Natural Sponge Research Articles

Inspiration of marine sponges to design a structure for managing the coastal hydrodynamics and protection: numerical study

Climate changes and sediment discharge within the oceans trigger many problems, such as coastline erosion and coral reef extinction hazards. Therefore, it is crucial to control wave hydrodynamics in the desired manner to protect marine environments. To prevent the promotion of sedimentation, nature has its response. The tubular sponge is a marvelous animal. It has a perforated body and sucks nutrition and water from these perforations; then, it pumps the undigested materials out from the top outlet. In the current study, an apparatus inspired by natural tubular sponges (synthetic sponges) was designed. The computational fluid dynamics derived from the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations and image processing technique (surfaceLIC) was deployed to study how the synthetic sponge affects the wave hydrodynamics. The results revealed that the suction of the body and outflow shielding phenomenon of one sponge reduces the wave transmission by up to ≈7%. In addition, the swing motion of the jet by wave train and effluent cloud generation causes the shear on the sponge. Therefore, the momentum exchange enhances through the water column (≈46% increase of turbulent kinetic energy). It is similar to the swing behavior of flexible vegetation. Furthermore, the surfaceLIC result revealed that the effluent cloud shape changes to a pear shape, symmetric, stretched (transition), and asymmetric by increasing the pumping discharge to 600 L/h. Observing the chute–jet phenomenon by surfaceLIC also proved the diffraction and creation of a low-velocity zone in the shadow region, which is proof of a breaking wave due to the sponge’s suction/pumping and perforated body. Consequently, it can be concluded that a synthetic sponge can act as both rigid and flexible vegetation. The synthetic sponge is anticipated to mitigate sedimentation by creating unique vortices, circulating flow, and its body shape.

Multi-functional carboxymethyl chitosan/sericin protein/halloysite composite sponge with efficient antibacterial and hemostatic properties for accelerating wound healing

The development of wound dressings with hemostatic and antibacterial properties has attracted great attention. In this study, we prepared a multi-functional natural substance sponge (CMC/Ser-Ag/HNT) composed of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), sericin-silver nanoparticle (Ser-Ag), and halloysite (HNT). CMC/Ser-Ag/HNT sponge was demonstrated to bear desired hygroscopicity, porosity, compressive strength and compressive stability, cytocompatibility, and hemocompatibility. The mechanical properties (compressive strength of 100 kPa) and hemostatic capacity (hemostasis time of 15 ± 3 s in the liver injury model and 12 ± 3 s in the caudal injury model) were enhanced by introducing HNT into the CMC sponge. Ser-Ag was synthesized in situ via the redox nature of tyrosine residues in sericin in a “one-step, green” way to enhance the antibacterial activity of the hybrid sponge against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In addition, the rat full-thickness skin defect model experiments demonstrated that the CMC/Ser-Ag/HNT4 sponge significantly promoted epithelialization and collagen formation. Immunofluorescence staining assays revealed that the composite sponge reduced inflammation by downregulating the expression of IL-6 and enhanced angiogenesis by upregulating VEGF expression. All the findings demonstrated the great potential of CMC/Ser-Ag/HNT sponge as versatile clinical wound dressing, especially for hemorrhagic and infected wounds.

High-performance dual-sensitive flexible sensors based on conductive alginate sponge electrode/polyvinylidene fluoride microporous composite film

This work reported a novel dual-sensitive flexible sandwich sensor based on conductive natural biopolymers sponge electrode and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film with superiorities of high sensitivity, long lifespan and low density. The unique natural biopolymers sponge electrode, consisting of bidisperse magnetic particles and sodium alginate/chitosan (SA/CHI) with physically-crosslinked double-network structure, showed a high response capability to external magnetic fields. Besides, by combining the advantages of SA/CHI sponge electrode (high elasticity and flexibility) and PVDF film (exceptional stiffness and piezoelectricity), the SA/CHI/PVDF composite film also exhibited preferable mechanical strength and strain-dependent electrical property, which can simultaneously satisfy the requirements of high sensitivity detection to external magnetic fields and strains. Specifically, the relative resistance variation of SA/CHI/PVDF-1.00 sensor reached as high as 60.4% under a cycling loading of 240 mT magnetic field. Meanwhile, their electrical responses could also display a significant variation and relatively stable recoverability under periodic stretching, bending or compressing excitations. Afterwards, a potential working mechanism and equivalent circuit model were provided to study the magnetic/mechanic sensitivity of SA/CHI/PVDF sensors. Furthermore, a 4 × 4 SA/CHI/PVDF sensor array was developed to perceive and distinguish both magnetic field and compressive force, which indicated its favorable potential in wearable electronics and soft robotics.

Peroxymonosulfate activation through magnetic Fe3C/Fe doped biochar from natural loofah sponges for carbamazepine degradation

Taking advantage of the unique properties of the channel structure of loofah, a series of three-dimensional (3D) magnetic Fe3C/Fe-doped biochar was prepared by simple and feasible pyrolysis of the mixture of raw loofah sponges and FeCl3·6H2O, and used as the functional activator of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for carbamazepine (CBZ) removal. The optimized 0.5Fe@LSBC800 showed the optimum catalytic activity and almost complete CBZ was removed in the 0.5Fe@LSBC800/PMS system within 30 min, which was significantly higher than that of Fe0/PMS (44 %), Fe3O4/PMS (17 %), and Fe3C/PMS (45 %) systems due to the synergistic effect between the doped Fe species and 3D biochar with abundant nucleophilic groups (OH) and electrophilic groups (CO). Furthermore, the possible catalytic mechanism of PMS activation by 0.5Fe@LSBC800 was proposed based on the comprehensive characterization analysis, chemical probe experiments, and electron paramagnetic resonance test. The CBZ degradation pathways in the 0.5Fe@LSBC800/PMS system were proposed according to the detected degradation intermediates, and the ecotoxicity of CBZ and its by-products was evaluated. At last, the practical application potential of the 0.5Fe@LSBC800/PMS system was evaluated.

Renewable and eco-friendly ZnO immobilized onto dead sea sponge floating materials with dual practical aspects for enhanced photocatalysis and disinfection applications

In this study, we have investigated the role of natural dead sea sponge (DSS, Porifera) as a three-dimensional (3D) porous host substrate for the immobilization of nanostructured ZnO material towards the development of ZnO based floating photocatalysts for efficient removal of methylene blue (MB) dye under the illumination of sunlight. After photodegradation, the treated water after dye degradation contains several pathogens, different disinfectants or chemical reagents that are essentially used. This is not the case for DSS as it can naturally kill any pathogens during the wastewater treatment process. To explore these functions, ZnO nanosheets were incorporated onto DSS via hydrothermal protocol and the as prepared ZnO/DSS hybrid material exhibited approximately ∼100% degradation efficiency for the removal of MB. Importantly, the degradation kinetics associated with the fabricated ZnO/DSS was remarkably accelerated as evidenced by the high values of degradation reaction rate constants (3.35 × 10–2 min−1). The outperformance of ZnO/DSS could be attributed to the adsorption caused by its 3D porous structure together with the high rapid oxidation of MB. Furthermore, the high charge separation of electron–hole pairs, natural porosity, and abundant catalytic sites offered by the hybrid ZnO/DSS floating photocatalyst have enabled quantitative (∼100%) degradation efficiency for MB. Finally, the excellent reusability results confirm the feasibility of using natural ZnO/DSS-based photocatalyst for practical solution of wastewater treatment and other environmental problems.

Green synthesis of loofah-based biosorbent via radiation grafting for effective removal of methylene blue

A new loofah-based biosorbent with high adsorption capacity for cationic dye was synthesized by a one-step co-radiation grafting method. The successful grafting of sodium 4-vinylbenzene sulfonate (SSS) onto loofah sponge (LFs) through electron beam radiation can significantly improve the remove capacity of methylene blue in wastewater. The biosorbent with a 409.67 mg/g of uptake capacity for methylene blue (MB), was higher than most of the loofah based adsorbents reported. FT-IR, elemental analysis, XRD, SEM and TG were used to analyze the changes in the functional group composition, element content, morphology, thermal stability of the obtained biosorbent. The pH, contact time, temperature and the effect of dosage on adsorption were also investigated. The results showed that the adsorption behavior well accorded with the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir adsorption model, which proved that the adsorption was a single-layered and chemisorption process. The thermodynamic parameters suggested a spontaneous and endothermic process. XPS analysis confirmed a potential adsorption mechanism was based on hydrogen bond interaction, electrostatic interaction and π-π stacking. Additionally, the adsorbent owned outstanding reusability, which could be reused five times with a slight reduction of removal rate. Overall, this research enriches the MB trapping agent and provides a new methods for the reuse of waste natural loofah sponge, and it will be a valuable research with the advantages of low cost and less environmental pollution.

Long noncoding RNA uc.230/CUG-binding protein 1 axis sustains intestinal epithelial homeostasis and response to tissue injury.

Intestinal epithelial integrity is commonly disrupted in patients with critical disorders, but the exact underlying mechanisms are unclear. Long noncoding RNAs transcribed from ultraconserved regions (T-UCRs) control different cell functions and are involved in pathologies. Here, we investigated the role of T-UCRs in intestinal epithelial homeostasis and identified T-UCR uc.230 as a major regulator of epithelial renewal, apoptosis, and barrier function. Compared with controls, intestinal mucosal tissues from patients with ulcerative colitis and from mice with colitis or fasted for 48 hours had increased levels of uc.230. Silencing uc.230 inhibited the growth of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and organoids and caused epithelial barrier dysfunction. Silencing uc.230 also increased IEC vulnerability to apoptosis, whereas increasing uc.230 levels protected IECs against cell death. In mice with colitis, reduced uc.230 levels enhanced mucosal inflammatory injury and delayed recovery. Mechanistic studies revealed that uc.230 increased CUG-binding protein 1 (CUGBP1) by acting as a natural decoy RNA for miR-503, which interacts with Cugbp1 mRNA and represses its translation. These findings indicate that uc.230 sustains intestinal mucosal homeostasis by promoting epithelial renewal and barrier function and that it protects IECs against apoptosis by serving as a natural sponge for miR-503, thereby preserving CUGBP1 expression.

Preparation of methacrylated hyaluronate/methacrylated collagen sponges with rapid shape recovery and orderly channel for fast blood absorption as hemostatic dressing

Uncontrolled hemorrhage of deep, narrow, and non-compressible perforating wounds is responsible for many trauma deaths. In this study, a rapid hemostatic sponge with an orderly channel based on methacrylated collagen (ColMA) was prepared via directional freeze-drying technology. The methacrylated hyaluronate (HAMA) was added to further enhance the mechanical properties of the sponge. The sponge presents excellent mechanical strength, rapid shape recovery, and absorption speed, which was faster than those of many reported natural polymer hemostatic sponges. Moreover, ColMA/HAMA sponge showed much better blood-clotting capacity and superior hemostasis performance than commercially available collagen sponges in vitro and in the rat-liver injury model. This study demonstrated a feasible strategy to construct the rapid hemostatic sponge with an orderly channel for the deep and non-compressible perforating wound.

Sustainable, biodegradable, and recyclable bio-sponge for rapid and practical bioremediation of dye from water

For the first time, a simple synthesis of an ionically cross-linked tree gum-based sponge with structural stability was investigated for effective cationic dye adsorption. Hierarchical three-dimensional structures were formed between gum kondagogu (K) and sodium alginate (S) primarily through hydrogen bonding, and enhanced further by Ca2+ ionic crosslinking. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, TGA, SEM, and micro-CT were used to characterize the sponge. The adsorption capacity of the sponge for the cationic dye, methylene blue (MB), was studied as a function of pH, dosage, reaction time, and initial dye concentrations. The MB adsorption of the sponge in the present work (1250 mg g−1) shows a higher adsorption capacity than many other natural sponges. The maximum adsorption was recorded at pH 9, and recyclability without significant loss of efficiency for five adsorption cycles was also obtained. Furthermore, pseudo-second order kinetics and the Langmuir adsorption isotherm fit the experimental results well. This biodegradable adsorbent is a promising material for cost-effective wastewater treatment via waste-to-resource conversion.

Magnetically recyclable nanocomposites via lanthanide-based MOFs grown on natural sea sponge: Screening hydrogenation of nitrophenol to aminophenol

Catalysts have played a significant role in chemical industries and received significant attention as a result. Unfortunately, many common catalytic systems are comprised of a small number of elemental species or use similar synthetic strategies, which potentially limit innovation in areas such as the discovery of new transformations. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been established as versatile materials employed in various applications that include catalysis; however, the majority of MOFs have been synthesized using transition metal building blocks, possibly hindering advances towards innovative materials with unique properties. This work reports the synthesis of MOFs based on lanthanide elements (Ln = Ce, Gd, La, and Sm), which demonstrate great potential yet are often overlooked. The Ln-based MOFs were grown in situ on natural sea sponge supports and Fe ion containing solution, followed by a thermal carbonization treatment to generate FeLn metal nanoparticles (NPs) embedded on carbon support (FeLn@C). These nanostructured products exhibited good crystallinity and well-confined particle sizes. We then demonstrate that these hybrid materials can be used as effective heterogeneous nanocatalysts for the hydrogenation of nitrophenol to aminophenol in aqueous media. Besides, FeLn@C catalysts had a magnetic property due to Fe atoms in the NPs, which can be mechanically separated out from the aqueous solution since the catalysts are magnetically attracted to the external magnets. This magnetic recyclability combined with the usage of the natural materials highlight the importance of sustainability in the design of Ln-based MOFs and their catalytic applications.

Abstract 1538: Association of ceRNA dysregulation with clinical Response to Immunotherapy in cutaneous melanoma (CM)

Abstract Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is an aggressive malignant tumor of epidermal melanocytes for which treatment options and survival chances decrease dramatically when metastatic. To date, immunotherapy is becoming a new standard treatment for CM although less than 30% of the patients´ response positively. Therefore, there is a strong interest to identify response predictors and molecular pathways that might lead to therapy failure. Two novel biomarker sources are LncRNA and CircRNA which can function as natural sponges of miRNA as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) or can associate to RNA-Binding Proteins (RBP) to regulate gene expression. Moreover, several studies have revealed that ceRNA networks are implicated in tumorigenic processes. Considering this, we set to interrogate the role of the ceRNA in the prediction of response to CM immunotherapy. In this pilot study, differential expression was quantified by RNA-seq in 16 FFPE pre-treatment metastatic samples from CM patients treated with Nivolumab. Total RNA isolation was performed from 10 µm slides (4) with RNAeasy FFPE kit. Total RNAseq was done with Truseq Stranded RNA gold kit, and libraries were sequenced on Illumina Nextseq 550. LncRNA were obtained by STARs alignment and explored on LncATLAS. To assess the presence of high confident cirRNA we used 5 different pipelines with a minimum filtering cut-off of 2 junction reads in at least 2 samples and with at least 3 software. Deseq2 pipeline of total mapped reads was used to perform differential expression. We identified 23 circRNA and 74 lncRNA differentially expressed (DE) with a fold change of 1.5 and a p value < 0,01. Ingenuity pathway analysis was carried out to generate DE ceRNA-mRNA networks and associated RBP networks. Interestingly, in the DE ceRNA-mRNA networks, most of the 47 significant canonical pathways comprised immunological pathways such the antigen presentation pathway, Th1 and Th2 activation pathways and PD1-PDL1 cancer immunotherapy pathways. Regarding the DE ceRNA associated RBP networks, HOTAIR regulatory pathway and senescence as well as G1/S cell cycle checkpoint regulator pathways were enriched. Furthermore, we were able to predict the interaction of the DE ceRNA with the activation of key promoters of the immune response such as IL27 (Interleukin 27), EIB3 (Epstein-Barr Virus Induced 3), IL2 (Interleukin 2) and IFNA2 (Interferon Alpha2), as well as the inhibition of negative immune regulators such as SAFB2 (Distal-Less Homeobox 2) and FOXD1 (Forkhead Box D1). In conclusion, we have evidenced for the first time the potential utility of ceRNA as immunotherapy predictors. We have generated a response signature of ceRNA expression and used network analysis to associate them with specific key modulators of the immune response. This study opens a new venue for the investigation of the role of these regulatory ncRNA in the resistance to immunotherapy in cancer. Citation Format: Javier Oliver, Juan Luis Onieva, Maria Garrido-Barros, Alicia Garrido-Aranda, Vanessa De Luque, Martina Alvarez, Alfonso Sanchez, Elisabeth Perez, Patricia Chaves, Maria Jose Lozano, Miguel Berciano, Manolo Cobo, Emilio Alba, Antonio Rueda, Isabel Barragan. Association of ceRNA dysregulation with clinical Response to Immunotherapy in cutaneous melanoma (CM) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1538.

3D Bioprinted Artificial Breast Cancer Tumor Disks: A New Tool for Understanding Intra‐tumor Heterogeneity?

Recently the UWRF Tissue and Cellular Innovation Center and the Century College Biofabrication Program have engaged in a series of new collaborative research projects using bioprinting technology and methods to model and study in‐vitro 3D artificial tumor and stromal tissues. In this presentation, we report on results obtained from efforts to bioprint cancer disks using the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF‐7. This breast cancer cell line is considered to be one of the “gold standard” cultures to study this type tumor. In extensive previous studies in our lab using other 3D modeling methods, we have established a robust library of experience and data with these cells and artificial tissue constructs. In these new studies, bioprinting methods were applied to establish tumor structures which initially contained specific cell numbers per unit volume as well as relatively mono‐cellular distribution patterns. Both of these characteristics had been very difficult to predictably generate and control in earlier studies using precast or molded hydrogels made of chitosan and hyaluronic acid or decellularized natural marine sponge ECM. In this project, two distinct bioinks were tested including one called GelMa, a gelatin/methacrylate hydrogel and another called GelMa‐C which is basically the same, but with nanocellulose added to enhance the structural stability of constructs during printing. While both bioinks generated structures and tissues, the GelMa bioink specifically generated relatively transparent tumor structures that provided a unique window into the cell interactions and eventual early development of these artificial tumor tissues. Using a Cellink “Inkcredible” model printer loaned to the TCIC by Century College for the duration of this project, we printed tumor disks with a diameter of 5 mm and thickness of 2.5 mm and then cultured these in 6 well plates for up to 3 months. These breast cancer disks displayed features and tissue progression similar to that seen with the other methods used in our earlier work, while also providing new and unique insights into the interior artificial tumor tissue development in real‐time. These new observations also demonstrated a unique cell/tissue behavior in the resulting constructs that we hypothesize may directly address the origins of intra‐tumor heterogeneity of various cell subpopulations and their relative contributions to the overall tumor development. Future studies are planned to further evaluate and qualify these observations and to apply this new 3D artificial tissue tool to further elucidate cancer biology as a whole.

Comparison Between Bioprinted Tumor Disks and Pre‐cast Hydrogels or Decellularized Natural ECM as 3D Models to Study Artificial Melanoma In‐vitro

During the Spring and Summer of 2021, the UWRF Tissue and Cellular Innovation Center engaged in a series of new collaborative research projects using biofabrication methods to model and study in‐vitro 3D artificial tumor and stromal tissues. In this presentation, we report on results obtained from efforts to bioprint cancer tumor disks and larger cup‐like structures using mouse melanoma cell lines B16F1 and B16F10, both of which are considered broadly applicable cell models for this type of tumor. Our previous studies in 3D tumor modeling, using other methods, have established a robust library of experience and data using these cells. In these new studies, bioprinting methods were applied to establish tumor structures which contained specific cell numbers as well as initial mono‐cellular distribution patterns. Both of these characteristics have been very difficult to precisely control in earlier studies with precast or molded hydrogels made of chitosan and hyaluronic acid or decellularized natural marine sponge ECM. In these new studies, three distinct bioinks were tested and applied using a Cellink “Inkcredible” model printer. This unit was loaned to the TCIC by Century College for the duration of this research project. Two shapes of tumor tissues were designed and tested in this work. The first were disks with a diameter of 5 mm and thickness of 2.5 mm and the second was a larger “cup‐like” structure which had a diameter of 10 mm and height of 3 mm with a “cup” or “bowl” in the center that was 8 mm in diameter and had a depth of 2 mm. Several commercial bioinks, produced by the Cellink company were tested in the course of this work, including Cellink (alginate/cellulose), GelMa‐C (gelatin‐methacrylate/cellulose) and GelMa (gelatin‐methacrylate). These successfully generated tumor disks which were maintained in culture for at least 2‐3 weeks. In some cases, printed tissues were maintained for up to 8 weeks in culture. In all cases, these structures produced artificial tumor tissues which displayed significantly similar overall morphological features to those seen in earlier studies using non‐printed constructs. In addition, during the course of culture, significant tumor tissue progression was evident and lead to substantial development of further 3D features including branching pigmented and non‐pigmented structures and sphere‐like projections. Following 1‐2 weeks in culture, these tended to be released into the media and generally settled to the chamber floor where they essentially “explanted” and generated new post‐scaffold monolayers. The GelMa disks also offered a unique observational opportunity in that these were essentially clear and could be viewed throughout the full depth until tissues developed to such a degree as to obscure the lower tissues levels. This provided a unique insight into the internal organization of the developing tumors which we have not previously been able to visualize in real‐time. Future studies will focus on this capacity to study tumor development, progression and the onset of metastasis.

The long noncoding RNA uc.230/CUG‐binding protein 1 axis sustains intestinal epithelial homeostasis and response to tissue injury

BACKGROUND & AIMSThe mammalian intestinal epithelium is colonized by complex microbiota and exposed to a wide variety of luminal noxious substances. Intestinal epithelial integrity is commonly disrupted in patients with critical disorders, but the exact underlying mechanisms are unclear. Long noncoding RNAs transcribed from ultraconserved regions (T‐UCRs) control different cell functions and are involved in gut pathologies. Here, we investigated the role of T‐UCRs in intestinal epithelial homeostasis and identified T‐UCR uc.230 as a major regulator of epithelial renewal, apoptosis, and barrier function.METHODSIntestinal mucosal tissues were collected from mice following dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) treatment or fasting, and from patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. We isolated primary enterocytes from the small intestine of mice and developed intestinal organoids. Levels of uc.230 were silenced in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and organoids by transfection with small interfering RNAs or elevated using a plasmid vector that overexpressed uc.230. Association of uc.230 with miR‐503 was determined by biotinylated RNA pulldown assays.RESULTSCompared with controls, intestinal mucosal tissues from mice with DSS‐induced colitis or fasted for 48 h and from patients with ulcerative colitis had increased levels of uc.230. The uc.230 content in Crohn’s disease tissues was the same as in control tissue. Silencing uc.230 inhibited the growth of IECs and intestinal organoids and resulted in epithelial barrier dysfunction. Silencing uc.230 also increased IEC vulnerability to apoptotic cell death, whereas increasing uc.230 levels protected IECs against apoptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that uc.230 increased CUG‐binding protein 1 (CUGBP1) by acting as a natural decoy RNA for miR‐503, which interacts with Cugbp1 mRNA and represses its translation.CONCLUSIONSOur results indicate that uc.230 sustains intestinal mucosal homeostasis by promoting epithelial renewal and barrier function and protects IECs against apoptosis at least in part by serving as a natural sponge for miR‐503, thereby preserving CUGBP1 expression.

Superhydrophobic and super-oleophilic natural sponge sorbent for crude oil/water separation

In this study, the separation of hydrocarbon derivatives from the water surface, one of the world's significant problems and challenges, was solved by synthesizing a superhydrophobic and super-oleophilic luffa sponge (LS) in an easy, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly way. Using design expert 12 software, the values of graphene, wax, and time to absorb oil from the water surface were optimized. The optimal amounts of graphene, wax, and time were obtained at 0.108 g, 0.338 g, and 2.587 minutes, respectively. The TGA analysis showed that the modified luffa sponge was temperature decomposed between 348.1 and 394.3 °C and finally decomposed and carbonized completely at 497.2 °C. Also, the modified luffa sponge's hydrophobicity was investigated by contact angle analysis. The results displayed that the modified sponge's contact angle with wax and graphene was 158°, which confirmed the modified luffa sponge's super-hydrophobicity. In addition, the sorption efficiency of the modified Luffa sponge was higher than 91.32%, and oil/water sorption capacity was larger than 11.92 (g/g). Also, the average oil of recovery after 10 cycles maintains separation sorption of around 91.32%. Finally, luffa sponge/ graphene/ carnauba and beeswax can be used as biodegradable, super-hydrophobic, and super-oleophilic sorbents in the industry.

Polydopamine-Coated Natural Rubber Sponge for Highly Efficient Vapor Generation.

The global water crisis is becoming more and more serious, and solar steam generation has recently been investigated for clean water production and wastewater treatment. However, the efficiency of solar vapor transfer is still low. It is a great challenge to find photothermal materials which simultaneously have high energy transfer efficiency, facile production, and are low cost. To address this, we propose a method which is simple, low cost and suitable for large-scale preparation to fabricate the photothermal materials based on using recycled natural rubber sponge (NRS) coated with polydopamine (PDA). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis confirmed that when the PDA coated the surface of the NRS, the hydrophilicity of the sponge was significantly improved. Scanning electron microscopy characterization showed that the PDA-coated natural rubber sponge (PNRS) maintained the porous 3D skeleton of the pristine sponge. As a result, PNRS exhibits excellent photothermal properties, a very high evaporation rate of 1.35 kg m−2 h−1, and an energy transfer efficiency of 84.6% can be achieved under a light intensity of 1 sun (1 kW m−2). It is worth noting that the vapor generation of PNRS is still at a high level with 1.06 and 1.09 kg m−2 h−1 in the corrosive liquids of 1 M H2SO4 and 0.5 M NaOH, respectively. The photothermal materials based on using recycled NRS have good application prospects in seawater desalination and the purification of wastewater, which also provides a new method for the recycling of waste NRS.

Microfibrillated cellulose-enhanced carboxymethyl chitosan/oxidized starch sponge for chronic diabetic wound repair

Herein, a novel microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) reinforced natural polymer-based sponge composed of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and oxidized starch (OS) with hemostatic, repairing-promoting, and antimicrobial performances was fabricated for chronic wound repair. When the content of MFC reached 1.2 wt%, the prepared sponge exhibited ultra-fast water or blood-trigged shape recovery property within 3 s. Moreover, sponge was functionally modified with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and recombinant humanized collagen type III (rhCol III). The AgNPs and rhCol III loaded sponge (A-Ag/III) could effectively kill a broad spectrum of pathogenic microbes, promote the proliferation and migration of L929 cells in vitro. Due to their erythrocyte-aggregating ability and positive-charge feature of CMC, the A-Ag/III displayed rapid hemostasis ability. Furthermore, the in vivo animal experiment demonstrated the A-Ag/III could promote wound repair by inhibiting inflammation, promoting angiogenesis, and cell proliferation.

A novel dermal delivery system using natural spicules for cosmetics and therapeutics.

Dermal delivery is versatile in therapeutics as well as cosmetics in pursuit of enhancing safety/efficacy and alleviating pain/fear to alternate oral/injective administrations. Natural siliceous spicules offer a potential approach via simple topical medications to circumvent poor penetrations through the skin barrier by loading, carrying, and releasing the active ingredients in a highly efficient and controlled manner. The delivery of ingredients loaded on spicules is assessed to improve the dermal efficacy compared to simple topical treatments. First, needle-like spicules were isolated from natural freshwater sponges. Then, the active ingredient was loaded via liposome formations. Finally, the dermal efficiency was evaluated. Natural siliceous spicules were purified, sorted, and fully characterized to appear 250μm of length and 12μm of diameter on average. A model ingredient, pectolinarin, was efficiently loaded onto the internal space of spicules via lecithin-based liposome formations. The penetration was visualized using a porcine skin sample with a fluorescent dye and assessed quantitatively by a Franz diffusion cell system. Dermal absorption rate was measured 73.4%, while the percutaneous penetration rate was 2.2%. The release pattern turned out a simple diffusion analyzed by Fick's law and Higuchi model. The liposomes loaded onto spicules were further stabilized by a hydrophobic capsulation, which may benefit the overall efficacy of the ingredient. A novel dermal delivery system is beneficial to improve the topical efficacy of biologically active ingredients. The outcomes shed a light upon developing skin-protective/improving cosmetics and therapeutics with enhanced performance.

Mechanochemical modification of biochar-attapulgite nanocomposites for cadmium removal: Performance and mechanisms

Biochar prepared from natural loofah sponge has been used as adsorbent for the removal of contaminates or soil amendment, but the performance is still less than satisfactory. Herein, loofah sponge biochar-attapulgite nanocomposites were prepared through mechanochemical process. The Si-O-C and more oxygen-containing functional groups were found on the surface of nanocomposites by FT-IR, which provides great contributions to the effective removal of Cd(II). Moreover, Si2p peak at 102.9 eV occurred in XPS of biochar-attapulgite composites. Batch adsorption experiments were investigated to compare cadmium adsorption performance of origin biochar (B450), ball-milled biochar (BM450) and nanocomposites (BxPyM). The measured maximum adsorption capacity of B1P1M (mass ratio = 1:1) for Cd(II) with the initial concentration 200 mg L−1 is 102.26 mg g−1, which is approximate two times than that of pristine biochar. Moreover, the rapid removal of Cd(II) (C0 = 25 mg L−1) on B1P1M reached 76.0% in the initial 5 min. The modified model of Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order fit the Cd(II) adsorption data well. The mechanism for Cd(II) removal may be attributed to the synergistic effects of silicate precipitate, acid-oxygenated groups complexation, and electrostatic-type interaction. Therefore, biochar-attapulgite composite (B1P1M) could be used as an environmentally friendly adsorbent on account of low cost and fast adsorption rate for waste water treatment on an industrial level.

Efective drainage of rainwater from roads by rain garden-strips in the concept of the city-sponge

Today there is a problem of flooding of urban areas with rainwater and their slow drainage to rainwater sewage and further to the distribution collectors. There are several ways to ensure the resilience of urban areas to heavy rains and downpours. One of the current methods is "green" roofs (horizontal or sloping) ith green plantings, which is capable to absorb water. A certain amount of water is absorbed by the plants, its certain amount remains in the substratum, and the rest is filtered by several layers of the structure under the plants, which throttles the movement of it to the storm-water sewage. The second method is to collect rainwater in special storage tanks, which are located on the roof or near to the building or in the soil structure in the yard. The accumulated water is used for household needs: watering lawns, washing, flushing toilets, washing floors, cleaning pavements, etc. The third method is to absorb water and drain it by natural biological terrestrial sponge facilities: permeable surfaces, sloping terrain, natural vegetation, green structures, rain gardens, etc. These correspond to the modern concept of "sponge city". The authors propose a method of rapid drainage of rainwater using special "green structures" – rain-garden bands along the roadways. The ability to capture water by rain-garden bands has been confirmed on the example of most of the regional centres of Ukraine in case of the strongest observed precipitation. Such rapid drainage becomes especially important in the transition from cities for cars to cities for bicycles. This increases the requirements to avoid slippery roads for increasing the stability of these vehicles. In addition, the proposed rain gardens with shrubs can perform safe protective functions by extinguishing the kinetic energy of bouncing cars during a road accident.