Small Particle Size Research Articles

Investigation on antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and neuropsychiatry potential of phyto-mediated ZnONPs using Colebrookeaoppositifolia

The present study reports the phyto-mediated synthesis of ZnONPs using methanol extracts and n-Butanol fractions from the roots and leaves of C. oppositifolia. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, and XPS techniques to determine their crystallite structure, elemental composition, surface topography, and physio-chemical properties. Furthermore, the biological potential of ZnONPs was evaluated for antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and in vitro cytotoxic potential on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell lines. Notably, LEME-ZnONPs exhibited exceptional antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 30.200 μg/mL in the DPPH assay. The antimicrobial efficacy was also remarkable, displaying high maximum activity against bacterial strains, evidenced by zones of inhibition (ZOI) measuring 15.67 ± 0.58 mm (E. coli) and 14.67 ± 0.58 mm (S. aureus) for RTME-ZnONPs, attributable to their small crystallite size. Similarly, against antifungal strains, LEBF-ZnONPs (60.94 ± 0.83 %) and RTBF-ZnONPs (60.85 ± 0.74 %) exhibited potency to inhibit both F. oxysporum and R. necatrix due to their small particle size. Furthermore, LEBF-ZnONPs demonstrated superior anti-inflammatory properties, registering an impressive 98.681 %, outperforming Diclofenac sodium (96.835 %). Importantly, the phyto-mediated ZnONPs exhibited minimal cytotoxicity on SH-SY5Y cell lines at 62.5 μg/mL, a concentration employed as an experimental model to assess neuronal function. The multifaceted applications of phyto-mediated ZnONPs extend across various fields, including pharmaceutical sciences, agriculture, and the treatment of neurological diseases.

Sustainable Sol‐Gel Approach for Visible Light‐Responsive Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Efficient Diazinon Removal

AbstractThis study addresses water pollution challenges by employing photocatalysis as an effective solution. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) with unique characteristics is widely utilized in this approach. However, the design of nanosized TiO2 particles is crucial for enhancing photocatalytic performance during diazinon's photodegradation. As such, the TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via the green sol‐gel method in this study, exhibit a mixed anatase‐brookite phase, a small particle size of 11.17 nm, and lower bandgap energy (3.00 eV) than pure anatase TiO2 of 3.20 eV, rendering them active under visible light. DFTB calculation was deployed to investigate the role of oxygen vacancies in reducing the bandgap energy. Experimentally measured (3.00 eV) and computationally (2.812 eV) determined bandgap energies align well. The TiO2 NPs demonstrate significant photocatalytic efficacy, degrading 73.3 % of diazinon within 210 min under sunlight, with a mineralization degree of 43.50 %, and 2‐isopropyl‐6‐methylpyrimidin‐4‐ol (IMP) was detected as the intermediate product. The photodegradation follows first‐order kinetics, and adsorption isotherm analysis fits the Langmuir model. ⋅O2− is identified as the predominant reactive oxygen species in the diazinon's photodegradation. Hence, the synthesized TiO2 NPs offer good reusability, maintaining a degradation efficiency of 67.4 % even after five cycles, showing good potential for wastewater treatment applications.

“Click” amphotericin B in prodrug nanoformulations for enhanced systemic fungemia treatment

Severe nephrotoxicity and infusion-related side effects pose significant obstacles to the clinical application of Amphotericin B (AmB) in life-threatening systemic fungal infections. In pursuit of a cost-effective and safe formulation, we have introduced multiple phenylboronic acid (PBA) moieties onto a linear dendritic telodendrimer (TD) scaffold, enabling effective AmB conjugation via boronate chemistry through a rapid, high yield, catalysis-free and dialysis-free “Click” drug loading process. Optimized AmB-TD prodrugs self-assemble into monodispersed micelles characterized by small particle sizes and neutral surface charges. AmB prodrugs sustain drug release in circulation, which is accelerated in response to the acidic pH and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the infection and inflammation. Prodrugs mitigate the AmB aggregation status, reduce cytotoxicity and hemolytic activity compared to Fungizone®, and demonstrate superior antifungal activity to AmBisome®. AmB-PEG5kBA4 has a comparable maximum tolerated dose (MTD) to AmBisome®, while over 20-fold increase than Fungizone®. A single dose of AmB-PEG5kBA4 demonstrates superior efficacy to Fungizone® and AmBisome® in treating systemic fungal infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised mice.

In Situ Carbon-Confined MoSe2 Catalyst with Heterojunction for Highly Selective CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol

The synthesis of methanol from CO2 hydrogenation is an effective measure to deal with global climate change and an important route for the chemical fixation of CO2. In this work, carbon-confined MoSe2 (MoSe2@C) catalysts were prepared by in situ pyrolysis using glucose as a carbon source. The physico-chemical properties and catalytic performance of CO2 hydrogenation to yield methanol were compared with MoSe2 and MoSe2/C. The results of the structure characterization showed MoSe2 displayed few layers and a small particle size. Owing to the synergistic effect of the Mo2C-MoSe2 heterojunction and in situ carbon doping, MoSe2@C with a suitable C/Mo mole ratio in the precursor showed excellent catalytic performance in the synthesis of methanol from CO2 hydrogenation. Under the optimal catalyst MoSe2@C-55, the selectivity of methanol reached 93.7% at a 9.7% conversion of CO2 under optimized reaction conditions, and its catalytic performance was maintained without deactivation during a continuous reaction of 100 h. In situ diffuse infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy studies suggested that formate and CO were the key intermediates in CO2 hydrogenation to methanol.

Development of posaconazole nanocrystalline solid dispersion: preparation, characterization and in vivo evaluation

Objective: Posaconazole (PCZ) is an antifungal drug, which acts by inhibiting the lanosterol-14α-demethylase enzyme. It is a biopharmaceutical classification system class II drug with its bioavailability being limited by poor aqueous solubility. The aim of this study was to improve the oral bioavailability of PCZ by preparing nanocrystalline solid dispersion (NCS). Methods: PCZ-NCS was prepared by a combination of precipitation and high-pressure homogenization followed by freeze-drying. Several different surfactants and polymers were screened to produce NCS with smaller particle size and higher stability. Results: The optimized NCS formulation containing 0.2% Eudragit S100 and 0.2% SLS was found to provide the average particle size of 73.31 ± 4.7 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.23 ± 0.03. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the preparation of homogeneous and rounded particles. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction confirmed crystalline nature of NCS. Nanonization increased the saturation solubility of PCZ by about 18-fold in comparison with the neat drug. Intrinsic dissolution study showed 93% dissolution of PCZ within the first 10 min. In vivo pharmacokinetic study in Wistar rats showed that Cmax and AUC total of PCZ-NCS increased by 2.58 and 2.64-fold compared to the marketed formulation. Conclusion: PCZ-NCS formulation presents a viable approach for enhancing the oral bioavailability of PCZ.

Preparation and thermal conductivity of bimodal diamond particles reinforced phenolic resin composites

AbstractThermal conductive polymer composites have broad application prospects in the field of thermal management. However, due to intrinsically low thermal conductivity of polymers, even if fillers with high mass fraction are filled, the thermal conductivity of polymer composites cannot be significantly improved. In this paper, bimodal diamond particles (70 wt.% 150 μm and 22 wt.% 25 μm) were incorporated into phenolic resin to construct continuous heat transfer pathways by close packing, thereby enhancing its thermal conductivity. The results indicated that diamond particles with smaller particle size can effectively bridge the gaps between larger ones, forming a continuous for heat conduction. As a result, a maximum thermal conductivity value of 12.45 W/(m·K) can be achieved, which is 65.5 times, 9.8 times and 8.4 times higher than pure phenolic resin, 25 μm diamond particles reinforced phenolic resin composite and 150 μm diamond particles reinforced phenolic resin composite, respectively. Furthermore, heat dissipation and water cooling experiments also confirm the superior heat dissipation performance of phenolic resin composites reinforced with bimodal diamond particles. When the heating voltage is 10 V and the water cooling rate is 30 mL/min, the upper surface temperature of bimodal diamond composites is 129.2°C lower than that of pure phenolic resin. This investigation provides a new type of polymer composite with high thermal conductivity, which has promising prospects for application in thermal management. It also provides new insights for preparing polymer composites with high thermal conductivity by close packing of bimodal particles.Highlights Surface modification of the filler enhances its combination with resin. The interfacial bonding will be enhanced by D–OH bond on diamond surface. Bimodal diamond particles lead to the formation of a closely packed structure. This special structure can form a three‐dimensional heat conduction network. The highest TC of the DD/PR composite is 12.45 W/(m·K).

Advanced g-C3N4 and bimetallic FeNi-BTC integration with carbon quantum dots for removal of microplastics and antibiotics in aqueous environments

In this study, a novel approach was undertaken by integrating the photocatalyst graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with FeNi-BTC (BTC: Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid) and carbon quantum dots (CQDs) to enhance the interaction between semiconductors. The g-C3N4/CQD/FeNi-BTC material was synthesized using an environmentally friendly method that eschews the use of harmful solvents, using a combination of hydrothermal and microwave methods. The resulting material boasts a large pore volume (1.192 cm3g–1), a high surface area (1090 m2g–1), a small particle size (40–60 nm), and the capability to absorb visible light (2.27–2.52 eV). This material demonstrates remarkable efficiency in adsorbing microplastics, including polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), at a concentration of 1200 mg L–1, achieving nearly 100% efficiency in just 45 minutes. Additionally, the g-C3N4/CQD/FeNi-BTC material shows significant effectiveness in degrading tetracycline, with an efficiency of 98.28% after 90 minutes of exposure to visible light irradiation. The study extensively explores factors that influence the pollutant treatment process, including time, concentration, pH value, temperature and the water source. The process of adsorbing MP on g-C3N4/CQD/Fe8Ni2BTC material is mainly physical adsorption, following pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics, endothermic reaction (ΔH > 0), and the adsorption process occurs spontaneously (ΔG < 0). This comprehensive approach provides valuable insights into the potential of the g-C3N4/CQD/FeNi-BTC material for treating pollutants in a range of aquatic environments, highlighting its versatility and effectiveness in environmental remediation.

Preparation and characterization of azelnidipine-loaded D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) / solutol micelles

Azelnidipine is a calcium-channel antagonist classified as a “class 2” drug with high permeability and low aqueous solubility. It is used in the treatment of angina pectoris and hypertension without reflex tachycardia. Improvement of the solubility of azelnidipine and increasing drug’s bioavailability can be achieved through the drug encapsulation in solutol / D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) micelles. Six formulas were prepared by direct disso¬lution after using different amounts of solutol and TPGS. TPGS and solutol act as solubilizers, permeation enhancers, and P-glycoprotein inhibitors. The particle size, particle size distribution, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency were determined. Depending on particle size and entrapment efficiency, formula #6 was selected and subjected to in vitro dilution stability and in vitro release studies. The results obtained showed that formula #6 was the best formula, with a high entrapment efficiency percentage equal to 86.5%±0.58% and a small particle size equal to 21.9±7.75 nm that did not change significantly after dilution up to 100-fold; a fact that reveals the high thermodynamic and kinetic stability of the optimum formula. The formula #6 release profile showed a controlled release of the drug from micelles when compared to plain drug release. Based on these results, polymeric nanomicelles are regarded as a promising delivery system for azelnidipine.

Evaluating sugarcane bagasse fly ash as a sustainable cement replacement for enhanced performance

This study evaluated the potential of sugarcane bagasse fly ash, collected from boiler exhaust stacks via a bypass pipe, as a renewable supplementary cementitious material. The bagasse fly ash was ground into three different particle sizes (D50 of 10, 20, and 30 μm) and characterized in terms of morphology, porosity, specific surface area, and pozzolanic activity. The influence of the ashes on paste hydration was investigated using isothermal calorimetry. Mortars were then tested with 20% cement replacement by fly ash, analyzing packing density, compressive strength evolution, and durability against sulfuric acid. Results indicated the suitability of the fly ash as a supplementary cementitious material, with low contamination and greater pozzolanic activity at smaller particle sizes. This enhanced initial hydration and long-term strength, with finer ashes showing superior mechanical properties when compared to the reference mortar (an 8% increase). Mortars with fly ash exhibited higher packing density and reduced mass loss under sulfuric acid attack, but increased water absorption and capillarity, alongside decreased compressive strength compared to the reference. Briefly, the findings highlighted that the potential of bagasse fly ash as a promising low cost and eco-beneficial material for sustainable construction practices.

Effect of surface functional groups of polystyrene micro/nano plastics on the release of NOM from flocs during the aging process

Currently, the hidden risk of microplastics in the coagulation process has attracted much attention. However, previous studies aimed at improving the removal efficiency of microplastics and ignored the importance of interactions between microplastics and natural organic matter (NOM). This study investigated how polystyrene micro/nano particles impact the release of NOM during the aging of flocs formed by aluminum-based coagulants Al13 and AlCl3. The results elucidated that nano-particles with small particle sizes and agglomerative states are more likely to interact with coagulants. After 7 years of floc aging, the DOC content of the nano system decreased by more than 40%, while the micron system did not change significantly. During coagulation, the benzene rings in polystyrene particles form complexes with electrophilic aluminum ions through π-bonding, creating new Al-O bonds. NOM tends to adsorb at micro/nano plastic interfaces due to hydrophobic interactions and conformational entropy. In the aging process, the structure of PS-Al13 or PS-AlCl3 flocs and the functional groups on the surface of micro/nano plastics control the absorption and release of organic matter through hydrophobic, van der Waals forces, hydration, and polymer bridging. In the system with the addition of nano plastics, several DBPs such as TCAA, DCAA, TBM, DBCM and nitrosamines were reduced by more than 50%. The reaction order of different morphological structures and surface functional groups of microplastics to Al13 and AlCl3 systems is aromatic C-H > C-OH > C-O > NH2 > aromatic CC > aliphatic C-H and C-O>H-CO> NH2 >C-OH> aliphatic C-H. The results provided a new sight to explore the effect of micro/nano plastics on the release of NOM during flocs aging.

Dielectric And Mechanical Properties Of PLA-Carbon Composites

This study focuses on the development and characterization of Carbon-based Polylactide (PLA) composites for 3D printer filaments. The aim is to enhance the electrical and mechanical properties of PLA by incorporating recovered carbon black (RCB) in different mesh sizes (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mesh). Electrical impedance spectroscopy and dielectric constant measurements were performed to investigate the electrical properties of the composites. Results showed that the addition of RCB increased the dielectric constant, with values ranging from 2.5 to 7.1, indicating improved electrical performance. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed the dispersion of carbon particles within the composites, enhancing their electrical conductivity. The effect of RCB particle size on electrical properties was also explored, with smaller particle sizes (2000 mesh) resulting in the highest conductivity of 6.2 S/m. Tensile testing demonstrated that the addition of RCB increases the tensile strength of PLA, with values ranging from 28.6 MPa to 47.2 MPa, and the elastic modulus, ranging from 832 MPa to 1.56 GPa, depending on the mesh size. The optimal combination of RCB content and mesh size resulted in a composite with a tensile strength of 43.8 MPa. Overall, this research provides insights into the development of Carbon-based PLA composites with improved electrical and mechanical properties.

Yolk-shell FeS@N-doped carbon nanosphere as superior anode materials for sodium-ion batteries

Iron sulfides have shown great potential as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of their high sodium storage capacity and low cost. Nevertheless, iron sulfides generally exhibit unsatisfied electrochemical performance induced by sluggish electron/ion transfer and severe pulverization upon the sodiation/desodiation process. Herein, we constructed a yolk-shell FeS@NC nanosphere with an N-doped carbon shell and FeS particle core via a simple hydrothermal method, followed by in-situ polymerization and vulcanization. The FeS particles intimately coupled with N-doped carbon can accelerate the electron transfer, avoid severe volume expansion, and maintain structural stability upon repeated sodiation/desodiation process. Furthermore, the small particle size of FeS can shorten ion-diffusion distance and facilitate ion transportation. Therefore, the FeS@NC nanosphere shows excellent cycling performance and superior rate capability that it can deliver a high capacity of 520.1 mAh g−1 over 800 cycles at 2.0 A g−1 and a remarkable capacity of 625.9 mAh g−1 at 10.0 A g−1.

Li4SiO4-Based Heat Carrier Derived from Different Silica Sources for Thermochemical Energy Storage

Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) is one of the key technologies facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources and mitigating the climate crisis. Recently, Li4SiO4 has been reported to be a promising heat carrier material for TCES applications, owing to its moderate operation temperature and stability. During the synthetic processes, the properties of the Si source used directly influence the performance of derived Li4SiO4 materials; however, the internal relations and effects are not yet clear. Hence, in this work, six kinds of SiO2 sources with different phases, morphology, particle size, and surface area were selected to synthesize a Li4SiO4-based TCES heat carrier. The physicochemical properties of the SiO2 and the corresponding derived Li4SiO4 were characterized, and the comprehensive performance (e.g., heat storage/releasing capacity, rate, and cyclic stability) of the Li4SiO4 samples was systematically tested. It was found that the silica microspheres (SPs), which possess an amorphous phase, uniform micro-scale structure, and small particle size, could generate Li4SiO4 TCES materials with a highest initial capacity of 777.7 kJ/kg at 720 °C/900 °C under pure CO2. As a result, the SP-L showed an excellent cumulative heat storage amount of 5.84 MJ/kg within 10 heat-releasing/storage cycles, which was nearly 1.5 times greater than the value of Li4SiO4 derived from commonly used silicon dioxide. Furthermore, the effects of the utilized Si source on the performance of as-prepared Li4SiO4 and corresponding mechanisms were discussed, which offers guidance for the future selection of Si sources to produce high-performance Li4SiO4-based TCES heat carriers.

Effective removal of Rhodamine 6G (Basic Red-1) reactive dye using waxy corn starch in waste water of textile industry

The textile industry generates effluents containing toxic dyes, which have detrimental effects on the environment, including air, soil, and water contamination. These dyes also pose risks to human health and disrupt aquatic ecosystems. Developing ecological and cost-effective method to address this issue is a major challenge. This study focuses on utilizing waxy cornstarch, which exhibits unique properties such as high biodegradability, environmental compatibility, low sludge volume, small particle size, and high surface area (1.27 m2/g), for removing the reactive dye Rhodamine 6G (Basic Red-1) from textile wastewater. The composition of waxy cornstarch was analyzed, including determination of protein content using the Kjeldahl apparatus, as well as moisture content, ash content, and fine fiber content through experimental methods. The rate of dye removal from wastewater was assessed using a UV-spectrophotometer. The experimental design was selected, and trials were conducted using a glass testing apparatus. Dye removal rates were investigated at different dosages, temperatures, and pH ranges. The highest dye removal efficiency of 83.6% was achieved at a pH of 5, a temperature of 40 °C, and a coagulant dosage of 40 mg/l. These findings highlight the potential of waxy cornstarch as a natural coagulant for effective removal of Rhodamine 6G dye from textile wastewater.

Research on small target segmentation method in dual-energy X-ray images of coal and gangue based on APSO-C_Otsu

ABSTRACT Compared with wet coal preparation and traditional dry coal preparation, detection of coal and gangue with small particle size is a difficult problem for dual-energy X-ray separation technology. And small target segmentation is the premise of its detection, which is poor due to the fewer number of pixels and texture information in coal and gangue dual-energy X-ray images. So, the Otsu with crotch structure based on Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization (APSO) for small target segmentation method is proposed, called after APSO-C_Otsu. Firstly, the Otsu with crotch structure is used to increase the contrast between small target and background. Meanwhile, the APSO algorithm was used to optimize the Otsu algorithm with crotch structure in order to improve its convergence speed and reduce its calculation amount. Finally, after binarization, the location of the targets are labeled based on the bwlabel algorithm. The results revealed that the APSO-C_Otsu algorithm could effectively segment the coal and gangue with a particle size of 5–30 mm, and was also applicable to the coal and gangue with the particle size larger than 30 mm, which was of great significance for accurate detection of coal and gangue and the improvement of coal utilization.

Multi-Enzyme Co-Expressed Ruthenium dioxide nanoparticles activate mitochondrial autophagy and regulate oxidative stress for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Mitochondrial damage induced by reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial autophagy dysfunction are closely related to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, the recovery of mitochondrial autophagy disorder is crucial in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, protecting neurons, and improving AD. Herein, Ruthenium dioxide nanoparticles (RuO2) have multi-enzyme activities, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD). And the multi-enzyme activity depends on the size, oxygen vacancy, morphology and specific surface area of the nanoparticles. The ultrasmall Ruthenium dioxide showed excellent antioxidant activity in the enzyme activity experiment. The results of in vitro experiments show that RuO2 can restore damaged neurons by clearing Aβ and H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). It maintains mitochondrial function, restores mitochondrial autophagy and normalizes mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby restoring injured neuronal cells. At the same time, it also showed the ability to regulate microglia polarization, inhibit microglia overactivation, and relieve neuroinflammation. After screening the results of enzyme activity experiment and in vitro experiment, sRuO2 with small particle size and good enzyme activity was selected for in vivo experiment. sRuO2 can inhibit oxidative stress in vivo, reduce the burden of Aβ, regulate the neuroprotective function of microglia and improve neuroinflammation. It ultimately improve memory decline and cognitive impairment in Aβ mice. These results suggest that sRuO2 nanoenzymes with antioxidant activity have great potential in the treatment of AD. The multi-target strategy also offers a promising treatment option for AD.

Anti-obesity effects of fucoidan from Sargassum thunbergii in adipocytes and high fat diet induced obese mice through inhibiting adipogenic specific transcription factor

The prevalence of obesity has increased and is a health concern worldwide. Due to the concerns regarding synthetic anti-obesity treatments, nowadays natural products become a trend. Previous studies proved that there is a potential to use marine algae as anti-obesity agents. Therefore, in this study, the lipid inhibitory effect of crude polysaccharide of amyloglucosidase-assisted hydrolysate from Sargassum thunbergii (STAC) and its fucoidan fractions (STAFs) on 3T3-L1 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice were investigated. According to the results, the STAF3, showed the highest xylose content and exhibited significant inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation by downregulating adipogenic and lipogenic proteins in 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, oral supplementation with STAC significantly declined gain in body weight and fat weight, and serum lipid contents in an HFD-induced obesity mouse model. Structural and chemical characterizations demonstrated that purified STAF3 has consistent surface morphology and small particle size, with similar structural characteristics as commercial fucoidan. Together, these results indicate that STAC and purified STAF3 from Sargassum thunbergia is a potent source to develop as ananti-obesity agents or functional food products to counter obesity.

Constructing myosin/high-density lipoprotein composite emulsions: Roles of pH on emulsification stability, rheological and structural properties

The emulsification activity of myosin plays a significant role in affecting quality of emulsified meat products. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) possesses strong emulsification activity and stability due to its structural characteristics, suggesting potential for its utilization in developing functional emulsified meat products. In order to explore the effect of HDL addition on emulsification stability, rheological properties and structural features of myosin (MS) emulsions, HDL-MS emulsion was prepared by mixing soybean oil with isolated HDL and MS, with pH adjustments ranging from 3.0 to 11.0. The results found that emulsification activity and stability in two emulsion groups consistently improved as pH increased. Under identical pH, HDL-MS emulsion exhibited superior emulsification behavior as compared to MS emulsion. The HDL-MS emulsion under pH of 7.0–11.0 formed a viscoelastic protein layer at the interface, adsorbing more proteins and retarding oil droplet diffusion, leading to enhanced oxidative stability, compared to the MS emulsion. Raman spectroscopy analysis showed more flexible conformational changes in the HDL-MS emulsion. Microstructural observations corroborated these findings, showing a more uniform distribution of droplet sizes in the HDL-MS emulsion with smaller particle sizes. Overall, these determinations suggested that the addition of HDL enhanced the emulsification behavior of MS emulsions, and the composite emulsions demonstrated heightened responsiveness under alkaline conditions. This establishes a theoretical basis for the practical utilization of HDL in emulsified meat products.

Exploring the effects of diverse extraction methods on nanoemulsion formulation using betel leaf essential oil: Assessing antibacterial efficacy against pathogenic microorganisms

The present study focused on observing the impact of different pretreatments applied on betel leaves powder (BLP) before extraction of essential oil (EO) on the formulation and characterization of BLP-EO-nanoemulsion (NE). BLP-EO nanoemulsion was produced from different BLP-EO (C, CP, MW, CPAMW treated BLP-EO), surfactant (tween 80), and distilled water by ultrasonic probe method and their particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, turbidity, viscosity, refractive index, whiteness index and antibacterial properties were investigated. Significant differences were observed among the nanoemulsions prepared from EO obtained using different pretreatment. The CPAMW-BLP-EO- nanoemulsion prepared with 1% oil concentration and 1:3 oil to surfactant concentration showed the smallest particle size (98.00 ± 0.92 nm), lowest PDI value (0.21 ± 0.01) and zeta potential value (−24.73 ± 1.37) followed by MW, CP and C-BLP-EO-NE due to high concentration of chemical composition that effectively bind with a surfactant. Similarly, better physical properties were obtained for CPAMW-BLP-EO-NE. This CPAMW treated BLP-EO nanoemulsion was the most effective against Gram-positive bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus with an inhibition zone of 12.5 mm than Gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella spp and Escherichia coli with an inhibition zone of 9.4 mm, and 8.5 mm respectively followed by MW, CP, and C treated BLP-EO-NE. In conclusion, the potent antibacterial activity of the nanoemulsion is due to its higher concentration of oxygenated terpenoids and smaller particle size, facilitating effective transport of active compounds and enhancing interactions with microbial cell membranes. Therefore, the CPAMW pre-treated BLP-EO nanoemulsions showed great potential to be incorporated into water-based food products and beverages as flavoring and antimicrobial agents.

Non-covalent interactions between rice protein and three polyphenols and potential application in emulsions

Rice protein (RP) and polyphenols are often used in functional foods. This study investigated the non-covalent interactions between RP and three polyphenols (curcumin, CUR; quercetin, QUE; resveratrol, RES) and used the complexes as emulsifiers to create emulsions. Three polyphenols interacted with RP to varying extents, with QUE showing the greatest binding affinity and inducing the greatest alterations in its secondary structure. Molecular docking analysis elucidated the driving forces between them including hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces. Combination with QUE or RES induced structural changes of RP, increasing particle size of complexes. The synergistic effect of polyphenols and protein also enhanced radical scavenging capacity of complexes. Compared to pure protein, all complexes successfully created emulsions with smaller particle size (378–395 nm vs. 470 nm), higher absolute potential (37.43–38.26 mV vs. 35.62 mV), and greater lipid oxidation stability by altering protein conformation.