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In this work, a sustainable 3D carbon aerogel (AO-WPC) is prepared from waste paper (WP), and used for efficient antibiotics removal from water. The AO-WPC aerogel shows good mechanical property and can recover after 100th of 30 % compression strain. The specific surface area of AO-WPC aerogel is up to 654.58 m 2 /g. More importantly, this aerogel reveals proper pore size distribution, including micro sized macropores between carbon fibers and intrinsic nano scale mesopores (11.86 nm), which is conducive to remove antibiotics from water. Taking tetracycline (Tc) as an example, the maximum adsorption capacity and adsorption rate of AO-WPC for Tc are as high as 384.6 mg/g and 0.510 g/(mg‧min), respectively, which exhibits significant advantages over most of the recent absorbents, and the adsorption toward Tc reveals good resistance to various environmental factors, including pH, various ions, and dissolved organic matter (DOM). Moreover, good thermal stability enables the AO-WPC aerogel to be regenerated through simple burning, and the adsorption capacity of Tc only decreases by 10.4 % after 10 cycles. Mechanism research shows that hydrogen bonding and π-π electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) interaction play the important role in the adsorption. The excellent mechanical property and adsorption performance imply good practical prospect of the AO-WPC aerogel., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We declare no conflict of interest. This manuscript has not been published or presented elsewhere in part or in entirety, and is not under consideration by another journal. There are no conflicts of interest to declare. All authors have contributed to, read, and approved this submitted manuscript in its current form., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

SERS measurements for monitoring bactericides in dairy products are highly desired for food safety problems. However, the complicated preparation process of SERS substrates greatly impedes the promotion of SERS. Here, we propose acoustofluidic one-step synthesis of Ag nanoparticles on paper substrates for SERS detection. Our method is economical, fast, simple, and eco-friendly. We adopted laser cutting to cut out appropriate paper shapes, and aldehydes were simultaneously produced at the cutting edge in the pyrolysis of cellulose by laser which were leveraged as the reducing reagent. In the synthesis, only 5 μL of Ag precursor was added to complete the reaction, and no reducing agent was used. Our recently developed acoustofluidic device was employed to intensely mix Ag + ions and aldehydes and spread the reduced Ag nanoparticles over the substrate. The SERS substrate was fabricated in 1 step and 3 min. The standard R6G solution measurement demonstrated the excellent signal and prominent uniformity of the fabricated SERS substrates. SERS detection of the safe concentration of three bactericides, including tetracycline hydrochloride, thiabendazole, and malachite green, from food samples can be achieved using fabricated substrates. We take the least cost, time, reagents, and steps to fabricate the SERS substrate with satisfying performance. Our work has an extraodinary meaning for the green preparation and large-scale application of SERS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, a simple, bottom up, bioinspired technique is proposed for the synthesis of highly stable colloids of silica supported spherical silver nanoparticles (SiO 2 @Ag) that act as efficient catalytic and antimicrobial coatings for an organic substrate, filter paper. The core - shell structure and the highly branched dendritic polymer, poly(ethylene)imine, enabled the precise control of growth rate and morphology of silica and silver nanoparticles. The polymer also enabled the deposition of these nanoparticles onto an organic substrate, filter paper, through immersion by modifying its surface. The catalytic and antibacterial properties of these samples were assessed. The results obtained from this analysis showed a complete degradation of an aqueous pollutant, 4-nitrophenol, for 6 successive catalytic cycles without intermediate purification steps. Furthermore, the polymeric silica-silver suspension proved to express antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The antibacterial properties were evaluated according to the disk diffusion method, whereas the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration was also determined. The samples were examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, z-potential analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Ultraviolet-visible Spectroscopy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The toxicological effect between co-existed antibiotics and metal ions was dangerous to the ecological environment and public health. However, the rapid quantification tools with convenience, accuracy and low cost for the detection of multiple targets were still challenging. Herein, a portable tri-color ratiometric fluorescence paper sensor was constructed by coupling of blue carbon dots and fluorescence imprinted polymer for down/up conversion simultaneous detection of tetracycline and sulfamethazine. Interestingly, the cascade detection of aluminum ion was also realized based on the individual detection system of tetracycline without the assistance of complex coupling reagents. The detection limits of smartphone method for the visual detection of tetracycline, sulfamethazine and aluminum ion were calculated as 0.014 μM, 0.004 μM and 0.019 μM, respectively. The portable fluorescence paper sensor was applied for the visual detection of tetracycline, sulfamethazine and aluminum ion in actual samples successfully with satisfactory recoveries. With the advantages of rapidness, low cost, and portability, the developed portable fluorescence paper sensor provided a new strategy for the visual real-time detection of multiple targets., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pathogenic bacteria, expedited by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, necessitates the development of a rapid and pan-territorially accessible diagnostic protocol for resistant bacterial infections, which would not only enable judicious prescription of drugs, leading to infection control but also augment AMR surveillance. In this study, we introduce for the first time a " turn-on " terbium (Tb 3+ ) photoluminescence assay supported on a paper-based platform for rapid point-of-care (POC) detection of β-lactamase (BL)-producing bacteria. We strategically conjugated biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid ( BCA ), a potent Tb 3+ sensitizer, with cephalosporin to engineer a BL substrate CCS , where the energy transfer to terbium is arrested. However, BL, a major resistance element produced by bacteria resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, triggers a spontaneous release of BCA , empowering terbium sensitization within a supramolecular scaffold supported on paper. The remarkable optical response facilitates quick assessment with a binary answer, and the time-gated signal acquisition ensues improved sensitivity with a detection limit as low as 0.1 mU/mL. Furthermore, to ensure accessibility, particularly in resource-limited areas, we have developed an in loco imaging device as an affordable alternative to high-end instruments. The integration of the assay with the device readily identified the BL-associated drug-resistant strains in the mimic urinary tract infection samples within 2 h, demonstrating its excellent potential for in-field translation. We believe that this rapid paper-based POC assay, coupled with the in loco device, can be deployed anywhere, especially in developing regions, and will enable extensive surveillance on antibiotic-resistant infections.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), emerging pollutants, are widely distributed in aquatic environments, and are tightly linked to human health. However, the research progress and trends in recent years on ARGs of aquatic environments are still unclear. This paper made a comprehensive understanding of the research advance, study trends and key topics of 1592 ARGs articles from 2012 to 2022 by bibliometrics. Publications on ARGs increased rapidly from 2012 to 2022, and scholars paid closer attention to the field of Environmental Sciences & Ecology. The most influential country and institution was mainly China and Chinese Academy of Sciences, respectively. The most articles (14.64 %) were published in the journal Science of the total environment. China and USA had the most cooperation, and USA was more inclined to international cooperation. PCR-based methods for water ARG research were the most widely used, followed by metagenomics. The most studied ARG types were sulfonamides, tetracyclines. Moreover, ARGs from wastewater and rivers were popularly concerned. Current topics mainly included pollution investigation, characteristics, transmission, reduction and risk identification of ARGs. Additionally, future research directions were proposed. Generally, by bibliometrics, this paper reviews the research hotspots and future directions of ARGs on a global scale, and summarizes the more important categories of ARGs, the pollution degree of ARGs in the relevant water environment and the research methods, which can provide a more comprehensive information for the future breakthrough of resistance mechanism, prevention and control standard formulation of ARGs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Composite adsorbents based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are excellent candidates for solid-phase extraction (SPE) due to their diverse chemical functionality and multilevel porosity. MOF superstructures based on self-assembly at room temperature (RT) could have less energy consumption and easier manipulation due to the larger complex geometry. The π-π stacking of the benzene ring could not only enhance the interaction toward hydrophobic or plane-structured targets but also be expected to promote the formation of the MOF superstructure. In this work, in the established RT self-assembly synthesis system, several factors were investigated to see how to obtain functional MOF superstructures with a regular geometry, among which the number of benzene rings in the ligand was mainly tested for its impact on self-assembly and adsorption capacity. By means of adsorption experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, the relationship between structure and activity (SARs) was further explored. Interestingly, the MOF unit with the lowest specific surface area performed the best in adsorption. Then, the selected functional MOF superstructure and ionic liquid were used to produce the composite paper membrane facilely applied in the SPE device. After optimization of the preparation conditions and operation parameters, the established SPE-HPLC-UV method could selectively analyze tetracycline-like antibiotics in the range of 16.6-833.3 ng/g (ppb) in a meat sample. This work provided an RT synthesis method to produce a microsize MOF superstructure, with experimental and theoretical insights into the SARs, which could be expanded in the design of other MOF-based SPE composite membranes toward one group of analogues.

A lignin-based PU coating was prepared for paper-based green packaging. Two representative diisocyanate were used to prepare the coatings. Due to the rigid aromatic, the physical properties of the TDI system reached the maximum below the lignin content of 40%. The HDI that contains flexible aliphatic chains alleviated the brittleness of coating, and it showed physical advantages when the lignin content was more than 50%. Owing to the high lignin content, the coating presented enhanced thermal stability. After coated with the lignin-based PU coatings, the dry tensile strength of coated paper was improved by 126%. Amazingly, the wet strength was increased from 0.31 to 12.6 MPa with an improvement nearly 40 times. Based on the coordination of lignin, Ag + was introduced into the PU matrix, which imparted the coating with excellent antibacterial ability. The colony forming units of E. coli and S. aureus were both less than 1. However, no inhibition halo was observed, which indicated that the Ag was firmly anchored on the coating and the antibacterial ability is only available when the bacterial contact the coating surface. The lignin-based PU coating with favorable sustainability and properties shows great potential in paper-based green packaging fields., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A low-cost and portable paper-based analytical device has been developed for high throughput and on-site monitoring TC residue in milk through visualized colorimetric reaction. The filtration and concentration effect induced by the porous nature of paper contribute to strengthen the color intensity, leading to quantitative and sensitive detection of tetracycline reaching 1 ppm detection limit, with the linear range of 1-100 ppm both in water and milk samples. The applicability was demonstrated by detection of TC in 18 different types of real milk samples with good recovery ranging from 88% to 113%. Furthermore, the dynamic degradation behavior of tetracycline was monitored through the device. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of colorimetric detection of tetracycline in milk using the paper-based device. This simple, fast, cost-effective (~$0.50 per device) and equipment-free paper-based platform provides a promising tool for future application in food and environmental safety., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

An energy-saving scheme that can simultaneously realize electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, passive solar radiative heating, and active Joule heating in a single wearable device is still a huge challenge. Here, by combining the unique properties of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene and biocompatible cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), a flexible, degradable, and antibacterial multifunctional Ti 3 C 2 T x /CNF paper (∼0.6 Ω/sq) is constructed through a facile vacuum filtration strategy. The resultant device not only exhibits an admirable EMI shielding effectiveness of ∼48.5 dB at the X-band and a superior heating property including dual-driven electrothermal and photothermal conversion without energy but also possesses wide temperature range regulation and long-time stability. More impressively, both high antibacterial efficiency (toward both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria) and good degradability with low-concentration hydrogen peroxide solution can also be achieved in Ti 3 C 2 T x /CNF papers. This study provides a promising platform for practical applications of multifunctional Ti 3 C 2 T x /CNFs in EMI shielding, thermotherapy, heat preservation, and antibacterial protection in harsh environments, satisfying the demands for energy-saving, environmentally friendly, and sustainable development.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding: None declared

The increase in anthropogenic pollution raises serious concerns regarding contamination of water bodies and aquatic species with potential implications on human health. Pharmaceutical compounds are a type of contaminants of emerging concern that are increasingly consumed and, thus, being frequently found in the aquatic environment. In this sense, an electrochemical sensor based on an unmodified and untreated carbon fiber paper (CPS-carbon paper sensor) was simply employed for the analysis of trimethoprim antibiotic in fish samples. First, the analytical conditions were thoroughly optimized in order for the CPS to achieve maximum performance in trimethoprim determination. Therefore, an electrolyte (0.1 M Britton-Robinson buffer) pH of 7 was selected and for square wave voltammetry parameters, optimum values of amplitude, frequency and step potential corresponded to 0.02 V, 50 Hz, and 0.015 V, respectively, whereas the deposition of analyte occurred at +0.7 V for 60 s. In these optimum conditions, the obtained liner range (0.05 to 2 µM), sensitivity (48.8 µA µM -1 cm -2 ), and LOD (0.065 µM) competes favorably with the commonly used GCE-based sensors or BDD electrodes that employ nanostructuration or are more expensive. The CPS was then applied for trimethoprim determination in fish samples after employing a solid phase extraction procedure based on QuEChERS salts, resulting in recoveries of 105.9 ± 1.8% by the standard addition method.

Paper made of cellulose has the advantages of substantial resource, good biocompatibility, large operation scale, and low production cost, however, it is usually hindered to replace plastic due to its inferior stability to water and poor mechanical strength. Herein, commercial filter paper (FP) was reacted with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) to fabricate modified paper with tunable hydrophobicity and enhanced wet tensile strength. Due to the formation of urethane linkages in the reaction, both hydrophobicity and wet mechanical properties can be tuned and improved by varying the MDI cross-linking agent, exhibiting highest water contact angle of 137.0° and wet tensile strength of 4.8 MPa. In addition, the modified MDI-FPs exhibited excellent antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli compared with the original FP. Overall, this study provides a more simple approach to modify cellulose paper to produce versatile cellulose-based materials that can potentially replace the non-biodegradable plastics., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Waste paper is a major contributor to municipal and industrial waste, and its recycle and reuse are a current challenge. The aim of this research is to convert waste paper into value-added cellulose films through rapid dissolution in pre-cooled H 2 SO 4 aqueous solution. Two types of waste paper, office paper and cardboard, could be dissolved within 210 s. The regenerated office paper films were transparent, and exhibited excellent mechanical properties (tensile strength: 77.55 ± 6.52 MPa, elongation at break: 2.67 ± 0.30 %, and Young's modulus: 5451.67 ± 705.23 MPa), which were comparable to those of cellulose films prepared from spruce pulp in the same solvent. The mixed paper films showed a dramatically reduced UV transmittance due to the existence of lignin. Moreover, the regenerated films were a promising matrix to load antimicrobial compounds, and thus inhibited the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, this work provides a convenient way to directly convert waste paper into biodegradable antimicrobial packaging materials., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A digital fluorescence detector (DFD), a handheld fluorescence detection device, can convert the fluorescence signal of samples into the corresponding fluorescer concentration. Herein, by adopting a DFD as the readout, a novel intelligent platform was developed based on a ratiometric paper-based device (RPD) for multiple aminoglycoside detection. There are five layers and four parallel channels contained in the designed RPD, functioning as reagent storage, fluidic path control and signal processing, respectively. The rationale of this design lies in the fact that aptamer/graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet (Apt/g-C 3 N 4 NS) modified layers can catalyze o -phenylenediamine to fluorescent 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP) in the presence of H 2 O 2 . When Apt was removed from nanosheets via the Apt-target reaction, the peroxidase-like activity would be decreased, thus decreasing the production of DAP. All the changes of the fluorescence DAP signal can be read out using a portable DFD. Based on the DFD signal change related to the concentration of the target, a quantitative reaction platform was established. Furthermore, the sample flow and Apt-target reaction time can be reasonably regulated using the H 2 O 2 -cleavable hydrophobic compound modified layer placed between the target recognition region and detection region. Then, the practicality of this platform was verified through realizing sensitive analysis of streptomycin, tobramycin, and kanamycin simultaneously. Overall, with merits including portability and ease of operation, the platform shows great potential in on-site simultaneous detection of multiple targets, especially in resource-limited settings.

Aminoglycosides are widely used antibiotics that bind to the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit to inhibit translation. Owing to their adverse side effects and narrow therapeutic index, monitoring blood levels of aminoglycosides is important to maximize their effectiveness and minimize their toxicity. Current monitoring techniques require a well-equipped diagnostic laboratory. The present study aimed to present a proof-of-concept for a simple, low-cost biochemical assay utilizing a paper platform for the detection of serum/whole blood aminoglycosides. A paper-based bioassay chip for the assay was developed by spotting and freeze-drying cell-free transcription/translation reaction machinery for a luminescent reporter protein (NanoLuc) within an array of wax circles printed on filter paper. The paper-based chip could be used to quantify serum/whole blood aminoglycosides within clinically relevant concentrations in 30-60 min by spotting minimal volumes of samples, followed by the NanoLuc substrate, in the wax circles and detecting the associated changes in luminescence signals, using a simple digital camera. Furthermore, a one-pot assay in which cell-free transcription/translation reaction machinery and NanoLuc substrate are mixed in advance and embedded in paper could be used to detect an aminoglycoside in serum. Overall, our paper-based bioassay can potentially provide a basic platform for the simple and low-cost therapeutic monitoring of aminoglycosides, especially in resource-limited regions.

Globally, rapid development of antibiotic resistance amongst pathogens has led to limited treatment options and high indirect costs to health management. There is a need to avoid misuse of available antibiotics and to develop rapid, affordable and accessible diagnostic technologies to detect drug resistance even in resource limited settings. This study reports the development of instrument-free point-of-care devices for detection of antibiotic resistance for rapid diagnosis of drug resistance in the penicillin, cephalosporin and carbapenem groups of antibiotics. The simple paper-based devices for flow through assay determine the presence of resistant bacteria in a sample by a visible colour change within 30 minutes. At the center of this technology is the unique sensing nanomaterial comprising of core-shell nanoparticles layered with specific antibiotics. The core is comprised of chitosan nanoparticles of size ∼15 nm coated with the starch-iodine indicator to form a shell increasing the size to ∼47 nm. The test strip is coated with the nanoparticles, air-dried and overlayed with the required antibiotic. In the presence of penicillin, cephalosporin and carbapenem resistant bacteria, the core-shell nanoparticles undergo a visible colour change from blue to white. The core-shell nanoparticles were deposited on paper to form a point-of-care device. Devices were developed to screen for three main classes of antibiotics namely penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems. The devices were validated using standard resistant and susceptible ATCC strains in three different sample types, pure colony, broth culture and saline suspensions. The change of colour from blue to white was considered a positive test. The time of detection was found to be 30 min, while the limit of detection was 10 5 cfu ml -1 . The device exhibited 100% sensitivity and specificity with known resistant and susceptible cultures not only from pure colonies but also from direct samples of spiked saline suspensions with graded confounding factors of albumin, glucose, and urea. The inter-device reproducibility and storage stability of the devices was established. The developed point-of-care devices have potential as screening devices for antimicrobial resistance.

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria needs rapid identification and efficient destruction routes. This study proposes testing paper derived from electrospun fibrous mats and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probes for trace sensing and simultaneous destruction of antibiotic-resistant E. coli. Aptamers are conjugated on fibers for selective capture of E. coli, and the capture capability can be regenerated via rinsing with salt solution. Hydroxyl tetraphenylethene (TPE) is linked with two cephalosporin molecules to construct TPE-Cep probes, and the fluorescence emission is turned on specifically in the presence of β-lactamase, which is a critical marker for screening resistant bacteria. Fibrous mats are lit up only in the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the fluorescence intensity changes could be statistically fitted into an equation for quantitative analysis. Fibrous strips display apparent color changes from blue to green for a visual readout of bacterial levels, and the limit of detection (LOD) is much lower than those of previous paper substrates. In addition, the TPE-Cep probes could produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) under room light illumination to kill the captured bacteria. Thus, the integration of aptamer-grafted electrospun fibers and functional AIE probes provides potential for selective capture, trace imaging and photodynamic destruction of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Cellulose paper-chitosan (CC) double-layer films containing epsilon-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) (0.5 and 1% w/v) were developed. FTIR analysis showed a strong association between the ε-PL and CC film. Antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes was investigated both in vitro and in the chicken breast meat. The CC films without ε-PL showed no antimicrobial activity, while the addition of ε-PL induced significant (p < 0.05) effects. During the 28 days of storage at 4  ° C, no significant difference was found on the anti-listeria activity of films. When storage temperature was raised from 4 to 22  ° C, the antimicrobial activity was reduced. Films containing 1% ε-PL exhibited 1.5 log 10  CFU/g reduction in L. monocytogenes population during 12 days storage of meat at 4  ° C, while no significant reduction was found in CC films with 0.5% ε-PL (p > 0.05). This study revealed an antimicrobial activity for CC films impregnated with ε-PL, to control foodborne pathogens in meat., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To evaluate in vitro the antibacterial effect of a paper made of silver phosphate cellulose fibers (SPCF) on Staphylococcus aureus , the most common diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) pathogen when compared with other common commercial products., Methods: The antibacterial activity of SPCF samples was evaluated through time with cell counting on agar plates. SPCF samples were then compared with commercial wound care products currently in use in DFU treatments (Silvercel™, Acticoat 7, and Aquacel Ag Extra TM ) through time on agar plates (growth inhibition zones)., Results: After 6 hours, there was no viable bacterial cell detected on either plate ( p < 0.05). There was a net growth inhibition zone for SPCF samples but no significant difference between the two silver concentrations. Compared with common commercial products, SPCF paper provides results equal to Acticoat 7 ( p < 0.05). There was a net growth inhibition zone for SPCF samples but no significant difference between the two silver concentrations. Compared with common commercial products, SPCF paper provides results equal to Acticoat 7 ( p < 0.05). There was a net growth inhibition zone for SPCF samples but no significant difference between the two silver concentrations. Compared with common commercial products, SPCF paper provides results equal to Acticoat 7 (., Conclusions: These results have shown the efficiency of SPCF paper to eliminate Staphylococcus aureus in these conditions. SPCF papers are effective when compared with other common commercial products and could have an industrial potential in wound care. Infected DFU could benefit from the antibacterial effectiveness of SPCF, but more relevant experimentations related to foot ulcers are needed. Staphylococcus aureus , the most common diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) pathogen when compared with other common commercial products., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Virginie Blanchette et al.)

Here, we aimed to boost antibacterial performance of cellulose fibers for paper sheet application. Therefore, TiO 2 nanoparticles have been used with controlled loading onto the surface of the fibers. A simple and facile composite preparation route based on ultrasound and mechanical assisted stirring has been developed. We tested cellulose paper enriched by TiO 2 from 1.0 wt% to 8.0 wt%, respectively. Antibacterial performance has been studied against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. Studies showed that all composites exhibit significant capability to reduce living cells of S. aureus and E. coli bacteria at least 60%. The simplicity, low cost, and reproducibility of the prepared method indicates the potential to be scaled up for industrial applications.

This work demonstrates a sensitive and rapid method for the detection of antibiotic residues in food samples by employing the filtration behaviour of paper combined with aggregation and precipitation of chemical reagents. Using this concept, we successfully determined the presence of oxytetracycline and norfloxacin residues in pork using metal complexation on microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs). The base substrate (top layer of the device) was fabricated by printing letter channels of the words "oxytetracycline" and "norfloxacin" before functionalization with copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate in 0.5 M sodium hydroxide and iron (III) nitrate nanohydrate in 5 mM ammonia solution for the detection of oxytetracycline and norfloxacin separately. A transition metal hydroxide formed upon reaction that created solid precipitates on paper and allowed antibiotic residues to bind to the metal ions via coordination chemistry. The metal ion-antibiotic complex could form on the filter paper and generated a visible color change with the detection limit of 1 ppm for both oxytetracycline and norfloxacin in pork. This procedure of filtration and concentration in combination with a simple text-reporting approach allows the end users to achieve a low limit of detection as well as easy result interpretation in food safety monitoring., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Filtration is a promising water treatment method to purify drinking water. To develop highly efficient drinking water filter paper, water-resistant cellulose foam paper with a high wet strength property was fabricated using diverse metal oxide (e.g., copper oxide (CuO), zinc oxide (ZnO), and silver oxide (Ag 2 O)) nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were synthesized using the hydrothermal reaction method. Their morphological structures were studied using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The presence of coated nanoparticles on the cellulose foam filter was verified by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) methods. The antibacterial performance of different types of modified cellulose foam filters was studied against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, and B. cereus strains using the zone of inhibition test. The antibacterial profile of the cellulose foam filter impregnated with Ag 2 O nanoparticles, when tested against different types of bacteria, exhibited higher antibacterial activity than the cellulose foam filter impregnated with ZnO and CuO nanoparticles., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this work, we analyzed the performance of the Electro-Filtering Paper Spray Ionization (EFSI) method for detecting compounds in unprocessed samples. A relatively rigid and electrically conductive copper filter was used as a substrate to insure sufficient and efficient sample-solvent extraction and to increase the conductivity for paper spraying. The method was demonstrated as applicable for indirect high-throughput analysis of large-volume unprocessed samples, which is not possible with conventional nanoESI or direct paper spray methods. The new method can generate different desired ion signals for a wide range of compounds by selecting different extraction solvents. Moreover, key parameters related to extraction efficiency were optimized in detail to obtain the most satisfactory extraction efficiency during antibiotic analysis. Finally, under optimal conditions, the EFSI method was successfully used to detect four antibiotics in animal products of egg, chicken, and chicken liver, exhibiting good reproducibility with calibration curves between 81.6% and 96.3%, and R 2 values above 0.99. Recoveries of 75.0%ￚ94.6% were obtained for the four antibiotics. Hence, the proposed EFSI-MS is a successful, economical, rapid, and high-throughput method that is effective for both unknown and targeted extraction of unprocessed samples by mass spectrometric analysis., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Antibiotics are used largely in agriculture and animal farming. As a result, antibiotic residues are found in food products as well as pharmaceutical industries and farming wastes. Since consumption of food products contaminated with antibiotic in excessive residuals causes severe environmental risks, our study here aims to detect the residues level of selected antibiotics in milk and egg. For monitoring of the antibiotic residues in various food diaries, low-cost, simple and rapid methods are required. This paper reports fabricating a disposable microfluidic paper-based analytical device for detection and discrimination of 8 antibiotics. This small but efficient device works based on combination of paper microfluidics, sensor array concept (an array of metallochromic complexes, which provides an optical tongue, and chemometrics data analysis. The discrimination is based on differential interaction of the antibiotics with 5 metal-indicator complexes and displacing the chromogenic indicators. This resulted in specific color changes for each antibiotic. The discriminant models obtained by employing linear discriminant analysis could discriminate antibiotics in real samples of milk and egg white and yolk at concentrations of as low as 5.0 mg L -1 with 100% accuracy. Also, semi-quantitative analysis was provided to detect trace amounts of the antibiotics (1.0 mg L -1 )., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A heightened need to control the spread of infectious diseases prompted the current work in which functionalized and innovative antimicrobial tissue paper was developed with a hydrophobic spray-coating of chitosan (Ch) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) composite. It was hypothesized that the hydrophobic nature of chitosan could be counterbalanced by the addition of CNC to maintain fiber formation and water absorbency. Light-weight tissue handsheets were prepared, spray-coated with Ch, CNC, and their composite coating (ChCNC), and tested for antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and a microbial sample from a human hand after using the rest room. Water absorption and strength properties were also analyzed. To activate the surface of cationized tissue paper, an oxygen/helium gas atmospheric plasma treatment was employed on the best performing antimicrobial tissue papers. The highest bactericidal activity was observed with ChCNC-coated tissue paper, inhibiting up to 98% microbial growth. Plasma treatment further improved the antimicrobial activity of the coatings. Water absorption properties were reduced with Ch but increased with CNC. This "self-disinfecting" bactericidal tissue has the potential to be one of the most innovative products for the hygiene industry because it can dry, clean, and resist the infection of surfaces simultaneously, providing significant societal benefits.

Rationale: Paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) was used to analyze and quantify ampicillin, a hydrophilic compound and frequently utilized antibiotic. Hydrophilic molecules are difficult to analyze via PS-MS due to their strong binding affinity to paper substrates and low ionization efficiency, among other reasons., Methods: Solvent and paper parameters were optimized to increase the extraction of ampicillin from the paper substrate. After optimizing these key parameters, a Resolution IV 1/16 fractional factorial design with two center points was employed to screen eight different design parameters simultaneously., Results: Pore size, sample volume, and solvent volume were the most significant factors affecting average peak area under the curve (AUC) and the signal-to-blank (S/B) ratio for the 1 μg/mL ampicillin calibrant. After optimizing the key parameters, a linear calibration curve with a range of 0.2 μg/mL to 100 μg/mL was generated (R 2  = 0.98) and the limit of detection (LOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) were calculated to be 0.07 μg/mL and 0.25 μg/mL, respectively., Conclusions: The statistical optimization procedure undertaken here increased the mass spectral signal intensity by more than a factor of 40. This statistical method of screening followed by optimization experiments proved faster and more efficient, and produced more drastic improvements than typical one-factor-at-a-time experiments., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely used for sterilization due to their broad-spectrum bactericidal properties. However, there exist the problems of premature releasing and accumulative toxicity when free AgNPs are applied. This study proposed a one-pot hydrothermal strategy to synthesize carbon spheres immobilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs@CS). The synthesis involves with silver ammonia solution as Ag precursor, and corn stalk as green reducing agent and carbon precursor. Furthermore, AgNPs@CS was anchored by cellulose nanofibers (CNF) to obtain the antibacterial composite paper. The obtained CNF/AgNPs@CS paper exhibited superior antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus. Notably, the accumulative release rate of AgNPs from AgNPs@CS was 10.2% in 9 days, while that from CNF/AgNPs@CS paper was only 6.7% due to the anchoring effect of both CS and CNF, which was low for avoiding the cumulative toxicity problem. In addition, the mechanical and barrier properties of CNF/AgNPs@CS paper were also improved by 29.4% (tensile index), 2.7% (tear index), 7.4% (burst index), 10% (folding endurance), 0.8% (water vapor transmission) and 9.4% (oxygen transmission rate), respectively. Therefore, the composite paper has potential application as a medical antibacterial material., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nowadays, thanks to nanotechnological progress, which itself guides us more and more closely toward not only the efficient design of innovative nanomaterials or nanostructures, but to the improvement of their functionality, we benefit from an important asset in the battle against pathogenic illnesses. Herein, we report a versatile biocompatible plasmonic nanoplatform based on a Whatman paper incorporating positively-charged gold nanospherical particles via the immersion approach. The morphological characterization of the as-engineered-plasmonic paper was examined by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and HRTEM (high-resolution transmission electron microscopy) investigations, while its surface chemical modification with a synthetic polypeptide, specifically RRWHRWWRR-NH2 (P2), was proved by monitoring the plasmonic response of loaded gold nanospheres and the emission signal of P2 via fluorescence spectroscopy. The as-functionalized plasmonic paper is non-cytotoxic towards BJ fibroblast human cells at bactericidal concentrations. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of the P2-functionalized plasmonic paper on both planktonic bacteria and biofilms was tested against two reference strains: Gram-positive Bacteria, i.e., Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative Bacteria, i.e., Escherichia coli , determining microbial inhibition of up to 100% for planktonic bacteria. In line with the above presented nanoplatform's proper design, followed by their functionalization with active antimicrobial peptides, new roads can be open for determining antibiotic-free treatments against different relevant pathogens.

A dual functional molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) coated paper (MIP-CP) sensor was firstly proposed for rapid fluorescent (FL) and visual analysis of norfloxacin (NOR) in aqueous solutions. The sensor was fabricated via a sol-gel technique, and characterized by FTIR and SEM. The extraction capacity, selectivity, detection limit, and linear range of the MIP-CP sensor were studied by an FL spectrophotometer. The modified paper sensor showed good selectivity and high extraction capacity for NOR and its structural analogues. For FL analysis of NOR, the linear range and detection limit were found to be 10-100 ng/ml and 2.59 ng/ml, respectively. The visual determination of NOR (under UV light) based on the MIP-CP sensor was also explored, and the determination limit was found to be 0.1 μg/ml. Finally, the proposed methods were successfully applied to the direct determination of NOR in pharmaceutical preparations and cross-validated by UPLC. The MIP-CP sensor might be a potential platform for antibiotic determination due to its multifunction and good analytical performance., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets enriched with hydroxyl groups (h-BN-OH) were successfully grafted on the surface of cellulose fibers after the simple and effective exfoliation and oxidation of bulk h-BN. OH groups of h-BN-OH and the ones presented on the surface of cellulose fibers interacted via hydrogen bonding. Both spectroscopic (FT-IR, XRD) and microscopic (TEM, SEM, and atomic force microscopy (AFM)) methods results proved the successful functionalization of the cellulose fibers with the nanomaterial. Modified cellulose fibers were used to prepare paper sheets samples with different concentrations of the nanomaterial (1 wt %, 2 wt %, and 3 wt %). All the samples were tested for the antibacterial properties via the colony forming unit method and exhibited good performance against both Gram-negative ( E. coli) and Gram-positive ( S. epidermidis ) model bacteria. Additionally, the influence of the volume of working bacterial suspension on the antibacterial efficiency of the obtained materials was examined. The results showed significantly better antibacterial performance when the volume of bacterial suspension was reduced. Mechanical properties of the paper samples with and without nanofiller were also characterized. Tensile strength, tearing strength, and bursting strength of the paper samples containing only 2 wt % of the nanofiller were improved by 60%, 61%, and 118% in comparison to the control paper samples, respectively. Furthermore, the nanofiller improved the thermal properties of the composite paper-the heat release rate decreased by up to 11.6%. Therefore, the composite paper can be further explored in a wide range of antibacterial materials, such as packaging or paper coatings.

A bio-inspired cellulose paper-poly(amidoxime) composite hydrogel is explored via UV-polymerization. This hydrogel has a highly efficient uranium capture capacity of up to 6.21 mg g -1 for W U /W dry gel and 12.9 mg g -1 for W U /W poly(amidoxime) in seawater for 6 weeks, due to its enhanced hydrophilicity, good hydraulic/ionic conductivity and broad-spectrum antibacterial performance.

Aims: A paper by Araújo et al. (2018) claims that a variety of compounds present in pyroligneous acid (guaiacol, phenols and furfural) are responsible for the observed antimicrobial activity. We show, on the other hand, that the low pH due to acetic acid present in pyroligneous acid is the real cause of the activity., Methods and Results: Pyroligneous acid (PA) was synthesized according to a previous method (Medeiros et al. 2019) with its inhibition activity tested on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus via the agar diffusion method. The activity of acetic acid at different concentrations was also evaluated for comparison. As expected, crude PA (pH 3.0) and acetic acid produced inhibition halos whose diameters varied according to their employed concentration. However, any PA inhibitory activity completely vanished upon neutralization (pH 7.0), a behaviour also observed for neutralized acetic acid., Conclusions: The claim that guaiacol, phenols and furfural are responsible for any inhibitory activity is unsubstantiated. The authors should have neutralized the pyroligneous acid if any activity was to be discovered., Significance and Impact of Study: To increase awareness that interfering species may play a detrimental role on the interpretation of results. In this case, the action of acetic acid is vastly more important for the inhibitory activity than any other compound present in PA., (© 2021 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

In this study, a biodegradable paper-based composite with good mechanical and antibacterial properties was obtained by first reinforcing the cotton pulp-based paper with carboxylated cellulose nanofiber (CNF) via the Williamson reaction, followed by in situ generating zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) nanoparticles on the surface of the resulting cellulosic material. The mechanical properties and antibacterial activities of the resulting composite were investigated. The tensile testing demonstrated that the composites prepared with 2.5 wt% CNF exhibited outstanding mechanical performance under dry and wet conditions with the tensile strength values of 17.20 and 1.90 MPa, respectively, approximately 1.3 and 11 times higher compared to that of the original cellulose paper. Furthermore, the antibacterial experiments showed that the composites exhibited significant bacteriostasis, and the antibacterial properties increased significantly with increasing ZIF-67 loading in the composites. Consequently, this biodegradable composite could be potentially used in the field of medical and health security., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Coating of antibacterial layer on the surface of cellulosic paper has numerous potential applications. In the present work, sodium alginate (SA) served as a binder to disperse Zn 2+ and the prepared zinc oxide (ZnO) particles were used as antibacterial agents. The rheology test revealed that there were cross-linking between Zn 2+ and SA molecular chains in the aqueous solution, resulting in the viscosity of ZnO/SA composite coating increased in the low shear rate region and decreased in the high shear rate region as compared with pure SA. SEM and EDS mapping images showed that the ZnO particles were prepared successfully at 120 °C and dispersed homogeneously on the surface of cellulose fibers and the pores of cellulosic papers. The thermal stabilities of the coated papers decreased as compared to the original blank cellulosic paper, which was ascribed to the low thermal stability of SA and the catalytic effect of ZnO on SA. The tensile stress and Young's modulus of ZnO/SA composite coated paper increased up 39.5% and 30.7%, respectively, as compared with those of blank cellulosic paper. The antibacterial activity tests indicated that the ZnO/SA composite coating endowed the cellulosic paper with effectively growth inhibition of both Gram-negative bacteria E. coli and Gram-positive bacteria S. aureu., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The papers have a porous structure which can be a suitable medium for the growth of bacteria. Therefore, in the sanitary papers, creation of a suitable antibacterial property is necessary. In this way, the plant extracts were prepared using solid-liquid extraction method from the Rosmarinus officinalis, Olea europaea, Mentha spicata and Punica granatum. Relatively, the total phenol and flavonoid contents were determined according to colorimetric method. Their antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH method. The extracts were sprayed on the surface of the handsheets, and then their antibacterial activity was investigated. The results showed that extracts from the P. granatum has the highest phenol (5.82%) and antioxidant activity (71.13%), while the extract from the R. officinalis had the highest flavonoid (4.23%) and antibacterial activity (90.43%). Hence, it can be concluded that these two extracts could be the suitable combinations to create desirable antibacterial properties in the manufacture of papers with sanitary purposes.

Norfloxacin (NOR) in milk may influence mammalian cell replication and bring about a decrease in the efficiency for treating infection in humans. However, current techniques for detecting NOR usually require expensive instruments and trained personnel. In this work, we have developed a low-cost and simple method via paper-based fluorescent immunoassay for highly sensitive and selective detection of NOR in milk at picogram level. The NOR monoclonal antibody labeled with quantum dots is used as a detection probe to recognize the corresponding NOR, which can quantitatively detect NOR on paper-based devices. The detection limits in aqueous solution and milk are 1 pg/mL and 10 pg/mL, respectively. The developed paper-based method provides a cheap, sensitive, eco-friendly, and rapid approach for quantitative detection of trace NOR in milk, which may find wide applications in food safety inspection. Noteworthy, the method is especially suitable for applications at resource-limited and on-site settings., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A functionalized paper based on gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) conjugated graphene oxide (GO) was developed for near-infrared (NIR) laser triggered photothermal ablation against infectious bacterial pathogens. Firstly, quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan (QCMC) not only acted as reducing agent to synthesize Au NPs, but also functioned as coupling agent to link up Au NPs with GO. Au-QCMC-GO(+) was supposed to synergistically intensify the photothermal effect, which was then mixed with nanocellulose to form a functionalized paper via vacuum filtration. The photothermal efficiency, antibacterial treatment and mechanical property of Au-QCMC-GO(+)/nanocellulose paper were investigated. Excited by NIR laser irradiation, Au-QCMC-GO(+)/nanocellulose paper generated a temperature rise over 80 °C, sufficient for photothermal ablation upon both Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Stapylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Additionally, Au-QCMC-GO(+)/nanocellulose paper showed a remarkable enhancement in tensile strength, bursting index and tear index compared to those of pure nanocellulose paper., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this work, 1,1,2,2-tetra(4-carboxylphenyl)ethylene (H 4 TCPE) was selected as the guest and incorporated into a Eu/AMP ICP host to establish a "lab-on-an-AIE@Ln/ICP" sensor array for identifying and sensing environmental antibiotics simultaneously. First, on the basis of a theoretical study of the antenna effect and reductive photoinduced charge transfer between the as-prepared H 4 TCPE@Eu/AMP ICPs and antibiotics, respectively, the response from the sensitized time-resolved fluorescence of the host and the unique aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of the guest were selected as the main sensing elements for the sensor array. With the regulation of pH, the diverse fluorescence responses for antibiotics with either structural differences (flumequine, oxytetracycline, and sulfadiazine) or structural similarities (oxytetracycline, tetracycline, and doxycycline) were recorded and processed by principal component analysis; systematic analysis of environmental antibiotics was therefore realized. Encouraged by the superior anti-aggregation-caused quenching effect of H 4 TCPE@Eu/AMP ICPs on the test strip, the distinct fluorescence color changes of the "lab-on-an-AIE@Ln/ICP" sensor array were further explored with the aid of smartphones. The fingerprinting pattern of the sensor array on test paper eventually holds great potential for the point-of-use systematic analysis of environmental antibiotics even in complicated real samples.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the ability of a bacterial species to resist the action of an antimicrobial drug, has been on the rise due to the widespread use of antimicrobial agents. Per the World Health Organization, AMR has an estimated annual cost of USD 34 billion in the US and is predicted to be the number one cause of death worldwide by 2050. One way AMR bacteria can spread, and by which individuals can contract AMR infections, is through contaminated water. Monitoring AMR bacteria in the environment currently requires that samples be transported to a central laboratory for slow and labor intensive tests. We have developed an inexpensive assay using paper-based analytical devices (PADs) that can test for the presence of β-lactamase-mediated resistance. To demonstrate viability, the PAD was used to detect β-lactam resistance in wastewater and sewage and identified resistance in individual bacterial species isolated from environmental water sources., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) provides rapid and sensitive identification of small molecule analytes. Traditionally, fabrication of SERS devices is an expensive process that involves the use of micro- and nano-fabrication procedures. Further, acquisition of diverse sample types requires complex preparation procedures that limits SERS to lab-based applications. Recent innovations using plasmonic nanoparticles embedded in flexible paper substrates has allowed the expansion of SERS techniques to portable analytical procedures. Recently inkjet-printing has been identified as a low cost, rapid, and highly customizable method for producing paper based SERS sensors with robust performance. This chapter details the materials and procedures by which inkjet printed SERS sensors can be fabricated and applied to relevant applications. In particular, methods for utilizing the sensors for detection of antibiotics are presented.

The development of analytical methods that allow the simultaneous determination of a wide range of analytes with different properties is one of the focuses of attention in Analytical Chemistry. This work describes a proof-of-concept of the synergistic extraction of a planar paper-based sorptive phase modified with a polyamide such as nylon. This as-prepared sorptive phase enables the extraction of six penicillin-derived antibiotics of different polarity from human saliva samples in the same analysis, since the analytes either interact with the paper or with the nylon. The synthesis of the sorptive phase is simple as it only requires dipping the paper into an organic solution of the polymer (i.e., nylon in formic acid). Then, the modified paper-based sorptive phase is introduced in an Eppendorf tube to perform the extraction of the analytes, and subsequent desorption and measurement by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the method enables the determination of the analytes in saliva samples with limits of detection from 2.4 to 3.7 ng mL -1 . Relative standard deviation (RSD) below 10% for all the target analytes and relative recoveries between 84 and 123% were achieved by using matrix-matched calibration. The results confirm the versatility and the synergistic extraction of the polyamide-coated paper-based sorptive phase, and its potential to be applied in bioanalysis. Moreover, the easy synthesis of the sorptive phase and the low cost of its preparation, as well as the high sample throughput analysis, are some of the main features of the proposed method., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A microfluidic chip was developed for one-step identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of multiple uropathogens. The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchip used had features of cell culture chamber arrays connected through a sample introduction channel. At the bottom of each chamber, a paper substrate preloaded with chromogenic media and antimicrobial agents was embedded. By integrating a hydrophobic membrane valve on the microchip, the urine sample can be equally distributed into and confined in individual chambers. The identification and AST assays on multiple uropathogens were performed by combining the spatial resolution of the cell culture arrays and the color resolution from the chromogenic reaction. The composite microbial testing assay was based on dynamic changes in color in a serial of chambers. The bacterial antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the lowest concentration of an antimicrobial agent that is capable of inhibiting the chromogenic reaction. Using three common uropathogenic bacteria as test models, the developed microfluidic approach was demonstrated to be able to complete the multiple colorimetric assays in 15 h. The accuracy of the microchip method, in comparison with that of the conventional approach, showed a coincidence of 94.1%. Our data suggest this microfluidic approach will be a promising tool for simple and fast uropathogen testing in resource-limited settings.

Immobilized silver nano-particles (Ag NPs) possess excellent antimicrobial properties due to their unique surface characteristics. In this paper, immobilized silver nano-particles were synthesized in the presence of chitin nano-crystals (CNC) based on the Tollens mechanism (reduction of silver ion by aldehydes in the chitosan oligosaccharides (COS)) under microwave-assisted conditions. The prepared Ag NPs-loaded CNC nano-composites were then applied onto the paper surface via coating for the preparation of antibacterial paper. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed that the Ag NPs were immobilized onto the CNC. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results further revealed that the spherical Ag NPs (5-12nm) were well dispersed on the surface of CNC. The coated paper made from the Ag NPs-loaded CNC nano-composites exhibited a high effectiveness of the antibacterial activity against E. coli or S. aureus., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Antibiotic use is necessary in the outpatient hemodialysis setting because patients receiving hemodialysis are at increased risk for infections and sepsis. However, inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to adverse drug events, including adverse drug reactions and infections with Clostridioides difficile and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Optimizing antibiotic use can decrease adverse events and improve infection cure rates and patient outcomes. The American Society of Nephrology and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created the Antibiotic Stewardship in Hemodialysis White Paper Writing Group, comprising experts in antibiotic stewardship, infectious diseases, nephrology, and public health, to highlight strategies that can improve antibiotic prescribing for patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Based on existing evidence and the unique patient and clinical setting characteristics, the following strategies for improving antibiotic use are reviewed: expanding infection and sepsis prevention activities, standardizing blood culture collection processes, treating methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infections with β-lactams, optimizing communication between nurses and prescribing providers, and improving data sharing across transitions of care. Collaboration among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; American Society of Nephrology; other professional societies such as infectious diseases, hospital medicine, and vascular surgery societies; and dialysis provider organizations can improve antibiotic use and the quality of care for patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis., (Copyright © 2020 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.)

By utilizing the coffee-ring effect and microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs), this study improved the sensitivity of the determination of norfloxacin in four different food matrices. Micro-PADs in this study were fabricated by designing and embedding wax channels onto cellulose-based filter paper through printing and subjecting the paper to heat to allow the wax to penetrate the paper. Determination of norfloxacin concentration in food samples was achieved by monitoring the colorimetric reaction that occurred between norfloxacin and the added iron (III) nitrate nonahydrate in 5 mM ammonia in each reaction chamber. A transition metal hydroxide was formed through this reaction that resulted in the formation of a solid precipitate to enable the antibiotic to bind to the iron molecule via coordination chemistry. This metal ion-antibiotic complex generated a visible color change. Following the colorimetric reaction, images were taken and subsequently analyzed via ImageJ to determine the relative pixel intensity that was used to infer norfloxacin concentration. The analytical sensitivity of this device was determined to be as low as 50 ppm when analyzing the inner-ring reaction, and as low as 5 ppm when analyzing the outer coffee ring thereby allowing for an alternative cheaper, faster, and more user-friendly method to detect norfloxacin than the conventional methods. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This novel paper-based microfluidic device can achieve the detection of antibiotic residues in agrifoods in a faster, cheaper, and more user-friendly manner., (© 2020 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

A new natural formulation composed of CMC and various contents of CNC immobilized AgNPs (CNC@AgNPs) was developed for paper coating. The mechanical strength, water vapor and air barrier properties, and antibacterial activities of CMC/CNC@AgNPs coated paper improved with the increasing content of CNC@AgNPs. CMC/CNC@AgNPs7 % coated paper exhibited 1.26 times increase in tensile strength, 45.4 % decrease in WVP, 93.3 % reduction in air permeability as well as the best antibacterial activities against E.coli and S.aureus compared with uncoated paper. Moreover, the cumulative release rate of AgNPs from coated paper significantly reduced due to the immobilization effect of CNC on AgNPs. Furthermore, CMC/CNC@AgNPs coated paper was used to package strawberries under ambient conditions. The results showed that coated paper could maintain better strawberries quality compared with unpackaged strawberries and extend the shelf-life of strawberries to 7 days. Therefore, the prepared CMC/CNC@AgNPs coated paper will have a great application prospect in the food packaging., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)