Studies of dynamic and equilibrium swelling, structural characterisation and solute transport in swollen poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) gels (pHEMA) cross-linked with tripropyleneglycol diacrylate (TPGDA) were done for a wide range of TPGDA concentrations. The influence of the pH on these pHEMA properties was evaluated. In swelling studies it was found that in changing the pH from 6.5 to 12.0, a large increase in swelling occurred, from approximately 48 to 55%, for the lowest concentration of TPGDA (1 mol%), and from 40 to 80% for the highest concentration (10 mol%). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were made after the equilibrium swelling of the gels at different pH values, to explain these results. The advantage of using these gels as controlled drug delivery systems is illustrated using salicylic acid (SA) as a model drug. The loading and the release of the SA were made at different pH values and the results obtained showed that it is possible to modulate the hydrogel performance by controlling an external factor, the pH at which the drug loading and release were performed.

Nosocomial fungal infections, an increasing healthcare concern worldwide, are often associated with medical devices. We have developed antifungal nanoparticle conjugates that can act in suspension or attach to a surface, efficiently killing fungi. For that purpose, we immobilized covalently amphotericin B (AmB), a potent antifungal agent approved by the FDA, widely used in clinical practice and effective against a large spectrum of fungi, into silica nanoparticles. These antifungal nanoparticle conjugates are fungicidal against several strains of Candida sp., mainly by contact. In addition, they can be reused up to 5 cycles without losing their activity. Our results show that the antifungal nanoparticle conjugates are more fungistatic and fungicidal than 10 nm colloidal silver. The antifungal activity of the antifungal nanoparticle conjugates is maintained when they are immobilized on a surface using a chemical adhesive formed by polydopamine. The antifungal nanocoatings have no hemolytic or cytotoxic effect against red blood cells and blood mononuclear cells, respectively. Surfaces coated with these antifungal nanoparticle conjugates can be very useful to render medical devices with antifungal properties.

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This article analysed the presence of trace metals (essential elements and pollutants) and soil properties in rural abandoned soils of a Mediterranean region. The soil properties determined were texture, pH, equivalent calcium carbonate, soil organic matter, availability of micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn), and acid microwave digestion extraction to measure the trace metals considered as main pollutants (Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb). Descriptive statistics and correlations were used to determine the relations among these parameters. pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), and clay were the main properties that controlled the availability of essential metals. pH was the main factor related to these metals in these calcareous soils. However, SOC, which can be incremented by adding organic fertilizers for soil rehabilitation as a sustainable practice, played an important role. Mean values of the metal composition in soils (Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb) obtained in this study were similar to values reported for other areas in the Mediterranean basin.