products are also excellent candidates for building scaffolds to grow stem cells for implantation, to make tissue engineering grafts, to make stents to open up blood vessels caused by atherosclerosis or narrowed by blood clots, for drug delivery systems for micro- to nano-medicines, for transdermal patches, and for healing of wounds and burn care. The current study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of woven and non-woven forms of nano- and macro-scale blended polymers having biocompatible and biodegradable characteristics. The antimicrobial activity of non-woven fibrous structures created with the combination of synthetic and biopolymer was assessed using Gram-negative, Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes using pour plate method. Structural evaluation of the fabricated samples was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Broad spectrum antibacterial activities were found from the tested materials consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with chitosan and nylon-6 combined with chitosan and formic acid. The combination of PVA with chitosan was more bactericidal or bacteriostatic than that of nylon-6 combined with chitosan and formic acid. PVA combination with chitosan appears to be a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent.

Natural additives and agricultural wastes in biopolymer formulations for food packaging.

PubMed

Valdés, Arantzazu; Mellinas, Ana Cristina; Ramos, Marina; Garrigós, María Carmen; Jiménez, Alfonso

2014-01-01

The main directions in food packaging research are targeted toward improvements in food quality and food safety. For this purpose, food packaging providing longer product shelf-life, as well as the monitoring of safety and quality based upon international standards, is desirable. New active packaging strategies represent a key area of development in new multifunctional materials where the use of natural additives and/or agricultural wastes is getting increasing interest. The development of new materials, and particularly innovative biopolymer formulations, can help to address these requirements and also with other packaging functions such as: food protection and preservation, marketing and smart communication to consumers. The use of biocomposites for active food packaging is one of the most studied approaches in the last years on materials in contact with food. Applications of these innovative biocomposites could help to provide new food packaging materials with improved mechanical, barrier, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. From the food industry standpoint, concerns such as the safety and risk associated with these new additives, migration properties and possible human ingestion and regulations need to be considered. The latest innovations in the use of these innovative formulations to obtain biocomposites are reported in this review. Legislative issues related to the use of natural additives and agricultural wastes in food packaging systems are also discussed.

Natural additives and agricultural wastes in biopolymer formulations for food packaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valdés, Arantzazu; Mellinas, Ana Cristina; Ramos, Marina; Garrigós, María Carmen; Jiménez, Alfonso

2014-02-01

The main directions in food packaging research are targeted towards improvements in food quality and food safety. For this purpose, food packaging providing longer product shelf-life, as well as the monitoring of safety and quality based upon international standards, is desirable. New active packaging strategies represent a key area of development in new multifunctional materials where the use of natural additives and/or agricultural wastes is getting increasing interest. The development of new materials, and particularly innovative biopolymer formulations, can help to address these requirements and also with other packaging functions such as: food protection and preservation, marketing and smart communication to consumers. The use of biocomposites for active food packaging is one of the most studied approaches in the last years on materials in contact with food. Applications of these innovative biocomposites could help to provide new food packaging materials with improved mechanical, barrier, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. From the food industry standpoint, concerns such as the safety and risk associated with these new additives, migration properties and possible human ingestion and regulations need to be considered. The latest innovations in the use of these innovative formulations to obtain biocomposites are reported in this review. Legislative issues related to the use of natural additives and agricultural wastes in food packaging systems are also discussed.

Natural additives and agricultural wastes in biopolymer formulations for food packaging

PubMed Central

Valdés, Arantzazu; Mellinas, Ana Cristina; Ramos, Marina; Garrigós, María Carmen; Jiménez, Alfonso

2014-01-01

The main directions in food packaging research are targeted toward improvements in food quality and food safety. For this purpose, food packaging providing longer product shelf-life, as well as the monitoring of safety and quality based upon international standards, is desirable. New active packaging strategies represent a key area of development in new multifunctional materials where the use of natural additives and/or agricultural wastes is getting increasing interest. The development of new materials, and particularly innovative biopolymer formulations, can help to address these requirements and also with other packaging functions such as: food protection and preservation, marketing and smart communication to consumers. The use of biocomposites for active food packaging is one of the most studied approaches in the last years on materials in contact with food. Applications of these innovative biocomposites could help to provide new food packaging materials with improved mechanical, barrier, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. From the food industry standpoint, concerns such as the safety and risk associated with these new additives, migration properties and possible human ingestion and regulations need to be considered. The latest innovations in the use of these innovative formulations to obtain biocomposites are reported in this review. Legislative issues related to the use of natural additives and agricultural wastes in food packaging systems are also discussed. PMID:24790975

Isolation and characterization of a new class of amphipathic biopolymers capable of self-assembly from aqueous media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martin, G.G.; Cannon, G.C.; McCormick, C.L.

Extensive research is being done in many laboratories to investigate the role of synthetic hydrophobically-modified polymers and amphipathic proteins for their potential in phase-transfer, sequestration, and elimination of polluting hydrocarbons and surfactants. Our laboratory has begun a research program which is aimed at the development of a new class of environmentally benign biomaterials using the amphipathic proteins termed {open_quotes}hydrophobins{close_quotes} and an associated polysaccharide, schizophyllan. These biopolymers can stabilize oil dispersions, attach strongly to polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene surfaces rendering them hydrophilic, and can self-assemble into a stable, flexible membrane. Preliminary experiments in our laboratory and others have demonstrated the immense technologicalmore » potential of this class of biomaterials for surface modification of membranes and coatings, fouling resistance, controlled delivery, protective encapsulation, and drag reduction.« less

Rapid Retort Processing of Eggs

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-04

cyclodextrin, xanthan gum , ι-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan, κ-carrageenan, guar gum , locust bean gum , xanthan gum and starch. To improve the flavor of the...Cyclodextrin and κ-carrageenan were not effective in preventing synerisis. Guar gum and locust bean gum , and λ-carrageenan resulted in products with a slimy...Laboratory batches were prepared by hydrating the xanthan gum and pregelatinized starch in water which contained the salt and citric acid. The powdered

Mechanical strength of ceramic scaffolds reinforced with biopolymers is comparable to that of human bone.

PubMed

Henriksen, S S; Ding, M; Juhl, M Vinther; Theilgaard, N; Overgaard, S

2011-05-01

Eight groups of calcium-phosphate scaffolds for bone implantation were prepared of which seven were reinforced with biopolymers, poly lactic acid (PLA) or hyaluronic acid in different concentrations in order to increase the mechanical strength, without significantly impairing the microarchitecture. Controls were un-reinforced calcium-phosphate scaffolds. Microarchitectural properties were quantified using micro-CT scanning. Mechanical properties were evaluated by destructive compression testing. Results showed that adding 10 or 15% PLA to the scaffold significantly increased the mechanical strength. The increase in mechanical strength was seen as a result of increased scaffold thickness and changes to plate-like structure. However, the porosity was significantly lowered as a consequence of adding 15% PLA, whereas adding 10% PLA had no significant effect on porosity. Hyaluronic acid had no significant effect on mechanical strength. The novel composite scaffold is comparable to that of human bone which may be suitable for transplantation in specific weight-bearing situations, such as long bone repair.

Development of Biopolymer Composite Films Using a Microfluidization Technique for Carboxymethylcellulose and Apple Skin Particles

PubMed Central

Choi, Inyoung; Chang, Yoonjee; Shin, So-Hyang; Joo, Eunmi; Song, Hyun Ju; Eom, Haeyoung; Han, Jaejoon

2017-01-01

Biopolymer films based on apple skin powder (ASP) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) were developed with the addition of apple skin extract (ASE) and tartaric acid (TA). ASP/CMC composite films were prepared by mixing CMC with ASP solution using a microfluidization technique to reduce particle size. Then, various concentrations of ASE and TA were incorporated into the film solution as an antioxidant and an antimicrobial agent, respectively. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), optical, mechanical, water barrier, and solubility properties of the developed films were then evaluated to determine the effects of ASE and TA on physicochemical properties. The films were also analyzed for antioxidant effect on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial activities against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, and Shigella flexneri. From the results, the ASP/CMC film containing ASE and TA was revealed to enhance the mechanical, water barrier, and solubility properties. Moreover, it showed the additional antioxidant and antimicrobial properties for application as an active packaging film. PMID:28617325

Preparation of the polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel of biopolymers via a semi-dissolution acidification sol-gel transition method and its application in solid-state supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jian; Chen, Yu; Yao, Ying; Tong, Zong-Rui; Li, Pu-Wang; Yang, Zi-Ming; Jin, Shao-Hua

2018-02-01

Hydrogels have drawn many attentions as the solid-state electrolytes in flexible solid-state supercapacitors (SCs) recently. Among them, the polyelectrolyte complex hydrogel (PECH) electrolytes of natural polymers are more competitive because of their environmentally friendly property and low cost. However, while mixing two biopolymer solutions with opposite charges, the strong electrostatic interactions between the cationic and anionic biopolymers may result in precipitates instead of hydrogels. Here we report a novel method, semi-dissolution acidification sol-gel transition (SD-A-SGT), for the preparation of the PECH of chitosan (CTS) and sodium alginate (SA), with the controllable sol-gel transition and uniform composition and successfully apply it as the hydrogel electrolyte of solid-state supercapacitors (SCs). The CTS-SA PECH exhibits an extremely high ionic conductivity of 0.051 S·cm-1 and reasonable mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 0.29 MPa and elongation at break of 109.5%. The solid-state SC fabricated with the CTS-SA PECH and conventional polyaniline (PANI) nanowire electrodes provided a high specific capacitance of 234.6 F·g-1 at 5 mV·s-1 and exhibited excellent cycling stability with 95.3% capacitance retention after 1000 cycles. Our work may pave a novel avenue to the preparation of biodegradable PECHs of full natural polymers, and promote the development of environmentally friendly electronic devices.

Novel Proton Conducting Solid Bio-polymer Electrolytes Based on Carboxymethyl Cellulose Doped with Oleic Acid and Plasticized with Glycerol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, M. N.; Isa, M. I. N.

2016-06-01

The plasticized solid bio-polymer electrolytes (SBEs) system has been formed by introducing glycerol (Gly) as the plasticizer into the carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) doped with oleic acid (OA) via solution casting techniques. The ionic conductivity of the plasticized SBEs has been studied using Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy. The highest conductivity achieved is 1.64 × 10-4 S cm-1 for system containing 40 wt. % of glycerol. FTIR deconvolution technique had shown that the conductivity of CMC-OA-Gly SBEs is primarily influenced by the number density of mobile ions. Transference number measurement has shown that the cation diffusion coefficient and ionic mobility is higher than anion which proved the plasticized polymer system is a proton conductor.

Conductivity and transport studies of plasticized chitosan-based proton conducting biopolymer electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukur, M. F.; Yusof, Y. M.; Zawawi, S. M. M.; Illias, H. A.; Kadir, M. F. Z.

2013-11-01

This paper focuses on the conductivity and transport properties of chitosan-based solid biopolymer electrolytes containing ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN). The sample containing 40 wt% NH4SCN exhibited the highest conductivity value of (1.81 ± 0.50) × 10-4 S cm-1 at room temperature. Conductivity has increased to (1.51 ± 0.12) × 10-3 S cm-1 with the addition of 25 wt% glycerol. The temperature dependence of conductivity for both salted and plasticized systems obeyed the Arrhenius rule. The activation energy (Ea) was calculated for both systems and it is found that the sample with 40 wt% NH4SCN in the salted system obtained an Ea value of 0.148 eV and that for the sample containing 25 wt% glycerol in the plasticized system is 0.139 eV. From the Fourier transform infrared studies, carboxamide and amine bands shifted to lower wavenumbers, indicating that chitosan has interacted with NH4SCN salt. Changes in the C-O stretching vibration band intensity are observed at 1067 cm-1 with the addition of glycerol. The Rice and Roth model was used to explain the transport properties of the salted and plasticized systems.

Current Status and New Perspectives on Chitin and Chitosan as Functional Biopolymers.

PubMed

Philibert, Tuyishime; Lee, Byong H; Fabien, Nsanzabera

2017-04-01

The natural biopolymer chitin and its deacetylated product chitosan are found abundantly in nature as structural building blocks and are used in all sectors of human activities like materials science, nutrition, health care, and energy. Far from being fully recognized, these polymers are able to open opportunities for completely novel applications due to their exceptional properties which an economic value is intrinsically entrapped. On a commercial scale, chitosan is mainly obtained from crustacean shells rather than from the fungal and insect sources. Significant efforts have been devoted to commercialize chitosan extracted from fungal and insect sources to completely replace crustacean-derived chitosan. However, the traditional chitin extraction processes are laden with many disadvantages. The present review discusses the potential bioextraction of chitosan from fungal, insect, and crustacean as well as its superior physico-chemical properties. The different aspects of fungal, insects, and crustacean chitosan extraction methods and various parameters having an effect on the yield of chitin and chitosan are discussed in detail. In addition, this review also deals with essential attributes of chitosan for high value-added applications in different fields and highlighted new perspectives on the production of chitin and deacetylated chitosan from different sources with the concomitant reduction of the environmental impact.

An optimized methodology to analyze biopolymer capsules by environmental scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Conforto, Egle; Joguet, Nicolas; Buisson, Pierre; Vendeville, Jean-Eudes; Chaigneau, Carine; Maugard, Thierry

2015-02-01

The aim of this paper is to describe an optimized methodology to study the surface characteristics and internal structure of biopolymer capsules using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in environmental mode. The main advantage of this methodology is that no preparation is required and, significantly, no metallic coverage is deposited on the surface of the specimen, thus preserving the original capsule shape and its surface morphology. This avoids introducing preparation artefacts which could modify the capsule surface and mask information concerning important feature like porosities or roughness. Using this method gelatin and mainly fatty coatings, difficult to be analyzed by standard SEM technique, unambiguously show fine details of their surface morphology without damage. Furthermore, chemical contrast is preserved in backscattered electron images of unprepared samples, allowing visualizing the internal organization of the capsule, the quality of the envelope, etc... This study provides pointers on how to obtain optimal conditions for the analysis of biological or sensitive material, as this is not always studied using appropriate techniques. A reliable evaluation of the parameters used in capsule elaboration for research and industrial applications, as well as that of capsule functionality is provided by this methodology, which is essential for the technological progress in this domain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The versatile biopolymer chitosan: potential sources, evaluation of extraction methods and applications.

PubMed

Kaur, Surinder; Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh

2014-05-01

Among the biopolymers, chitin and its derivative chitosan (CTS) have been receiving increasing attention. Both are composed of randomly distributed β-(1-4)-linked d-glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine units. On commercial scale, CTS is mainly obtained from the crustacean shells. The chemical methods employed for extraction of CTS from crustacean shells are laden with many disadvantages. Waste fungal biomass represents a potential biological source of CTS, in fact with superior physico-chemical properties, such as high degree of deacetylation, low molecular weight, devoid of protein contamination and high bioactivity. Researchers around the globe are attempting to commercialize CTS production and extraction from fungal sources. Fungi are promising and environmentally benign source of CTS and they have the potential to completely replace crustacean-derived CTS. Waste fungal biomass resulting from various pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries is grown on inexpensive agro-industrial wastes and its by-products are a rich and inexpensive source of CTS. CTS is emerging as an important natural polymer having broad range of applications in different fields. In this context, the present review discusses the potential sources of CTS and their advantages and disadvantages. This review also deals with potential applications of CTS in different fields. Finally, the various attributes of CTS sought in different applications are discussed.

Green synthesis of biopolymer-silver nanoparticle nanocomposite: an optical sensor for ammonia detection.

PubMed

Pandey, Sadanand; Goswami, Gopal K; Nanda, Karuna K

2012-11-01

Biopolymer used for the production of nanoparticles (NPs) has attracted increasing attention. In the presence article we use aqueous solution of polysaccharide Cyamopsis tetragonaloba commonly known as guar gum (GG), from plants. GG acts as reductive preparation of silver nanoparticles which are found to be <10 nm in size. The uniformity of the NPs size was measured by the SEM and TEM, while a face centered cubic structure of crystalline silver nanoparticles was characterized using powder X-ray diffraction technique. Aqueous ammonia sensing study of polymer/silver nanoparticles nanocomposite (GG/AgNPs NC) was performed by optical method based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The performances of optical sensor were investigated which provide the excellent result. The response time of 2-3 s and the detection limit of ammonia solution, 1 ppm were found at room temperature. Thus, in future this room temperature optical ammonia sensor can be used for clinical and medical diagnosis for detecting low ammonia level in biological fluids, such as plasma, sweat, saliva, cerebrospinal liquid or biological samples in general for various biomedical applications in human. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biomimetic Nanofibrillation in Two-Component Biopolymer Blends with Structural Analogs to Spider Silk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Lan; Xu, Huan; Li, Liang-Bin; Hsiao, Benjamin S.; Zhong, Gan-Ji; Li, Zhong-Ming

2016-10-01

Despite the enormous potential in bioinspired fabrication of high-strength structure by mimicking the spinning process of spider silk, currently accessible routes (e.g., microfluidic and electrospinning approaches) still have substantial function gaps in providing precision control over the nanofibrillar superstructure, crystalline morphology or molecular orientation. Here the concept of biomimetic nanofibrillation, by copying the spiders’ spinning principles, was conceived to build silk-mimicking hierarchies in two-phase biodegradable blends, strategically involving the stepwise integration of elongational shear and high-pressure shear. Phase separation confined on nanoscale, together with deformation of discrete phases and pre-alignment of polymer chains, was triggered in the elongational shear, conferring the readiness for direct nanofibrillation in the latter shearing stage. The orderly aligned nanofibrils, featuring an ultralow diameter of around 100 nm and the “rigid-soft” system crosslinked by nanocrystal domains like silk protein dopes, were secreted by fine nanochannels. The incorporation of multiscale silk-mimicking structures afforded exceptional combination of strength, ductility and toughness for the nanofibrillar polymer composites. The proposed spider spinning-mimicking strategy, offering the biomimetic function integration unattainable with current approaches, may prompt materials scientists to pursue biopolymer mimics of silk with high performance yet light weight.

Biomimetic Nanofibrillation in Two-Component Biopolymer Blends with Structural Analogs to Spider Silk.

PubMed

Xie, Lan; Xu, Huan; Li, Liang-Bin; Hsiao, Benjamin S; Zhong, Gan-Ji; Li, Zhong-Ming

2016-10-03

Despite the enormous potential in bioinspired fabrication of high-strength structure by mimicking the spinning process of spider silk, currently accessible routes (e.g., microfluidic and electrospinning approaches) still have substantial function gaps in providing precision control over the nanofibrillar superstructure, crystalline morphology or molecular orientation. Here the concept of biomimetic nanofibrillation, by copying the spiders' spinning principles, was conceived to build silk-mimicking hierarchies in two-phase biodegradable blends, strategically involving the stepwise integration of elongational shear and high-pressure shear. Phase separation confined on nanoscale, together with deformation of discrete phases and pre-alignment of polymer chains, was triggered in the elongational shear, conferring the readiness for direct nanofibrillation in the latter shearing stage. The orderly aligned nanofibrils, featuring an ultralow diameter of around 100 nm and the "rigid-soft" system crosslinked by nanocrystal domains like silk protein dopes, were secreted by fine nanochannels. The incorporation of multiscale silk-mimicking structures afforded exceptional combination of strength, ductility and toughness for the nanofibrillar polymer composites. The proposed spider spinning-mimicking strategy, offering the biomimetic function integration unattainable with current approaches, may prompt materials scientists to pursue biopolymer mimics of silk with high performance yet light weight.

Recovery of oil from oil-in-water emulsion using biopolymers by adsorptive method.

PubMed

Elanchezhiyan, S Sd; Sivasurian, N; Meenakshi, Sankaran

2014-09-01

In the present study, it is aimed to identify, a low cost sorbent for the recovery of oil from oil-in-water emulsion using biopolymers such as chitin and chitosan. Chitin has the greater adsorption capacity than chitosan due to its hydrophobic nature. The characterizations of chitin and chitosan were done using FTIR, SEM, EDAX, XRD, TGA and DSC techniques. Under batch equilibrium mode, a systematic study was performed to optimize the various equilibrium parameters viz., contact time, pH, dosage, initial concentration of oil, and temperature. The adsorption process reached equilibrium at 40 min of contact time and the percentage removal of oil was found to be higher (90%) in the acidic medium. The Freundlich and Langmuir models were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms and the isotherm constants were calculated. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS° were calculated to find out the nature of the sorption mechanism. The kinetic studies were investigated with reaction-based and diffusion-based models. The suitable mechanism for the removal of oil has been established. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural and electrical characterization of tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) doped with NH4HCO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premalatha, M.; Mathavan, T.; Selvasekarapandian, S.; Selvalakshmi, S.

2018-04-01

In the modern era, development of electrochemical energy devices such as batteries, fuel cells and supercapacitors gain attention due to the deficiency of renewable energy resources. More specifically, proton conducting materials create prime interest in the development of electrochemical devices. In this regards, a novel proton conducting biopolymer electrolyte based on Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide (TSP) was synthesized with different concentration of ammonium formate (NH4HCO2). The amorphous nature of the polymer electrolytes has been identified by XRD technique. The observed ionic conductivity values reveal that the biopolymer containing 1 g TSP: 0.4 g NH4HCO2 has highest ionic conductivity 1.23×10-3 S cm-1.

Use of slow-release fertilizer and biopolymers for stimulating hydrocarbon biodegradation in oil-contaminated beach sediments.

PubMed

Xu, Ran; Yong, Li Ching; Lim, Yong Giak; Obbard, Jeffrey Philip

2005-01-01

Nutrient concentration and hydrocarbon bioavailability are key factors affecting biodegradation rates of oil in contaminated beach sediments. The effect of a slow-release fertilizer, Osmocote, as well as two biopolymers, chitin and chitosan, on the bioremediation of oil-spiked beach sediments was investigated using an open irrigation system over a 56-day period under laboratory conditions. Osmocote was effective in sustaining a high level of nutrients in leached sediments, as well as elevated levels of microbial activity and rates of hydrocarbon biodegradation. Chitin was more biodegradable than chitosan and gradually released nitrogen into the sediment. The addition of chitin or chitosan to the Osmocote amended sediments enhanced biodegradation rates of the alkanes relative to the presence of Osmocote alone, where chitosan was more effective than chitin due to its greater oil sorption capacity. Furthermore, chitosan significantly enhanced the biodegradation rates of all target polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Synthesis of Composite Adsorbent from Calcium Carbonate and Cocos Nucifera Carbon Powder Crosslinked with Biopolymer Matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamaruddin, M. A.; Bakri, M. M. A.; Norashiddin, F. A.; Zawawi, M. H.; Zainol, M. R. R. A.

2018-03-01

The use of coconut shell based adsorbent for removing various pollutants from wastewater offers attractive advantages such as exceptional adsorption capacity with larger surface area, low-cost and biocompatibility for a wide range of pollutants. The same goes for calcium carbonate based adsorbent, which provides better removal for metals ions through precipitation method. In fact, recycling of waste material is considered environmentally preferable and is supported by public opinion and government policy. However, because of unit operations mechanisms and effectiveness are different to one another in downstream process, it is quite difficult to provide good adsorbent that exhibits dual attributes of hydrophobic and hydrophilic characters. This paper provides brief process for sintering of composite adsorbent for separation and purification of industrial wastewater application. Characterization was performed by physical and chemical approach. Results prove that the inclusion of biopolymer as composite binder improved mechanical properties of the composite adsorbent.

Reactanceless synthesized impedance bandpass amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleinberg, L. L. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

An active R bandpass filter network is formed by four operational amplifier stages interconnected by discrete resistances. One pair of stages synthesize an equivalent input impedance of an inductance (L sub eq) in parallel with a discrete resistance (R sub o) while the second pair of stages synthesizes an equivalent input impedance of a capacitance (C sub eq) serially coupled to another discrete resistance (R sub i) coupled in parallel with the first two stages. The equivalent input impedances aggregately define a tuned resonant bandpass filter in the roll-off regions of the operational amplifiers.

Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate and exopolysaccharide biosynthesis by bacterial isolates from pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp] root nodules.

PubMed

Fernandes, Paulo Ivan; de Oliveira, Paulo Jansen; Rumjanek, Norma Gouvêa; Xavier, Gustavo Ribeiro

2011-02-01

The bacterial strains that are able to produce biopolymers that are applied in industrial sectors present a source of renewable resources. Some microorganisms are already applied at several industrial sectors, but the prospecting of new microbes must bring microorganisms that are feasible to produce interesting biopolymers more efficiently and in cheaper conditions. Among the biopolymers applied industrially, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and exopolysaccharides (EPS) stand out because of its applications, mainly in biodegradable plastic production and in food industry, respectively. In this context, the capacity of bacteria isolated from pigeonpea root nodules to produce EPS and PHB was evaluated, as well as the cultural characterization of these isolates. Among the 38 isolates evaluated, the majority presented fast growth and ability to acidify the culture media. Regarding the biopolymer production, five isolates produced more than 10 mg PHB per liter of culture medium. Six EPS producing bacteria achieved more than 200 mg EPS per liter of culture medium. Evaluating different carbon sources, the PHB productivity of the isolate 24.6b reached 69% of cell dry weight when cultured with starch as sole carbon source, and the isolate 8.1c synthesized 53% PHB in dry cell biomass and more than 1.3 g L⁻¹ of EPS when grown using xylose as sole carbon source.

Field demonstration of polymer-amended in situ chemical oxidation (PA-ISCO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Jeff A. K.; Crimi, Michelle; Palaia, Thomas; Ko, Saebom; Davenport, Sean

2017-04-01

The methods and results of the first field-scale demonstration of polymer-amended in situ chemical oxidation (PA-ISCO) are presented. The demonstration took place at MCB CAMLEJ (Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune) Operable Unit (OU) 15, Site 88, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina between October and December 2010. PA-ISCO was developed as an alternative treatment approach that utilizes viscosity-modified fluids to improve the in situ delivery and distribution (i.e. sweep-efficiency) of chemical oxidants within texturally heterogeneous contaminated aquifers. The enhanced viscosity of the fluid mitigates the effects of preferential flows, improving sweep-efficiency and enhancing the subsurface contact between the injected oxidant and the target contamination within the treatment zone. The PA-ISCO fluid formulation used in this demonstration included sodium permanganate as oxidant, xanthan gum biopolymer as a shear-thinning viscosifier, and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) as an anti-coagulant. It was the goal of this demonstration to validate the utility of PA-ISCO within a heterogeneous aquifer. An approximate 100% improvement in sweep-efficiency was achieved for the PA-ISCO fluid, as compared to a permanganate-only injection within an adjacent control plot.

Mayenite Synthesized Using the Citrate Sol-Gel Method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ude, Sabina N; Rawn, Claudia J; Meisner, Roberta A

2014-01-01

A citrate sol-gel method has been used to synthesize mayenite (Ca12Al14O33). X-ray powder diffraction data show that the samples synthesized using the citrate sol-gel method contained CaAl2O4 and CaCO3 along with mayenite when fired ex-situ in air at 800 C but were single phase when fired at 900 C and above. Using high temperature x-ray diffraction, data collected in-situ in air at temperatures of 600 C and below showed only amorphous content; however, data collected at higher temperatures indicated the first phase to crystallize is CaCO3. High temperature x-ray diffraction data collected in 4% H2/96% N2 does not show themore » presence of CaCO3, and Ca12Al14O33 starts to form around 850 C. In comparison, x-ray powder diffraction data collected ex-situ on samples synthesized using traditional solid-state synthesis shows that single phase was not reached until samples were fired at 1350 C. DTA/TGA data collected either in a nitrogen environment or air on samples synthesized using the citrate gel method suggest the complete decomposition of metastable phases and the formation of mayenite at 900 C, although the phase evolution is very different depending on the environment. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements showed a slightly higher surface area of 7.4 0.1 m2/g in the citrate gel synthesized samples compared to solid-state synthesized sample with a surface area of 1.61 0.02 m2/g. SEM images show a larger particle size for samples synthesized using the solid-state method compared to those synthesized using the citrate gel method.« less

Synthesizing Regression Results: A Factored Likelihood Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Meng-Jia; Becker, Betsy Jane

2013-01-01

Regression methods are widely used by researchers in many fields, yet methods for synthesizing regression results are scarce. This study proposes using a factored likelihood method, originally developed to handle missing data, to appropriately synthesize regression models involving different predictors. This method uses the correlations reported…

Xanthomonas campestris cell–cell signalling molecule DSF (diffusible signal factor) elicits innate immunity in plants and is suppressed by the exopolysaccharide xanthan

PubMed Central

Kakkar, Akanksha; Nizampatnam, Narasimha Rao; Kondreddy, Anil; Pradhan, Binod Bihari; Chatterjee, Subhadeep

2015-01-01

Several secreted and surface-associated conserved microbial molecules are recognized by the host to mount the defence response. One such evolutionarily well-conserved bacterial process is the production of cell–cell signalling molecules which regulate production of multiple virulence functions by a process known as quorum sensing. Here it is shown that a bacterial fatty acid cell–cell signalling molecule, DSF (diffusible signal factor), elicits innate immunity in plants. The DSF family of signalling molecules are highly conserved among many phytopathogenic bacteria belonging to the genus Xanthomonas as well as in opportunistic animal pathogens. Using Arabidopsis, Nicotiana benthamiana, and rice as model systems, it is shown that DSF induces a hypersensitivity reaction (HR)-like response, programmed cell death, the accumulation of autofluorescent compounds, hydrogen peroxide production, and the expression of the PATHOGENESIS-RELATED1 (PR-1) gene. Furthermore, production of the DSF signalling molecule in Pseudomonas syringae, a non-DSF-producing plant pathogen, induces the innate immune response in the N. benthamiana host plant and also affects pathogen growth. By pre- and co-inoculation of DSF, it was demonstrated that the DSF-induced plant defence reduces disease severity and pathogen growth in the host plant. In this study, it was further demonstrated that wild-type Xanthomonas campestris suppresses the DSF-induced innate immunity by secreting xanthan, the main component of extracellular polysaccharide. The results indicate that plants have evolved to recognize a widely conserved bacterial communication system and may have played a role in the co-evolution of host recognition of the pathogen and the communication machinery. PMID:26248667

Cytotoxicity control of silicon nanoparticles by biopolymer coating and ultrasound irradiation for cancer theranostic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sviridov, A. P.; Osminkina, L. A.; Kharin, A. Yu; Gongalsky, M. B.; Kargina, J. V.; Kudryavtsev, A. A.; Bezsudnova, Yu I.; Perova, T. S.; Geloen, A.; Lysenko, V.; Timoshenko, V. Yu

2017-03-01

Silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) prepared by mechanical grinding of luminescent porous silicon were coated with a biopolymer (dextran) and investigated as a potential theranostic agent for bioimaging and sonodynamic therapy. Transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence and Raman scattering measurements of dextran-coated SiNPs gave evidence of their enhanced stability in water. In vitro experiments confirmed the lower cytotoxicity of the dextran-coated NPs in comparison with uncoated ones, especially for high concentrations of about 2 mg ml-1. Efficient uptake of the NPs by cancer cells was found using bioimaging in the optical transmittance and photoluminescence modes. Treatment of the cells with uptaken SiNPs by therapeutic ultrasound for 5-20 min resulted in a strong decrease in the number of living cells, while the total number of cells remained nearly unchanged. The obtained data indicate a ‘mild’ effect of the combined action of ultrasonic irradiation and SiNPs on cancer cells. The observed results reveal new opportunities for controlling the photoluminescent and sonosensitizing properties of silicon-based NPs for applications in the diagnostics and mild therapy of cancer.

Biomimetic Nanofibrillation in Two-Component Biopolymer Blends with Structural Analogs to Spider Silk

PubMed Central

Xie, Lan; Xu, Huan; Li, Liang-Bin; Hsiao, Benjamin S.; Zhong, Gan-Ji; Li, Zhong-Ming

2016-01-01

Despite the enormous potential in bioinspired fabrication of high-strength structure by mimicking the spinning process of spider silk, currently accessible routes (e.g., microfluidic and electrospinning approaches) still have substantial function gaps in providing precision control over the nanofibrillar superstructure, crystalline morphology or molecular orientation. Here the concept of biomimetic nanofibrillation, by copying the spiders’ spinning principles, was conceived to build silk-mimicking hierarchies in two-phase biodegradable blends, strategically involving the stepwise integration of elongational shear and high-pressure shear. Phase separation confined on nanoscale, together with deformation of discrete phases and pre-alignment of polymer chains, was triggered in the elongational shear, conferring the readiness for direct nanofibrillation in the latter shearing stage. The orderly aligned nanofibrils, featuring an ultralow diameter of around 100 nm and the “rigid−soft” system crosslinked by nanocrystal domains like silk protein dopes, were secreted by fine nanochannels. The incorporation of multiscale silk-mimicking structures afforded exceptional combination of strength, ductility and toughness for the nanofibrillar polymer composites. The proposed spider spinning-mimicking strategy, offering the biomimetic function integration unattainable with current approaches, may prompt materials scientists to pursue biopolymer mimics of silk with high performance yet light weight. PMID:27694989

Single molecule force measurements delineate salt, pH and surface effects on biopolymer adhesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirzer, T.; Geisler, M.; Scheibel, T.; Hugel, T.

2009-06-01

In this paper we probe the influence of surface properties, pH and salt on the adhesion of recombinant spider silk proteins onto solid substrates with single molecule force spectroscopy. A single engineered spider silk protein (monomeric C16 or dimeric (QAQ)8NR3) is covalently bound with one end to an AFM tip, which assures long-time measurements for hours with one and the same protein. The tip with the protein is brought into contact with various substrates at various buffer conditions and then retracted to desorb the protein. We observe a linear dependence of the adhesion force on the concentration of three selected salts (NaCl, NaH2PO4 and NaI) and a Hofmeister series both for anions and cations. As expected, the more hydrophobic C16 shows a higher adhesion force than (QAQ)8NR3, and the adhesion force rises with the hydrophobicity of the substrate. Unexpected is the magnitude of the dependences—we never observe a change of more than 30%, suggesting a surprisingly well-regulated balance between dispersive forces, water-structure-induced forces as well as co-solute-induced forces in biopolymer adhesion.

Improving the sweeping efficiency of permanganate into low permeable zones to treat TCE: experimental results and model development.

PubMed

Chokejaroenrat, Chanat; Kananizadeh, Negin; Sakulthaew, Chainarong; Comfort, Steve; Li, Yusong

2013-11-19

The residual buildup and treatment of dissolved contaminants in low permeable zones (LPZs) is a particularly challenging issue for injection-based remedial treatments. Our objective was to improve the sweeping efficiency of permanganate into LPZs to treat dissolved-phase TCE. This was accomplished by conducting transport experiments that quantified the ability of xanthan-MnO4(-) solutions to penetrate and cover (i.e., sweep) an LPZ that was surrounded by transmissive sands. By incorporating the non-Newtonian fluid xanthan with MnO4(-), penetration of MnO4(-) into the LPZ improved dramatically and sweeping efficiency reached 100% in fewer pore volumes. To quantify how xanthan improved TCE removal, we spiked the LPZ and surrounding sands with (14)C-lableled TCE and used a multistep flooding procedure that quantified the mass of (14)C-TCE oxidized and bypassed during treatment. Results showed that TCE mass removal was 1.4 times greater in experiments where xanthan was employed. Combining xanthan with MnO4(-) also reduced the mass of TCE in the LPZ that was potentially available for rebound. By coupling a multiple species reactive transport model with the Brinkman equation for non-Newtonian flow, the simulated amount of (14)C-TCE oxidized during transport matched experimental results. These observations support the use of xanthan as a means of enhancing MnO4(-) delivery into LPZs for the treatment of dissolved-phase TCE.

Agar-based bridges as biocompatible candidates to provide guide cues in spinal cord injury repair.

PubMed

Martín-López, Eduardo; Darder, Margarita; Ruiz-Hitzky, Eduardo; Nieto Sampedro, Manuel

2013-01-01

Spinal bridge implants are strategic to provide growth surfaces for axonal regeneration after spinal cord injuries. The design of an appropriate substrate, one that is suitable for implantation, must involve careful testing of the biomaterial properties both in vitro and in vivo. The goal of this work was to test the structure, stability and biological response after spinal bridges implantation of several biopolymers, composed of mixtures of agar (AG), as structural matrix scaffold, with κ-carrageenan (Kc), gelatin (G), xanthan gum (Xn) and polysulfone (PS). Biopolymer structures were studied by environmental scanning electron microscopy, whereas the stability of gels was analyzed by in vitro degradation and swelling tests. The biocompatibility of these materials and their ability to promote cell growth and axonal regeneration were studied by implantation of spinal bridges containing empty linear channels in an acute rat spinal cord transection model at thoracic level (T8). All gel mixtures gave rise to porous structures and they were stables to degradation, excepting the AG+G mixture. Spinal bridges constructed from all mixtures were implanted during a month in adult rats. After this time a low host reaction occurred to all bridge materials as well as neurite and cell ingrowths through the empty channels. Neurites within the bridges were mostly peripheral sensory fibers such as those positive for CGRP, whereas there was a lack of regeneration of central axons crossing from the spinal tissue to bridges. Many of these neurites established closed contacts with non-myelin Schwann cells. The histological analysis revealed a high accumulation of collagen fibers within the channels. Unexpected was the apparent loss of channels linearity which affected the growth of neurites and cells, indicating the need for additional regeneration strategies and vertebrae bridge fixing.

VCO PLL Frequency Synthesizers for Spacecraft Transponders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Scott; Mysoor, Narayan; Lux, James; Cook, Brian

2007-01-01

Two documents discuss a breadboard version of advanced transponders that, when fully developed, would be installed on future spacecraft to fly in deep space. These transponders will be required to be capable of operation on any deepspace- communications uplink frequency channel between 7,145 and 7,235 MHz, and any downlink frequency channel between 8,400 and 8,500 MHz. The document focuses on the design and operation of frequency synthesizers for the receiver and transmitter. Heretofore, frequency synthesizers in deep-space transponders have been based on dielectric resonator oscillators (DROs), which do not have the wide tuning bandwidth necessary to tune over all channels in the uplink or downlink frequency bands. To satisfy the requirement for tuning bandwidth, the present frequency synthesizers are based on voltage-controlled-oscillator (VCO) phase-locked loops (PLLs) implemented by use of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) implemented using inGaP heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology. MMIC VCO PLL frequency synthesizers similar to the present ones have been used in commercial and military applications but, until now, have exhibited too much phase noise for use in deep-space transponders. The present frequency synthesizers contain advanced MMIC VCOs, which use HBT technology and have lower levels of flicker (1/f) phase noise. When these MMIC VCOs are used with high-speed MMIC frequency dividers, it becomes possible to obtain the required combination of frequency agility and low phase noise.

Method For Synthesizing Extremely High-Temperature Melting Materials

DOEpatents

Saboungi, Marie-Louise; Glorieux, Benoit

2005-11-22

The invention relates to a method of synthesizing high-temperature melting materials. More specifically the invention relates to a containerless method of synthesizing very high temperature melting materials such as borides, carbides and transition-metal, lanthanide and actinide oxides, using an Aerodynamic Levitator and a laser. The object of the invention is to provide a method for synthesizing extremely high-temperature melting materials that are otherwise difficult to produce, without the use of containers, allowing the manipulation of the phase (amorphous/crystalline/metastable) and permitting changes of the environment such as different gaseous compositions.

Method for synthesizing extremely high-temperature melting materials

DOEpatents

Saboungi, Marie-Louise; Glorieux, Benoit

2007-11-06

The invention relates to a method of synthesizing high-temperature melting materials. More specifically the invention relates to a containerless method of synthesizing very high temperature melting materials such as carbides and transition-metal, lanthanide and actinide oxides, using an aerodynamic levitator and a laser. The object of the invention is to provide a method for synthesizing extremely high-temperature melting materials that are otherwise difficult to produce, without the use of containers, allowing the manipulation of the phase (amorphous/crystalline/metastable) and permitting changes of the environment such as different gaseous compositions.

Method for Synthesizing Extremeley High Temperature Melting Materials

DOEpatents

Saboungi, Marie-Louise and Glorieux, Benoit

2005-11-22

The invention relates to a method of synthesizing high-temperature melting materials. More specifically the invention relates to a containerless method of synthesizing very high temperature melting materials such as borides, carbides and transition-metal, lanthanide and actinide oxides, using an Aerodynamic Levitator and a laser. The object of the invention is to provide a method for synthesizing extremely high-temperature melting materials that are otherwise difficult to produce, without the use of containers, allowing the manipulation of the phase (amorphous/crystalline/metastable) and permitting changes of the environment such as different gaseous compositions.

Aeon: Synthesizing Scheduling Algorithms from High-Level Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monette, Jean-Noël; Deville, Yves; van Hentenryck, Pascal

This paper describes the aeon system whose aim is to synthesize scheduling algorithms from high-level models. A eon, which is entirely written in comet, receives as input a high-level model for a scheduling application which is then analyzed to generate a dedicated scheduling algorithm exploiting the structure of the model. A eon provides a variety of synthesizers for generating complete or heuristic algorithms. Moreover, synthesizers are compositional, making it possible to generate complex hybrid algorithms naturally. Preliminary experimental results indicate that this approach may be competitive with state-of-the-art search algorithms.

Complex electrical monitoring of biopolymer and iron mineral precipitation for microbial enhanced hydrocarbon recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Y.; Hubbard, C. G.; Dong, W.; Hubbard, S. S.

2011-12-01

Microbially enhanced hydrocarbon recovery (MEHR) mechanisms are expected to be impacted by processes and properties that occur over a wide range of scales, ranging from surface interactions and microbial metabolism at the submicron scale to changes in wettability and pore geometry at the pore scale to geological heterogeneities at the petroleum reservoir scale. To eventually ensure successful, production-scale implementation of laboratory-developed MEHR procedures under field conditions, it is necessary to develop approaches that can remotely monitor and accurately predict the complex microbially-facilitated transformations that are expected to occur during MEHR treatments in reservoirs (such as the evolution of redox profiles, oil viscosity or matrix porosity/permeability modifications). Our initial studies are focused on laboratory experiments to assess the geophysical signatures of MEHR-induced biogeochemical transformations, with an ultimate goal of using these approaches to monitor field treatments. Here, we explore the electrical signatures of two MEHR processes that are designed to produce end-products that will plug high permeability zones in reservoirs and thus enhance sweep efficiency. The MEHR experiments to induce biopolymers (in this case dextran) and iron mineral precipitates were conducted using flow-through columns. Leuconostoc mesenteroides, a facultative anaerobe, known to produce dextran from sucrose was used in the biopolymer experiments. Paused injection of sucrose, following inoculation and initial microbial attachment, was carried out on daily basis, allowing enough time for dextran production to occur based on batch experiment observations. Electrical data were collected on daily basis and fluid samples were extracted from the column for characterization. Changes in electrical signal were not observed during initial microbial inoculation. Increase of electrical resistivity and decrease of electrical phase response were observed during the

Biomimetic polyesters and their role in ion transport across cell membranes.

PubMed

Jedliński, Z; Kurcok, P; Adamus, G; Juzwa, M

2000-01-01

Syntheses of biomimetic low-molecular weight poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutanoate mediated by three types of supramolecular catalysts are presented. The utility of these synthetic polyesters for preparation of artificial channels in phospholipid bilayers capable of sodium and calcium ion transport across cell membranes, is discussed. Further studies on possible applications of these bio-polymers for manufacturing drugs of prolonged activity are under way.

Programmable electronic synthesized capacitance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleinberg, Leonard L. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A predetermined and variable synthesized capacitance which may be incorporated into the resonant portion of an electronic oscillator for the purpose of tuning the oscillator comprises a programmable operational amplifier circuit. The operational amplifier circuit has its output connected to its inverting input, in a follower configuration, by a network which is low impedance at the operational frequency of the circuit. The output of the operational amplifier is also connected to the noninverting input by a capacitor. The noninverting input appears as a synthesized capacitance which may be varied with a variation in gain-bandwidth product of the operational amplifier circuit. The gain-bandwidth product may, in turn, be varied with a variation in input set current with a digital to analog converter whose output is varied with a command word. The output impedance of the circuit may also be varied by the output set current. This circuit may provide very small ranges in oscillator frequency with relatively large control voltages unaffected by noise.

NOS-based biopolymers; towards novel thromboresistant NO-release materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abou Diwan, Charbel

Nitric Oxide releasing biopolymers have the potential to prolong vascular graft and stent potency without adverse systemic vasodilation. It was reported in literature that eNOS-overexpressing endothelial cell seeding of synthetic small diameter vascular grafts decreased human platelet aggregation by 46% and bovine aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation by 67.2% in vitro. We hypothesized that incorporating the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in biocompatible polymeric matrix will provide a source of NO that utilizes endogenous compounds to maintain an unlimited supply of NO. To test this hypothesis, we have incorporated the enzyme nitric oxide synthase into a polyethyleneimine film using a layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition. This approach will provide a source of NO that utilizes endogenous compounds available in the blood matrix to maintain a constant supply of NO at the blood/device interface. When coated onto the surface of various blood-contacting implantable medical devices, it will provide NO fluxes at levels equal or greater than the normal endothelial cells, and for extended time periods. This configuration will help solve the issues of both thrombosis and stenosis that occur as side effects for several types of biomedical implants. Our results indicate a proof of principle of a new approach for making antithrombotic coatings for medical devices and implants based on NO release. We have demonstrated that NOS-based polymetric films successfully generate NO under physiologic conditions at small levels equal to and higher than those observed for endothelial cells. The level of NO release can be fine-tuned through varying the number of NOS layers in the film buildup. We have shown that NO fluxes from our NOS-based PEI films are sustained for prolonged periods of time, which has the potential of producing efficient, short and long-term, antithrombotic coatings for medical devices and blood-contacting tools such as stents and catheters. We also show that

Xanthomonas campestris cell-cell signalling molecule DSF (diffusible signal factor) elicits innate immunity in plants and is suppressed by the exopolysaccharide xanthan.

PubMed

Kakkar, Akanksha; Nizampatnam, Narasimha Rao; Kondreddy, Anil; Pradhan, Binod Bihari; Chatterjee, Subhadeep

2015-11-01

Several secreted and surface-associated conserved microbial molecules are recognized by the host to mount the defence response. One such evolutionarily well-conserved bacterial process is the production of cell-cell signalling molecules which regulate production of multiple virulence functions by a process known as quorum sensing. Here it is shown that a bacterial fatty acid cell-cell signalling molecule, DSF (diffusible signal factor), elicits innate immunity in plants. The DSF family of signalling molecules are highly conserved among many phytopathogenic bacteria belonging to the genus Xanthomonas as well as in opportunistic animal pathogens. Using Arabidopsis, Nicotiana benthamiana, and rice as model systems, it is shown that DSF induces a hypersensitivity reaction (HR)-like response, programmed cell death, the accumulation of autofluorescent compounds, hydrogen peroxide production, and the expression of the PATHOGENESIS-RELATED1 (PR-1) gene. Furthermore, production of the DSF signalling molecule in Pseudomonas syringae, a non-DSF-producing plant pathogen, induces the innate immune response in the N. benthamiana host plant and also affects pathogen growth. By pre- and co-inoculation of DSF, it was demonstrated that the DSF-induced plant defence reduces disease severity and pathogen growth in the host plant. In this study, it was further demonstrated that wild-type Xanthomonas campestris suppresses the DSF-induced innate immunity by secreting xanthan, the main component of extracellular polysaccharide. The results indicate that plants have evolved to recognize a widely conserved bacterial communication system and may have played a role in the co-evolution of host recognition of the pathogen and the communication machinery. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Zwitterionic Hydrogel-Biopolymer Assembly towards Biomimetic Superlubricants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seekell, Raymond; Zhu, Elaine

2014-03-01

One superlubricant in nature is the synovial fluid (SF), comprising of a high molecular weight polysaccharide, hyaluronic acid (HA), and a globule protein, lubricin. In this bio-inspired materials research, we have explored hydrogel particles to mimic lubricin as a ``ball-bearing'' and control their interaction with the viscoelastic HA matrix. Biocompatible poly(N-[2-(Methacyloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide) (PMSA) hydrogel particles are synthesized to examine the electrostatic induced assembly of PMSA-HA supramolecular complexes in aqueous solutions. Fluorescence microscopy and rheology experiments have characterized the tunable network structure and viscoelastic properties of PMSA-HA aggregates by HA concentration and ionic conditions in aqueous solution. When being grafted to a solid surface, the PMSA-HA composite thin film exhibits superior low biofouling and friction performance, suggesting great promises as artificial superlubricants.

Characterization of un-plasticized and propylene carbonate plasticized carboxymethyl cellulose doped ammonium chloride solid biopolymer electrolytes.

PubMed

Ahmad, N H; Isa, M I N

2016-02-10

Two solid biopolymer electrolytes (SBEs) systems of carboxymethyl cellulose doped ammonium chloride (CMC-AC) and propylene carbonate plasticized (CMC-AC-PC) were prepared via solution casting technique. The ionic conductivity of SBEs were analyzed using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in the frequency range of 50 Hz-1 MHz at ambient temperature (303K). The highest ionic conductivity of CMC-AC SBE is 1.43 × 10(-3)S/cm for 16 wt.% of AC while the highest conductivity of plasticized SBE system is 1.01 × 10(-2)S/cm when added with 8 wt.% of PC. TGA/DSC showed that the addition of PC had increased the decomposition temperature compared of CMC-AC SBE. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed the occurrence of complexation between the SBE components and it is proved successfully executed by Gaussian software. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that amorphous nature of SBEs. It is believed that the PC is one of the most promising plasticizer to enhance the ionic conductivity and performance for SBE system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eco-Friendly and Biodegradable Biopolymer Chitosan/Y₂O₃ Composite Materials in Flexible Organic Thin-Film Transistors.

PubMed

Du, Bo-Wei; Hu, Shao-Ying; Singh, Ranjodh; Tsai, Tsung-Tso; Lin, Ching-Chang; Ko, Fu-Hsiang

2017-09-03

The waste from semiconductor manufacturing processes causes serious pollution to the environment. In this work, a non-toxic material was developed under room temperature conditions for the fabrication of green electronics. Flexible organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) on plastic substrates are increasingly in demand due to their high visible transmission and small size for use as displays and wearable devices. This work investigates and analyzes the structured formation of aqueous solutions of the non-toxic and biodegradable biopolymer, chitosan, blended with high-k-value, non-toxic, and biocompatible Y₂O₃ nanoparticles. Chitosan thin films blended with Y₂O₃ nanoparticles were adopted as the gate dielectric thin film in OTFTs, and an improvement in the dielectric properties and pinholes was observed. Meanwhile, the on/off current ratio was increased by 100 times, and a low leakage current was observed. In general, the blended chitosan/Y₂O₃ thin films used as the gate dielectric of OTFTs are non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and operate at low voltages. These OTFTs can be used on surfaces with different curvature radii because of their flexibility.

Influence of biopolymers on the solubility of branched-chain amino acids and stability of their solutions.

PubMed

Hong, Chi Rac; Lee, Gyu Whan; Paik, Hyun-Dong; Chang, Pahn-Shick; Choi, Seung Jun

2018-01-15

This study confirmed the possibility of biopolymer-type stabilizers to increase the saturation concentration of branched-chain amino acids by preventing their crystallization/precipitation. Although microfluidization increased the initial solubility, it failed to increase the saturation concentration of the branched-chain amino acids. The saturation concentration of the branched-chain amino acids increased from 3.81% to 4.42% and 4.85% after the incorporation of food hydrocolloids and proteins, respectively. However, the branched-chain amino acids:stabilizer ratio did not affect the solubility. In the case of food hydrocolloid-based solutions, crystal formation and growth of branched-chain amino acids occurred during storage, resulting in the precipitation of branched-chain amino acid crystals. However, food proteins effectively increased the stability of the solubilized branched-chain amino acids. The improved solubility and stability of the solubilized branched-chain amino acids could be attributed to interactions between the functional groups (carboxyl, amine, sulfate, aliphatic, aromatic, etc.) of the stabilizer and the branched-chain amino acid molecules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of synthesized voice approach callouts /SYNCALL/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, C. A.

1981-01-01

The two basic approaches to the generation of 'synthesized' speech include a utilization of analog recorded human speech and a construction of speech entirely from algorithms applied to constants describing speech sounds. Given the availability of synthesized speech displays for man-machine systems, research is needed to study suggested applications for speech and design principles for speech displays. The present investigation is concerned with a study for which new performance measures were developed. A number of air carrier approach and landing accidents during low or impaired visibility have been associated with the absence of approach callouts. The study had the purpose to compare a pilot-not-flying (PNF) approach callout system to a system composed of PNF callouts augmented by an automatic synthesized voice callout system (SYNCALL). Pilots were found to favor the use of a SYNCALL system containing certain modifications.

Electrospinning biopolymers from ionic liquids requires control of different solution properties than volatile organic solvents

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zavgorodnya, Oleksandra; Shamshina, Julia L.; Bonner, Jonathan R.

Here, we report the correlation between key solution properties and spinability of chitin from the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C 2mim][OAc]), and the similarities and differences to electrospinning solutions of non-ionic polymers in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We found that when electrospinning is conducted from ILs, conductivity and surface tension are not the key parameters regulating spinability, while solution viscosity and polymer concentration are. Contrarily, for electrospinning of polymers from VOCs, solution conductivity and viscosity have been reported to be among some of the most important factors controlling fiber formation. For chitin electrospun from [C 2mim][OAc], we found bothmore » a critical chitin concentration required for continuous fiber formation (> 0.20 wt%) and a required viscosity for the spinning solution (between ca. 450 – 1500 cP). The high viscosities of the biopolymer-IL solutions made it possible to electrospin solutions with low, less than 1 wt% of polymer concentration and produce thin fibers without the need to adjust the electrospinning parameters. These results suggest new prospects for the control of fiber architecture in non-woven mats, which is crucial for materials performance.« less

Electrospinning biopolymers from ionic liquids requires control of different solution properties than volatile organic solvents

DOE PAGES

Zavgorodnya, Oleksandra; Shamshina, Julia L.; Bonner, Jonathan R.; ...

2017-04-27

Here, we report the correlation between key solution properties and spinability of chitin from the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C 2mim][OAc]), and the similarities and differences to electrospinning solutions of non-ionic polymers in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We found that when electrospinning is conducted from ILs, conductivity and surface tension are not the key parameters regulating spinability, while solution viscosity and polymer concentration are. Contrarily, for electrospinning of polymers from VOCs, solution conductivity and viscosity have been reported to be among some of the most important factors controlling fiber formation. For chitin electrospun from [C 2mim][OAc], we found bothmore » a critical chitin concentration required for continuous fiber formation (> 0.20 wt%) and a required viscosity for the spinning solution (between ca. 450 – 1500 cP). The high viscosities of the biopolymer-IL solutions made it possible to electrospin solutions with low, less than 1 wt% of polymer concentration and produce thin fibers without the need to adjust the electrospinning parameters. These results suggest new prospects for the control of fiber architecture in non-woven mats, which is crucial for materials performance.« less

The microprocessor-based synthesizer controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wick, M. R.

1980-01-01

Implementation and performance of the microprocessor-based controllers and Dana Digiphase Synthesizer (DCO) installed in the Deep Space Network exciter in the 64-meter and 34-meter subnets to support uplink tuning required for the Voyager-Saturn Encounter is discussed. Test data in tests conducted during the production of the controllers verified the design objective for phase control accuracy of 10 to the - 12 power cycles in eight hours during ramping. Tests conducted require a phase error between a theoretical calculated value and the actual phase of no greater than + or - 1 cycle. Tests included (1) a ramp over a period of eight hours using a ramp rate which covers the synthesizer tuning range (40-51 MHz) and (2) a ramp sequence using the maximum rate (+ or kHz/s) over the tuning range.

Expanding and reprogramming the genetic code.

PubMed

Chin, Jason W

2017-10-04

Nature uses a limited, conservative set of amino acids to synthesize proteins. The ability to genetically encode an expanded set of building blocks with new chemical and physical properties is transforming the study, manipulation and evolution of proteins, and is enabling diverse applications, including approaches to probe, image and control protein function, and to precisely engineer therapeutics. Underpinning this transformation are strategies to engineer and rewire translation. Emerging strategies aim to reprogram the genetic code so that noncanonical biopolymers can be synthesized and evolved, and to test the limits of our ability to engineer the translational machinery and systematically recode genomes.

Operational Design that Synthesizes Art and Science

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-04

FINAL 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) Feb - May 2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE OPERATIONAL DESIGN THAT SYNTHESIZES ART AND SCIENCE 5a...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Operational Design That Synthesizes Art And Science 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR...proponents of EBO view warfare as only a science and not a combination of art and science . 9 Another main point of contention centered on the term

A Feasibility Study of Synthesizing Subsurfaces Modeled with Computational Neural Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, John T.; Housner, Jerrold M.; Szewczyk, Z. Peter

1998-01-01

This paper investigates the feasibility of synthesizing substructures modeled with computational neural networks. Substructures are modeled individually with computational neural networks and the response of the assembled structure is predicted by synthesizing the neural networks. A superposition approach is applied to synthesize models for statically determinate substructures while an interface displacement collocation approach is used to synthesize statically indeterminate substructure models. Beam and plate substructures along with components of a complicated Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) model are used in this feasibility study. In this paper, the limitations and difficulties of synthesizing substructures modeled with neural networks are also discussed.

INNOVATIVE IN-SITU REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS FOR SIMULTANEOUS CONTROL OF CONTAMINATION AND EROSION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knox, A; Michael Paller, M; Danny D. Reible, D

2007-11-28

that organoclays have high potential for controlling organic contaminants. Measured partitioning coefficients were used to model the time required for a contaminant to penetrate sediment caps composed of organoclay. The results showed that a thin layer of highly sorptive organoclay can lead to very long migration times, perhaps longer than the expected lifetime of the contaminant in the sediment environment. A one-dimensional numerical model was used to examine the diffusion of metals through several cap material based on measured and assumed material and transport properties. These studies showed that active caps composed of apatite or organoclay have the potential to delay contaminant breakthrough due to diffusion by hundreds of years or more compared with passive caps composed of sand. Advectively dominated column experiments are currently underway to define effective sorption related retardation factors in promising amendments for various hydrophobic organic compounds. Upon completion of these experiments, advection transient models will be used to estimate the time required for the breakthrough of various contaminants in caps composed of different experimental materials. Biopolymer products for inclusion in active caps were evaluated on the basis of resistance to biodegradation, sorption capacity for organic and inorganic contaminants, and potential for erosion control. More than 20 biopolymer products were evaluated resulting in the selection of chitosan/guar gum cross-linked with borax and xanthan/chitosan cross-linked with calcium chloride for inclusion in active caps to produce a barrier that resists mechanical disturbance. A process was developed for coating sand with cross-linked biopolymers to provide a means for delivery to the sediment surface. Properties of biopolymer coated sand such as carbon fraction (indicating biopolymer coverage), porosity, bulk density, and biodegradability have been evaluated, and experiments are currently underway to assess the

Temporary skin grafts based on hybrid graphene oxide-natural biopolymer nanofibers as effective wound healing substitutes: pre-clinical and pathological studies in animal models.

PubMed

Mahmoudi, N; Eslahi, N; Mehdipour, A; Mohammadi, M; Akbari, M; Samadikuchaksaraei, A; Simchi, A

2017-05-01

In recent years, temporary skin grafts (TSG) based on natural biopolymers modified with carbon nanostructures have received considerable attention for wound healing. Developments are required to improve physico-mechanical properties of these materials to match to natural skins. Additionally, in-deep pre-clinical examinations are necessary to ensure biological performance and toxicity effect in vivo. In the present work, we show superior acute-wound healing effect of graphene oxide nanosheets embedded in ultrafine biopolymer fibers (60 nm) on adult male rats. Nano-fibrous chitosan-based skin grafts crosslinked by Genepin with physico-mechanical properties close to natural skins were prepared by electrospinning of highly concentrated chitosan- polyvinylpyrrolidone solutions containing graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. No surfactants and organic solvents were utilized to ensure high biocompatibility of the fibrous structure. In vitro evaluations by human skin fibroblast cells including live and dead assay and MTT results show that GO promote cell viability of porous nanofibrous membrane while providing enhanced bactericidal capacity. In vivo studies on rat's skin determine accelerated healing effect, i.e. a large open wound (1.5 × 1.5 cm 2 ) is fully regenerated after 14-day of post operation while healing is observed for sterile gauze sponge (as the control). Pathological studies support thick dermis formation and complete epithelialization in the presence of 1.5 wt% GO nanosheets. Over 99% wound healing occurs after 21 days for the injury covered with TSG containing 1.5 wt% GO while this would takes weeks for the control. Therefore, the developed materials have a high potential to be used as TSG as pre-clinical testing has shown.