Recent breakthroughs of antibacterial and antiviral protective polymeric materials during COVID-19 pandemic and after pandemic: Coating,packaging, and textile applications

The global epidemic owing to COVID-19 has generated awareness to ensuring best practices for avoiding the microorganism spread. Indeed, because of the increase in infections caused by bacteria and viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, the global demand for antimicrobial materials is growing. New technologies by using polymeric systems are of great interest. Virus transmission by contaminated surfaces leads to the spread of infectious diseases, so antimicrobial coatings are significant in this regard. Moreover, antimicrobial food packaging is beneficial to prevent the spread of microorganisms during food processing and transportation. Furthermore, antimicrobial textiles show an effective role. We aim to provide a review of prepared antimicrobial polymeric materials for use in coating, food packaging, and textile during the COVID-19 pandemic and after pandemic.     

锥形透镜光纤聚焦特性研究

锥形透镜光纤(TLF)是实现光纤与平面光波光路(PLC)芯片高效耦合的核心元件。了解和掌握其聚焦特性是指导平面光波光路尾纤封装技术的关键。给出了表征锥形透镜光纤聚焦特性的两个参量出射光斑直径和远场发散角的理论分析模型,其误差小于1.14%;采用光束传播法数值模拟了锥形透镜光纤中的光波传输和模斑的演化,确定了锥形透镜光纤端面出射光斑的大小;优化锥形透镜光纤结构参量为:拉锥长度300μm,锥角0.733°,透镜曲率半径13.485μm;建立了基于数字摄像机的锥形透镜光纤出射光场测试系统,提出了物理光学反向推演法,计算出锥形透镜光纤聚焦光斑尺寸和远场发散角。理论与实验结果有着良好的一致:对于相同结构参量的锥形透镜光纤,实验反推法得到的出射光斑尺寸与理论值相比误差为3.15%,远场发散角误差为3.67%。     

Polyolefins with controlled environmental degradability

Antioxidants and stabilisers, developed to increase the durability of polyolefins, in combination with prooxidant transition metal complexes provide industrial products with widely variable but controlled lifetimes. The low molar mass oxidation products formed during photo-oxidation and thermal oxidation are biodegradable and oxo-biodegradable polyolefins are now widely used in agricultural applications and in degradable packaging as examples. The scientific basis for the performance of oxo-biodegradable materials is explained with reference to naturally occurring macromolecules. Comparison with hydro-biodegradable materials is made and the need is demonstrated for performance standards to be developed that mimic nature's resource recovery mechanism, that of oxo-biodegradation.     

Study of migration of active components of phosphorescent oxygen sensors for food packaging applications

A study of migration of the active components of oxygen sensors into food is presented. Six types of sensors, based on different oxygen sensitive dyes (two metalloporphyrins and one ruthenium dye), polymers (polystyrene and polysulfone) and support materials, were exposed to a number of standard ‘food simulants’ recommended by FDA/EU guidelines and then assayed for migration or sensor components and changes in oxygen calibration. Both metalloporphyrin sensor dyes leached only in olive oil and in 95% ethanol (used as a positive control), at maximum levels of 19.22 μg/dm² for PtOEPK and 113.96 μg/dm² for PtTFPP. The RuDPP dye showed maximum leaching in 95% ethanol (25.19 μg/dm²) while also migrating in an acidic aqueous simulant. Planar supports such as polyester tended to enhance the stability of the sensor. Migration of the styrene monomer from the polystyrene encapsulation medium was concluded to be low enough to be insignificant. Migration of sensor components was shown to correlate with the changes in sensor response to oxygen. Based on these results, sensor combinations were ranked on the basis of their resistance to leaching and their general stability, safety and suitability for use on a large scale in packaged foods and related food applications was proven.     

Potential Achilles heels of SARS-CoV-2 are best displayed by the base order-dependent component of RNA folding energy

The base order-dependent component of folding energy has revealed a highly conserved region in HIV-1 genomes that associates with RNA structure. This corresponds to a packaging signal that is recognized by the nucleocapsid domain of the Gag polyprotein. Long viewed as a potential HIV-1 "Achilles heel," the signal can be targeted by a new antiviral compound. Although SARS-CoV-2 differs in many respects from HIV-1, the same technology displays regions with a high base order-dependent folding energy component, which are also highly conserved. This indicates structural invariance (SI) sustained by natural selection. While the regions are often also protein-encoding (e. g. NSP3, ORF3a), we suggest that their nucleic acid level functions can be considered potential "Achilles heels" for SARS-CoV-2, perhaps susceptible to therapies like those envisaged for AIDS. The ribosomal frameshifting element scored well, but higher SI scores were obtained in other regions, including those encoding NSP13 and the nucleocapsid (N) protein.     

Behaviour of organic pollutants in paper and board samples intended to be in contact with food

This paper deals with the study of volatile compounds present in a set of three paper and board (P&B) samples of different composition, surface treatment, grammage and thickness. The volatile compounds released by the packaging material (P&B) can be trapped on the food and may then affect the safety and health of consumers. To evaluate if the recycled P&B could be used as food packaging material, adsorption studies have been performed with a selection of chemical substances. The adsorption isotherms are provided. Partition coefficients between paper and air have been calculated for a series of volatile compounds used as model compounds to represent different families of contaminants commonly present in P&B. Values from 4 to 3243 were obtained at different temperatures. The analysis of volatile compounds have been carried out by automatic headspace coupled on-line with GC/MS in SIM mode. The results obtained are shown and discussed.     

Luminescence and electroluminescence of bis (2-(benzimidazol-2-yl) quinolinato) zinc. Exciplex formation and energy transfer in mixed film of bis (2-(benzimidazol-2-yl) quinolinato) zinc and N,N′-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N′-diphenyl-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine

The absorption and emission properties of benzimidazol-2-yl-quinoline (BIQ) and bis (2-(benzimidazol-2-yl) quinolinato) zinc (ZnBIQ) a new emitter used for organic light emitting device (OLED) were reported. Exciplexes are observed for ZnBIQ with N,N′-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N′-diphenyl-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (NPB) system, in both electro- and photoluminescent processes. The identification of exciplex emission in co-evaporated and multi-layer ZnBIQ thin film was reported for the first time. The optical formation of the exciplex involves the excitation of a single molecule, followed by the relaxation of that exciton into a lower energy exciplex state. Both BIQ and ZnBIQ possess very high thermal stabilities and can be purified by subliming under the high vacuum condition. Devices consisting of ZnBIQ as the emitting layer have been fabricated, and the emission spectra of ZnBIQ-base devices gave a voltage-dependent spectrum, with the red emission observed (3-7 V), switching over to strong white emission as the bias was raised.     

MgCl2 Enhances Cluster Formation by Nanoscale Toroidal DNA Condensates

Multivalent cations can cause DNA to condense from its extended state in solution into high-density toroid-shaped particles. Developing methods to control the size and size distribution of DNA toroids is an important goal for the development of artificial gene delivery systems. Here we demonstrate that changes in salt conditions, prior to condensation by multivalent cations, can significantly affect DNA condensation. Specifically, millimolar concentrations of MgCl₂ are shown to cause the formation of toroid clusters, whereas NaCl at the same ionic strength does not.     

Determination of triclosan in foodstuffs

A reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method coupled with an ultraviolet detector was developed to determine triclosan which had migrated into foodstuffs from packaging materials. The method includes extraction with hexane, followed by evaporation to dryness and residue re-dissolution in ACN 90%. Chromatographic separation was performed with a Kromasil 100 C18 column (15 cm x 0.4 cm ID, 5 microm particle size) at 30 degrees C and using ACN and water as mobile phases. Regarding recoveries, good results (higher than 83% and lower than 112%) were obtained for the three representative food matrixes selected (orange juice, chicken breast meat, and Gouda cheese).