Enzymes are macromolecular biocatalysts, widely used in food industry. In applications, enzymes are often immobilized on inert and insoluble carriers, which increase their efficiency due to multiple reusability. The properties of immobilized enzymes depend on the immobilization method and the carrier type. The choice of the carrier usually concerns the biocompatibility, chemical and thermal stability, insolubility under reaction conditions, capability of easy regeneration and reusability, as well as cost efficiency. In this review, we provide an overview of various carriers for enzyme immobilization, with the primary focus on food industry.
Advanced wound dressings improve wound healing by releasing antibacterial agents, accelerating wound closure, and reporting (sensing) changes in the wound’s state. The challenge with the release of antibacterial agents such as drugs, peptides, or nanoparticles is their unregulated administration. In addition, bacteria resistance to antibiotics stimulates the search for new types of antibacterial wound dressings. Here, we report a new approach to antibacterial wound dressings by utilizing a nanocolloidal hydrogel with strong Fe3+ ion sequestration capability, thus depriving bacteria of much-needed ionic iron and suppressing bacteria growth. The hydrogel was derived from cellulose nanocrystals decorated with carbon dots (C-dot/CNCs). Upon Fe3+ ion uptake by the nanofibrillar hydrogel, the photoluminescence of the hydrogel was quenched, due to adsorption of ions to the C-dot surface, thus reporting on the removal of ionic iron from the medium. The hydrogel suppressed the growth of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative Escherichia coli, antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and was noncytotoxic for human fibroblasts. Wound dressings were readily fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing. The new mechanism of antibacterial performance of the hydrogel, its sensing capability, biocompatibility, and the capability to 3D print wound dressing patches make it a very promising material for the fabrication of advanced wound dressings.
Carotenoids are the most powerful nutrients (medicine) on earth due to their potent antioxidant properties. The ability of these tetraterpenoids in obviating human chronic ailments like cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes has drawn public attention toward these novel compounds. Conventionally, carotenoids have been extracted from plant materials and agro-industrial byproduct using different solvents, but these procedures result in contaminating the target compound (carotenoids) with extraction solvents. Furthermore, some utilized solvents are not safe and hence are harmful to the environment. This has attracted criticism from consumers, ecologists, environmentalists, and public health workers. However, there is clear consumer preference for carotenoids from natural origin without traces of extracting solvent. Therefore, this review seeks to discuss methods for higher recovery of pure carotenoids without contamination from a solvent. Methods such as enzyme-based extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic extraction, and postextraction treatment (saponification) are discussed. Merits and demerits of these methods along with health concerns during intake of carotenoids were also considered.
The problem of pollution in general and pollution of wastewater in particular is one of the main problems of our time. It is known that compounds of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) are toxic even at low concentrations because of their ability to penetrate through a cell membrane and react with intracellular material. Adsorption is a promising method for wastewater treatment in terms of efficiency and cost. Thus, there is growing interest in the development of both new highly effective adsorbents for Cr(VI) removal and a new, easy-to-use, and fast method for detecting low concentrations of Cr(VI). This work proposes real-time sensor technologies based on mesoporous alumina-iron oxide films to solve both challenges. For these purposes, the microstructure, optical, and Cr(VI) adsorption properties of alumina–iron oxide composite films, as well as the valence state and local environment of iron atoms in the alumina matrix, are studied. A new method for determining the sorption capacity of film materials based on optical spectroscopy data is proposed. Low roughness, varied spectral characteristics, high Cr(VI) adsorption, easy regeneration, and reusability of films make them excellent materials to be used as adsorbents and optical sensors for Cr(VI) determination.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.