The rise in wound infections underscores the need for chitosan-based biomaterials, which, when loaded with bioactive agents, provide antibacterial, wound-healing, and effective long-term drug delivery capabilities. In this study, a chitosan-based dressing loaded withα-mangostin was successfully fabricated in the form of an aerogel. The new aerogel, incorporatingα-mangostin prepared as nanoparticles (nanomangostin), exhibited multifunctional activities including wound healing, hemostasis, and antibacterial effects. A crosslinked network structure was created using glutaraldehyde (GA) at a concentration of 14 g g-1, resulting in a highly hydrophilic matrix that modulates the water absorption capacity of the chitosan aerogel-an essential characteristic for both hemostatic function and wound healing. The cytotoxicity of the aerogel was evaluated on HaCaT cells using the MTT assay. Results showed that aerogel concentrations ranging from 5 to 80 µg ml-1were non-toxic to HaCaT cells across all 12, 24, and 48 h treatment groups. Interestingly, the aerogel stimulated HaCaT cell migration in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Treatments at 20, 40 and 80 µg ml-1significantly enhanced HaCaT cell migration at all groups. Notably, the 40 and 80 µg ml-1group at 48 h displayed the highest migration rate (up to 95.98%) compared to the untreated control (71.43%,p< 0.05). Moreover, the nanomangostin-loaded chitosan aerogel demonstrated clear antibacterial activity. A stronger inhibitory effect was observed againstStaphylococcus aureusATCC 25 923 compared toEscherichia coliATCC 25 922. These findings highlight the potential of nanomangostin-loaded chitosan aerogels for biomedical applications, particularly in wound healing and antimicrobial coatings.

Antimicrobial casein/poly(vinyl alcohol) electrospun nanofibers-based dressings.

Aspartic acid (ASP) and its derivatives are eco-friendly and cost-effective scale inhibitors but exhibit limited corrosion inhibition in acidic media. To enhance their performance against acid corrosion, a facile, purification-free one-pot aqueous reaction was developed to synthesize an L-ASPME/GA hybrid inhibitor from L-aspartic acid β-methyl ester (L-ASPME) and glutaraldehyde (GA). The resulting inhibitor solution was directly introduced into a 0.5 M H2SO4 pickling solution to achieve synergistic corrosion inhibition for Q235B steel. The corrosion inhibition performance was systematically evaluated using weight loss tests, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurements, with temperature effects also assessed. The results demonstrate that the L-ASPME/GA hybrid, particularly at molar ratios of 2:3–4:1, achieves 90.7%–96.1% inhibition efficiency, significantly outperforming L-ASPME or GA alone. Notably, the 2:3 L-ASPME/GA hybrid shows superior high-temperature acid corrosion resistance versus single components. This synergistic effect is attributed to a co-adsorption mechanism, forming a compactly oriented, thermally robust film driven by hydrogen-bonding networks, Fe2+ coordination, and electrostatic attraction. These findings offer a practical strategy to improve the acid corrosion resistance of ASP–like inhibitors.

BackgroundDisinfectants are antimicrobial agents frequently used in healthcare settings. Bacterial susceptibility against a wide range of antimicrobial agents can be changed due to prolonged exposure to sub-inhibitory concentrations of disinfectants.ObjectivesTo investigate the adaptive responses of hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) to long-term exposure to alkylating agents such as Glutaraldehyde (GA) and Formaldehyde (FA). In a 25 day serial passaging, isolates were exposed to different inhibitory concentrations. Bacterial isolates were selected based on genetic diversity across the clonal complexes (CCs) and antibiotic resistance profiles. MICs were conducted before and after passaging for all isolates, indicating consistent MIC values for FA and GA in the WT strain.ResultsAfter 25 days, three different strains evolved in GA showed shifting in the MIC values, indicating lower susceptibility for GA. In addition to the MIC analysis, efflux pump activity and biofilm formation capabilities were evaluated for all isolates prior to and post the long-term exposure. Different efflux pump activities were observed with WT samples; however, evolved isolates, belonging to CC22, showed higher efflux activity in response to GA and FA. Additionally, isolates were classified based on their biofilm formation abilities. WT strains exhibited a wide range of forming abilities. Among evolved isolates, all screened ones were prone to changes in their formation abilities; however, the highest changes were more related to FA.ConclusionsThese findings highlight that evolutionary responses are difficult to predict, as they vary depending on multiple factors such as the type of stressor, the CC of the isolate, and its genetic background. For understanding the underlying mechanisms driving these changes, further studies are required, including cross-resistance profiling for different antibiotics, biofilm inhibition assays, qPCR and mutation repair assays. Additionally, sequencing and genetic analysis of the evolved samples to identify SNPs and other mutations responsible for these tolerance capabilities.

Bio-based superabsorbents have emerged as promising polymeric materials due to their excellent water retention capabilities and multifunctionality, particularly as active agent carriers and soil conditioners. However, the extensive use of conventional petroleum-derived superabsorbents poses significant environmental sustainability concerns. In this study, biodegradable superabsorbent hydrogels with a high bio-based content (90%) were synthesized from natural polymers like starch (St) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) by using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a crosslinking agent. There are numerous studies on starch (St) and CMC-based films produced by extrusion, as well as on starch-based hydrogels modified with synthetic polymers; however, only a few studies focus on hydrogels derived from natural polymers such as starch and CMC. Hydrogels were prepared with varying St-to-CMC ratios and different GA concentrations to investigate their structural, swelling, and degradation behaviors. The resulting hydrogels demonstrated a remarkable water uptake ability of 17.5 g/g, attributed to their porous morphology, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the presence of polar functional groups and crosslinked networks (acetal and hemiacetal linkages), as confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Swelling studies indicated that hydrogels with higher starch content achieved greater water uptake. The biodegradability study showed 67% degradation in soil after 45 days, which is remarkable. Sugar beet seeds germinated and grew well in the soil, reaching the highest seedling length of 6 ± 0.8 cm. The seedling growth of coated and uncoated seeds was assessed, and the coated seeds showed a significantly higher emergence length (6 cm ± 0.3 cm) compared to the uncoated seeds (3 cm ± 0.3). These findings suggest that St-CMC hydrogels crosslinked with GA have strong potential for agricultural applications as water-retaining soil conditioners or controlled-release platforms.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-30594-1.

A novel pH-responsive aptamer-molecularly imprinted hydrogel for efficient identification and separation of ampicillin in complex matrices.

Fabrication and characterization of a novel magnetic nanocomposite based on chitosan hydrogel modified with mesoporous silica and copper-based MOF as an effective and antibacterial adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue from water.

Porous microneedle-mediated continuous glucose monitoring based on reverse iontophoresis.

Water contamination by heavy metal ions poses a significant environmental and public health challenge, necessitating the development of advanced and efficient treatment technologies. This study explores the advanced modification of thin-film composite (TFC) polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes through cross-linking with glutaraldehyde (GA) and surface functionalization via a graphene oxide Nanoparticles (GONPs)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coating using a dip-coating technique. The incorporation of GA as a cross-linking agent significantly enhanced the chemical and thermal stability of the thin-film coating, while the addition of GONPs improved the membrane’s hydrophilicity and metal ion rejection efficiency. The mechanical strength of the modified membranes exhibited a notable increase, with the tensile strength rising from 3.58 MPa to 6.15 MPa as the PVA/GONPs loading increased. The performance of the functionalized membranes in removing Mn2+ and Fe2+ ions as the main contaminants was systematically evaluated under varying GONPs loadings. Results demonstrated that for an initial metal ion concentration of 100 ppm, the modified PVDF membranes achieved a removal efficiency of 95.5% for Mn2+ and 94.6% for Fe2+ in the first filtration cycle. Even after five successive filtration cycles, removal rates remained above 60%, highlighting the membranes’ durability and sustained performance. This study presents a promising strategy for enhancing polymeric membranes, offering an efficient and scalable solution for heavy metal removal in wastewater treatment applications.

Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) microscopy enables label-free imaging of cells and tissues in their native state with chemical specificity. However, there are often experimental advantages of chemical fixation of samples prior to imaging, which can introduce perturbations that may alter the native state of the samples, and possibly impact the SRS signal. In this study, we systematically characterize the effects of common fixatives (Paraformaldehyde, Formalin, Glutaraldehyde, Methanol, Ethanol) on the preservation of cellular integrity and molecular composition in a Hela cell model as observed by SRS microscopy. We demonstrate how the different fixatives can influence lipid and protein content, and overall cell morphology, with significant implications for the accuracy of quantitative SRS microscopy. Our findings indicate that Paraformaldehyde (PFA) imposes minimal disruption to cellular and molecular states compared to the other fixatives tested, and suggest Glutaraldehyde (GA) as a suitable alternative for SRS imaging. This study provides insights for the choice of the optimal sample preparation, enabling more reliable SRS-based studies for the evaluation of cellular processes and disease mechanisms where fixation is used.

A suitable substrate is needed for enzymatic bioreactorsthat canprovide better stability and reusability for enzyme immobilization.In this work, glass slides and silicone tubing were used as substratesfor horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme immobilization. First, thesubstrates were treated with (3-amino­propyl)­triethoxy­silane(APTES), followed by either dextran polyaldehyde (DPA) or glutar­aldehyde(GA) treatment. Finally, the enzyme was immobilized on the surfaceof each substrate and used for phenol degradation. It is found thatHRP immobilized on glass slides can degrade 21% phenol (1 mg/mL);meanwhile, on silicone bioreactors it can degrade 10% phenol. Moreover,the maximum HRP loading was found to be 6% with 2.52 U total activityon a DPA-treated glass slide, whereas the minimum loading was 3% with1.26 U total activity on GA-treated silicone tubing. Afterward, thereusability of bioreactors prepared on DPA- and GA-terminated glassslides and silicone tubing was checked for phenol degradation, andit was found that glass slide substrates maintain 100% of the originalactivity regardless of the chemical treatment; however, silicone tubingloses activity and retains 91.5% of the original activity after 8cycles of use. Finally, the storage stability of chemically treated(DPA- or GA-terminated surface) glass slides for preparing HRP-immobilizedbioreactors was checked over a period of 4 months by using phenoldegradation phenomena to find which one(s) can be used as a ready-to-usesubstrate for enzyme immobilization. It is found that DPA-terminatedsurfaces can preserve 100% of the original activity, whereas GA-terminatedsurfaces can hold about 90% of the original activity.

Objective: The objective of the present in vitro investigation was to ascertain the impact of ultraviolet (UV) disinfection for 10 min on the wettability of polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impression material in comparison to the chemical disinfection method of 2% glutaraldehyde (GTA) for 10 min. Materials and Methods: Thirty PVS impression specimens were prepared from custom-made stainless steel impression moulds and divided randomly into two groups. In Group A, chemical disinfection was accomplished using a 2% GTA solution for 10 min. In Group B, UV irradiation was administered for 10 min. The specimens in both groups were assessed for wettability both before and after the disinfection process designated for their respective group. A paired t-test and an independent t-test were employed to determine the intra-group effect and differences among each of the groups under investigation, respectively. Results: The wettability evaluation of the PVS impression material before and after chemical disinfection indicated a statistically significant change in the wettability of the material (P &lt; 0.05). Further, the contact angle before UV exposure exceeded that following UV exposure; however, this difference was statistically insignificant (P &gt; 0.05). The wettability of PVS impression material following chemical disinfection with 2% GTA and UV disinfection demonstrated a statistically significant variation in the wettability of the material (P &lt; 0.05). The contact angle following 2% GTA treatment was markedly greater than that observed after UV exposure. Conclusion: The impression material preserved its wettability following UV light exposure, suggesting that UV disinfection is a more secure disinfection procedure compared to the 2% GTA solution. Keywords: Contact angle, glutaraldehyde, impression, polyvinyl siloxane, ultraviolet disinfection, wettability

The aggregation of suspended particles caused by the coffee-ring effect (CRE) disrupts uniform distribution and limits accurate transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. Here, we show that glutaraldehyde (GA) suppresses CRE in aqueous polystyrene microsphere droplets and enables more uniform outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) deposition for TEM. Specifically, the addition of GA (0%-15% v/v) to 1% w/v, 1µm red polystyrene microsphere suspensions progressively reduced ring formation: The ratio of maximum-to-minimum gray values decreased from 2.40±0.22 (0% GA) to 1.11±0.06 (15% GA), and mean CRE width dropped from ∼97 to ∼3.2µm. Microsphere radial velocity decreased from 4.25±0.37 (0% GA) to 0.89±0.08µm/s (15% GA), whereas bulk solution viscosity increased concomitantly (from ∼4 to ∼232mPas at 15% GA), indicating viscosity-mediated suppression of radial capillary flow. Addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) partly restored CRE, consistent with reduction of surface-tension gradients that drive Marangoni reflux. Applying GA (6% v/v) to OMVs TEM preparation produced homogeneous OMVs counts across center, middle, and edge regions, without observable morphological alteration. We conclude that GA suppresses CRE primarily by (i) increasing viscosity to inhibit radial capillary flow and (ii) establishing surface-tension-driven Marangoni backflow that redistributes particles away from the contact line. GA thus provides a practical, fixation-compatible approach to improve TEM sample uniformity for biological nanoassemblies.

Tackling global water scarcity requires effective desalination with renewable energy. This paper explores direct solar membrane distillation (MD). This technology uses photothermal nanoparticles. These nanoparticles capture sunlight and convert it into heat. This creates a thermal driving force at the membrane surface. This approach improves MD's energy efficiency. It also addresses temperature polarization. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes with a PP backing layer were used. These were coated with membranes containing photothermally activated carbon (AC). The AC was integrated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and glutaraldehyde (GA). GA acted as a cross-linker. The goal was to maintain water flow after coating. The performance of the PTFE/PVA–AC/GA membranes was tested. A synthetic saline solution was used. Adding hydrophilic PVA–AC improved the membrane's scaling resistance compared to PTFE. Increased PVA loading decreased water flow. The optimized PVA–AC–GA (0.25 wt% + 1 wt% + 1 wt%) membrane exhibited a stable vapor flux of 0.51 kg m−2 h−1 °C−1, which is comparable to the commercial PTFE membrane (0.58 kg m−2 h−1 °C−1), while providing enhanced photothermal activity and anti-wetting stability under simulated solar illumination. The membrane showed promising performance. They suit solar desalination off-grid for fluids prone to scaling.

The growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions has led to the development of biodegradable materials with improved functionality. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium caseinate (NaCAS) were blended with glycerol as a plasticizer to produce a biodegradable film matrix. Matcha tea (MT) powder was then incorporated into this matrix at varying concentrations (1%, 2%, 5%, 10 wt%) as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. To enhance structural performance, glutaraldehyde (GLA) was used as a cross-linking agent. The non-crosslinked and GLA cross-linked PVA/NaCAS/MT films were then evaluated based on their morphological, mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, Young’s modulus), water solubility, antioxidant capacity (DPPH and ABTS assays), and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . The results showed that increasing the MT content enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the films, while GLA cross-linking suppressed this. Additionally, both MT incorporation and GLA cross-linking resulted in a decrease in mechanical strength and flexibility. On the other hand, the cross-linking effect of GLA was proven through a water solubility test. According to the antibacterial activity test, PVA/NaCAS/MT films didn’t exhibit bacterial inhibition under test conditions. After the GLA cross-linking, all films showed antibacterial activity thanks to GLA. This study, which is the first investigation on the direct incorporation of MT into a polymer matrix, has generally proven the usability of MT as an antioxidant in food packaging films.

An inexpensive bioinspired green approach using Saussurea costus root extract was developed to fabricate CS-GLA/AuNP catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP). Chitosan beads (CS) supported Au nanoparticles have been modified to improve their mechanical and thermal stability, using Glutaraldehyde (GLA). The modified chitosan beads (CS-GLA) and CS-GLA/AuNPs were investigated using FTIR, SEM, and TEM techniques. The diameter of AuNPs decorated chitosan beads was found to be around 6.0 ± 3 nm. The X-ray diffraction technique confirmed the crystalline nature of (CS-GLA/AuNPs) and AuNPs decorated chitosan beads. The TGA analysis showed that loading of AuNPs on the chitosan matrix increases its thermal stability. The synthesized (CS-GLA/AuNPs) catalysts exhibited excellent activity in reducing 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, compared to pure AuNPs and chitosan beads (CS-GLA/AuNPs), enabling the conversion of 4-nitrophenol in 30 min with 1 mg of the catalyst. The kinetic study indicated that the reduction of 4-nitrophenol on the CS-GLA/AuNPs catalyst follows the pseudo-first-order model. Moreover, the CS-GLA/AuNPscatalyst could be recycled at least eight times without significant loss of its activity.

Wearable strain sensors are highly desirable due to their increasing applications in smart electronic skins and healthcare monitoring systems. Nevertheless, simultaneously integrating high stretchability, sensing linearity, stable operation under sub-zero temperatures, and long-term storage for conductive films remains a formidable challenge. Herein, a dual-network polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based high-performance strain sensor that overcomes these limitations through an innovative materials design is reported. The network is constructed via synergistic cross-linking of PVA with tannic acid (TA) and glutaraldehyde (GA), followed by the incorporation of choline acetate ionic liquid (IL) to enhance the multifunctionality of the sensor (denoted as PTGIL). The PTGIL sensor exhibits a compelling combination of properties, such as exceptional mechanical robustness (strength ≈20MPa; elongation at break ≈900%), room-temperature self-healing capability, and transparency (≈88% transmittance at 550nm). Critically, it demonstrates stable sensing performance even at sub-zero temperatures and preserves functionality after long-term ambient storage. The biocompatibility with human dermal fibroblasts and the antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)and Escherichia coli (E. coli)confirm its safety and further support long-term skin contact applications. Beyond conventional motion monitoring, the multifunctionality of the PTGIL sensor may help bridge soft biomechanics and healthcare applications such as rehabilitation tracking following joint ligament reconstruction and intraoperative motion-outcome correlation analysis.

The escalating issue of water pollution driven by rapid industrialization necessitates the development of advanced remediation technologies. In this study, a novel method for producing chromium (Cr(VI)) ion-imprinted biochar (Cr(VI)-IIP-PEI@NBC) from wheat residue was proposed. After acid-oxidative modifications, polyethyleneimine (PEI) and glutaraldehyde (GA) were employed as the functional monomer and crosslinker, respectively, to enhance the biochar’s selectivity and adsorption capacity. Under optimized conditions (pH 2.0, 55 °C), the adsorbent achieved a maximum Cr(VI) uptake of 212.63 mg/g, which was 2.3 times higher than that of the non-imprinted biochar. The material exhibited exceptional specificity (99.64%) for Cr(VI) and maintained &gt;80% adsorption efficiency after five regeneration cycles, demonstrating excellent reusability. Comprehensive structural characterization via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunner–Emmet–Teller measurements (BET), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed successful Cr(VI) imprinting in the biochar and its high thermal stability and mesoporous architecture, elucidating the mechanisms behind its superior performance. This study presents a sustainable and high-performance adsorbent for the efficient treatment of chromium-contaminated wastewater, with significant potential for industrial applications.

Rapid diagnosis or health monitoring biosensors have been developed with the advent of technology. Silicon and metal oxides are used as the base material for these biosensors as a point-of-care unit. However, surface modification is needed to introduce functional groups for anchoring the bioreceptor. This study aims to explore the differences in the spike protein binding efficiency directly on the bare amine self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and further cross-linked with the N-ethyl-N'-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)carbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and glutaraldehyde (GA). The specificity of binding was improvised by attaching a primary antibody to the modified surfaces. The functional groups, morphology, and wettability of the engineered surface were characterized using various analytical techniques. As depicted by fluorescence imaging, the spike protein was explicitly bound to the designed surfaces, while albumin was a negative control. The surface roughness after the attachment of spike protein varied as 13.64 nm (amine) > 3.81 nm (glutaraldehyde) > 1.91 nm (EDC-NHS). The EDC-NHS modified surface showed a higher and uniform surface coverage with the lowest roughness among all of the surfaces. The maximum N/C ratio, calculated from XPS data, was 0.16 for the EDC-NHS surface, i.e., twice that of the bare amine surface. The wettability of the EDC-NHS surface after protein binding was also found unaltered compared to the other two chemistries employed. The EDC-NHS surface resulted in a contact angle (CA) of ∼57°, which is close to that of the native spike protein (CA = 58°). While CA significantly reduced to 49° and 39° in the case of amine and glutaraldehyde surfaces, respectively. Most importantly, the EDC-NHS surface retained the native-like structure of the spike protein, which is crucial for the accurate sensing of infections and other related biomedical applications.

Vibrio fluvialis is an emerging foodborne pathogen associated with severe infections. In this study, immunomagnetic beads (IMBs) were synthesized by conjugating nanobody N71 to magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) via polyethylenimine (PEI) and glutaraldehyde (GA) cross-linking. Due to the high affinity of N71 for V. fluvialis lipopolysaccharide, the IMBs efficiently and specifically captured the target pathogen. When integrated with ToxR-targeted quantitative real-time PCR, this system achieved enhanced detection sensitivity (48 CFU/mL) and reduced false-positive rates. The optimization results showed that the capture efficiency of V. fluvailis reached its maximum (95%) when 125 µg of N71 were conjugated to 1 mg of MNPs to form the MNPs-PEI-GA-Nbs conjugates, achieved with a conjugate dosage of 0.5 mg and an incubation time of 45 min. Nontarget bacterial interference experiments and actual sample detections validated the excellent specificity of the method for detecting V. fluvialis. Compared with conventional culture-based methods, this method reduced detection time from 24-48 h to <7 h, providing an efficient and reliable alternative for rapid detection of V. fluvialis in food samples.