The study examined the adsorption of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution onto chitosan, chitosan-GLA and chitosan-alginate beads. Several important parameters influencing the adsorption of Pb(II) ions such as initial pH, adsorbent dosage and different initial concentration of Pb(II) ions were evaluated. The mechanism involved during the adsorption process was explored based on ion exchange study and using spectroscopic techniques. The adsorption capacities obtained based on non-linear Langmuir isotherm for chitosan, chitosan-GLA and chitosan-alginate beads in single metal system were 34.98, 14.24 and 60.27 mg/g, respectively. However, the adsorption capacity of Pb(II) ions were reduced in the binary metal system due to the competitive adsorption between Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions. Based on the ion exchange study, the release of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+ ions played an important role in the adsorption of Pb(II) ions by all three adsorbents but only at lower concentrations of Pb(II) ions. Infrared spectra showed that the binding between Pb(II) ions and the adsorbents involved mostly the nitrogen and oxygen atoms. All three adsorbents showed satisfactory adsorption capacities and can be considered as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions.
A comparative study on the stability and potential of alginate and pectin based beads for production of poultry probiotic cells using MRS medium in repeated batch fermentation was conducted. The bead cores, made of three types of materials, i.e., ca-alginate, ca-pectinate and ca-alginate/pectinate, were compared. The effect of single and double layer coatings using chitosan and core material, respectively, on the bead stability and cell production were also studied. The pectin based beads were found to be more stable than that of the alginate beads and their stability was further improved by coating with chitosan. The cell concentration in pectin based beads was comparable to that in the alginate beads. On the other hand, pectin based beads gave significantly lower cell concentration in the growth medium for the initial fermentation cycles when compared to the alginate beads. In conclusion, pectin was found to be potential encapsulation material for probiotic cell production owing to its stability and favourable microenvironment for cell growth.
Presence of sulfated polysaccharides like heparan sulphate has often been implicated in the regulation of chondrogenesis. However, recently there has been a plethora of interest in the use of non-animal extracted analogs of heparan sulphate. Here we remodeled alginate (1.5%) by incorporating fucoidan (0.5%), a natural sulphated polysaccharide extracted from seaweeds to form a composite hydrogel (Al-Fu), capable of enhancing chondrogenesis of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs). We confirmed the efficiency of fucoidan incorporation by FTIR and EDX analysis. Further, its ability to support hMSC attachment and chondrogenic differentiation was confirmed by SEM, biochemical glycosaminoglycan quantification, real-time quantitative PCR and immunocytochemical analyses of chondrogenic markers Sox-9, Collagen II, Aggrecan and COMP. Effect of Al-Fu hydrogel on hMSC hypertrophy was also confirmed by the downregulation of hypertrophic genes Collagen X and Runx2. This composite scaffold can hence be used as a cartilage biomimetic biomaterial to drive hMSC chondrogenesis and for other cartilage repair based therapies.
Magnetic nanocellulose alginate hydrogel beads are produced from the assembly of alginate and magnetic nanocellulose (m-CNCs) as a potential drug delivery system. The m-CNCs were synthesized from cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) that were isolated from rice husks (RH) by co-precipitation method and were incorporated into alginate-based hydrogel beads with the aim of enhancing mechanical strength and regulating drug release behavior. Ibuprofen was chosen as a model drug. The prepared CNCs, m-CNCs and the alginate hydrogel beads were characterized by various physicochemical techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer studies (VSM). Besides the magnetic property, the presence of m-CNCs increased the integrity of the alginate hydrogel beads and the swelling percentage. The drug release study exhibited a controlled release profiles and based on the drug release data, the drug release mechanism was analyzed and discussed based on mathematical models such as Korsmeyer-Peppas and Peppas-Sahlin.
Microspheres prepared from rigid guluronic acid- (MG) and flexible mannuronic acid-rich (MC) alginate will undergo different drug release changes with respect to the influence of microwave on the matrix. An in-depth understanding of their differences in drug release changes is attainable through investigating cross-linking agent-free alginate microspheres prepared by spray-drying technique.
Considering the health benefits of tocotrienols, continuous works have been done on the encapsulation and delivery of these compounds. In this study, we encapsulated tocotrienols in chitosan-alginate microcapsules and evaluated their release profile. Generally, these tocotrienols microcapsules (TM) displayed high thermal stability. When subjected to pH adjustments (pH 1-9), we observed that the release of tocotrienols was the highest (33.78 ± 0.18%) under basic conditions. The TM were also unstable against the effect of ionic strength, with a high release (70.73 ± 0.04%) of tocotrienols even at a low sodium chloride concentration (50 mM). As for the individual isomers, δ-tocotrienol was the most sensitive to pH and ionic strength. In contrast, β-/γ-tocotrienols were the most ionic-stable isomers but more responsive toward thermal treatment. Simulated gastrointestinal model showed that the chitosan-alginate-based TM could be used to retain tocotrienols in the gastric and subsequently release them in the intestines for possible absorption.
Conventional alginate pellets underwent rapid drug dissolution and failed to exert colon targeting unless subjected to complex coating. This study designed coatless delayed-release oral colon-specific alginate pellets for ulcerative colitis treatment. Alginate pellets, formulated with water-insoluble ethylcellulose and various calcium salts, were prepared using solvent-free melt pelletization technique which prevented reaction between processing materials during agglomeration and allowed reaction to initiate only in dissolution. Combination of acid-soluble calcium carbonate and highly water-soluble calcium acetate did not impart colon-specific characteristics to pellets due to pore formation in fragmented matrices. Combination of moderately water-soluble calcium phosphate and calcium acetate delayed drug release due to rapid alginate crosslinking by soluble calcium from acetate salt followed by sustaining alginate crosslinking by calcium phosphate. The use of 1:3 ethylcellulose-to-alginate enhanced the sustained drug release attribute. The ethylcellulose was able to maintain the pellet integrity without calcium acetate. Using hydrophobic prednisolone as therapeutic, hydrophilic alginate pellets formulated with hydrophobic ethylcellulose and moderately polar calcium phosphate exhibited colon-specific in vitro drug release and in vivo anti-inflammatory action. Coatless oral colon-specific alginate pellets can be designed through optimal formulation with melt pelletization as the processing technology.
Brown algae of genus Sargassum are known to produce relatively higher amount of alginic acid. Optimal extraction of this algalcolloid for local consumption requires in-depth studies on post-harvest treatment of the algal fronds. Present investigation endeavors to establish the dynamics and inter-relationship of moisture content and bacteria found on the surface of the alga and alginic acid content during post-harvest desiccation of Sargassum stolonifolium Phang et Yoshida. Harvested fronds were subjected to desiccation for 31 days and bacterial dynamics were monitored with relation to moisture content and water activity index (a(w)). There was 85% decrease in moisture content, however, a(w) showed a more gradual decrease. Total bacterial count increased during the first week and attained maximal value on day 7. Thereafter, a drastic decrease was seen until day 14, followed by a gradual decline. Six species of bacteria were isolated and identified, i.e. Azomonas punctata, Azomonas sp., Escherichia coli, Micrococcus sp., Proteus vulgaris and Vibrio alginolyticus. Calculated ratios for increase in alginic acid content and decrease in moisture content were almost the same throughout the desiccation process, implying that extracellular alginase-producing bacteria did not use the alginic acid produced by the algae as its carbon source. It became apparent that drastic decrease in bacterial count after day 7 could not be attributed to salinity, moisture content, a(w) or lack of carbon source for the bacteria. The possible exposure of these bacteria to algal cell sap which is formed due to the rupture of algal cells was seen as the most likely reason for the drop in bacterial population. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrograph taken on day 10 of desiccation showed the presence of cracks and localities where bacteria were exposed to algal cell sap. In vitro antibacterial tests were carried out to verify the effect of algal extracts. Separation and purification of crude algal extracts via bioassay guided separation methodology revealed the identity of active compounds (i.e. gylcolipids and free fatty acids) involved in this inherently available antibacterial defense mechanism during algal desiccation.
Mucocele, a common benign cystic lesion of minor salivary gland and associated ducts develops following extravasation or retention of mucous material in the subepithelial tissue. Occurrence of mucocele of tongue is considered less frequent when compared to a higher incidence of mucocele in the lower lip of young patients. Different modalities of treatment, such as conventional surgical excision followed by newer techniques like cryosurgery, electrocautery have been proposed to completely remove the lesion and reduce the chances of recurrence. Herewith, we report a novel treatment technique using alginate impression material to aid in complete excision of mucocele of glands of Blandin-Nuhn. How to cite this article: Kumaresan R, Karthikeyan P, Mohammed F, Fairozekhan TA. A Novel Technique for the Management of Blandin-Nuhn Mucocele: A Case Report. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2013;6(3):201-204.
The interest in utilizing algae for wastewater treatment has been increased due to many advantages. Algae-wastewater treatment system offers a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional treatment processes such as electrocoagulation and flocculation. In this biosystem, algae can assimilate nutrients in the wastewater for their growth and simultaneously capture the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis resulting in a decrease in the greenhouse gaseousness. Furthermore, the algal biomass obtained from the treatment process could be further converted to produce high value-added products. However, the recovery of free suspended algae from the treated effluent is one of the most important challenges during the treatment process as the current methods such as centrifugation and filtration are faced with the high cost. Immobilization of algae is a suitable approach to overcome the harvesting issue. However, there are some drawbacks with the common immobilization carriers such as alginate and polyacrylamide related to low stability and toxicity, respectively. Hence, it is necessary to apply a new carrier without the mentioned problems. One of the carriers that can be a suitable candidate for the immobilization is zeolite. To date, various types of zeolite have been used for the immobilization of cells of bacteria and yeast. If there is any possibility to apply them for the immobilization of algae, it needs to be considered in further studies. This article reviews cell immobilization technique, biomass immobilization onto zeolites, and algal immobilization with their applications. Furthermore, the potential application of zeolite as an ideal carrier for algal immobilization has been discussed.
Extensive usage of long-lasting petroleum based plastics for short-lived application such as packaging has raised concerns regarding their role in environmental pollution. In this research, we have developed active, healable, and safely dissolvable alginate-pectin based biocomposites that have potential applications in food packaging. The morphological study revealed the rough surface of these biocomposite films. Tensile properties indicated that the fabricated samples have mechanical properties in the range of commercially available packaging films while possessing excellent healing efficiency. Biocomposite films exhibited higher hydrophobicity properties compared to neat alginate films. Thermal analysis indicated that crosslinked biocomposite samples possess higher thermal stability in temperatures below 120 °C, while antibacterial analysis against E. coli and S. aureus revealed the antibacterial properties of the prepared samples against different bacteria. The fabricated biodegradable multi-functional biocomposite films possess various imperative properties, making them ideal for utilization as packaging material.
Conditions for the optimal production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) by Pseudomonas mendocina PSU using a biodiesel liquid waste (BLW) were determined by response surface methodology. These were an initial carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) of 40 (mole/mole), an initial pH of 7.0, and a temperature of 35 °C. A biomass and PHA concentration of 3.65 g/L and about 2.6 g/L (77% DCW), respectively, were achieved in a growth associated process using 20 g/L glycerol in the BLW after 36 h of exponential growth. The PHA monomer compositions were 3HB (3-hydroxybutyrate), a short-chain-length-PHA, and the medium-chain-length-PHA e.g. 3-hydroxyoctanoate and 3-hydroxydecanoate. Both the phbC and phaC genes were characterized. The phbC enzyme had not been previously detected in a Pseudomonas mendocina species. A 2.15 g/L of an exopolysaccharide, alginate, was also produced with a similar composition to that of other Pseudomonas species.
Topical chemotherapy is the application of cancer drugs directly onto the skin, which has become a standard treatment for basal cell carcinoma. Due to the promising results in the treatment of skin cancer, topical chemotherapy has recently been applied to breast cancer patients because some breast cancer tissues are only superficial. Hydroxytyrosol, a phenolic compound from olives that is present in high amounts in Hidrox(®) olive extract, has been shown to have a protective effect on normal cells and selective antitumor activities on cancerous cells. The aims of the present study were to develop an alginate bilayer film containing Hidrox(®) and to investigate its potential use as a topical chemotherapeutic agent. Alginate films were characterized for swelling and for physical, thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties. Drug content uniformity and in vitro drug release tests were also investigated. The alginate bilayer films containing Hidrox(®), HB2, showed controlled release of hydroxytyrosol at a flux of 0.094±0.009 mg/cm(2)/h. The results of the cytotoxic assay showed that the HB2 films were dose-dependent and could significantly reduce the growth of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) at 150 μg/mL for a cell viability of 29.34±4.64%. In conclusion, an alginate bilayer film containing Hidrox(®) can be a potential alternative for topical chemotherapeutic agent for skin and breast cancer treatment.
Biocompatibility and growth of osteoblast on bone scaffolds play an important role towards their therapeutic application.
The presence of oxidative stress generated by bone scaffolds highly influences osteoblast growth and its functional
performance. In this study in-vitro interaction of developed Alginate/Cockle Shell powder nanobiocomposite bone scaffold
on osteoblast with regards to cytotoxicity and oxidative stress are evaluated. Cytotoxicity studies using MTT assays
revealed a significant increase in viability of cultured osteoblast in the presences of the scaffold extracts. The growth of
osteoblast on the scaffold were not deterred with the presence of any major oxidative stress factors as determined through
oxidative stress profile studies using SOD, GSH and ROS assays. The nanobiocomposite scaffold evaluated in this study
shows promising use in regards to facilitating osteoblast proliferation, growth and viability.
The purpose behind the work was to fabricate alginate beads with better drug loading and extended drug release. Ispaghula was used to enhance the drug loading while zein was employed to extend the drug release. Ibuprofen was employed as a model drug in this study. Ibuprofen-loaded alginate beads with and without ispaghula were prepared using vibration technology and coated with zein. The beads prepared with alginate alone were shown to have loading and entrapment efficiencies of 35% and 70% w/w, respectively. Addition of ispaghula in alginate showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the drug loading (42% w/w) and entrapment efficiency (84% w/w). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of ispaghula and zein coating in the alginate beads as well as the ibuprofen loading. Scanning electron microscopy revealed better spherical geometry in the beads with ispaghula. The surface morphology of the uncoated beads was rough due to crystalline and surface drug. The zein coating has produced a smoother surface and particle adhesion. Differential scanning calorimetry has shown a reduction in drug crystallinity. Alginate beads extended the drug release for 4 h and the presence of zein extended the release for 6 h.
The influence of methanol as a solvent on the properties of sodium alginate/sulfonated graphene oxide (SA/SGO) membranes was explored in water-methanol mixed conditions with various methanol concentrations and temperatures through molecular dynamics simulations. The methanol uptake of the membrane showed an isolation phase determined from the simulation results. The distance between the sulfonic acid groups increased in higher methanol concentrations, as observed from S-S RDFs. Furthermore, the distance between the SA-chain RDFs and the solvent molecules was analysed to determine a) the affinity of water towards the sulfonic acid groups and b) the affinity of the aromatic backbone of the SA towards methanol molecules. A decrease in water molecule diffusion led to an increase in methanol diffusion and uptake. SA/SGO membranes exhibited a smaller diffusion coefficient than that for the Nafion membranes, as calculated from simulation results and compared to the experimental work. Additionally, the diffusion ability increased at higher temperatures for all permeants. The interaction information obtained is useful for DMFC applications.
This research aimed to improve the stability of Chlorella-Alginate Beads (CABs) by zeolite molecular sieves 13X. Dissolution time of synthesized Zeolite-Algal-Alginate Beads (ZABs) in a chelating agent revealed a significant improvement on the beads stability (78.5 ± 0.5 min) compared to the control beads (51.5 ± 0.5 min) under the optimum conditions of zeolite/alginate (1.5:1), pH 5 and 2% of beads. Monitoring cell growth during 5 days of incubation showed good biocompatibility of zeolite 13X. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated rough surface and spherical shapes of ZABs. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of ZABs confirmed the presence of zeolite 13X within the matrix. The zeta potential value of ZABs indicated that the beads were relatively stable. The findings of this research showed that zeolite molecular sieves 13X have the potential to improve the stability of algal-alginate beads compared to common beads.
It has been established that microbial biofilms are largely responsible for the recalcitrance of many wound infections to conventional antibiotics. It was proposed that the efficacy of antibiotics could be optimized via the inhibition of bacterial biofilm growth in wounds. The combination of antibiofilm agent and antibiotics into a wound dressing may be a plausible strategy in wound infection management. Xylitol is an antibiofilm agent that has been shown to inhibit the biofilm formation. The purpose of this study was to develop an alginate film containing xylitol and gentamicin for the treatment of wound infection. Three films, i.e. blank alginate film (SA), alginate film with xylitol (F5) and alginate film with xylitol and gentamicin (AG), were prepared. The films were studied for their physical properties, swelling ratio, moisture absorption, moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR), mechanical and rheology properties, drug content uniformity as well as in vitro drug release properties. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm in vitro studies on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were also performed. The results showed that AG demonstrates superior mechanical properties, rheological properties and a higher MVTR compared with SA and F5. The drug flux of AG was higher than that of commercial gentamicin cream. Furthermore, antimicrobial studies showed that AG is effective against both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, and the antibiofilm assays demonstrated that the combination was effective against biofilm bacteria. In summary, alginate films containing xylitol and gentamicin may potentially be used as new dressings for the treatment of wound infection.
Melastoma malabathricum Linn. is a perennial traditional medicine plants that grows abundantly throughout Asian countries. In this study, M. malabathricum Linn. leaf hot water crude extract with anticoagulant activity was purified through solid phase extraction cartridge and examined for the bioactive chemical constituents on blood coagulation reaction. The SPE purified fractions were, respectively, designated as F1, F2, F3, and F4, and each was subjected to the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) anticoagulant assay. Active anticoagulant fractions (F1, F2, and F3) were subjected to chemical characterisation evaluation. Besides, neutral sugar for carbohydrate part was also examined. F1, F2, and F3 were found to significantly prolong the anticoagulant activities in the following order, F1 > F2 > F3, in a dose dependent manner. In addition, carbohydrate, hexuronic acid, and polyphenolic moiety were measured for the active anticoagulant fractions (F1, F2, and F3). The characterisation of chemical constituents revealed that all these three fractions contained acidic polysaccharides (rhamnogalacturonan, homogalacturonan, and rhamnose hexose-pectic type polysaccharide) and polyphenolics. Hence, it was concluded that the presence of high hexuronic acids and polysaccharides, as well as polyphenolics in traditional medicinal plant, M. malabathricum, played a role in prolonging blood clotting in the intrinsic pathway.
Alginate-based bipolymeric-nanobioceramic composite matrices for sustained drug release were developed through incorporation of nano-hydroxyapatite [nHAp] powders within ionotropically-gelled calcium ion-induced alginate-poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) blends polymeric systems. nHAp powders were synthesized by precipitation technique using calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] and orthophosphoric acid [H3PO4] as raw materials. The average particle size of these was synthesized. nHAp powders was found as 19.04 nm and used to prepare nHAp-alginate-PVP beads containing DS. These beads exhibited drug entrapment efficiency (%) of 65.82±1.88 to 94.45±3.72% and average bead sizes of 0.98±0.07 to 1.23±0.15 mm. These beads were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform-infra red (FTIR) spectroscopy analyses. Various nHAp-alginate-PVP beads containing DS exhibited prolonged sustained drug release and followed the Koresmeyer-Peppas model of drug release (R2=0.9908-0.9978) with non-Fickian release (anomalous transport) mechanism (n=0.73-0.84) for drug release over 8 h.