Gum-based nanocomposites for the removal of metals and dyes from waste water

Synthesis, characterizations and disinfection potency of gelatin based Gum Arabic antagonistic films

Water-borne infections are considered as one of the major risky concerns regarding the sanitary state of water bodies dedicated to drinking water supply. Therefore, the employment of environmentally benign materials in water/wastewater treatment is an indispensable aspect to solve the water crisis problem in an eco-friendly and economic manner. This study describes the synthesis, characterization, and disinfection potency of different formulas of gelatin-based Gum Arabic composites, for the first time. SEM, XRD, FTIR, ζ-potential, and swelling tests were used to assess their physicochemical properties, which revealed the enhanced compatibility and miscibility with increasing Gum Arabic concentration. The formula of GEL/50%GA showed more homogenously distributed pores as visualized by SEM with noticeable shifts in the characteristic FTIR-band and more negatively charged surface, reflecting the considerable stability as indicated by ζ-potential. Besides, it also had superior hydrophilic and swellability levels. Interestingly, the results of antimicrobial activity showed the susceptibility of broad-spectrum microbes against examined composites, especially with elevating the concentration of Gum Arabic incorporated in the composite. As a natural alternative disinfectant, the as-prepared composites (3 and 10% W/V) were evaluated in the disinfection of real wastewater samples. The results revealed that GEL/50%GA (10% W/V) exhibited a noticeable reduction in total plate count by 45.62 ± 1.48% and 37.48 ± 1.63% and in coliforms by 58.43 ± 2.07% and 40.88 ± 2.24% for municipal and industrial effluents, respectively. However, the microbial metabolic activity via MTT assay was diminished by more than 50% in both effluents; denoting the efficient inhibiting capability of GEL supplemented with GA films in restricting microbial viability even in unculturable microbes. Overall, the antagonistic activity of examined composites offers promising insights for recruitment in different disciplines such as anti-biofouling membranes, food coating, dietary supplements, wound healing, and drug delivery.

Carboxymethyl cellulose assisted reforming of poly acrylic acid co methyl methacrylate composite for wastewater treatment and effective hosting of antimicrobial silver

Herein, novel polymer composite is fabricated by hybridizing poly (acrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) filaments with carboxymethyl cellulose, which efficiently reorients and strictly ties the fibrous chains to form polymeric units of plate-like morphology. This innovative hybrid polymer composite is analyzed using XRD, FT-IR, swelling and contact angle studies, DLS, AFM, and SEM. Removal efficiency of such polymer composite is scrutinized in colored wastewater treatment. Langmuir and pseudo-first-order kinetic models best describe safranine dye removal from wastewater, adopting exothermic adsorption progression with elevated capacity (~ 59.47 mg/g) and accelerated rate (~ 1.06 h- 1). Such polymer composite exhibits persistent removal efficiency of ~ 90% within 10 min for five consecutive cycles. Hybrid polymer composite is good candidate platform for hosting Ag particles to heighten their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, far exceeding 75% reduction. Future studies on applicability of oxygen-rich polymer composites in wastewater treatment and disinfection are optimistic and extremely competent.

Recent updates on guar gum derivatives in colon specific drug delivery

Colon specific delivery of therapeutics have gained much attention of pharmaceutical researchers in the recent past. Colonic specific targeting of drugs is used not only for facilitating absorption of protein or peptide drugs, but also localization of therapeutic agents in colon to treat several colonic disorders. Among various biopolymers, guar gum (GG) exhibits pH dependent swelling, which allows colon specific release of drug. GG also shows microbial degradation in the colonic environment which makes it a suitable excipient for developing colon specific drug delivery systems. The uncontrolled swelling and hydration of GG can be controlled by structural modification or by grafting with another polymeric moiety. Several graft copolymerized guar gum derivatives are investigated for colon targeting of drugs. The efficacy of various guar gum derivatives are evaluated for colon specific delivery of drugs. The reviewed literature evidenced the potentiality of guar gum in localizing drugs in the colonic environment. This review focuses on the synthesis of several guar gum derivatives and their application in developing various colon specific drug delivery systems including matrix tablets, coated formulations, nano or microparticulate delivery systems and hydrogels.

Green route to fabrication of Semal-ZnO nanoparticles for efficient solar-driven catalysis of noxious dyes in diverse aquatic environments

This work successfully demonstrates a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach for synthesizing Semal-ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) using the aqueous leaf extract of Bombax ceiba L. These NPs exhibit an absorption peak at approximately 390 nm in the UV-visible spectrum and an energy gap (Eg) of 3.11 eV. Detailed analyses of the morphology and particle size using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, XRD, FE-SEM with EDS, and HR-TEM reveal crystallographic peaks attributable to the hexagonal phase, with an average crystal size of 17 nm. The Semal-ZnO NPs also exhibit a notable photocatalytic efficiency for degrading methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) under sunlight in different water samples collected from diverse natural sources, indicating that they are promising photocatalysts for environmental remediation. The photocatalytic efficiency of the biofabricated Semal-ZnO NPs is impressive, exhibiting a photodegradation rate of up to 99% for MB and 79% for MO in different water samples under exposure to sunlight. The novel phytofabricated Semal-ZnO NPs are thus a beacon of hope for the environment, with their desirable photocatalytic efficiency, pseudo-first-order kinetics, and ability to break down noxious dye pollutants in various aquatic environments.