Zinc oxide (ZnO) has broad applications in various areas. Nanoparticle synthesis using plants is an alternative to conventional physical and chemical methods. It is known that the biological synthesis of nanoparticles is gaining importance due to its simplicity, eco-friendliness and extensive antimicrobial activity. Also, in this study we report the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Trifolium pratense flower extract. The prepared ZnO nanoparticles have been characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Besides, this study determines the antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles against clinical and standard strains of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa and standard strain of E. coli.

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The synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles with the use of plant extract is a promising alternative to traditional chemical methods. The aim of this work was to fabricate MgO nanoparticles using the Artemisia abrotanum herb water extract. The biologically synthesized MgO nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDS profile and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD studies confirmed that pure monoclinic crystallite structures of MgO nanoparticles were formed. The average size of MgO nanoparticles was found to be 10 nm. EDS profile confirmed the signal characteristic of magnesium and oxygen. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of active compounds responsible for the stabilization of MgO nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles showed good catalytic activity in the reduction of methyl orange (MO). MgO nanoparticles also exhibit very good antioxidant properties.

The basic goal of this study was to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles using the Chelidonium majus extract and asses their cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties. The synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by UV-Vis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with EDS profile, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The aforementioned methods confirmed that the size of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was at the range of 10 nm. The antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using the Ch. majus extract was tested against standard strains of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 4163, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 6749, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922), yeast (Candida albicans ATCC 10231), filamentous fungi (molds: Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404, dermatophytes: Trichophyton rubrum ATCC 28188), clinical strains of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus) and yeast (Candida albicans). The study showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles were excellent antimicrobial agents. What is more, biologically synthesized ZnO nanoparticles demonstrate high efficiency in treatment of human non-small cell lung cancer A549.

Packaging is an intermediary product between producers and consumers. The most important role of packaging is to ensure the highest quality and safety of packaged products and to extend their shelf life. Given that microbiological contamination is a problem for manufacturers and consumers due to the fact that it reduces the quality of packaged products and poses a health risk, this work describes solutions related to antimicrobial packaging. More attention is given to antioxidant packaging that releases synthetic or natural antioxidants to prevent food oxidation. The purpose of intelligent packaging is to monitor the quality of food products, as well as inform consumers and food producers of their quality. Therefore, many studies focus on developing time temperature indicators. The work also discusses radio frequency identification (RFID), whose application has a lot of advantages, such as identifiability, management of stored products, labor cost savings and ensuring the quality and safety of packaged products. Practical applications The current trends related to food safety and the growing expectations of the consumers lead to changes in the approach to food packing. Active and intelligent packaging has been present on the global packaging market for years, and scientists all over the world are looking for novelties related to this kind of packaging. For these reasons, this work focuses on presenting new solutions in active and intelligent packaging.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose one of the major threats to human health worldwide. The issue is fundamental in the case of chronic wound treatment. One of the latest trends to overcome the problem is the search for new antibacterial agents based on silver. Thus, the aim of this research was to synthesize the silver-lactoferrin complex as a new generation of substances for the treatment of infected wounds. Moreover, one of the tasks was to investigate the formation mechanisms of the respective complexes and the influence of different synthesis conditions on the features of final product. The batch-sorption study was performed by applying the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models for the process description. Characterization of the complexes was carried out by spectroscopy, spectrometry, and separation techniques, as well as with electron microscopy. Additionally, the biological properties of the complex were evaluated, i.e., the antibacterial activity against selected bacteria and the impact on L929 cell-line viability. The results indicate the formation of a heterogeneous silver–lactoferrin complex that comprises silver nanoparticles. The complex has higher antibacterial strength than both native bovine lactoferrin and Ag+, while being comparable to silver toxicity.

The main objective of this study was synthesis of CuO nanoparticles using extract of Galeopsidis herba and were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM with EDS profile and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. SEM images confirmed that synthesized nanoparticles were spherical in nature. EDS profile confirmed the signal characteristic of cooper and oxygen. All the analyses revealed that synthesized CuO nanoparticles were 10 ± 5 nm in size. The antioxidant behavior of synthesized CuO nanoparticles was evaluated by scavenging free radicals of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH). The DPPH scavenging activity was monitored using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The synthesized CuO nanoparticles presented very good catalytic activity in the reduction of malachite green.

The authors of this paper use an original method of diatomaceous earth fractionation, which allows for obtaining a filler with a specific particle size distribution. The method makes it possible to separate small, disintegrated and broken diatom frustules from those which maintained their original form in diatomaceous earth. The study covers a range of tests conducted to prove that such a separated diatomic fraction (3–30 µm) shows features different from the base diatomite (from 1 to above 40 µm) used as an epoxy resin filler. We have examined the mechanical properties of a series of diatomite/resin composites, considering the weight fraction of diatoms and the parameters of the composite production process. The studied composites of Epidian 601 epoxy resin cross-linked with amine-based curing agent Z-1 contained 0 to 70% vol. of diatoms or diatomaceous earth. Samples were produced by being casted into silicone molds in vacuum degassing conditions and, alternatively, without degassing. The results have shown that the size and morphology of the filler based on diatomaceous earth affects mechanical and rheological properties of systems based on epoxy resin. Elongation at rupture and flexural stress at rupture were both raised by up to 35%, and impact strength by up to 25%.