Calcium carbonate and its polymorphs from cockle shells (Anadara granosa) and commercial calcium carbonate were characterised using a variable pressure scanning electron microscopes (VPSEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), an energy dispersive Xray analyser (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Cubic-like calcite crystals of commercial calcium carbonate and rod-like aragonite crystals of cockle shell powders were observed by both SEM and TEM. The EDX results showed that the cockle shells contained more calcium and carbon than the commercial calcium carbonate, whereas the commercial calcium carbonate contained more oxygen than the cockle shells. FT-IR analyses revealed the presence of carbonate groups in both the cockle shells and the commercial calcium carbonate. FT-IR analyses also showed the presence of aragonite in the cockle shells and calcite in the commercial calcium carbonate. XRD analyses showed that the cockle shells powder contained aragonite, whereas the commercial calcium carbonate contained calcite. The cockle shells powder was formed with good quality calcium carbonate and contained calcium carbonate in the aragonite phase.
We report a simple, novel and low-cost method for the synthesis of aragonite nanoparticles from cockle shells. Aragonite is one of the least abundant biogenic polymorphs of calcium carbonate and is widely used as a biomaterial for the repair of fractured bone, development of advanced drug delivery systems, and tissue scaffolds. The method involves a simple mechanical grinding of the micron-sized cockle shell powders in the presence of a non-toxic and non-hazardous biomineralization catalyst, dodecyl dimethyl betaine (BS-12). The method produces rod-shaped aragonite particles with a diameter of 20 ± 5 nm with good reproducibility and without any additional impurities. This was confirmed by a combined analysis of variable pressure scanning electron microscopy (VPSEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analyser (EDX). The method should find potential applications in industry for the large scale synthesis of aragonite nanoparticles from a low cost but abundant natural resource such as cockle shells.
Calcium carbonate is a porous inorganic nanomaterial with huge potential in biomedical applications and controlled drug delivery. This study aimed at evaluating the physicochemical properties and in vitro efficacy and safety of cockle shell aragonite calcium carbonate nanocrystals (ANC) as a potential therapeutic and hormonal delivery vehicle for osteoporosis management. Free and human recombinant parathyroid hormone 1-34 (PTH 1-34)-loaded cockle shell aragonite calcium carbonate nanocrystals (PTH-ANC) were synthesized and evaluated using standard procedures. Transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated highly homogenized spherical-shaped aragonite nanocrystals of 30±5 nm diameter. PTH-ANC had a zeta potential of −27.6±8.9 mV. The encapsulation efficiency of the formulation was found to be directly proportional to the concentrations of the drug fed. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed strong crystallizations with no positional change of peaks before and after PTH-ANC synthesis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated no detectable interactions between micron-sized aragonite and surfactant at molecular level. PTH-ANC formulation was stabilized at pH 7.5, enabling sustained slow release of PTH 1-34 for 168 h (1 week). A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cytocompatibility assay in Human Foetal Osteoblast Cell Line hFOB 1.19 showed that ANC can safely support osteoblast proliferation up to 48 h whereas PTH-ANC can safely support the proliferation at 72 h and beyond due to the sustained slow release of PTH 1-34. It was concluded that due to its biogenic nature, ANC is a cytocompatible antiosteoporotic agent. It doubles as a nanocarrier for the enhancement of efficacy and safety of the bone anabolic PTH 1-34. ANC is expected to reduce the cost, dosage, and dose frequency associated with the use of PTH 1-34 management of primary and secondary forms of osteoporosis.
A local antibiotic delivery system (LADS) with biodegradable drug vehicles is recognized as the most effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of osteomyelitis. However, the design of a biodegradable LADS with high therapeutic efficacy is too costly and demanding. In this research, a low-cost, facile method was used to design vancomycin-loaded aragonite nanoparticles (VANPs) with the aim of understanding its potency in developing a nanoantibiotic bone implant for the treatment of osteomyelitis. The aragonite nanoparticles (ANPs) were synthesized from cockle shells by a hydrothermal approach using a zwitterionic surfactant. VANPs were prepared using antibiotic ratios of several nanoparticles, and the formulation (1:4) with the highest drug-loading efficiency (54.05%) was used for physicochemical, in vitro drug release, and biological evaluation. Physiochemical characterization of VANP was performed by using transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and Zetasizer. No significant differences were observed between VANP and ANP in terms of size and morphology as both samples were cubic shaped with sizes of approximately 35 nm. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of VANP indicated a weak noncovalent interaction between ANP and vancomycin, while the zeta potential values were slightly increased from −19.4±3.3 to −21.2±5.7 mV after vancomycin loading. VANP displayed 120 hours (5 days) release profile of vancomycin that exhibited high antibacterial effect against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213. The cell proliferation assay showed 80% cell viability of human fetal osteoblast cell line 1.19 treated with the highest concentration of VANP (250 µg/mL), indicating good biocompatibility of VANP. In summary, VANP is a potential formulation for the development of an LADS against osteomyelitis with optimal antibacterial efficacy, good bone resorbability, and biocompatibility.
This study evaluated the effect of partial uropygialectomy (PU) on carcass traits of male and female Akar Putra chickens. Sixty chicks of each sex were evenly distributed into 5 treatment groups with 3 replicates per group containing 4 males and 4 females each, and reared for 12 wk. Homogeneity of the groups was satisfied with regard to the parity. Experimental treatments consisted of a control treatment (T1), and partial ablation of the uropygial gland was applied on the second, third, fourth, and fifth treatments at 3, 4, 5, and 6 wk of age, respectively. The chickens were fed ad libitum the same diets (1 to 13 d: starter; 14 d to slaughter: finisher). On the last d of the experiment, 12 birds were randomly selected from each treatment group (2 males and 2 females per replicate) and slaughtered to determine carcass characteristics, which included carcass weight, dressing percentage with or without eating giblets, and the relative weights of heart, liver, gizzard, thighs, wings, breast, back, and neck. From the results of the study, it was shown that the partial ablation of the uropygial gland at all ages had certain dependent effects concerning some carcass parameters, as shown by higher breast and back relative weights in males and breast relative weight in females. As a consequence, a positive effect also was noticed regarding the carcass morphology in terms of the increase in dressing percentage with or without eating giblets thus leading to an increase in the body weight and carcass weight. Furthermore, the best result was obtained in the second treatment when PU was applied at 3 wk of age compared with other experimental groups. Moreover, the current study provides a novel and economic alternative to enhance the body performance of poultry in general and Akar Putra chicken particularly.
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