Reviewing the use of chitosan and polydopamine for electrochemical sensing

Biopolymers possess highly favorable properties for electrochemical biosensing such as their inherent biocompatibility, inexpensive nature, and strong interfacial adhesion. In this mini-review, we will focus on chitosan and polydopamine, two of the most commonly used biopolymers, for electrochemical sensing applications. Chitosan is a polysaccharide that exhibits high chemical resistance, offers straightforward modification and cross-linking, and possesses antibacterial properties and mucoadhesion. Polydopamine has the benefit of universal adhesion, in addition to the ability to form self-assembled structures. We will demonstrate how the unique structural and electrochemical features of these biopolymers can be used in a range of electrochemical biosensing platforms.     

Seaweed Polysaccharide Based Products and Materials: An Assessment on Their Production from a Sustainability Point of View

Among the various natural polymers, polysaccharides are one of the oldest biopolymers present on the Earth. They play a very crucial role in the survival of both animals and plants. Due to the presence of hydroxyl functional groups in most of the polysaccharides, it is easy to prepare their chemical derivatives. Several polysaccharide derivatives are widely used in a number of industrial applications. The polysaccharides such as cellulose, starch, chitosan, etc., have several applications but due to some distinguished characteristic properties, seaweed polysaccharides are preferred in a number of applications. This review covers published literature on the seaweed polysaccharides, their origin, and extraction from seaweeds, application, and chemical modification. Derivatization of the polysaccharides to impart new functionalities by chemical modification such as esterification, amidation, amination, C-N bond formation, sulphation, acetylation, phosphorylation, and graft copolymerization is discussed. The suitability of extraction of seaweed polysaccharides such as agar, carrageenan, and alginate using ionic solvent systems from a sustainability point of view and future prospects for efficient extraction and functionalization of seaweed polysaccharides is also included in this review article.     

Marine derived polysaccharides for biomedical applications: chemical modification approaches

Polysaccharide-based biomaterials are an emerging class in several biomedical fields such as tissue regeneration, particularly for cartilage, drug delivery devices and gelentrapment systems for the immobilization of cells. Important properties of the polysaccharides include controllable biological activity, biodegradability, and their ability to form hydrogels. Most of the polysaccharides used derive from natural sources; particularly, alginate and chitin, two polysaccharides which have an extensive history of use in medicine, pharmacy and basic sciences, and can be easily extracted from marine plants (algae kelp) and crab shells, respectively. The recent rediscovery of poly-saccharidebased materials is also attributable to new synthetic routes for their chemical modification, with the aim of promoting new biological activities and/or to modify the final properties of the biomaterials for specific purposes. These synthetic strategies also involve the combination of polysaccharides with other polymers. A review of the more recent research in the field of chemical modification of alginate, chitin and its derivative chitosan is presented. Moreover, we report as case studies the results of our recent work concerning various different approaches and applications of polysaccharide-based biomaterials, such as the realization of novel composites based on calcium sulphate blended with alginate and with a chemically modified chitosan, the synthesis of novel alginate-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers and the development of a family of materials based on alginate and acrylic polymers of potential interest as drug delivery systems.     

甲壳素和壳聚糖化学改性研究进展

甲壳素是一种天然多糖,脱除乙酰基的产物是壳聚糖,作为新型功能生物材料,它们已在水处理、日用化学品、生物工程和医药等领域得到了应用,但它们不溶于一般的有机溶剂,从而限制了其广泛应用.为此,甲壳素和壳聚糖的化学改性成为该材科研究的重要方向之一.本文综述了近年来甲壳素和壳聚糖化学改性方面的研究进展,着重介绍了选择性化学修饰的方法和发展动向.     

Antimicrobial Properties and Application of Polysaccharides and Their Derivatives

With the quick emergence of antibiotic resistance and multi-drug resistant microbes, more and more attention has been paid to the development of new antimicrobial agents that have potential to take the challenge. Polysaccharides, as one of the major classes of biopolymers,were explored for their antimicrobial properties and applications, owing to their easy accessibility, biocompatibility and easy modification.Polysaccharides and their derivatives have variable demonstrations and applications as antimicrobial agents and antimicrobial biomaterials. A variety of polysaccharides, such as chitosan, dextran, hyaluronic acid, cellulose, other plant/animal-derived polysaccharides and their derivatives have been explored for antimicrobial applications. We expect that this review can summarize the important progress of this field and inspire new concepts, which will contribute to the development of novel antimicrobial agents in combating antibiotic resistance and drug-resistant antimicrobial infections.     

Polysaccharide-based polyelectrolyte multilayers

In recent years, the layer-by-layer technique has grown in various fields. One of the emerging trends of bio-applications is the use of polysaccharides as main film components, which stems from their intrinsic physical, chemical and biological properties. These allow the simple formation, by self-assembly, of new kinds of mimics of extra-cellular matrices from plant and animal tissues. These assemblies, which possess specific properties arising from their hydration and internal composition, can indeed contain additional functionalities obtained by chemical modification of the biopolymers or film post-processing. They can be molded into different forms (films, membranes, and capsules).     

Review: derivatization in mass spectrometry--5. Specific derivatization of monofunctional compounds

The present paper is complementary to the foregoing reviews and describes some additional methods of the derivatization of particular functional groups mainly to enhance the structural information content of electron ionization and chemical ionization mass spectra. Derivatization approaches for the modification of unsaturated compounds, alcoholic, carboxylic, carbonyl, amine and other functional groups, are discussed. Derivatization for separation and quantitative determination of chiral enantiomeric compounds is also considered. Preliminary chemical and physicalchemical degradation for structure elucidation of high molecular weight compounds (biopolymers, synthetic polymers) is mentioned. Chemical aspects of derivatizations and characteristic mass spectral features of derivatives are described briefly. Some particular applications of chemical modification, in conjunction with mass spectral measurements for the analysis of various important bioorganic compounds and compounds in biological fluids, air, environmental etc., are considered.     

化学与生物改性合成质子交换膜*

新型质子交换膜的研究主要集中在Nafion膜的化学或物理改性、化学合成材料的更新以及新型的生物材料燃料电池用质子交换膜的研发。本文对燃料电池用质子交换膜近3年的研究进展做了综述,并对PEMFC质子交换膜的发展前景进行了探讨与预测。     

基于壳聚糖及其衍生物的金属离子吸附剂的研究进展

综述了近年来以壳聚糖和壳聚糖衍生物为原料的金属离子吸附剂的研究进展．重点介绍了壳聚糖及其衍生物的交联和功能化反应，以及交联后的树脂对多种金属离子的吸附情况．常用的交联剂包括戊二醛、甲醛及环氧氟丙烷，(聚)乙二醇双缩水甘油醚等，壳聚糖树脂的功能化主要包括向其中引入冠醚、羧甲基等功能团，其中羧甲基化是最常用最有效的方法．另外，还介绍了金属离子模板壳聚糖树脂以及基于壳聚糖衍生物的蛇笼树脂的合成。     

Biopolymers as a Flexible Resource for Nanochemistry

Biomass is an abundant source of chemically diverse macromolecules, including polysaccharides, polypeptides, and polyaromatics. Many of these biological polymers (biopolymers) are highly evolved for specific functions through optimized chain length, functionalization, and monomer sequence. As biopolymers are a chemical resource, much current effort is focused on the breakdown of these molecules into fuels or platform chemicals. However there is growing interest in using biopolymers directly to create functional materials. This Minireview uses recent examples to show how biopolymers are providing new directions in the synthesis of nanostructured materials.     

甲壳素、壳聚糖的化学改性及其衍生物应用研究进展

简要评述了甲壳素和壳聚糖化学改性的研究进展，讨论了酰化，醚化，酯化，接枝和交联等化学改性方法，简要介绍甲壳素衍生物在化妆品，医学和环保方面的应用，并提出了其发展过程中存在的一些问题，对发其发展趋势作了预测。     

Present and Future Role of Chitin and Chitosan in Food

The conversion of processed discarded material into valuable by‐products and alternative specialty materials has been identified as a timely challenge for food research and development associated with numerous applications of chitinous products. Chitin, chitosan, calcareous chitin, and chitosan, N‐acetylated chitosan, N‐methylene phosphonic chitosan (NMPC), and N‐lauryl‐N‐methylene phosphonic chitosan (LMPC) are being studied as a result of their broad range of food applications. These biopolymers offer a wide range of unique applications including formation of biodegradable films, immobilization of enzymes, preservation of foods from microbial deterioration, as additives (clarification and deacidification of fruits and beverages, emulsifier agents, thickening and stabilizing agents, color stabilization), and dietary supplements. This review summarizes some of the most important developments in this field.     

Natural Biopolymers for Flexible Sensing and Energy Devices

Natural biopolymers feature natural abundance, diverse chemical compositions, tunable properties, easy processability, excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, as well as nontoxicity, providing new opportunities for the development of flexible sensing and energy devices. Generally, biopolymers are utilized as the passive and active building blocks to endow the flexible devices with mechanical robustness and good biocompatibility. This review aims to provide a comprehensive review on natural biopolymer-based sensing and energy devices. The diverse structures and fabrication processes of three typical biopolymers, including silk, cellulose, and chitin/chitosan, are presented. We review their utilities as the supporting substrates/matrix, active middle layers, separators, electrolytes, and active components of flexible sensing devices(sensors, actuators, transistors) and energy devices(batteries, supercapacitors, triboelectric nanogenerators). Finally, the remaining challenges and future research opportunities are discussed.     

Functionalized gold nanoparticles for sample preparation: A review

Sample preparation is a crucial step for the reliable and accurate analysis of both small molecule and biopolymers which often involves processes such as isolation, pre‐concentration, removal of interferences (purification), and pre‐processing (e.g., enzymatic digestion) of targets from a complex matrix. Gold nanoparticle (GNP)‐assisted sample preparation and pre‐concentration has been extensively applied in many analytical procedures in recent years due to the favorable and unique properties of GNPs such as size‐controlled synthesis, large surface‐to‐volume ratio, surface inertness, straightforward surface modification, easy separation requiring minimal manipulation of samples. This review article primarily focuses on applications of GNPs in sample preparation, in particular for bioaffinity capture and biocatalysis. In addition, their most common synthesis, surface modification and characterization methods are briefly summarized. Proper surface modification for GNPs designed in accordance to their target application directly influence their functionalities, e.g., extraction efficiencies, and catalytic efficiencies. Characterization of GNPs after synthesis and modification is worthwhile for monitoring and controlling the fabrication process to ensure proper quality and functionality. Parameters such as morphology, colloidal stability, and physical/chemical properties can be assessed by methods such as surface plasmon resonance, dynamic light scattering, ζ‐potential determinations, transmission electron microscopy, Taylor dispersion analysis, and resonant mass measurement, among others. The accurate determination of the surface coverage appears to be also mandatory for the quality control of functionality of the nanoparticles. Some promising applications of (functionalized) GNPs for bioanalysis and sample preparation are described herein.     

Conjugated polyelectrolyte amplified fluorescent assays with probe functionalized silica nanoparticles for chemical and biological sensing

Low-cost sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity for chemical and biological detection are of high scientific and economic importance. Silica nanoparticles (NPs) have shown vast promise in sensor applications by virtue of their controllable surface modification, good chemical stability, and biocompatibility. This mini-review summarizes our recent development of silica NP-based assays for chemical and biological detection, where silica NPs serve as the substrate for probe immobilization, target recognition, and separation. The assay performance is further improved through the introduction of conjugated polyelectrolyte to amplify the detection signal. The assays have been demonstrated to be successful for the detection of DNA, small molecules, and proteins. They could be generalized for other targets based on specific interactions, such as DNA hybridization, antibody-antigen recognition, and target-aptamer binding.     

Biopolymers for surface engineering of paper-based products

The combination of biopolymer science and technology with surface engineering of paper-based cellulosic materials has a lot of potential in stepping forward to a sustainable future. Various biopolymers such as oxidized starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, and polylatic acid have been commercially used to engineer paper surface. The paper-based cellulosic products are widely used for printing/writing and packaging applications. However, the production of these products are currently dependent mainly upon the use of petroleum-based materials including synthetic pigment coating latexes and barrier coating materials. The major challenges associated with some biopolymers are their relatively high costs and unsatisfactory performances. Continuing efforts are being made to enable the increased and value-added use of various biopolymers in paper surface engineering. These polymers can be based on cellulose, hemicelluloses, chitosan, alginate, protein, polylactic acid, and polyhydroxyalkanoate. The biopolymer-engineered paper products can be tailored for use as substitutes for various non-renewable materials including plastics and metals as well. Future development in the area of biopolymers for paper surface engineering is likely to lead to new possibilities and breakthroughs, paving the way for a substantially sustainable and green future.     

Wet‐spinning and applications of functional fibers based on chitin and chitosan

A series of novel human‐made functional fibers (biofibers) based on chitin and chitosan are prepared by the wet‐spinning and the post chemical modification of chitosan fiber. The wet‐spinning gives rise to a series of biofibers: chitin, chitosan, chitin‐cellulose, chitosan‐cellulose, chitin‐silk fibroin, chitin‐glycosaminoglycans, chitin‐cellulose‐silk fibroin, chitosan‐tropocollagen, and chitin‐cellulose‐silk fibroin. The post chemical modification of chitosan fiber gives rise to a series of chemically modified fibers: N ‐acylchitosans, N ‐arylidene‐ and N ‐alkylidene‐chitosans, N ‐acetylchitosan (chitin)‐tropocollagen, and chitosan‐transition metal complexes. Some of the current and potential applications of these biofibers are described.     

应用于生物医学领域的化学改性壳聚糖

简述了壳聚糖的化学改性方法,改性壳聚糖的特殊功能及其在生物医学领域中的应用研究进展。     

羟烷基壳聚糖制备及应用研究进展

壳聚糖是由甲壳素通过脱乙酰作用得到的一种天然高分子多糖,具有良好的生物相容性、抗菌性、无毒和可生物降解等优点,但壳聚糖水溶性差限制了其在很多方面的应用。为克服壳聚糖在水溶性上的不足,利用壳聚糖结构中氨基和羟基上的活泼氢进行化学改性以引进羟烷基等亲水性基团成为重要手段。本文主要对壳聚糖羟烷基化改性的方法及羟烷基壳聚糖在医药、水处理和组织工程材料等领域的研究和应用现状进行介绍,并对羟烷基壳聚糖未来的发展趋势进行了展望。     

Recent Developments in Chitosan-Based Micro/Nanofibers for Sustainable Food Packaging,Smart Textiles,Cosmeceuticals, and Biomedical Applications

Chitosan has many useful intrinsic properties (e.g., non-toxicity, antibacterial properties, and biodegradability) and can be processed into high-surface-area nanofiber constructs for a broad range of sustainable research and commercial applications. These nanofibers can be further functionalized with bioactive agents. In the food industry, for example, edible films can be formed from chitosan-based composite fibers filled with nanoparticles, exhibiting excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties for a variety of products. Processing ‘pure’ chitosan into nanofibers can be challenging due to its cationic nature and high crystallinity; therefore, chitosan is often modified or blended with other materials to improve its processability and tailor its performance to specific needs. Chitosan can be blended with a variety of natural and synthetic polymers and processed into fibers while maintaining many of its intrinsic properties that are important for textile, cosmeceutical, and biomedical applications. The abundance of amine groups in the chemical structure of chitosan allows for facile modification (e.g., into soluble derivatives) and the binding of negatively charged domains. In particular, high-surface-area chitosan nanofibers are effective in binding negatively charged biomolecules. Recent developments of chitosan-based nanofibers with biological activities for various applications in biomedical, food packaging, and textiles are discussed herein.