Graphic abstract Over the past few years, there has been a growing potential use of graphene and its derivatives in several biomedical areas, such as drug delivery systems, biosensors, and imaging systems, especially for having excellent optical, electronic, thermal, and mechanical properties. Therefore, nanomaterials in the graphene family have shown promising results in several areas of science. The different physicochemical properties of graphene and its derivatives guide its biocompatibility and toxicity. Hence, further studies to explain the interactions of these nanomaterials with biological systems are fundamental. This review has shown the applicability of the graphene family in several biomedical modalities, with particular attention for cancer therapy and diagnosis, as a potent theranostic. This ability is derivative from the considerable number of forms that the graphene family can assume. The graphene-based materials biodistribution profile, clearance, toxicity, and cytotoxicity, interacting with biological systems, are discussed here, focusing on its synthesis methodology, physicochemical properties, and production quality. Despite the growing increase in the bioavailability and toxicity studies of graphene and its derivatives, there is still much to be unveiled to develop safe and effective formulations.

No abstract

No abstract

Effects of acid modification on the physicochemical, rheological, microstructural and expansion on cassava starch with lactic, acetic and citric acids in proportions of 5 %, 10 % and 15 % were investigated. This effect was verified on swelling power and solubility index, rheology, pH, scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis and baking test. The results were available by ANOVA and Tukey test. The study indicates that the acid treatment influenced significantly the physicochemical properties. The lactic and acetic acids did not modify the rheological model of the cassava starch, but showed a reduction in the apparent viscosity. The acetic and lactic acids had a strong influence on the starch granules. Thus, the acid modification of cassava starch promotes the significant changes in starch properties.

A sensor device based on doped-carbon quantum dots is proposed herein for detection of nitrite in meat products by fluorescence quenching. For the sensing platform, carbon quantum dots doped with boron and functionalized with nitrogen (B,N-Cdot) were synthesized with an excellent 44.3% quantum yield via a one-step hydrothermal route using citric acid, boric acid, and branched polyethylenimine as carbon, boron, and nitrogen sources, respectively. After investigation of their chemical structure and fluorescent properties, the B,N-Cdot at aqueous suspensions showed high selectivity for NO2 – in a linear range from 20 to 50 mmol L–1 under optimum conditions at pH 7.4 and a 340 nm excitation. Furthermore, the prepared B,N-Cdots successfully detected NO2 – in a real meat sample with recovery of 91.4–104% within the analyzed range. In this manner, a B,N-Cdot/PVA nanocomposite film with blue emission under excitation at 360 nm was prepared, and a first assay detection of NO2 – in meat products was tested using a smartphone application. The potential application of the newly developed sensing device containing a highly fluorescent probe should aid in the development of a rapid and inexpensive strategy for NO2 – detection.