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Abstract: Nanoparticles of MgO, Al2O3, CaO and SiO2 were synthesized using aerogel route, and characterized by N2-BET, SEM, TEM, XRD, TGA and FT-IR techniques. Characterization indicated 2–75nm diameter nanoparticles with 135–887m2/g surface area and microporous–mesoporous characteristics. Prepared nanoparticles were tested for their adsorptive potential by conducting studies on kinetics of adsorption of diethylchlorophosphate under static conditions. The kinetic parameters such as equilibration constant, equilibration capacity, diffusional exponent and adsorbate–adsorbent interaction constant have been determined using linear driving force model and Fickian diffusion model. AP-MgO and AP-CaO showed the maximum (1011mg/g) and minimum (690mg/g) uptake of DEClP, respectively. All nanoparticles showed the values of diffusional exponent to be >0.5, indicating the diffusion mechanism to be anomalous. Hydrolysis reaction (identified using GC/MS technique) was found to be the route of degradation of DEClP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Alumina nanoparticles in the size range of 2–30nm and surface area 375m2/g were synthesized using aerogel route and then characterized using N2–BET, SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR and TGA techniques. Thereafter, these were impregnated with reactive chemicals and tested for their potential by conducting studies on kinetics of adsorption of 2-chloroethylethylsulphide (2-CEES) under static conditions. Kinetics was studied using linear driving force and Fickian diffusion model. The kinetics parameters such as equilibration constant, equilibration capacity, diffusional exponent and adsorbate–adsorbent interaction constant were also determined. AP-Al2O3 with 10% impregnation of MoVPA (V3) and NaOH showed the maximum (574mg/g) and minimum (88mg/g) uptake of 2-CEES among impregnated systems respectively. All impregnated systems except NaOH impregnation showed the values of diffusional exponent to be <0.5, indicated the diffusion mechanism to be Fickian, whereas AP-Al2O3 with and without NaOH impregnation showed the diffusional mechanism to be anomalous. Hydrolysis and dehydrohalogenation reactions (identified using GC/MS technique) were found to be the route of degradation of 2-CEES. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, liver-directed gene transfer in rats with calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles and the effect of the route of administration and surgical manipulations on transfection efficiency is reported. Formulations of CaP nanoparticles entrapping plasmid DNA (pDNA) were prepared by the reverse micellar method using two different surfactants. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering were used to characterize the CaP–DNA nanocomposites. The morphological characteristics of the formulations showed a strong dependency on temperature. Gel electrophoresis experiments indicated that there was no degradation of the encapsulated pDNA, and in vitro cell transfection in HEK-293 and primary hepatocytes from rats as well as in vivo intraductal delivery experiments suggested that CaP nanoparticles led to significant and prolonged transgene expression. Therefore, our methodology gives a stable and viable formulation for hepatic gene therapy. Low-DNA dosage entrapped in CaP nanoparticles makes it an effective gene delivery system for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]