Surfactant Activity Research Articles

Relationship between Molecular Structure and Surface Activity of Ionic Surfactants.

A new model is developed to quantify the surface tension of ionic surfactants from surface affinity and ionization equilibrium. The model successfully predicts two important molecular structure-surface activity factors: the length of single-branch homologues and the nature of counterions. The modeling results also clarify the underlying mechanisms of the two processes. Changing the counterion only affects the ionization, not the affinity. On the other hand, increasing carbon length dramatically increases the affinity while having a small effect on ionization. The modeling framework consistently resolves structure-activity observations, some of which have been reported since the 19th century. The model can be extended for surfactants with more than one ionic state and surfactant/electrolyte mixtures.

Role of SiO2, TiO2, and Fe3O4 adsorbed on glycine for remediation of heavy metals and antibacterial activity in water

Metals have a tendency to accumulate in the environment and can have carcinogenic effects. Accordingly, this study used density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the adsorption of different metal ions on the glycine surface. Glycine has attracted a lot of research interest because of its remarkable metal-binding properties and cost effectiveness. Accordingly, to improve glycine’s adsorption capacity, it has been combined with SiO2, TiO2, and Fe3O4, creating a glycine-metal oxide nanocomposite through hydrogen bonding. After optimizing the structures at their energy minima at the B3LYP/6-31G(d, p) level of theory, the following analyses were carried out: total dipole moment (TDM), frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), reactivity indexes, and molecular electrostatic potential (MESPs). The study of TDM, FMOs, reactivity indexes, density of states (DOS), and UV-Vis absorption analysis demonstrated the improved reactivity of glycine due to functionalization with SiO2. Additionally, the results showed that, compared to the glycine, the glycine/SiO2 surface experiences a greater degree of charge redistribution as a result of more hydrogen bonds being formed with adsorbate molecules. Thus, the study successfully extracted Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, and Pb from wastewater by demonstrating their selectivity for the glycine/SiO2 nanocomposite. The findings show that Ni had a stronger adsorption for glycine/SiO2 than the others as TDM increased (34.040 Debye), band gap energy decreased significantly (0.249 eV), and reactivity indices got improved. Additionally, the IR spectra were calculated and compared to the experimental data, which revealed remarkable frequency changes due to intermolecular interactions. HR-TEM scans validated the dispersion of SiO2 NP on the glycine surface with minimal aggregation. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of glycine-amino acid-based surfactants was assessed, and the results show that glycine/SiO2 nanocomposites exhibited antibacterial efficacy against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. These findings highlight the glycine/SiO2 nanocomposites for remediation of heavy metals and have antibacterial activity for treating pathogenic bacteria.

Synthesis and evaluation of anticorrosive properties of cationic benzenesulphonamide surfactants on carbon steel under sweet conditions: Empirical and computational investigations

In this study, three cationic surfactants bearing a benzenesulphonamide moiety as corrosion inhibitors (PSA-8, PSA-10, PSA-12) were synthesized using a straightforward two-step process. Their chemical structures were investigated via spectroscopic tools such as 1H and 13C NMR. The surface activity of as-prepared cationic surfactants was examined. To evaluate the effectiveness of these surfactants in the corrosion protection of carbon steel pipelines (C1018-steel) in a CO2-3.5 % NaCl environment, several techniques were used, including electrochemical measurements (potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques), surface morphology examinations applying X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Notably, the corrosion efficiency of the PSA surfactants was compared with previously reported cationic surfactants containing the CN group (i.e., an electron-withdrawing group). The experimental results showed excellent inhibition performance of the PSA surfactants, with inhibition capacities ranging from 92.8 % to 97.0 %. This indicates that removing the CN group has significantly enhanced the corrosion inhibition efficiency, shedding light on the electronic effectas well as the adsorption and corrosion processes. Analysis of the Tafel data indicated that these surfactants functioned as mixed-type inhibitors and followed the Langmuir isotherm model in their adsorption on the carbon steel interface and the corrosive medium. XPS analysis confirmed the establishment of a shielding barrier at the interface of the carbon steel. DFT calculations were employed to establish the correlations between theoretical parameters and experimental observations, thereby validating their connection. Moreover, the employment of MC simulations validated the efficacy of the adsorption properties of the synthesized surfactants on the iron (110) surface. Ultimately, this investigation provides substantial insights into the development and formulation of bioactive inhibitors characterized by their potent inhibitory effectiveness.

Achievements and Challenges in Surfactants-Assisted Synthesis of MOFs-Derived Transition Metal-Nitrogen-Carbon as a Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for ORR, OER, and HER.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are excellent precursors for preparing transition metal and nitrogen co-doped carbon catalysts, which have been widely utilized in the field of electrocatalysis since their initial development. However, the original MOFs derived catalysts have been greatly limited in their development and application due to their disadvantages such as metal atom aggregation, structural collapse, and narrow pore channels. Recently, surfactants-assisted MOFs derived catalysts have attracted much attention from researchers due to their advantages such as hierarchical porous structure, increased specific surface area, and many exposed active sites. This review mainly focuses on the synthesis methods of surfactants-assisted MOFs derived catalysts and comprehensively introduces the action of surfactants in MOFs derived materials and the structure-activity relationship between the catalysts and the oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, and hydrogen evolution reaction performance. Apparently, the aims of this review not only introduce the status of surfactants-assisted MOFs derived catalysts in the field of electrocatalysis but also contribute to the rational design and synthesis of MOFs derived catalysts for fuel cells, metal-air cells, and electrolysis of water toward hydrogen production.

Rice husk ash based complex sodium di silicate – An alternative detergent builder for sodium tripolyphosphate and Zeolite 4A

Detergent builder is an essential part of any detergent powder, as it softens the hard water which hinders the cleaning action of surfactants. Nowadays, sodium tripolyphosphate and Zeolite 4A are used as detergent builders extensively in detergent formulation. Though STPP has higher capacities to remove hardness from the water but has a detrimental impact on the environment like eutrophication and hence it has been banned for detergent application in various countries. Zeolite 4A is currently leading the detergent industry with moderate hardness removal, but it has certain disadvantages like high pH, insolubility, high solid residue in the wash water and needs additives for its activation in the detergent formulation. In this research paper, the better alternative detergent builder known as Complex sodium dislicate (CSDS) is produced using rice husk ash-based sodium silicate. Further CSDS is analyzed using SEM, XRD, and TGA-DSC to explain its physicochemical properties. The calcium exchange capacity evaluation is carried out and is found to be 420 mg eq. CaCO3/gram of CSDS which is higher than STPP and Zeolite 4A. In this study, detergent formulations made with CSDS as a detergent builder were compared with those of STPP and Zeolite 4A to evaluate detergent performances according to the IS 4955:2020 standard.

Impact of the Hydrophobic Phase on the Interfacial Dilational Rheology of Alkoxy Carboxylate/Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Chloride Mixtures.

Despite extensive investigations on the interfacial activities of mixed anionic and cationic surfactants (Sa/c), the influence of the hydrophobic phase on their interfacial assembly and dilational rheology remains unaddressed. In this study, the interfacial dilational rheology of alkoxy carboxylate (anionic)/cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (cationic) surfactant mixtures was studied at various interfaces. The dilational modulus of Sa/c increases linearly with interfacial pressure at the interfaces of air, n-hexane/n-octane/n-hexadecane, and toluene. The limit elasticity (ε0) is similar at air and alkane interfaces but significantly decreases at the toluene interface. To explain these phenomena, all-atom molecular simulation was carried out to investigate the microscopic features of surfactants at the interface. The findings emphasize the crucial role of anionic/cationic surfactant bound pairs in regulating interfacial rheology. Sa/c tend to form large aggregates at the air/water surface. When mixed with alkanes like octane, most Sa/c remain as ion pairs. However, when toluene is employed, the coordination number between anionic and cationic surfactants sharply decreases due to π-π interactions between the toluene molecules and the phenyl groups in the anionic surfactant. This leads to a much lower interfacial modulus because interactions between oil molecules and surfactants cannot compensate for weakened interactions among anionic/cationic surfactants. These results suggest that Sa/c in this study tolerate alkanes but are not resistant to aromatics, which helps explain why Sa/c demonstrate excellent performance for the chemical enhanced oil recovery of a high-wax reservoir and further provides fundamental knowledge of their potential applications, such as gas well deliquification using foamers in the presence of condensate oil, textiles, etc.

Permeabilization of Calendula officinalis L. hairy root cultures for the release of accumulated triterpenoid saponins

Triterpenoid saponins, which are glycosidic derivatives of oleanolic acid, demonstrate numerous pharmacological properties. The hairy root cultures of marigold accumulate these phytoanticipins mainly in vacuoles, which may contain up to 40% of the triterpene glycosides synthesized in the cytoplasm. Dimethyl sulfoxide, Tween 20 (T20), Tween 80 (T80), and Triton X-100 (Tx100) were used as potential surfactants, allowing for an increase in the release of saponin into the culture medium. T20 at concentrations of 0.3–1.0% (v/v) caused a higher saponin content in the liquid medium, from 52 to 61 times for CH9, 15 to 22 times higher for CC16, and seven to twelve times higher for CH2, compared to the respective control cultures. DMSO was efficient toward the CC16 line, providing a 3–7 times higher saponin content for 0.5% and 1.0% (v/v) surfactant concentrations, respectively. The suitability of Triton X-100 for triterpenoid saponin could not be determined with the method used in this experiment, and there was a serious contamination of the analyzed samples. The ultrasound method accelerated surfactant action, and only for the CH9 line did it result in an increase in the secretion of glycosides to almost three-fold in the case of T80 and over two-fold in the case of T20. The conditions that were least harmful for the roots were: ultrasound, Tween 80, and T80 interacting with US. The permeabilized cultures, after 30 days of growth in the new medium, obtained fresh biomasses similar to the control or a reduction by the maximum of one-fifth for CH9. For the second line (CC16), the growth parameters were reduced twice. Polyoxoethylene sorbitan monolaurate was found to be the most powerful surfactant, and a proposed concentration and time of action allowed for culture viability only for the CC16 line. The young parts of the root tips generated a new culture, with the growth being reduced by 77% (FW) and 82% (DW).

Synergetic inhibitory effect of isopropyl methylphenol-based agents on biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans.

Dental caries and periodontitis are the most common oral diseases in humans and the main causes of tooth loss. Streptococcus mutans is primarily responsible for dental caries and dental plaque, which are triggered by biofilm formation on the tooth surface. In this study, biofilm inhibition by 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol (IPMP)-based agents, consisting of IPMP and polyoxyethylene-hydrogenated castor oil (POEHCO), was investigated in vitro. Notably, the use of POEHCO in addition to IPMP inhibited S. mutans biofilms more drastically than IPMP alone. Moreover, the effects of IPMP on the expression of biofilm-related genes (gtfB, gtfC, and gtfD) were examined using quantitative real-time PCR. IPMP at sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations significantly downregulated the expression of these genes. These results suggested that the inhibitory effects on biofilm formation were synergistically enhanced by the surfactant and antibiofilm activities of IPMP. Therefore, IPMP-based agents as dentifrices may be useful to prevent oral diseases originating from biofilms.

The effect of temperature and breathing pattern on the surface activity of ground squirrel pulmonary surfactant.

This study investigates how hibernation affects the surface activity of pulmonary surfactant with respect to temperature and breathing pattern. Surfactant was isolated from a hibernating species, the 13-lined ground squirrel, and a homeotherm, the rabbit, and analysed for biophysical properties on a constrained sessile drop surfactometer. The results showed that surfactant from ground squirrels reduced surface tension better at low temperatures, including when mimicking episodic breathing, as compared with rabbit surfactant. In addition, low temperature adaptation was also observed using only the hydrophobic components of surfactant from ground squirrels. Overall, the data support the conclusion that ground squirrel surfactant has adapted to maintain surface activity during low temperature episodic breathing patterns, and that temperature adaptation is maintained with the hydrophobic components of the surfactant.

The Effect of Pro- and Eukaryotic Inductors on the Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 Surfactants

By now, the mixed cultivation ("co-cultivation") of antimicrobial compound producers with other microorganisms or the introduction of biological inductors in different physiological states (live and inactivated cells, as well as the corresponding supernatants) into the culture medium is a simple, cheap, and effective way to increase the synthesis of practically important microbial metabolites and regulate their biological activity. In most studies, researchers use bacterial strains of various species as inductors, however, in recent years, there have been an increasing number of publications reporting the use of eukaryotic inductors, in response to which there's observed an increase in the synthesis of antimicrobial compounds by the bacterial producers. In addition, the effectiveness of biological inductors depends on the conditions of their cultivation and physiological state. Aim. To study the effect of the methods of preparation and physiological state of biological inductors (gram-negative bacteria Enterobacter cloacae C-8 and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae BTM-1) on the activity of biosynthetic enzymes and antimicrobial activity of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 surfactants. Methods. Purified glycerol and crude glycerol in equimolar carbon concentration were used as a substrate for cultivation of A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241. The microbial inductors were grown on both agar and liquid media with glucose as a carbon source. Live or inactivated cells of S. cerevisiae BTM-1 or E. cloacae C-8, as well as the corresponding supernatant, were added to the medium in an amount of 2.5–10 % (v/v). The extracellular surfactants were obtained from the supernatant of the culture liquid by extraction with a mixture of chloroform and methanol (2:1). The antimicrobial activity of surfactants against bacterial (Bacillus subtilis BT-2, Escherichia coli IEM-1, Staphylococcus aureus BMS-1, Pseudomonas sp. MI-2) and yeast (Candida albicans D-6 and Candida tropicalis PE-2) test cultures was determined by the indicator of the minimum inhibitory concentration. The activity of enzymes for the biosynthesis of surface-active glyco- (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, phosphoenolpyruvate synthetase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, trehalose phosphate synthase) and aminolipids (NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase) was analyzed in cell-free extracts obtained after sonication of cells. Results. The introduction into the culture medium of A. calcoaceticus of IMV B-7241 with glycerol of various purification degrees, both pro- and eukaryotic inductors in different physiological states was accompanied by the synthesis of surfactants, the antimicrobial activity of which against the test cultures was higher by one to two orders of magnitude compared to preparations obtained without inductors. It was found that E. cloacae C-8 cells grown in liquid medium were slightly more effective as inductors than those grown in agar medium: the minimum inhibitory concentrations against bacterial and yeast cultures of surfactants synthesised in their presence were 1–6 and 2.5–8 μg/mL, respectively. When live S. cerevisiae BTM-1 or E. cloacae C-8 cells were used as inductors, the production of microbial surfactants with higher antimicrobial activity than those synthesized in the presence of inactivated cells or supernatants was observed: the minimum inhibitory concentrations against the test cultures were in the range of 0.85–16, 2–20 and 1.5–22 μg/mL, respectively. The higher antimicrobial activity of surfactants synthesized in the presence of a pro- or eukaryotic inductor in the medium with purified glycerol may be caused by an increase of aminolipids in their composition, as evidenced by a 1.6–2.1-fold increase in NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity in A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 cells compared to the values of cultivation without inductors. The same level of activity of this enzyme during the cultivation of the IMV B-7241 strain in the medium with crude glycerol in the presence of inductors and without them may indicate the synthesis under such conditions of other, than aminolipids, metabolites with antimicrobial activity. Conclusions. As a result of this study, it was established that the antimicrobial activity of A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 surfactants can be increased by introducing pro- and eukaryotic inductors in the form of live or inactivated cells, as well as the corresponding supernatants into the medium with glycerol of different degrees of purification.

Exploring the role of aspartic acid in modulating micellization behavior of cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

The study of the interaction between aspartic acid (Asp) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) reveals important information about surfactant organization, surface tension, critical micelle concentration (CMC), and surface pressure. Because of enhanced surfactant solubility brought about by electrostatic interactions, Asp’s ionization lowers CTAB’s CMC. The maximal surface excess concentration falls with increasing Asp concentration, suggesting competition for surface adsorption. The minimum occupied area per surfactant molecule increases at the same time, indicating changed surfactant activity at the interface between air and water. Higher CTAB concentrations are associated with a decrease in surface tension, which suggests that when Asp concentration rises, micelle formation would be promoted. Saturation effects, on the other hand, happen at high Asp concentrations and interfere with micelle formation. These tendencies are supported by surface pressure measurements, highlighting the significance of ionic interactions in micelle behavior.Moreover, surfactant structuring is impacted by the packing parameter decreasing as Asp concentration increases. The changing balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions within the CTAB/Asp micellar complexes is further explained by variations in degree of counterion dissociation of micelles (α) values. The complex dynamics of ionic interactions and their impact on surfactant behavior in CTAB/Asp systems are highlighted by these studies.

The effect of charge screening for cationic surfactants on the rigidity of interfacial nanoparticle assemblies

HypothesisFunctionalizing colloidal particles with oppositely charged surfactants is crucial for stabilizing emulsions, foams, all-liquid structures, and bijels. However, surfactants can reduce the attachment energy, the driving force for colloidal self-assembly at interfaces. An open question remains on how the inherent interfacial activity of cationic surfactants influences the interfacial rigidity of particle-laden interfaces. We hypothesize that charge screening among cationic surfactants regulates the rigidity of oil/water interfaces by reducing the attachment energy of nanoparticles. ExperimentsWe investigate the interfacial rigidity of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) functionalized silica nanoparticles (Ludox® TMA) by analyzing the shape deformation of 1,4-butanediol diacrylate (BDA) droplets under varying salt and alcohol concentrations. The nanoparticle packing density is assessed using scanning electron microscopy. Attachment energy is characterized through interfacial tension measurements, three-phase contact angle analysis, and CTAB adsorption studies. We also examine the effects of interfacial rigidities on the structure of bijel films formed via roll-to-roll solvent transfer-induced phase separation (R2R-STrIPS) using confocal laser scanning microscopy. FindingsIncreasing salt and alcohol concentrations decrease the interfacial rigidity of CTAB-functionalized nanoparticle films by reducing the interfacial tension. The contact angle has a minor influence on the rigidity. These results indicate that CTAB charge screening weakens the nanoparticle attachment energy to the interface. Controlling the rigidity enables the mass production of bijel sheets with consistent flatness, which is crucial for their potential applications in catalysis, energy storage, tissue engineering, and filtration membranes.

Surface activity, wettability and foam properties of quaternary ammonium surfactants with C-F/Si-H double hydrophobic backbone

This paper reported the synthesis of a novel quaternary surfactant (PFAS-Si) containing the C-F/Si-H double hydrophobic skeleton and the surface properties of its aqueous solution, which were investigated in comparison with those of the aqueous solutions of the fluorosurfactant (PFAS-IEt) and silicone surfactant (TMSAC) with similar hydrophobic chain structures. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) and the corresponding surface tension value (γCMC) of the PFAS-Si solution were 0.0612 mmol/L and 21.02 mN/m, respectively, which indicated that the PFAS-Si could substantially reduce the surface tension of water, and showed excellent surface activity. Meanwhile, the thermodynamic parameters of the micellization process, aggregation behavior, wettability, and foam properties of PFAS-Si solutions were systematically investigated. On the TEM negative staining photographs, it can be clearly seen that the aggregates of PFAS-Si in aqueous solution exhibit hollow spherical vesicles. In addition, the PFAS-Si solution exhibited superb wettability, and could achieve wetting of PTFE sheets at a very low concentration (0.168 mmol/L). Not only that, the PFAS-Si solution also had excellent foaming ability and foam stability. This work provided a new preparation idea for the development of high-performance specialty surfactants.

Effects of structural changes of PPO and PEO of nonionic surfactants on oil–water interface properties: A molecular dynamics simulation study

The rapid progress of chemical flooding in recent years has imposed increasingly higher demands on the interface properties of surfactants. In this study, through analysis of interface properties, we investigated the influence of chain length and position of PO and EO chains on the surface activity of surfactants. It was observed that when the chain length was 10, both PO and EO chains exhibited the lowest interfacial tension. Principal component analysis was employed to reduce dimensionality for Rg (radius of gyration), tilt angle, and hydrogen bond parameters. Ultimately, it was found that Rg-PO, Rg-EO, and H-bond exerted significant influence on interfacial tension with decreasing weights successively. The correlation between tilt angle and its impact on interfacial tension was lower compared to these three factors mentioned above. Therefore, when designing surfactant structures, it is crucial to reasonably match the lengths of PO and EO chains.

Decreased susceptibility to viscosin in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Growing numbers of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae strains are a major concern for healthcare systems that will require new antibiotics for treatment as well as preventative measures that reduce the number of infections. Lipopeptides are antimicrobial molecules, of which some are used as antibiotics, including the last resort antibiotics daptomycin and polymyxins. Here we have studied the antimicrobial effect of the cyclic lipopeptide viscosin on S. pneumoniae growth and morphology. Most lipopeptides function as surfactants that create pores in membrane layers, which is regarded as their main antimicrobial activity. We show that viscosin can inhibit growth of S. pneumoniae without disintegration of the cytoplasmic membrane. Instead, the cells developed abnormal shapes and misplaced new division sites. The cell wall of these bacteria appeared less dense in electron microscopy images, suggesting that viscosin interfered with normal cell wall synthesis. Corroborating this observation, a luciferase reporter assay was used to show that the two-component systems LiaFSR and CiaRH, which are known to be activated upon cell wall stress, were strongly induced by viscosin. Furthermore, a mutant displaying 1.8-fold decreased susceptibility to viscosin was generated by sequential exposure to increasing concentrations of the lipopeptide. The mutant suffered from significant fitness loss and had mutations in genes involved in fatty acid synthesis, teichoic acid synthesis, and cell wall synthesis as well as transcription and translation. How these mutations might be linked to decreased viscosin susceptibility is discussed.IMPORTANCEStreptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis in children, and the incidence of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant strains is increasing. Development of new antibiotics is therefore necessary to treat these types of infections in the future. Here, we have studied the activity of the antimicrobial lipopeptide viscosin on S. pneumoniae and show that in addition to having the typical membrane destabilizing activity of lipopeptides, viscosin inhibits pneumococcal growth by obstructing normal cell wall synthesis. This suggests a more specific mode of action than just the surfactant activity. Furthermore, we show that S. pneumoniae does not easily acquire resistance to viscosin, which makes it a promising molecule to explore further, for example, by synthesizing less toxic derivates that can be tested for therapeutic potential.

Mucin-induced surface dispersal of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis via quorum-sensing dependent and independent mechanisms.

Despite lacking classical motility machinery, nasopharyngeal staphylococci spread rapidly in (peri)oral and respiratory mucosa and cause cross-infections. We describe laboratory conditions for the reproducible study of staphylococcal dispersal on mucosa-like surfaces and the identification of two dispersal stages (colony spreading and dendritic expansion) stimulated by mucin glycoproteins. The mucin type mattered as dispersal required the surfactant activity and hydration provided by some mucin glycoproteins. While colony spreading was a passive mode of dispersal lubricated by the mucins, the more rapid and invasive form of dendritic expansion of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis required additional lubrication by surfactant-active peptides (phenol-soluble modulins) secreted at high cell densities through quorum sensing. These results highlight a hitherto unknown role for gel-forming mucins in the dispersal of staphylococcal strains associated with cross-infections and point at perioral regions as overlooked sources of carriage and infection by staphylococci.

Enhancing biomethane yield from food waste through surfactant-assisted mechanical pretreatment: An optimization approach

In the present investigation, the response surface methodology-based central composite design (RSM-CCD) was used to model the potential of improving the solubilization of food waste through surfactant-assisted homogenization pretreatment (SAHP). RSM-CCD models were investigated based on homogenization speed and time for HP, surfactant dosage, and homogenization time at optimized homogenization speed by HP for SAHP input parameters and chemical oxygen demand (COD) solubilization (CODsol) as response parameters. HP optimum condition was 7020 rpm, 9.9 min to attain 11.6% solubilization with 292.8 kJ/kg total solid (TS) specific energy consumption (ESp). On the other hand, 19.9% CODsol was obtained in the SAHP under optimum conditions of 6.3 μl and 3.7 min, with ESp of 116.2 kJ/kg TS, respectively. The CODsol increment and ESp decrease by 176.2 kJ/kg TS indicate the significance of combined pretreatment and synergistic action of surfactant. Eventually, the maximum biomethane generation was found in SAHP as 67 ml/gCOD, higher than that of HP (40 ml/gCOD) and without pretreatment samples (17 ml/gCOD), respectively.

Redox-switchable microemulsions with efficient phase separation and surfactant recycling

HypothesisSwitchable microemulsions (MEs) are those capable of adaptively responding to the action of internal or external stimuli. For redox-switchable MEs to obtain high-efficiency phase separation and surfactant recycling, it may be one of the keys to adequately turn off the interfacial activity of surfactants and reduce the solubility of the closed surfactants in the oil phase. ExperimentsMonophasic MEs consisting 11-butylselanyl-undecyl sulfate sodium (C4SeC11SO4Na), n-butanol, n-octane, and water were fabricated using the pseudo-ternary phase diagram method. Their structural features and droplets size were characterized by conductivity, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), respectively. The redox response of MEs was studied using a combination of visual observations and DLS, cryo-TEM, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and thin-layer tomography. The efficient recycling of C4SeC11SO4Na from a well-emulsified eluent is conceptually demonstrated. FindingsThe reversible transition between C4SeC11SO4Na and C4SeOC11SO4Na is achieved under the alternating action of H2O2 and N2H4, by which C4SeC11SO4Na-based monophasic MEs are able to efficiently demulsify and regenerate, respectively, regardless of their type. After H2O2-induced demulsification of the MEs, C4SeOC11SO4Na can be efficiently recycled with the water phase. We hope that such a redox-switching method may benefit some technological applications. For example, it offers exciting possibilities for simultaneous recycling C4SeC11SO4Na and removal of oil from a well-emulsified eluent. Around 97.1 ± 0.3 % of C4SeC11SO4Na could be recycled over five cycles with no apparent loss. After a simple and conventional treatment with anion-exchange resin and active carbon, the total organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand of the waste water were 17.4 ± 2.8 and 26.2 ± 1.4 mg/L, respectively.

Biosurfactant production by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, characterization and its potential applications

Aim: To identify indigenous bacteria responsible for producing biosurfactants in soil contaminated by oil and to investigate their potential uses in the fields of pharmaceuticals and environmental applications. Methodology: The microorganisms of oil-contaminated soil were isolated, screened, and identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was utilized to produce biosurfactants, and were characterized by UV, TLC, FTIR, HPTLC, and GCMS analysis. Antibacterial activity, plant growth promotion, biocompatibility, and wound healing activity of surfactant were performed. Results: Six bacterial cultures (B1 to B6) were isolated from the soil samples collected from various locations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Among the isolates screened for biosurfactant production, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens exhibited the highest capacity for biosurfactant production, confirmed through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The biosurfactant produced was identified as surfactin of lipopeptide nature, characterized by various analytical techniques: UV absorption at 400 nm, TLC and HPTLC (Rf value of 0.58), FTIR (prominent peak at 3819 cm-1 corresponding to -OH groups), GCMS with a maximum retention time of 12.03. Surfactin effectively inhibited pathogenic bacteria, enhanced plant growth, was biocompatible, and enhanced the rate of cell migration towards wound scratch. Interpretation: The current study revealed that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, isolated from oil-contaminated soil, is capable of producing biosurfactant surfactin. Additionally, it unveiled a broad spectrum of applications for surfactin, encompassing wound healing, biocompatibility, antimicrobial activity, and promotion of plant growth. Key words: Antibacterial activity, Biocompatibility, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Biosurfactant, Wound healing

Addressing the interaction of stem bromelain with different anionic surfactants, below, at and above the critical micelle concentration (cmc) in phosphate buffer at pH 7: Physicochemical, spectroscopic, & molecular docking study

The structural stability and therapeutic activity of Stem Bromelain (BM) have been explored by unravelling the interaction of stem BM in presence of two different types of anionic surfactants namely, bile salts, NaC and NaDC and the conventional anionic surfactants, SDDS and SDBS, below, at and above the critical micelle concentration (cmc) in aqueous phosphate buffer of pH 7. Different physicochemical parameters like, surface excess (Γcmc), minimum area of surfactants at air water interface (Amin) etc. are calculated from tensiometry both in absence and presence of BM. Several inflection points (C1, C2 and C3) have been found in tensiometry profile of surfactants in presence of BM due to the conformational change of BM assisted by surfactants. Similar observation also found in isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) profiles where the enthalpy of micellization (ΔH0obs) of surfactants in absence and presence of BM have calculated. Further, steady state absorption and fluorescence spectra monitoring the tryptophan (Trp) emission of free BM and in presence of all the surfactants at three different temperatures (288.15 K, 298.15 K, and 308.15 K) reveal the nature of fluorescence quenching of BM in presence of bile salts/surfactants. Time resolved fluorescence studies at room temperature also support to determine the several quenching parameters. The binding constant (Kb) of BM with all the surfactants and free energy of binding (∆G0 of bile salts/surfactants with BM at different temperatures have been calculated exploiting steady state fluorescence technique. It is observed that, the binding of NaC with BM is greater as compared to other surfactants while Stern-Volmer quenching constant (KSV) is found greater in presence of SDBS as compared with others which supports the surface tension and ITC data with the fact that surface activity of surfactant(s) is decreasing with the binding of the surfactants at the core or binding pocket of BM. Circular Dichroism (CD) study shows the stability of secondary structure of BM in presence of NaC and NaDC below C3, while BM lost its structural stability even at very low surfactant concentration of SDDS and SDBS which also supports the more involvement of bile salts in binding rather than surfactants. The molecular docking studies have also been substantiated for better understanding the several experimental investigations interaction of BM with the bile salts/surfactants.