School of Chemistry - Research Publications
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Sonosynthesis of nanobiotics with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties
(ELSEVIER, 2022-05)Transforming small-molecule antibiotics into carrier-free nanoantibiotics represents an opportunity for developing new multifunctional therapeutic agents. In this study, we demonstrate that acoustic cavitation produced by high-frequency ultrasound transforms the antibiotic doxycycline into carrier-free nanobiotics. Upon sonication for 1 h at 10-15 W cm-3, doxycycline molecules underwent hydroxylation and dimerization processes to ultimately self-assemble into nanoparticles of ∼100-200 nm in size. Micrometer sized particles can be also obtained by increasing the acoustic power to 20 W cm-3. The nanodrugs exhibited antioxidant properties, along with antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacterial strains. Our results highlight the feasibility of the ultrasound-based approach for engineering drug molecules into a nanosized formulation with controlled and multiple bio-functionalities. -
ItemNo Preview AvailableUltrasonic microencapsulation of oil-soluble vitamins by hen egg white and green tea for fortification of food(ELSEVIER SCI LTD, 2021-08-15)We report the microencapsulation of oil soluble vitamins (A, D and E) using a one pot ultrasonic process and raw egg white proteins as a shell material. Green tea catechin/iron complex coating method was further developed to impart UV filtering property to the microcapsules in order to protect the encapsulated nutrients from photodegradation. The microcapsules showed antibacterial properties and long shelf-life. The encapsulated vitamins were protected from degradation upon heating, UV irradiation, simulated storage/transit and cooking processes. The in-vitro digestion study showed that functional vitamin D can be potentially released in the gastrointestinal tract improving vitamin D availability by more than 2-fold compared to the free vitamin. The vitamin D microcapsules were highly stable and maintained their microstructures once incorporated into staple food products. The low-cost egg white shell encapsulated vitamins can improve the nutritional value of staple food products to combat maternal and child malnutrition.
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ItemSound methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles from biological molecules(ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY, 2021-09-07)The development of simple, green, reproducible, and scalable approaches for synthesizing nanoparticles from biomolecules is important to advance nanomaterials towards therapeutic applications. Microreactors generated by high frequency ultrasound provide a one pot-platform to alter the physiochemical properties and stability of various types of biomolecules to ultimately generate multifunctional nanoparticles with controlled size and morphology. Herein, recent advancements in the field of nanoparticles fabrication from amino acids, phenolics, peptides and proteins using both high and low frequency ultrasound are reviewed. In particular, the sound driven self-assembly of biomolecules into nanoparticles by using high frequency ultrasound, as an emerging and innovative approach, is discussed in detail.
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ItemUltrasound-Assisted Synthesis of Cross-Linked Poly(ethylene glycol) Nanostructures with Hydrophobic Core and Hydrophilic Shell(WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH, 2018-12)Abstract One‐pot synthesis of polymeric nanostructures, by using ultrasound without adding initiators and surfactants, is a straightforward approach that has attracted significant attention in polymer science. In this study, the ultrasonic polymerization technique is employed to synthesize poly(ethylene glycol) based nanoparticles with a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell. Interfacial polymerization is performed using an oil‐in‐water emulsion containing oligo (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate as a water‐soluble monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate acting as an oily‐cross‐linker phase. Both the radicals and physical effects generated by acoustic cavitation are crucial to conduct this surfactant and initiator‐free process and obtain uniform nanoparticles endowed with a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic shell. It is shown that the nanoparticle's core can be loaded with hydrophobic compounds. This technique can be applied to different monomers containing various functional moieties such as amines and carboxyl groups to obtain multifunctional nanoparticles.