adsorbents and membrane extraction for selective separation of these compounds is discussed. Potential separation process interactions are recommended; their understanding is of utmost importance for the creation of optimal conditions to extract biologically active compounds including those with estrogenic properties.
Diamond nanoparticles (NDs) have demonstrated great promise as useful materials in a variety of biomedical settings. In this paper, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of variously functionalized NDs against two common bacterial targets Gram‐negative bacterium Escherichia coli and Gram‐positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus are compared. Hydroxylated (ND‐OH), aminated (ND‐NH2), carboxylated (ND‐COOH), mannose (ND‐Mannose), tri‐thiomannoside (ND‐Man3), or tri‐thiolactoside (ND‐Lac3)‐modified NDs are fabricated and evaluated in the present work. Of these, the mannose‐modified NDs are found to interfere most strongly with the survival of S. aureus, but not to influence the growth of E. coli. In contrast, particles featuring lactosyl units have the opposite effect on S. aureus growth. Sugar‐functionalized NPs reported to display antibacterial effects are rare. Only ND‐COOH particles are seen to have any effect on the growth profile of E. coli, but the effects are moderate. On the other hand, both ND‐NH2 and ND‐COOH are found to inhibit E. coli‐induced biofilm formation at levels comparable to the known E. coli biofilm disruptor, ampicillin (albeit at concentrations of 100 μg mL−1). However, none of the modified particles examined here reveal any significant activity as disruptors of S. aureus‐induced biofilm formation even at the highest concentrations studied.
Advances in nanotechnology have seen the development of several microbiocidal nanoparticles displaying activity against biofilms. These applications benefit from one or more combinations of the nanoparticle properties. Nanoparticles may indeed concentrate drugs on their surface resulting in polyvalent effects and improved efficacy to fight against bacteria. Nanodiamonds (NDs) are among the most promising new materials for biomedical applications. We elucidate in this paper the effect of menthol modified nanodiamond (ND-menthol) particles on bacterial viability against Grampositive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. We show that while ND-menthol particles are non-toxic to both pathogens, they show significant antibiofilm activity. The presence of ND-menthol particles reduces biofilm formation more efficiently than free menthol, unmodified oxidized NDs and ampicillin, a commonly used antibiotic. Our findings might be thus a step forward towards the development of alternative non antibiotic based strategies targeting bacterial infections.
Low-temperature nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, as well as infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize structural features of raw and acid-treated saponite from Tashkiv deposit of Ukraine. It was determined that raw saponite is predominantly composed of trioctahedral saponite with an admixture of dioctahedral nontronite and associated minerals such as quartz, hematite, and anatase. Raw saponite clay was characterized by a high content of iron (19.3%) and titanium (1.1%). Iron is present in the form of hematite particles, isomorphic replacements in octahedral and tetrahedral sheets of a clay structure, or as a charge-balancing cation in the interlayer space. Titanium is homogeneously dispersed as submicrometer anatase particles. The porous structure of both saponite forms consists of micro-meso porous system with narrow slit mesopores dominating. As a consequence of the acid treatment, the specific surface area increased from 47 to 189 m2 g−1, the total pore volume from 0.134 to 0.201 cm3 g−1, and the volume of the micropores increased sevenfold. Using the data of our research allowed us to utilize these mineral resources wisely and to process saponite more efficiently.
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