Magnitude Of Zeta Potential Research Articles

Experimental study of electroosmosis and (Cl-) diffusion in fired-clay bricks

Electroosmosis (EO) is considered as a base for methods in drying moist masonry. EO and the other transport mechanisms, namely electromigration and diffusion, that can influence EO in the bricks, were studied in four Danish bricks with different manufacturing years and locations. Brick cubes were cut from each brick type and then saturated in NaCl 0.1 M solution. A cell with four electrodes was used to measure the electroosmotic permeability coefficient using a phenomenological approach based on non-equilibrium thermodynamics. The effective diffusion coefficient for chloride and electromigration coefficient were calculated. Results showed that the EO flux obtained in the bricks did not follow either the magnitude of zeta potential or ionic content present in the bricks. It was observed that there was a correlation between the EO coefficient and the porous structure of the brick, especially with the pore connectivity, since the bricks with higher pore connectivity and, therefore, with higher effective diffusion coefficient had a higher electroosmotic coefficient.

A Simple Synthesis and Microstructure Analysis of Human Peptide LL-37@Gold Nanoparticles (Known as LL-37@AuNPs) Conjugates as Antimicrobials and Substances for Wound Healing.

The basis of the present study is a straightforward method involving fewer chemical species for conjugating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 designated as LL-37@AuNPs. Investigating the microstructure characteristics of the resulting materials and their potential as antibacterial and wound-healing substances are the main objectives of this study. Zeta (ζ) potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field effect scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-Vis spectrophotometry were used to analyze the physico-chemical properties of LL-37@AuNPs. The magnitude of LL-37's zeta potential and the LL-37@AuNPs show that the specimens are electrically stable and resistant to flocculation and coagulation. The surface plasmon resonance (RPS) of AuNPs, which is positioned at a wavelength of about 531 nm, was found to be unaffected by the presence of the LL-37 antimicrobial peptide. The FTIR data show the functional group characteristics of the LL-37@AuNPs vibration bands, and the XRD diffractogram confirms the formation of the LL-37@AuNPs conjugate nanocomposite. Based on FE-SEM and TEM data, the bulk of AuNPs were found to have a circular shape, with an average size of about 22.88 ± 8.21 nm. It was discovered that the LL-37@AuNPs had a good ability to inhibit S. aureus from growing. The wound-healing percentage reached 85% on day 12 of the trial, significantly greater than the results of the negative controls. LL-37@AuNPs(4) is the sample that had the highest percentage of wound healing between days 3 and 12. Moreover, sample LL-37@AuNPs(4) contains 0.45 µL of LL-37, whereas sample LL-37@AuNPs(2) contains 0.22 µL of LL-37. The faster wound-healing rate in LL-37@AuNPs(4) was believed to be due to a higher concentration of LL-37, which was able to stop S. aureus from developing while suppressing the inflammation surrounding the wound. The study's findings reveal that LL-37@AuNPs might be made using a straightforward process, making them a powerful antibacterial and therapeutic substance. However, before this discovery is applied in the field of medicine, a more thorough investigation is necessary.

Microwave-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis: A sustainable approach for enhanced structural and functional properties of broken rice protein

Design experiments having three levels of each processing parameter i.e.,α-amylase concentration (0.25–0.75%), extraction time (30–180 min), and temperature (30–60 °C) were conducted to investigate the effect of enzymatic pre-treatment on protein content and extracted yield from broken rice, an industrial by-product. Enzymatically pre-treated broken rice under optimal conditions (0.72% α-amylase concentration, 141 min extraction time, and 43°C of temperature) were subjected to microwave treatment followed by varying degrees (3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%) of enzymatic hydrolysis. The study revealed that the strongest free radical scavenging activity (72.35 ± 4.31 and 93.47 ± 1.25 μmol Trolox equivalent/g), highest magnitude of zeta potential (−24.95 ± 0.64 mV), and lowest mean particle size (446 ± 6.43 nm) were observed at MDH 12%. The FTIR analysis of MDH 12% (1650.08 cm−1) indicated a shift from random coil to β-turn, resulting unfolding of the rice protein structure and increased protein solubility. However, with an increase in DH, a negative effect on the foaming and emulsification properties of rice protein was observed. This study revealed that microwave-assisted enzymatic treatment with a 12% degree of hydrolysis can improve the functional properties of extracted protein and meet the demand for rice protein applications in different food formulations.

A Novel Electrokinetic-Based Technique for the Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells.

The separation of rare cells from complex biofluids has attracted attention in biological research and clinical applications, especially for cancer detection and treatment. In particular, various technologies and methods have been developed for the isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood. Among them, the induced-charge electrokinetic (ICEK) flow method has shown its high efficacy for cell manipulation where micro-vortices (MVs), generated as a result of induced charges on a polarizable surface, can effectively manipulate particles and cells in complex fluids. While the majority of MVs have been induced by AC electric fields, these vortices have also been observed under a DC electric field generated around a polarizable hurdle. In the present numerical work, the capability of MVs for the manipulation of CTCs and their entrapment in the DC electric field is investigated. First, the numerical results are verified against the available data in the literature. Then, various hurdle geometries are employed to find the most effective geometry for MV-based particle entrapment. The effects of electric field strength (EFS), wall zeta potential magnitude, and the particles' diameter on the trapping efficacy are further investigated. The results demonstrated that the MVs generated around only the rectangular hurdle are capable of trapping particles as large as the size of CTCs. An EFS of about 75 V/cm was shown to be effective for the entrapment of above 90% of CTCs in the MVs. In addition, an EFS of 85 V/cm demonstrated a capability for isolating particles larger than 8 µm from a suspension of particles/cells 1-25 µm in diameter, useful for the enrichment of cancer cells and potentially for the real-time and non-invasive monitoring of drug effectiveness on circulating cancer cells in blood circulation.

Studying the effect of various surfactants on the possibility and intensity of fine migration during low-salinity water flooding in clay-rich sandstones

In the majority, sandstone reservoirs contain clay particles. When such reservoirs are exposed to low-salinity water, multi-ion exchange (MIE) and electrical double layer (EDL) expansion result in fine migration, which sweeps residual oil in the porous media while imposing damage and permeability reduction.This research investigates the effect of surfactants on the possibility and intensity of fine migration in clay-rich sandstones. First, the impact of these surfactants on the surface charge of quartz and clay particles was investigated. The results showed that both CTAB (CetylTrimethylAmmonium Bromide) and QS (Quillaja Saponin) lower the magnitude of fine particles' zeta potential from −40 mv to 2 and -18 mv, respectively, The zeta potential compensation weakens the repulsive forces. However, SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate), and TX (Triton X-100) do not change the magnitude of zeta potential. The surfactants were injected at a concentration of 10 g/L into sandpacks containing 5 wt% of kaolin. SDS and TX couldn't prevent fine migration, and sandpack permeability decreased from 65 md to about 8. CTAB completely prevented fine migration (permeability reduction from 66 to 62md). Meanwhile, QS reduced the intensity of fine migration and the permeability decreased to 30 md. Post-flushing diluted surfactant solutions showed that CTAB loses its ability to control fine migration and the magnitude of permeability drops to 8 md. However, QS still controlled the intensity of fine migration.CTAB, QS, SDS, and TX-100 adsorption on oil-aged sandstone rocks lower the contact angle from 1290 to 21.20, 69.50, 52.70, and 62.10, respectively. It should be noted that the aging time for this experiment was 14 days, which was conducted at 60 °C. contact angel studies illustrated that EDL compaction by surfactants can cause wettability alteration toward water wet conditions, through adsorption in the stern layer, which results in oil desorption. BET analysis showed that the kaolinite particles are mesoporous with weak interaction, which are covered by CTAB or QS adsorption. However, after lowering the surfactant concentration in the bulk fluid, CTAB is desorbed, resulting in the revival of pores. In contrast, desorption in QS dilution was negligible. The behavior difference is related to the adsorption mechanism. CTAB is absorbed on the particle surface based on cation exchange and QS due to hydrogen bonding. In QS, the hydrophilic part is adsorbed on the particles, and the hydrophobic part forms the external surface, which prevents water from reaching the hydrophilic part.

Reliable assessment of carbon black nanomaterial of a variety of cell culture media for in vitro toxicity assays by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation

Carbon black nanomaterial (CB-NM), as an industrial product with a large number of applications, poses a high risk of exposure, and its impact on health needs to be assessed. The most common testing platform for engineered (E)NMs is in vitro toxicity assessment, which requires prior ENM dispersion, stabilization, and characterization in cell culture media. Here, asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled to UV–Vis and dynamic light scattering (DLS) detectors in series was used for the study of CB dispersions in cell culture media, optimizing instrumental variables and working conditions. It was possible to disperse CB in a non-ionic surfactant aqueous solution due to the steric effect provided by surfactant molecules attached on the CB surface which prevented agglomeration. The protection provided by the surfactant or by culture media alone was insufficient to ensure good dispersion stability needed for carrying out in vitro toxicity studies. On the other hand, cell culture media in combination with the surfactant improved dispersion stability considerably, enabling the generation of shorter particles and a more favourable zeta potential magnitude, leading to greater stability due to electrostatic repulsion. It was demonstrated that the presence of amino acids in the culture media improved the monodisperse nature and stability of the CB dispersions, and resulted in a turn towards more negative zeta potential values when the pH was above the amino acid isoelectric point (IEP). Culture media used in real cell culture scenarios were also tested, and in vitro toxicity assays were developed optimizing the compatible amount of surfactant.Graphical abstract

Inulin-type dietary fiber stability after combined thermal, mechanical, and chemical stresses related to ultrasound processing of prebiotic apple beverage

Inulin-type fructans are promising prebiotic dietary fibers added to foods and beverages to aggregate functional properties. In this regard, this study examined the chemical and physical stability of inulin after thermal, mechanical, and chemical stress conditions provided by high-intensity ultrasound treatment. The objective was to investigate the behavior of the inulin molecular structure and its technological issues under high-energy processing to understand the feasibility of adding inulin to new products with health benefits. Temperature monitoring during high-intensity ultrasound processing was crucial because high temperatures of up to 82 ± 1 °C were reached using short processing times of up to 5.48 min. Despite the temperature rise, ultrasound specific energies of 30, 120, 210, and 300 J/g did not affect the pH, soluble solid content, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and sugar content of the inulin-enriched apple beverage. In addition, the ultrasound processing stresses promoted by acoustic cavitation did not modify the profile and content of the short chain inulin added to the apple juice. The specific energy of 300 J/g contributed to the physical stability of the prebiotic apple beverage because this high-energy condition inhibited inulin precipitation producing a less cloudy product. Inulin was stable to high-energy ultrasound treatment because its molecular integrity was preserved. Moreover, the nutritional and bioactive compounds of the apple beverage were stable against acoustic cavitation-induced degradation. On the other hand, inulin precipitated in the aqueous solution after cooling of samples treated up to 210 J/g clouding the apple beverage. Indeed, high-intensity ultrasound processing enhanced the technological attributes of the prebiotic beverage, preventing its clouding due to inulin precipitation. Sonication treatment increased the physical stability of the beverage because it increased the magnitude of zeta potential.

Soil Amendment and Storage Effect the Quality of Winter Melons (Benincasa hispida (Thunb) Cogn.) and Their Juice.

Winter melon fruits were grown in the field using anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) and conventional fertilizer alone as the control treatment. Fruits were harvested and stored at 20 °C for 120 d, the juice was processed on day one and day 120, and the effects of soil amendment and 120 d storage on the juice's physical and chemical (sugars, acids, volatile and nutritional compounds) properties were evaluated. Fruit juice extracted from ASD-grown fruit had greater magnitude of zeta potential than the control juice, indicating it was physically more stable than the juice obtained from the control conditions. ASD fruit juice had lower soluble solids content (SSC), and lower volatile compounds that contribute green, grass, and sulfur notes, and negatively influence flavor quality. ASD fruit juice had higher vitamin B5 and cytidine. Juice processed from 120 d stored fruit had less yield due to 12.4-15.6% weight loss. The non-soluble solids content was higher and particle size was larger, and the SSC and individual sugars decreased. However, titratable acidity (TA) increased primarily due to increased citric acid. Out of 16 free amino acids, 6 increased and only 1 decreased. However, three out of five nucleosides decreased; vitamins B1 and B6 increased; vitamins B2, B3 and C decreased. Overall, juice derived from fruit produced using ASD was physically more stable and had less SSC and off-odor volatiles than the control, while the fruit juice of those stored for 120 d had lower SSC and higher TA and nutritional profiles, comparable to freshly harvested fruit.

Surface Spectroscopy of Pyrite Obtained during Grinding and Its Magnetisation

During grinding with forged steel media, sulphides such as pyrite undergo surface changes due to the occurrence of oxidation–reduction reactions, which affect its depression during the concentration process. For this reason, in this work, the surface modification of pyrite during grinding was studied; FTIR, ICP-OES, XRD and SEM-EDS were used for the materials’ characterisation. It was found that the pyrite obtained during grinding showed magnetic susceptibility due to the absorption and superficial formation of magnetite Fe3O4, Fe–O bonds identified by FTIR at 598 cm−1, and of other species, such as oxy-hydroxy-sulphates at 696 cm−1 and goethite α-FeOOH at 875 cm−1. This caused the reversal of the zeta potential magnitude (ζ) from positive to negative at pH 8.3 and 30 min of grinding. The ζ of the pyrite throughout the studied pH ranges was, overall, positive, i.e., +5 mV. However, at pH 10.5 and 15 min of grinding, the ζ turned negative. This was associated with the formation of Fe–CO3 (−2) bonds in the siderite, which were identified with the absorption bands corresponding to 756, 1448 and 1493 cm−1.

Analysis of electroviscous effect and heat transfer for flow of non-Newtonian fluids in a microchannel with surface charge-dependent slip at high zeta potentials

In hydrophobic surfaces, pressure-driven flows induce electrokinetic flow retardation, where the slip length decreases due to the surface charge. In the current work, we investigate the thermal transport and fluid flow behavior of a pressure-driven flow of shear-thinning fluid with an electroviscous effect, accounting for the influence of surface charge on the slip. The electrical potential field induced in the electrical double layer (EDL), velocity, streaming potential, and temperature is obtained after solving the Poisson–Boltzmann equation, mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations without invoking the Debye–Hückel linearization. Results are presented for a broad range of dimensionless parameters, such as surface charge-independent slip length, Debye–Hückel parameter, zeta potential, heat flux, and flow consistency index (n). The flow velocity decreases after considering the effect of surface charge on slip, and such decrement is more for lower value of n, higher magnitude of zeta potential, and thicker EDL. Moreover, for lower value of n (1/3), the alteration of the Nusselt number with the surface charge is non-monotonic, whereas it increases with the surface charge magnitude for higher value of n (1/2). Further, for lower value of n, the Nusselt number enhances by the surface charge effect on the slip, whereas, for higher value of n, the trend is the opposite. Also, there is a strong interplay of the rheology of the fluid and EDL thickness in dictating the variation of the Nusselt number.

Hydrochars produced by hydrothermal carbonisation of seaweed, coconut shell and oak: effect of processing temperature on physicochemical adsorbent characteristics

The present study addresses the production of hydrochars from brown seaweed (Fucus serratus) (FS-HCs), coconut shell (CS-HCs), and oak (Oak-HCs) as potential adsorbents using hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC). The effect of HTC processing temperature on the physicochemical adsorbent characteristics of the hydrochars is investigated at different temperatures (200, 220, 250 °C) using a hydrothermal batch reactor. Increasing HTC temperature causes the formation of many spheres in CS-HCs and Oak-HCs, increasing their porosity, except FS-HCs. The surface area of the hydrochars increases with increasing HTC temperature; 10.93–12.78 m2/g for FS-HCs, 2.18–21.94 m2/g for CS-HCs, except for Oak-HCs which decreases from 4.89 to 3.09 m2/g. Increasing HTC temperature decreases volatile matter content in the hydrochars, increases fixed carbon content, and decreases H/C ratio (except for FS-HCs) and O/C ratio of the hydrochars. For all the hydrochars, increasing the HTC temperature results in a slight decrease in zeta potential magnitude, with negatively charged surfaces, making them potential adsorbents for cationic pollutants. The study confirms that the HTC process improves key chemical and physical characteristics of the hydrochars compared to the original biomass, and that the physicochemical adsorbent characteristics are enhanced as the processing temperature increases.

Effects of Proteins and Mineral Ions on the Physicochemical Properties of 1,3-Dioleoyl-2-Palmitoylglycerol Emulsion to Mimic a Liquid Infant Formula.

Proteins and minerals in infant formula not only serve as nutrients, but also have important effects on the physical and chemical stability of emulsions. In this study, calcium carbonate (0 or 9.08 mM) and potassium chloride (0 or 15.96 mM), as representatives of divalent and monovalent minerals, were added to 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO) emulsions in different ratios (10:0, 9:1, 6:4, 5:5, and 0:10) of whey protein isolate (WPI) and sodium caseinate (CN). The influence of proteins and minerals on emulsion stability was investigated by analyzing particle size, zeta potential, creaming index, rheological properties, storage stability, and lipid oxidation. 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO) emulsions could be destabilized by adding Ca2+, as shown by the increase in particle size index, creaming index, and the decrease in zeta potential magnitude. Divalent ions could affect the electrostatic interactions between lipid droplets and the interactive effects of ion surface adsorption. In addition, the effect of different protein ratios on the physical stability of emulsions was not significant under the same ion-type conditions. In terms of chemical stability, higher oxidized values were found in emulsions stabilized with only CN than in those containing WPI. Our study showed that protein ratios and minerals played an important role in the stability of OPO emulsions, which might provide a reference for the development and utilization of liquid infant formula.

On the action mechanism of lignosulfonate plasticizer in alkali-activated slag-based system

Workability improvement of alkali-activated materials by common plasticizers used for ordinary Portland cement is usually an issue, but certain effectiveness is often found for lignosulfonate-based plasticizers (LS), especially for activation with sodium hydroxide (its silicate modulus considered as zero). Therefore, the action of LS depending on the silicate modulus of the activator (0, 0.10, 0.25, 0.50) was studied in this paper, using non-traditional oscillation strain sweep tests. The results showed that LS works for silicate moduli of 0 and 0.10 especially in terms of great reduction in the viscoelastic moduli due to a significant decrease in zeta potential magnitude. However, LS had a marginal effect for the silicate moduli of 0.25 and 0.50, which was attributed to the competitive adsorption of LS and silicates from waterglass onto the slag grains. Although splitting of LS chains in NaOH was proven using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electrostatic repulsion of smaller fragments is preserved.

Fabrication of zein and κ-carrageenan colloidal particles for encapsulation of quercetin: In-vitro digestibility and bio-potential activities

The present work aims to prepare and stabilize quercetin (Q) loaded zein colloidal nanoparticles using κ-carrageenan (KC) as a stabilizer. Antisolvent precipitation method was used to fabricate the zein-KC colloidal nanoparticles at pH 5.0. The findings revealed that the newly prepared Q-loaded zein-KC complex colloidal particles had spherical shapes, a particle size below ∼300.0 nm, a high magnitude of negative zeta potential (∼−45.0 mV) and encapsulation efficiency of 62.0%. The molecular interactions among zein, Q and KC in colloidal particles were confirmed by FT-IR analysis, and the combined mixture showed an amorphous diffraction pattern during the XRD analysis without revealing the crystalline peaks of Q or KC, indicating that Q was effectively encapsulated in complex colloidal particles. In aqueous environments, the anionic KC coating on the surface of zein colloidal particles modified the particulate and physicochemical properties of the encapsulated Q and enhanced its water dispersibility, thermal stability, and in-vitro release. The observed improvements were ascribed to hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions among Q, zein, and KC. In addition, Q-loaded zein-KC complex colloidal particles demonstrated strong antioxidant activity. The results of this study revealed that, the KC coated zein colloidal particles, therefore, have great potential for use in hydrophobic nutraceutical encapsulation.

Evaluation of apparent viscosity and syneresis of dairy dessert enriched of vitamin D 3 ‐loaded nanoniosomes produced by different surfactant

In this study, vitamin D3 in the niosomes based on various surfactants and cholesterol with different ratios was encapsulated using thin layer hydration-sonication method. It was found that the niosomes with Tween-20 and Tween-80 with ratio (80:20, w/w) had the lowest mean particle size and polydispersity index and the highest zeta potential magnitude. After preparing nanosystems containing vitamin D3, they were added to milk dessert, their apparent viscosity and syneresis were investigated. The impacts of different percentages of nano-niosomes used in the formulation of desserts indicated that at constant sugar to grape juice ratios, the apparent viscosity of all samples decreased. Moreover, it was determined that at a constant level of nano-niosomes, increasing grape juice to sugar ratio increased the viscosity of the samples while as the ratio increased the apparent viscosity of samples significantly decreased. Also, changes in the amount of syneresis were significantly dependent on the percentage of nano-niosomes. Practical applications The role of vitamin D3 deficiency in many diseases has been proven. On the contrary, due to the advantages that niosomes have over liposomes to successfully and efficiently delivering nutraceutical and bioactive compounds to the body, in this study, vitamin D3 was loaded in the structure of niosomes. Then, the best structure in terms of the highest yield and percentage of vitamin D3 was formulated to beneficial dairy dessert that prepared with grape juice in order to reduce the adverse effects of vitamin D deficiency in human societies.

Study of the synergistic effects between different surfactant types and silica nanoparticles on the stability of liquid foams at elevated temperature

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the application of foam-based fluids in the field of hydrocarbon recovery. The combination of nanoparticles (NP) and surfactant has been intensively studied to improve the thermal stability and optimize the performance of foams. However, the synergistic interactions between NP and surfactants, and their impacts on foam stabilization at elevated temperature have yet to be clearly understood. This paper studies the effects of three types of surfactants with varied concentrations on the properties of silica nanoparticles (SNP) and on the stability of nano-stabilized foams at ambient and elevated temperatures. The experiments involved the zeta potential, particle size and contact angle measurements of SNP in surfactant solutions as well as the foamability and bulk static stability tests. The results showed that among three surfactant types, cationic surfactant had some unique impacts on SNP such as converting the surface charge, promoting particle aggregation and increasing the hydrophobicity of SNP. The aggregation behaviour and hydrophobization of SNP were found to delay liquid drainage and affect the foam stability positively. At elevated temperature, SNP in surfactant dispersions were observed to have lower magnitude of zeta potential and larger particle sizes. In comparison with ionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactant demonstrated considerably smaller effects on generating and stabilizing nano-foams. At sufficient surfactant concentration, the electrostatic attraction between cationic surfactant and SNP promoted higher foam stability than the electrostatic repulsion between anionic surfactant and SNP. This research provides a better insight into the synergistic interactions between surfactants and SNP, and their influences on the stability of foams at reservoir temperature.

EGF‐functionalized lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles of 5‐fluorouracil and sulforaphane with enhanced bioavailability and anticancer activity against colon carcinoma

The present research work describes development of dual drug-loaded lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs) of anticancer therapeutics for the management of colon cancer. The epidermal growth factor (EGF)-functionalized LPHNPs coloaded with 5-fluorouracil (FU) and sulforaphane (SFN) were prepared by one-step nanoprecipitation method. Box-Behnken design was applied for optimizing the material attributes and process parameters. The optimized LPHNPs revealed particle size 198nm, polydispersity index 0.3, zeta potential -25.3mV, and drug loading efficiency 19-20.3% for 5-FU and SFN, respectively. EGF functionalization on LPHNPs was confirmed from positive magnitude of zeta potential to 21.3mV as compared with the plain LPHNPs. In vitro drug release performance indicated sustained and non-Fickian mechanism release nature of the drugs from LPHNPs. Anticancer activity evaluation in HCT-15 colon cancer cells showed significant reduction (p <0.001) in the cell growth and cytotoxicity of the investigated drugs from various treatments in the order: EGF-functionalized LPHNPs>plain LPHNPs>free drug suspensions. Overall, the research work corroborated improved treatment efficacy of EGF-functionalized LPHNPs for delivering chemotherapeutic agents for the management of colon carcinoma.

Effects of high pressure homogenization on the solubility, foaming, and gel properties of soy 11S globulin

The effects of different homogenization pressure levels on the solubility, particle size, surface hydrophobicity, free sulfhydryl content, surface tension, water distribution and mobility, rheological, foaming and gel properties of soy 11S globulin were investigated in this study. High-pressure homogenization treatment (50–150 MPa) significantly increased the magnitude of protein zeta potential, solubility, while reduced the particle size, which increased surface hydrophobicity, and exposure to free sulfhydryl and disulfide bonds, as well as surface tension, foaming capacity and stability, elasticity index, macroviscosity index, initial apparent viscosity and shear stress. On the other hand, excessive pressure treatment at 150 MPa caused solubility, surface hydrophobicity, exposure to free sulfhydryl, the elasticity index, macroviscosity index, initial apparent viscosity and shear stress to decrease. The gel strength and water immobilization also increased, whereas the mobility of the water was low. Overall, our results show that high-pressure homogenization improves the physicochemical, foaming and gel properties of 11S globulin.

Predicting the electrokinetic properties on an outcrop and reservoir composite carbonate surfaces in modified salinity brines using extended surface complexation models

Surface complexation models (SCM), based mainly on the diffuse double layer (DDL) theory, have been used to predict zeta potential at the crude oil-brine-rock (COBR) interface with limited success. However, DDL is inherently limited in accurately predicting zeta potential by the assumptions that all the brine ions interact with the rock surface at the same plane and by the double layer collapse at higher brine ionic strength (>1M). In this work, a TLM-based SCM captured zeta potential trends at the calcite-brine interface with ionic strength up to 3 M. An extended DDL and TLM-based SCMs were used to predict the electrokinetic properties of a composite carbonate rock showing a different mineralogical composition. The extended TLM-based SCM captured the zeta potential prediction trends and magnitude, highlighting the contribution of the inorganic minerals and organic impurities on the composite carbonate surface. In contrast, the extended DDL-based SCM captured the zeta potential trends but failed to capture the magnitude of the measured zeta potential. Interestingly, the TLM-based SCM predicted a positive SP for the rock-brine interface, which could explain the oil-wet nature of composite carbonate rocks due to electrostatic adsorption of negatively charged carboxylic acids. Conversely, the DDL-based SCM predicted a negative SP, leading to an inaccurate interpretation of the electrokinetic properties at the rock-brine interface. Thus, the use of extended TLM-based SCM was required to accurately predict the zeta potential and account for the adsorption of carboxylic acids on the reservoir composite carbonate surface.

Neutral pH nonfat dry milk beverages with turbidity reduced by sodium hexametaphosphate: Physical and sensory properties during storage

There has been ascending demand on beverages enriched with dairy proteins. Calcium chelators can improve transparency and stability of beverages with nonfat dry milk (NFDM) resulting from dissociation of casein micelles. In this study, vanilla-flavored model beverages with 5% or 10% w/w NFDM were manufactured with or without 0.43% w/w sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), physical properties were studied during 70-day storage at 4 °C and room temperature (RT), and sensory properties were evaluated during storage at 4 °C. SHMP resulted in decreased turbidity, particle diameter, and zeta-potential magnitude. The turbidity was stable at 4 °C but increased from 161 to 315 NTU and 333 to 818 NTU, respectively, for beverages with 5% and 10% NFDM after 70-day storage at RT. SHMP resulted in insignificant and significant increase in viscosity for 5% and 10% NFDM beverage, respectively. The 10% NFDM beverage with SHMP also developed into a gel during storage at RT but remained fluidic at 4 °C. Descriptive sensory analysis suggested that SHMP resulted in soapy flavor and salty taste of beverages with decreasing vanilla and milky flavors after 70-day refrigerated storage. Findings from the present study suggest that SHMP may be used to reduce the turbidity of refrigerated beverages based on NFDM.