Interaction Between Surfactin and Bovine Serum Albumin

The interaction of surfactin, a typical biosurfactant, with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by surface tension, fluorescence, freeze-fractured transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM) and circular dichroism (CD) measurements. The surface tension curves of pure surfactin solution and surfactin/BSA solutions have different phenomena, where two obvious inflections determined as the critical aggregation concentration (cac) and the critical micelle concentration (cmc) appear for surfactin/BSA solutions. The higher BSA concentration, the higher cac and cmc values for surfactin/BSA solution. Fluorescence spectra show that the structure change of BSA is dependent on both surfactin and BSA concentration. The micropolarity, FF-TEM and CD results further demonstrate the interaction between BSA and surfactin. The excess free energy (ΔG⁰) of surfactin/BSA interactions have been obtained as ?6.13 and 5.32 kJ/mol for 1.0 × 10^?6 and 3.8 × 10^?6 mol/L BSA concentration, respectively. The binding ratio (R) determined for surfactin/BSA systems are higher than that reported for dirhamnolipid to BSA. Above all, it can be concluded that the hydrophobic interaction and the hydrogen bonds between surfactin and BSA play the key role for the high binding ratio for surfactin to BAS.     

Biosurfactants: Formulations,properties, and applications

In this review, we attempt to give an overview on the recent progress made on biosurfactants, surface-active biomolecules produced by microorganisms, which are a sustainable alternative to synthetic surfactants. Different biosurfactants, their production techniques, and their physical and chemical properties are discussed. There is a focus on recent studies related to surface properties and rheology of biosurfactants, both being properties which affect their ability to take part in a stable formulation. Biosurfactants can have applications in multiple different industrial sectors, such as agriculture, medicine, personal care, food, petroleum, etc. The specific properties important for applications in these sectors are discussed in detail.     

Alginate Lyases from Marine Bacteria: An Enzyme Ocean for Sustainable Future

The cell wall of brown algae contains alginate as a major constituent. This anionic polymer is a composite of β-d-mannuronate (M) and α-l-guluronate (G). Alginate can be degraded into oligosaccharides; both the polymer and its products exhibit antioxidative, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory activities and, hence, find many commercial applications. Alginate is attacked by various enzymes, collectively termed alginate lyases, that degrade glycosidic bonds through β-elimination. Considering the abundance of brown algae in marine ecosystems, alginate is an important source of nutrients for marine organisms, and therefore, alginate lyases play a significant role in marine carbon recycling. Various marine microorganisms, particularly those that thrive in association with brown algae, have been reported as producers of alginate lyases. Conceivably, the marine-derived alginate lyases demonstrate salt tolerance, and many are activated in the presence of salts and, therefore, find applications in the food industry. Therefore, this review summarizes the structural and biochemical features of marine bacterial alginate lyases along with their applications. This comprehensive information can aid in the expansion of future prospects of alginate lyases.     

Wooden-based materials: Eco-friendly materials for direct mass spectrometric analysis and microextraction

Lignocellulosic materials have arisen as a sustainable alternative in microextraction techniques during the last 10 years. As they are natural materials, their use fits into some of the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry. Their inherent porosity, narrow shape, and rigidity permit their use in ambient ionization mass spectrometry techniques. In particular, the combination of wooden-based materials and direct analysis gives birth to the so-called wooden-tip electrospray ionization mass spectrometry technique. This approach has been used for the direct analysis of complex samples, and as a streamlined tool for fingerprint quality analysis. Also, wooden-based materials can be superficially modified to boost the interaction with target compounds, allowing their isolation from complex samples. This review describes the potential and applicability of direct analysis using lignocellulosic materials, as well as other alternatives related to their use in microextraction.     

Implications of Fine Grinding in Mineral Processing Mechanochemical approach

Fine grinding of minerals may change physical and chemical properties of the material to the extent that has to be considered in laboratory verification work or processing work in the industrial plant. The ground material is mechanically activated by increase of both: specific surface energy and elastic strain energy. The activation energy can then be dissipated through different mechanisms, such as: polymorphic transformation, mechanochemical decomposition or synthesis. The thermodynamical principles and kinetics mechanisms responsible for the relaxation modifications are thoroughly discussed. Important factors such as: Reaction triggering dimension, action of shear stresses, surface groups activity, product reactivity, etc. are described. A short survey on comminution by fine grinding is also presented. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

一种生态友好粉煤灰基地质聚合物的合成及光催化性能

以乌洛托品为孔形成剂,制备出孔结构可调控的粉煤灰基地质聚合物;通过半导体耦合设计,合成出In₂O₃和NiO双负载粉煤灰基地质聚合物催化剂;采用XRF、TGA/DSC、FESEM、XRD、FT-IR、UV-Vis等对催化剂的组成、结构及性能进行表征,考查了该催化剂体系对模拟印染废水的光催化降解活性、降解机理及反应动力学。结果表明：孔形成剂的掺入能够显著地改善地质聚合物的孔结构,调变BET比表面积及介孔体积;双负载5% In₂O₃及1% NiO的粉煤灰基地质聚合物催化剂对碱性品绿染料的最高降解率（95.65%）,归因于In₂O₃与NiO形成的p-n结半导体耦合体系以及In₂O₃与PAFAG载体之间产生强相互作用,改善了光生电子-空穴对的分离效率,从而提高了光催化染料降解活性。     

一种生态友好粉煤灰基地质聚合物的合成及光催化性能

以乌洛托品为孔形成剂,制备出孔结构可调控的粉煤灰基地质聚合物;通过半导体耦合设计,合成出In_2O_3和NiO双负载粉煤灰基地质聚合物催化剂;采用XRF、TGA/DSC、FESEM、XRD、FT-IR、UV-Vis等对催化剂的组成、结构及性能进行表征,考查了该催化剂体系对模拟印染废水的光催化降解活性、降解机理及反应动力学。结果表明:孔形成剂的掺入能够显著地改善地质聚合物的孔结构,调变BET比表面积及介孔体积;双负载5%In_2O_3及1%NiO的粉煤灰基地质聚合物催化剂对碱性品绿染料的最高降解率(95.65%),归因于In_2O_3与NiO形成的p-n结半导体耦合体系以及In_2O_3与PAFAG载体之间产生强相互作用,改善了光生电子-空穴对的分离效率,从而提高了光催化染料降解活性。     

Zeolites. Efficient and Eco-friendly Catalysts for the Synthesis of Benzimidazoles

Summary. A superior method of synthesis of 2-substituted benzimidazoles by means of the heterogeneous catalysis of synthetic and natural zeolites in the reaction of 1,2-diaminobenzene with acid chlorides is described.     

Synthesis and biological activities of flavolipids

Syntheses of the bacterial surfactants 6S,6S-, 9S,9S-, and 9U,9U-flavolipids confirmed the structures proposed for them from spectroscopic analysis of a flavolipid mixture and made pure flavolipids available for the first time. All three synthetic flavolipids and a straight chain analogue were found to be weakly cytotoxic and to inhibit metastatic cancer cell migration, with 9U,9U-flavolipid (the most abundant natural flavolipid) having the most activity. Biosynthetic routes to the branched side-chains of the flavolipids are suggested, and it is proposed that branched chains are employed to hinder biodegradation.     

十二烷基苯磺酸钠和无机阳离子之间相互作用的密度泛函理论研究

研究阴离子表面活性剂和阳离子之间的相互作用对于理解阴离子表面活性剂的沉淀和溶解现象具有十分重要的理论和实际意义,但关于两者相互作用的相关理论模型鲜有报道。本文采用密度泛函理论(DFT)方法研究了十二烷基苯磺酸根阴离子(DBS^-)与阳离子(Na⁺, Mg²⁺和Ca²⁺)在溶液内及气/液界面处的相互作用。在溶液内,在两种不同溶液环境中(水相和正十二烷)构建DBS^-/阳离子相互作用模型,并对其进行优化。结果表明, DBS^-能够与阳离子以双齿结构稳定结合。DBS^-与阳离子的结合能不仅取决于参与的无机盐离子种类,还与溶剂的性质有关。在气/液界面处, DBS^-与六个水分子相互作用形成的水合物DBS^-·6H₂O最为稳定。但是,无机盐离子的引入会严重破坏DBS^-·6H₂O水合物的水化层结构。本文定义无量纲参量def用来对水化层结构的变化程度进行评价。无机盐离子对DBS^-·6H₂O水化层结构破坏程度的顺序为:Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ >Na⁺。电荷分析结果表明水化层在十二烷基苯磺酸钠(SDBS)头基与阳离子的相互作用中起了重要作用。     

X射线荧光光谱法快速测定多金属矿中的砷

阐述了少量样品与微晶纤维素混合，直接压片成型后的测定其中的砷，采用经验系数法校正基体效应，分析范围为０．１１～３１．０３％，砷含量１６．０２％时，方法的相对标准偏差为２％，分析结果与化学法相符。     

Tosic Acid-on-Silica Gel: A Cheap and Eco-friendly Catalyst for a Convenient One-pot Synthesis of Substituted Benzimidazoles

Summary. 2-Substituted and 1,2-disubstited benzimidazoles were prepared efficiently from o-phenylenediamines and aryl aldehydes using p-toluenesulphonic acid (5 mol%)-on-silica gel as a cheap and environmentally benign catalyst.     

Eco-friendly solution processing of all-polymer solar cells: Recent advances and future perspective

All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) exhibit great potentials in commercial applications. All-PSCs have observed steady performance gains with power conversion efficiency now reaching over 17% in the open literature. However, the current processing of all-PSCs relies predominantly on toxic, chlorinated solvents in moisture-free environments, representing a significant barrier for their commercialization due to the added costs to handle and dispose of such solvents. There is thus an urgent need for safe, environmentally benign, and sustainable ink-based processing methods to produce all-PSC devices reliably and reproducibly in ambient air. In this perspective, fundamental insights on the interplay between all-polymer blend morphologies and eco-friendly solvents are provided. Also, we discuss the recent successes of the green processing methods to manipulate the photoactive morphologies for high-efficiency all-PSCs. In the end, we provide an outlook on future challenges and opportunities of eco-friendly solvents processed all-PSCs for large-scale manufacturing.     

Eco-friendly chitosan@silver/plant fiber membranes for masks with thermal comfortability and self-sterilization

The surgical masks have been essential consumables for public in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, long-time wearing masks will make wearers feel uncomfortable and massive discarded non-biodegradable masks lead to a heavy burden on our environment. In this paper, we adopt degradable chitosan@silver (CS@Ag) core–shell fibers and plant fibers to prepare an eco-friendly mask with excellent thermal comfort, self-sterilization, and antiviral effects. The thermal network of CS@Ag core–shell fibers highly improves the in-plane thermal conductivity of masks, which is 4.45 times higher than that of commercial masks. Because of the electrical conductivity of Ag, the fabricated mask can be electrically heated to warm the wearer in a cold environment and disinfect COVID-19 facilely at room temperature. Meanwhile, the in-situ reduced silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) endow the mask with superior antibacterial properties. Therefore, this mask shows a great potential to address the urgent need for a thermally comfortable, antibacterial, antiviral, and eco-friendly mask.

Graphical abstract

     

Eco-friendly process toward collector- and binder-free,high-energy density electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The preparation of collector- and binder-free, high-energy density cathodes made from carbon-coated LiFePO4 (C-LFP) and single-walled carbon nanotubes...     

Eco-friendly polyethylene glycol-400: a rapid and efficient recyclable reaction medium for the synthesis of thiazole derivatives

Abstract

An efficient and convenient procedure for the synthesis of thiazole derivatives from α-haloketone, thiourea and substituted acetophenones using polyethylene glycol-400 as a green and recyclable solvent is described. Significant rate enhancement and improved yields have been observed.     

Sustainable Green Processing of Grape Pomace Using Micellar Extraction for the Production of Value-Added Hygiene Cosmetics

This study sought to evaluate the possibility of using grape pomace, a waste material from wine production, for the preparation of cosmetic components. Following the existing clear research trend related to improving the safety of cleansing cosmetics, an attempt was made to determine the possibility of preparing model shower gels based on grape pomace extract. A new method for producing cosmetic components named loan chemical extraction (LCE) was developed and is described for the first time in this paper. In the LCE method, an extraction medium consisting only of the components from the final product was used. Thus, there were no additional substances in the cosmetics developed, and the formulation was significantly enriched with compounds isolated from grape pomace. Samples of the model shower gels produced were evaluated in terms of their basic parameters related to functionality (e.g., foaming properties, rheological characteristics, color) and their effect on the skin. The results obtained showed that the extracts based on waste grape pomace contained a number of valuable cosmetic compounds (e.g., organic acids, phenolic compounds, amino acids and sugars), and the model products basis on them provided colorful and safe natural cosmetics.     

Eco-friendly heterogeneous solid acids as novel and recyclable catalysts in ionic medium for tetrahydropyranols

A variety of aldehydes and homoallylic alcohols undergo smoothly Prins-cyclization on the surface of solid acids such as H-ZSM-5 zeolite or Amberlyst-15^® ion-exchange resin in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid to afford the corresponding tetrahydropyranols in high yields with cis-diastereoselectivity. The recovered ionic liquid containing solid acid was recycled in subsequent runs without loss of activity.     

高效原油破乳剂GE-189的制备与应用研究

以分子量大、活泼氢多、具有分支结构的瓜胶作起始剂，与环氧乙烷、环氧丙烷加成，首次合成出具有分支结构的瓜胶类原油破乳剂GE－189，并把这种破乳剂及其与常规破乳剂F3111的复配体系应用于不同油田原油乳状液的室内破乳脱水试验。结果表明，破乳剂复配体系在脱水速率、脱水效果等方面均优于各现场剂，把这种破乳剂与生物表面活性剂复配，于巴西海上油田原油乳状液的破乳脱水，能够显著提高原油乳状液的破乳脱水速率和脱水体积，两者之间表现出明显的协同作用。     

A Far‐Red Fluorescent DNA Binder for Interaction Studies of Live Multidrug‐Resistant Pathogens and Host Cells

Transgene expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) has facilitated the spatiotemporal investigation of host–pathogen interactions; however, introduction of the GFP gene remains challenging in drug‐resistant bacteria. Herein, we report a novel far‐red fluorescent nucleic acid stain, 6‐TramTO‐3 , which efficiently labels bacteria through a DNA binding mode without affecting growth and viability. Exemplarily, we stained Klebsiella pneumoniae, a major threat to hospitalized patients, and deciphered divergent interaction strategies of antibiotic‐resistant and antibiotic‐sensitive Klebsiella strains with immune cells. 6‐TramTO‐3 constitutes an off‐the‐shelf reagent for real‐time analysis of bacterial infection, including strains for which the use of genetically encoded reporters is not feasible. Eventually, our approach may aid the development of strategies to combat a major worldwide health threat: multidrug‐resistant bacteria.