Emulsion Nanoparticles Research Articles

Gastrointestinal pH-sensitive Pickering emulsions stabilized by glycosylated zein conjugates ferulic acid nanoparticles: Improving oral bioaccessibility of Coenzyme Q10.

Pickering emulsion stabilized by food grade nanoparticles with stimulus response as a targeted delivery system for lipophilic bioactive compounds has attracted people's attention. In this study, ferulic acid was used to modify saccharified zein to prepare pH-sensitive nanoparticles for stabilizing Pickering emulsion. The structure, interface behavior, stability of Pickering emulsion and gastrointestinal digestion characteristics of nanoparticles in vitro were studied. The results showed that covalent embedding of ferulic acid (ZGF-con) effectively improved the surface properties of zein nanoparticles based on glycosylation modification of zein, further regulating their behavior at the oil-water interface. In addition, the particle size of ZGF-con was small (92.93 nm), the wettability was moderate (89.85 °), and it was spherical, with orderly transition of secondary structure, which was conducive to the formation of stable emulsion at the oil-water interface. The stable Pickering emulsion formed by ZGF-con showed ideal emulsification performance, and the electrostatic repulsion between droplets and the formation of a robust spatial network structure promoted the stability of the emulsion. In addition, the encapsulation efficiency of CoQ10 in ZGF-con stabilized Pickering emulsion reached 96.11 %. In vitro simulated digestion, ZGF-con stabilized Pickering emulsion was relatively stable in the gastric acid environment, and slowly released in the small intestine, realizing the small intestine targeted release of CoQ10, which increased its bioaccessibility from 10.57 % to 56.42 %. This study provides an effective strategy for the preparation of pH-sensitive Pickering emulsion to improve the bioaccessibility of hydrophobic active ingredients.

Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly for the Synthesis of Polyisoprene-Polystyrene Block and Random Copolymers: Towards High Molecular Weight and Conversion.

In this study, reversible addition-fragmentation chain- transfer (RAFT) polymerization combined with the polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) technique is used to synthesize polyisoprene (PI)-based block and random copolymers with polystyrene (PS), aiming for high molecular weight and monomer conversion. The focus is to optimize the polymerization conditions to overcome the existing challenge of cross-linking and Diels-Alder reactions during the polymerization of isoprene, which typically constrain the reaction conversion and molecular weight of the final polymers. Using a poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) macroRAFT agent synthesized in ethanol at 80°C, random and block copolymers of PS-PI with a target molecular weight of 50000gmole-1 and a high monomer conversion of ≈80% are achieved under optimized conditions in water-emulsion at 35°C. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) verified the successful synthesis as well as the high content of 1,4 microstructure in polyisoprene. The thermal analysis via differential scanning calorimetry indicated distinct glass transitions for the microphase-separated PI-PS block copolymer, while a single transition for PI-PS random copolymer, indicating no microphase separation. Furthermore, dynamic light scattering analysis together with transmission electron microscopy provided further insight into the self-assembled emulsion nanoparticles of the polymers indicating a particle size in the range 70 to 130nm.

Synergistic approaches to NOx reduction: Fuel innovations and engine modifications in biomass waste-fueled CI engines

Achieving low nitric oxide emissions in biomass fuel combustion remains a challenge. This study aims at enhancement of NOx reduction by employing a sequence of strategies to arrive at the optimal combination of techniques. This work explores the role of nano particle emulsion, change in profile of combustion chamber geometry, exhaust gas recirculation rates and contribution of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) in the combustion and emission phenomena of CI engine. Cerium oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles are added in emulsion form at 50 ppm and 100 ppm dosage to grapeseed oil biodiesel. Furthermore, combustion chamber geometry is modified to shallow depth and toroidal shape and tested with ZnO 100 nano blend of grapeseed oil biodiesel (GSBD). EGR at 5 %, 10 %, 15 % and 20 % rates are included in the toroidal shape after concluding that profile as the best performing geometry. A customized model of SCR is implemented to the above combination of ZnO fuel blend, toroidal combustion chamber geometry and 5 % EGR to further reduce NOx emission. SCR device is fabricated with suitable flow and injection parameters with dual type mixers to enhance its NOx conversion efficiency. Overall, this research work gives useful insights for development of NOx reduction strategies in biomass fuel combustion in CI engines. A comprehensive reduction of NOx from 9.3 g/kWh to 2.05 g/kWh is noticed at the end of cumulative set of experiments.

Fabrication of polysaccharide-coated oleanolic acid-curcumin-coassembled nanoparticles (OA/Cur NPs): Enhancement of colloidal stability and water solubility

Natural terpenoid carriers, such as oleanolic acid (OA), can enhance the water solubility and stability of hydrophobic compounds such as curcumin (Cur). However, improving the colloidal stability of nanoparticle emulsions and resolving the redispersion problem of freeze-dried nanoparticle powders remain significant challenges. In this study, we fabricated coassembled oleanolic acid-curcumin nanoparticles (OA/Cur NPs) and applied a polysaccharide surface coating method to improve their colloidal stability and water solubility. The results showed that the optimal ratio of Cur/OA for preparing OA/Cur NPs was 4:10, resulting in a high encapsulation efficiency (EE) of Cur (75.2%). Additionally, TEM, contact angle tests, Turbiscan TOWER optical stability analysis of the polysaccharide-coated OA/Cur NP emulsions and redispersion tests of their lyophilized powders verified the advantages of carboxymethyl chitosan/β-cyclodextrin (CMC/β-CD) coating over other polysaccharides. This study indicated that polysaccharide coating is an effective method for enhancing the colloidal stability, water solubility, and redispersibility of OA/Cur NPs.

Maize‐derived zein/acrylic hybrid emulsion for superior skin adhesion and water resistance in cosmetic adhesives

AbstractWaterborne acrylic emulsions are considered suitable materials for cosmetic skin adhesives because of their positive attributes, such as their safe water‐based polymerization process and low volatile‐organic‐compound emissions. The significant challenge of inadequate water resistance in emulsion adhesives, which is primarily caused by the excess surfactants retained at the interface of emulsion particles upon film formation, necessitates urgent resolution for their viable application as cosmetic adhesives. Zein, a corn‐derived protein, possesses hydrophobic amino acids that provide exceptional water‐repellent characteristics. Therefore, zein is expected to exhibit a remarkable skin‐adhesion attribute. This paper presents the introduction of a pioneering zein/acrylic hybrid emulsion exhibiting remarkable skin adhesion and water resistance, which was achieved through the use of zein, a corn‐derived protein. After formation, the zein/ sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) complex can unfold the zein chain, thereby enhancing skin adhesion, while concurrently inhibiting surfactant migration to enhance water resistance. The zein/SDS complex was introduced into the Pre‐emulsion (PE) manufacturing process during emulsion polymerization. As expected, the zein/acrylic hybrid emulsion demonstrated favorable skin adhesion and a notable improvement in water resistance. This approach presents a promising avenue for the practical application of emulsion nanoparticles as eco‐friendly cosmetic adhesives, offering excellent durability and skin adhesion through the utilization of naturally derived proteins.

Formulation and Wound healing activity of Nano Particle Emulsion Gel containing Nigella sativa seed oil in rabbits

Formulation and Wound healing activity of Nano Particle Emulsion Gel containing Nigella sativa seed oil in rabbits

New Strategies in the Treatment of Diseases Caused by Acanthamoeba Based on Nanoparticles: A Systematic Review.

Acanthamoeba is one of the opportunistic parasites with a global prevalence. Currently, due to the side effects and the emergence of drug resistance to this parasite, much research has been performed on the use of nano-drugs to treat Acanthamoeba-caused diseases. Therefore, this systematic review study aims to evaluate new strategies for treating diseases caused by Acanthamoeba based on nanoparticles (NPs). We designed a systematic review based on the articles published in English between 2000 and 2022. Our search strategy was based on syntax and specific tags for each database, including ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and Cochrane. From the articles, those that had inclusion criteria were selected, and their data were extracted and analyzed. In this study, 26 studies were selected. Metallic nanoparticles were mostly used against the Acanthamoeba species (80.7%). 19.2% of the studies used polymeric nanoparticles, and 3.8% used emulsion nanoparticles. Most studies (96.1%) were performed in vitro, and only one study (3.8%) was carried out in vivo. Silver NPs were the most used metallic nanoparticles in the studies. The best effect of the anti-Acanthamoeba compound was observed for green synthesized nanoparticles based on stabilization by plant gums, loaded with citrus fruits flavonoids hesperidin (HDN) and naringin (NRG) with a 100% growth inhibition at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. This study showed that chlorhexidine and other plant metabolites loaded with silver and gold nanoparticles increase the anti-Acanthambae activity of these nanoparticles. However, green synthesized nanoparticles based on stabilization by plant gums, loaded with citrus fruits flavonoids hesperidin (HDN) and naringin (NRG), showed the best anti-Acanthambae effect. Nevertheless, further studies should be performed to determine their safety for human use.

Developing an effective vaccine formulation using self-amplifying RNA and a nanoparticle emulsion

Developing an effective vaccine formulation using self-amplifying RNA and a nanoparticle emulsion

The surrogate scaffold method for quantifying molecular release kinetics from drug delivery systems

AbstractThe accurate determination of kinetics of therapeutic release from drug delivery vehicles is an essential step in the optimized design of such systems for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Most methods in current use for quantifying therapeutic release rates are developed to provide consistency, reproducibility, and ease of usage in a laboratory setting. These methods, however, do not necessarily mirror the release conditions when the drug delivery system comes into contact with the target tissue environment during application. As a result, the findings from these studies provide only comparative guidelines about the drug delivery rates and duration. Successful optimization of a drug delivery system requires complete, and accurate, knowledge about the release profile over an extended period of time to determine the initial release rate—including burst release if present, the rate of change of the release kinetics, and the maximum duration of delivery at a minimum therapeutic concentration level. We have developed an indirect method for the quantification of release kinetics suitable for nanoparticle‐based drug delivery systems that utilizes a hydrogel scaffold as a tissue surrogate to better emulate therapeutic delivery into a target tissue environment. Details of the method and its application to the release of an angiogenic peptide from a nanoparticle emulsion are provided in this communication.

Synthesis of gold nanoparticles in emulsion–emulsion precipitation route: Experiment, mechanism and simulation

Soft templates like water-in-oil emulsion drops (of 1-100μm diameter), have been used for synthesis of nanoparticles; with specific mean particle diameter and narrow particle size distribution. In this context, two separate emulsions have been reacted by an emulsion–emulsion precipitation route. Consequently, two different kinds of interacting populations coexist — emulsion drops evolving through drop coalescence and breakage, with multiple nanoparticle populations growing inside each emulsion drop. However, no model framework currently exists to simulate these two highly interacting populations, for predicting evolution of nanoparticle size. To this end, presently gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have been used as a model system, to explore the nanoparticle formation mechanism. The metal salt precursor and reducing agent (NaBH4 or N2H4) are prepared in two separate water-in-oil emulsions and are reacted upon mixing to form GNPs. A kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) scheme accounting for drop coalescence, drop breakage, nucleation, particle growth and particle–particle coagulation was developed to handle simultaneous size and number evolution of aqueous emulsion drops and GNP populations. We find that, the mean GNP diameter decreases (from 6.9 to 3.5 nm) with increasing molar ratio (M) of reducing agent to precursor concentration. Further, increasing the precursor concentration at a fixed M, does not affect the final particle size. Our kMC simulation results not only agree well with experimental mean particle diameter and coefficient of variation (COV) of particle diameter, but was also validated with full particle size distribution of GNPs. So, M can be used as a tunable parameter for controlling GNP diameter experimentally.

Pickering emulsion stabilized by parasin I and chitosan nanoparticles enhances protection against intestinal microbiota homeostasis by reducing inflammation in peritonitis mice

Although various researches evaluated the stability and drug loading efficiency of chitosan Pickering emulsion, few studies assessed the role and mechanism of emulsions in gut flora homeostasis. Thus, in the basics of our previously published natural and antimicrobial Pickering emulsions, the function of emulsion on the intestinal microbiota and inflammation response was explored in Kunming mice with peritonitis. The results showed that lipid/peptide nanoparticles emulsion (LPNE) and the chitosan peptide-embedded nanoparticles emulsion (CPENE) presented less collagen fiber than parasin I in peritoneal tissue, and CPENE could reduce peritoneal inflammation by decreasing the expression of NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3). The CPENE showed better histological morphology with a smaller fibrosis area in the spleen. Moreover, CPENE, LPNE, and parasin I-conjugated chitosan nanoparticle emulsion (PCNE) groups can increase the abundance of ABC transporters, DNA repair, and recombination proteins, and improve gut microbial. Furthermore, the Pickering emulsion showed a better protection effect on the composition and function of intestinal microbiota by decreasing interleukin-1β secretion and assembly of the inflammasome of NLRP3. These results could provide evidence for intestinal microbiota homeostasis of chitosan Pickering emulsion in inflammation-related diseases.

Execution and emission characteristics of automotive compression ignition engine powered by cerium oxide nanoparticles doped water diesel emulsion fuel

The rising consumption of oil and air pollution in developing countries compelled us to seek suitable alternative fuels for the existing compression ignition engines used in power generation, transportation, and industrial sectors, all of which play a strong role in the development of the nation's economy. Moreover, rising demand and consumption also causes a huge impact on our economy as we are dependent on other nations to cater to our needs as domestic production fails to fulfill the present requirement and leads to huge import bills that affect the ordinary man. A water/diesel (W/D) emulsified formulation helps to diminish the engine exhaust discharge without compromising the engine’s performance. The current task experimentally evaluates the execution and discharge characteristics of cerium oxide nano-particles doped water diesel emulsion fuel viz E15, E15CeO2(40), E15CeO2(60), and E15CeO2(80) on multi-cylinder automotive compression ignition engine at steady 1650 rpm, under variable test load situation. Mechanical stirring was used to make E15 water diesel emulsion fuel, whereas ultrasonicator and mechanical stirrer were used to make E15CeO2(40), E15CeO2(60), and E15CeO2(80) blends. Surfactants span 80 and tween 80 were used. The concentrations of cerium oxide nanoparticles in emulsion fuel samples were 40, 60, and 80 ppm, respectively. The characteristics like thickness, flash point, and heating value of test fuels were evaluated and reported within the range as specified by governing standards. The execution and discharge characteristics of various emulsion fuel samples were compared to standard diesel. At maximum load, cerium oxide doped fuels greatly improve engine performance while lowering environmentally harmful engine pollutants such smoke opacity, NOx, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbon emissions by 40.27%, 33.60%, 30%, and 18.75%, respectively.

Conductive silver films with tunable surface properties: thickness, roughness and porosity

The organasol of nanoparticles (3 M, the particle size 6 ± 1 nm) was synthesized by the silver nitrate reduction with hydrazine in the reverse emulsions stabilized by the sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate. The obtained silver nanoparticle emulsion was concentrated using electrophoretic concentration. The silver nanoparticle films with tunable thickness (from 3.9 ± 0.2 to 1.7 ± 0.2 µm), porosity (from 26 ± 10 to 46 ± 12%), density (from 5.7 ± 1.5 to 7.8 ± 3.0 g/cm3), roughness (from 4 ± 2 to 131 ± 19 nm) and surface electrical resistivity (from 0.03 ± 0.01 to 0.10 ± 0.01 Ohm/□) were obtained. The sintering process of the silver nanoparticle films was studied by in situ XRD experiment using synchrotron radiation. The separation procedure for the metallic films from the solid substrates was proposed. The separated sintered silver nanoparticle film was considered as a Janus membrane. The wetting asymmetry of the obtained Janus membrane was of 39°. The obtained films were considered as promising functional material with the bactericidal and the electrical conductive properties. The obtained Janus membrane could be placed on the flexible polymer substrates.

Targeting transportation of curcumin by soybean lipophilic protein nano emulsion: Improving its bioaccessibility and regulating intestinal microorganisms in mice

Curcumin is widely recognized for its essential role in human health but is limited by its poor solubility and low bioaccessibility. This study attempts to address these limitations by preparing a delivery system for curcumin using a stabilized emulsion from soybean lipophilic protein nanoparticles (SLP-NPs). The results show that the concentration of SLP-NPs had significant effects on droplet size, zeta potential and emulsion microstructure. Rheological analysis indicated that SLP-NPs emulsion exhibited a viscoelastic liquid structure marked by its shear-thinning behavior and a higher loss modulus compared to the storage modulus. Meanwhile, as a carrier of bioactive substances, SLP-NPs can encapsulate curcumin, and the encapsulation rate reached 77.13%. Stability experiment showed that curcumin soybean lipophilic protein nanoparticles emulsion (Cur-SLP) showed good storage stability. The simulated in vitro digestion assay showed that SLP-NPs embedding increased the bioaccessibility of curcumin (76.14%), thus allowing the targeted release of curcumin in the small intestine. In addition, the gut microflora plays a crucial role in health. Therefore, based on improving the bioaccessibility of curcumin, we innovatively explored the regulatory effect of Cur-SLP on mice intestinal flora and designed an in vivo experiment. In vivo experiments have shown that Cur-SLP regulates the gut microorganism of mice, leading to increased abundance of health-promoting bacteria (Bifidobacterium). Notably, Cur-SLP significantly reduced the proportion of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes. This study proves that SLP-NPs are an effective transport material for curcumin, providing an optimal choice for the application of hydrophobic active substances.

Experimental Investigation on the Effect of TiO2 Nanoparticles Emulsion in Water on Emissions and Performance Characteristics of DI Diesel Engine

The world is presently confronted with the twin crisis of resource restriction and environmental degradation. The search for solutions that promise a harmonious correlation with sustainable development, energy conservation, efficiency, and environmental preservation has become highly important. The main purpose of innovative studies on fuel refinement and combustion engines is to improve fuel properties by adding fuel additives. In this study, the impact of Titanium dioxide, TiO2, nanoparticles solution blended with diesel fuel on the performance and emission characteristics of four-stroke combustion engine OM 364 EU III, manufactured by IDEM Co and licensed by Daimler Benz, has been investigated. The selection of TiO2 nanoparticles is based on the easy access in the market and the gap recognized; in previous literature, these nanoparticles were added to biodiesel or n-butanol blends. The proposed combined fuel in this study contains 2.5 ppm TiO2 nanoparticles dissolved in 1200 [ml] water and added to 60 [Lit] base diesel fuel. The results of the aforementioned combined fuel have been compared with the base diesel fuel. It has been observed that applying nano-additives improves the mechanical performance of the diesel engine, such as power, torque, brake-specific fuel consumption, and thermal efficiency. Moreover, soot, unburned hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide have declined by 2.78%, 3.55%, and 3.32%, respectively, due to TiO2 nanoparticles' catalytic effect on fuel combustion. However, the amount of NOx has increased up to 3.09% because of the high cycle temperature.

Osmotic Pressure as Driving Force for Reducing the Size of Nanoparticles in Emulsions.

We describe here a method to decrease particle size of nanoparticles synthesized by miniemulsion polymerization. Small nanoparticles or nanocapsules were obtained by generating an osmotic pressure to induce the diffusion of monomer molecules from the dispersed phase of a miniemulsion before polymerization to an upper oil layer. The size reduction is dependent on the difference in concentration of monomer in the dispersed phase and in the upper oil layer and on the solubility of the monomer in water. By labeling the emulsion droplets with a copolymer of stearyl methacrylate and a polymerizable dye, we demonstrated that the migration of the monomer to the upper hexadecane layer relied on molecular diffusion rather than diffusion of monomer droplets to the oil layer. Moreover, surface tension measurements confirmed that the emulsions were still in the miniemulsion regime and not in the microemulsion regime. The particle size can be tuned by controlling the duration during which the miniemulsion stayed in contact with the hexadecane layer, the interfacial area between the miniemulsion and the hexadecane layer and by the concentration of surfactant. Our method was applied to reduce the size of polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles, nanocapsules of a copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylic acid, and silica nanocapsules. This work demonstrated that a successful reduction of nanoparticle size in the miniemulsion process can be achieved without using excess amounts of surfactant. The method relies on building osmotic pressure in oil droplets dispersed in water which acts as semipermeable membrane.

Nanoparticle Emulsions Enhance the Inhibition of NLRP3.

Antibacterial delivery emulsions are potential materials for treating bacterial infections. Few studies have focused on the role and mechanism of emulsions in inflammation relief. Therefore, based on our previous analysis, in which the novel and natural Pickering emulsions stabilized by antimicrobial peptide nanoparticles were prepared, the regulation effect of emulsion on inflammasome was explored in silico, in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, the interactions between inflammasome components and parasin I or Pickering emulsion were predicted by molecular docking. Then, the inflammasome stimulation by different doses of the emulsion was tested in RAW 264.7 and THP-1 cells. Finally, in Kunming mice with peritonitis, NLRP3 and IL-1β expression in the peritoneum were evaluated. The results showed that the Pickering emulsion could combine with ALK, casp-1, NEK7, or NLRP3 to affect the assembly of the NLRP3 and further relieve inflammation. LPNE showed a dose–dependent inhibition effect on the release of IL-1β and casp-1. With the concentration of parasin I increased from 1.5 mg/mL to 3 mg/mL, the LDH activity decreased in the chitosan peptide-embedded nanoparticles emulsion (CPENE) and lipid/peptide nanoparticles emulsion (LPNE) groups. However, from 1.5 to 6 mg/mL, LPNE had a dose–dependent effect on the release of casp-1. The CPENE and parasin I-conjugated chitosan nanoparticles emulsion (PCNE) may decrease the release of potassium and chloride ions. Therefore, it can be concluded that the LPNE may inhibit the activation of the inflammasome by decreasing LDH activity, potassium and chloride ions through binding with compositions of NLRP3.

Simvastatin-Loaded Lipid Emulsion Nanoparticles: Characterizations and Applications.

Simvastatin (SIM) is a diet drug to treat high lipid levels in the blood. It has the drawback of being metabolized in humans’ gastrointestinal tract (GIT) when taken in an oral dosage form. To enhance the role of SIM in treating hyperlipidemias and bypassing its metabolism in GIT, a biodegradable nanocarrier as a SIM-loaded lipid emulsion nanoparticle via the solvent injection method was designed. Cholesterol acts as a lipid core, and Tween 80 was utilized to stabilize the core. The optimized nanoformulation was characterized for its particle diameter, zeta potential, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency, crystallinity, and molecular interaction. Furthermore, the transdermal hydrogel was characterized by physical appearance, rheology, pH, and spreadability. In vitro assays were executed to gauge the potential of LENPs and olive oil for transdermal delivery. The mean particle size and zeta potential of the optimized nanoparticles were 174 nm and −22.5 mV 0.127, respectively. Crystallinity studies and Fourier transform infrared analyses revealed no molecular interactions. Hydrogels showed a sustained release compared to SIM-loaded LENPs that can be proposed as a better delivery system for SIM. We encourage further investigations to explore the effect of reported formulations for transdermal delivery by in vivo experiments.

Synergism between lipophilic surfactant and lipophilic SiO2 nanoparticles enhances self-emulsification performance

Water control technology for high-temperature and -salinity gas wells is immature, and there is a lack of effective water control methods for condensate gas reservoirs and horizontal wells. Water control can be achieved by conducting subsurface self-emulsification to generate nanoparticle emulsions (Pickering emulsions). While this has been tested in oilfields, the overall success rate is low. Elucidating the mechanism of nanoparticle and surfactant synergy would help to improve the success rate of using self-emulsifying water-in-oil (W/O) Pickering emulsions for water control in gas wells. In this study, a self-emulsification process was simulated based on the formation conditions of the Tahe gas well using an active oil (diesel containing 1 wt% non-ionic surfactant) containing various concentrations of nanoparticles. By measuring the droplet size, viscosity, viscoelasticity and high-temperature stability of the emulsion, and in combination with previous research results, the synergistic effects of nanoparticles and surfactant on the generation and stability of emulsions were clarified. Finally, we explored the conditions under which synergy at the oil-water interface occurs and whether the nanoparticle surfaces were secondarily modified under formation conditions. The strength of the synergistic effect in the self-emulsifying system was found to be strongest at a 1:1 nanoparticle-to-surfactant concentration ratio. The strength of the synergistic effect was proportional to the emulsion's volume, droplet size, viscosity, viscoelasticity and other properties. The most synergistic self-emulsifying emulsion had up to five times the volume of emulsions made at other oil-to-water ratios. The emulsion droplet size showed a bimodal distribution, with mean particle sizes of 3 μm and 100 μm, respectively. The viscosity of the emulsion generated at 80 °C reached 2000 mPa s−1 at room temperature (26 °C) and increased to 2500 mPa s−1 as the temperature increased to 80 °C. Viscoelastic tests at 80 °C show that the emulsion generated at a concentration ratio of 1:1 exhibited the greatest and most stable elastic properties and that agglomerations of emulsion plugging pore throats were not easily penetrated by subsurface fluids. At this point, the nanoparticles were uniformly distributed at the droplet interface and the particle surfaces remained unchanged. The mechanism by which the synergistic effect stabilizes the emulsion changed at high temperatures (140 °C). The nanoparticles at the interface were wrapped in a thick oil film of high viscosity, like the inner phase of an emulsion. Then, concave high-viscosity oil-phase channels were formed between the ‘emulsified-like nanoparticles’. This change at the oil-water interface ensured the stability of the W/O emulsion at high temperatures. The synergy between the surfactant and nanoparticles was primarily based on the formation of an emulsion at the oil-water interface by the surfactant, followed by the gradual adsorption of nanoparticles at the interface, which enhanced the emulsion properties. The nanoparticle interface did not undergo secondary modification under formation conditions, and the synergistic effect of the surfactant and nanoparticles remained dominated by electrostatic forces.

The antibacterial and biofilm inhibition activity of encapsulated silver nanoparticles in emulsions and its synergistic effect with E. coli bacteriophage

The paper investigates the efficiency of phage-nano combinational therapy in treating planktonic and biofilm bacteria. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by olive oil as a coating emulation and characterized. Then, the antibacterial activity, biofilm inhibition, and the compatibility of phage ZCEC5 with AgNPs were evaluated. The results revealed that AgNPs were effective against a wide range of bacteria including Enterobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus sciuri, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.6 to 3.15% and a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) ranged from 3.15 to 12.5%. As a model bacteria, E. coli O157:H7 was tested against the formulated AgNPs alone, and in combination with bacteriophage ZCEC5. While the MIC and MBC for E. coli treated with the AgNPs only were 1.1% and 3.15%, respectively, when combined with phage ZCEC5 (∼108 PFU/mL), the MIC and MBC were reduced to be 0.13% and 0.25%, respectively. Therefore, this paperwork introduces an antibacterial AgNPs against a wide spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, along with a novel combinational therapy of AgNPs and bacteriophage.