Essential oils (EOs) are highly lipophilic, which makes the measurement of their biological action difficult in an aqueous environment. We formulated a Pickering nanoemulsion of chamomile EO (CPe). Surface-modified Stöber silica nanoparticles (20 nm) were prepared and used as a stabilizing agent of CPe. The antimicrobial activity of CPe was compared with that of emulsion stabilized with Tween 80 (CT80) and ethanolic solution (CEt). The antimicrobial effects were assessed by their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC90) and minimum effective (MEC10) concentrations. Besides growth inhibition (CFU/mL), the metabolic activity and viability of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as Candida species, in addition to the generation of oxygen free radical species (ROS), were studied. We followed the killing activity of CPe and analyzed the efficiency of the EO delivery for examined formulations by using unilamellar liposomes as a cellular model. CPe showed significantly higher antibacterial and antifungal activities than CT80 and CEt. Chamomile EOs generated superoxide anion and peroxide related oxidative stress which might be the major mode of action of Ch essential oil. We could also demonstrate that CPe was the most effective in donation of the active EO components when compared with CT80 and CEt. Our data suggest that CPe formulation is useful in the fight against microbial infections.
The adsorption, desorption, and reactions of ethanol have been investigated on pure and promoted ZSM-5 catalysts. FTIR spectroscopy indicated the formation of a strongly bonded ethoxy species on ZSM-5(80) at 300 K. TPD experiments following the adsorption of ethanol on both ZSM-5 and Mo2C/ZSM-5 have shown desorption profiles corresponding to unreacted ethanol and decomposition products (H2O, H2, CH3CHO, C4H10O, and C2H4). The main reaction pathway of ethanol on pure ZSM-5 is the dehydration reaction yielding ethylene, small amounts of hydrocarbons, and aromatics. Deposition of different additives, such as Mo2C, ZnO, and Ga2O3 on zeolite, greatly promoted the formation of benzene and toluene at 773-973 K, very likely by catalyzing the aromatization of ethylene formed in the dehydration process of ethanol. Separate studies of the reaction of ethylene revealed that the previous additives markedly enhanced the selectivity and the yield of aromatics on ZSM-5.
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