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The aim of the present work was to modify the exuded gum of Sterculia striata tree by an amination reaction. The viscosity and zero potential of the chicha gum varied as a function of pH. The modification was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), zeta potential, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Furthermore, the chemical modification changed the molar mass and surface charge of the chicha gum. In addition, the gums were used in tests for ex vivo mucoadhesion strength, antibacterial activity against the standard strain of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), inhibitory activity of α-glucosidase, antioxidant capacity, and viability of Caco-2 cells. Through these tests, it was found that amination caused an increase in the mucoadhesive and inhibitory activity of chicha gum against the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, the gums (pure and modified) showed antioxidant capacity and an inhibitory effect against the α-glucosidase enzyme and did not show cytotoxic potential.

Given the increase in environmental pollution, especially of water, the emergence of studies that seek to develop strategies to mitigate/treat such effects have gained prominence in the world scientific community. Among the numerous adsorption processes, those made from biochar production stand out. This study analyzed the adsorption properties of the blue methylene model dye in the aqueous solution of biochar and activated biochar developed from pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) endocarp. The biochar was characterized, before and after adsorption, by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The surface load of the materials was performed by the point of zero charge (pHPZC) method. The study also included analyses of contact time parameters and adsorbed concentration in the adsorption process. Morphological analysis showed that a more significant and profound number of fissures and pores appeared in the activated biochar compared to the biochar. Residual mass analysis evidenced that biochar lost about 15% more mass than the activated biochar, indicating that activation occurred satisfactorily. The adsorption process was well adjusted by pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir’s isothermal model. The activated biochar achieved an excellent adsorption capacity of 476.19 mg.g−1, thus demonstrating to be a sound system for removing dyes from an aqueous medium.

Waste generated by the textile industry is one of the primary pollutants in aquatic environments. It is estimated that about 10 to 15% of the dyes used do not chemically interact with the fabric fibers, with a loss of this pollutant in the wastewater. One of the alternatives for pollutant removal is the adsorption process, which is viable compared to other separation methods. There is a range of materials that are used in adsorption processes. Among them, polysaccharides have numerous advantages regarding their use: they are non-toxic, abundant in nature, biodegradable, hydrophilic, and have several other properties. The study aimed to investigate a novel scaffold based on biopolymers and gallium-doped hydroxyapatite for dyes removal in an aqueous solution. The scaffold was characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), swelling and adsorption tests. From the XRD, the gallium presence did not change the crystal structure of hydroxyapatite. The FTIR and TG spectra of the scaffold indicate that there were interactions between the precursor materials in the production of the same by shifting the characteristic bands and increasing thermal stability. SEM showed essential characteristics for the application of scaffolds in the adsorptive process through the presence of pores on the upper side and the inner surface of the scaffold. Open and interconnected pores with average diameters in the range of 60 mm on the upper and lateral face surface and 40 mm on the inside of the scaffold were observed. A more significant number of pores were observed inside, thus influencing the adsorption. In addition, EDS was possible to qualitatively prove the presence of precursor elements for the formation of the scaffold. It is concluded that the scaffolding was successful and showed excellent potential for removing Remazol Blue RGB and Remazol Red with adsorption of 341.41 ± 6.82 and 584.89 ± 23.39 mg/g, respectively.

We developed a new hydrophobic polymer based on angico gum (AG), and we produced new nanoparticles to expand the applications of natural polysaccharides in nanomedicine. Phthalate angico gum (PAG) was characterized by 1H NMR, FTIR, elementary analysis, solubility, XRD, and TG. PAG was a hydrophobic and semi-crystalline material, a relevant characteristic for drug delivery system applications. As a proof of concept, nevirapine (NVP) was selected for nanoparticles development. Plackett-Burman's experimental design was used to understand the influence of several factors in nanoparticles production. PAG proved to be a versatile material for producing nanoparticles with different characteristics. Optimized nanoparticles were produced using desirability parameters. NVP-loaded PAG nanoparticles formulation showed 202.1 nm of particle size, 0.23 of PDI, -17.1 of zeta potential, 69.8 of encapsulation efficiency, and promoted modified drug release for 8 h. Here we show that PAG presents as a promising biopolymer for drug delivery systems.

The hydrated phase of cobalt molybdate (H-CoMoO4) is commonly regarded as a precursor to the anhydrous phases α-CoMoO4 and β-CoMoO4. As few studies have focused on the hydrated phase, its properties should be explored. We aimed to investigate a simple method for obtaining nanosheets from a phase of CoMoO4·xH2O that aggregates to form micrometric spheroids with high surface area for antibacterial behavior. A hydrothermal synthetic route was used in the presence of urea to obtain the product, which was characterized by X-ray diffractometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm for surface area analysis. The material was a finely divided purple powder. Its surface area of 22.7 m2 g−1 was determined by BET method, and its pore size distribution (mean 30 nm) was calculated by the NLDFT method. The bacterial activity of the material was evidenced by AFM, verified by the broth micro-dilution method, evidenced that H-CoMoO4 can inhibit the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa strains, the latter achieving the best effect with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of 1.56 mg mL−1, 1.56 mg mL−1, and 0.39 mg mL−1, respectively. This work showed the bacteriostatic effect of cobalt molybdate on surfaces for a future application in environments that facilitate microorganism proliferation.

Calcium phosphates (CaPs) have broad applications in biomedicine, with the most used phases being hydroxyapatite (HAp) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) due to their similarity with natural bone. There are several methods for obtaining CaPs. However, the Pechini method attracts much attention due to its advantages: homogeneous molecular mixing, obtaining nanocrystalline particles, low processing temperature, generating nanometric particles, and simplicity. However, this method is little discussed for the synthesis of CaPs. This work aimed to synthesize CaPs using the Pechini method, analyzing the antibacterial properties. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The XRD confirmed obtaining the biphasic ceramic of HAp, with no other phase as an impurity, where the ratio between citric acid and ethylene glycol (AC/EG) influenced the percentage of HAp phases and β-TCP formed. Thermogravimetric analysis showed a mass loss of approximately 7%. SEM observed the formation of post-agglomerates and irregular shapes. The bacteriological test was satisfactory. The samples showed above 25% inhibition for the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria.

Given the increase in environmental pollution, especially of water, the emergence of studies that seek to develop strategies to mitigate/treat such effects have gained prominence in the world scientific community. Among the numerous adsorption processes, those made from biochar production stand out. This study analyzed the adsorption properties of the blue methylene model dye in the aqueous solution of biochar and activated biochar developed from pequi (

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Herbicides are hazardous organic pollutants that contribute to the risk of environmental contamination. The aim of this work was to investigate the synergistic effect of silver (Ag) and gold (Au) bimetallic nanoparticles deposited on palygorskite (PAL) in the presence of TiO2 for photodegradation of bentazone (BTZ) herbicide under UV light. Ag and Au@Ag nanoparticles exhibited an average size below 75 nm and surface charge values less than − 30 mV. UV-Vis spectroscopy indicates the formation of core@shell bimetallic nanoparticles. XRD results showed the interactions between the NPs and the palygorskite structure. SEM images clearly illustrate the presence of small spherical particles distributed in the clay fibers. The control of the size and distribution of the nanoparticles played an important role in the properties of the composites. The degradation of the herbicide BTZ showed that nanoparticles, clay, and only TiO2 did not produce satisfactory results; however, when Ag-Pal and Au@Ag-Pal were in the presence of the TiO2, the degradation was efficient. The best photodegradative system was Au@Ag-Pal+TiO2, which was maintained after the third cycle. The bentazone photodegradation using Au@Ag-PAL+TiO2 exhibited toxicity against Artemia salina. Therefore, Au@Ag-PAL+TiO2 photocatalyst showed that the synergy of bimetallic nanoparticles deposited on clay for enhanced photodegradation activity of bentazone herbicide.

Flowers-like ZnO structures were synthesized using Arabic Gum (AGZnO) or Karaya Gum (KGZnO). The AGZnO and KGZnO were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, Fourier Transformed Infrared, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Photoluminescence, nitrogen adsorption/desorption and diffuse reflectance techniques. The materials were tested in the discoloration of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under visible light and scavenger studies were also performed. The toxicity of the MB irradiated was investigated in bioassays with Artemia salina. The structural characterization demonstrated the formation of hexagonal ZnO. All samples presented flower-like morphology with presence of mesopores identified by BET method. The optical properties indicated band gap of 2.99 (AGZnO) and 2.76 eV (KGZnO), and emission in violet, blue and green emissions also were observed. The KGZnO demonstrated better photocatalytic performance than the AGZnO, and scavenger studies indicated that OH radicals are the main species involved in the degradation of the pollutant model. The photodiscoloration of MB solution did not demonstrate toxicity. Therefore, KGZnO is a promising material for photocatalysis application.

Natural polysaccharides have been investigated as vehicles for oral insulin administration. Because of their non-toxic, renewable, low cost and readily available properties, gums find multiple applications in the pharmaceutical industry. This work aimed to develop a Sterculia striata gum-based formulation associated with additional biopolymers (dextran sulfate, chitosan, and albumin), a crosslinking agent (calcium chloride) and stabilizing agents (polyethylene glycol and poloxamer 188), to increase the oral bioavailability of proteins. Insulin was used as a model drug and the methods used to prepare the formulation were based on ionotropic pregelation followed by electrolytic complexation of oppositely charged biopolymers under controlled pH conditions. The developed formulation was characterized to validate its efficacy, by the determination of its average particle size (622 nm), the insulin encapsulation efficiency (70%), stability in storage for 30 days, and the in vitro mucoadhesion strength (92.46 mN). Additionally, the developed formulation preserved about 64% of initial insulin dose in a simulated gastric medium. This study proposed, for the first time, a Sterculia striata gum-based insulin delivery system with potential for the oral administration of protein drugs, being considered a valid alternative for efficient delivery of those drugs.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T11:23:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-12-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes biosynthesized by Komagataeibacter rhaeticus AF1 strain were used as a platform for precipitating cerium-doped calcium phosphates (Ce:CaP), which were synthetized by successive soaking of BC membranes in solutions containing Ca2+, PO43- and Ce3+ precursor ions. After obtaining the as-prepared composites, BC-Ce:CaP was submitted to a thermal treatment at 600 degrees C for 3 h, and Ce:CaP was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), derivative thermogravimetric analysis (DTG) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Ce:CaP presented hydroxyapatite, chlorapatite and buchwaldite (sodium calcium phosphate) phases and revealed a trabecular structure composed per nanowires with interconnected pores. Furthermore, BC-Ce:CaP and Ce:CaP show cell viability and has been suggested for use as a mineral scaffold. Fed Inst Educ Sci & Technol Tocantins, Campus Araguaina,56 Amazonas Ave, BR-77826170 Araguaina, TO, Brazil Univ Fed Piaui, LIMAV, Interdisciplinar Lab Adv Mat, Teresina, PI, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Sch Pharmaceut Sci, Araraquara, SP, Brazil Univ Fed Sao Carlos, CDMF, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil Univ Araraquara, UNIARA, Araraquara, SP, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Sch Pharmaceut Sci, Araraquara, SP, Brazil CNPq: 407822/2018-6 CNPq: 306176/2019-0 CNPq: 307460/2016-9 FAPESP: 2018/25512-8

Incorporation of drugs in clay minerals has been widely proposed for the controlled-release or increased solubility of drugs. In this context, a bionanocomposite based on kaolinite and cashew gum (Kln/Gum) was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TG/DTA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The bionanocomposite was applied to the incorporation and further release of doxazosin mesylate (DB). The influence of solution pH (1–3), adsorbent dose (20–50 mg), initial drug concentration (20.0–70.0 mg L−1), contact time (15–300 min), and temperature (25, 35, and 45 °C) were systematically evaluated. Equilibrium was reached around 60 min, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 31.5 ± 2.0 mg g−1 at a pH of 3.0 and 25 °C. Hydrogen bonding contributed to DB incorporation on the Kln/Gum. In addition, DB maximum amounts of 16.80 ± 0.58 and 77.00 ± 2.46% were released at pH values of 1.2 and 7.4, respectively. These results indicated that the Kln/Gum bionanocomposite is an effective and promising material for the incorporation/release of drugs with similar structures to DB.

A novel TiO2 photocalayst was synthesized by sol-gel method in the presence of Arabic (AGTi) and Karaya gums (KGTi). The composites were structurally and morphologically characterized by different techniques and the photocatalytic activity was investigated using methylene blue (MB) dye as model pollutant. In addition, the stability, recycle, effect of scavengers, and toxicity were investigated. The composites presented spherical structure and the nucleation of TiO2 particles was modified in presence of the gums. All the materials showed presence of the anatase phase and the textural properties indicated mesoporous and high surface area. The band gap was approximately 2.9 eV for the both materials; however the recombination process was more favored in KGTi. The C/C0 ratio of AGTi and KGTi decreased after 150 min of radiation. The electron plays the dominant role in photocatalytic process in both composites. The photocatalysts demonstrated stability after 3 runs and toxicity was not evidence in both composites. Hence, the composites showed excellent photocatalytic performance for MB discoloration.

In this work, filament based on ɛ-polycaprolactone (PCL) and containing the bioactive ceramics nanohydroxyapatite (nHap) and Laponite® (Lap) was prepared by the extrusion process. To obtain the material, a mass ratio of 89:10:1 (PCL:nHap:Lap) was used, and structural and morphological characterization was realized. In addition, cytotoxicity (using Allium cepa bulbs) and viability tests on L929 cells also were performed. The results showed that filament (diameter of 1.79 ± 0.17 mm) presented a good dispersion of nHap and Lap into polymeric matrices. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy identified typical bands at 1720, 1091, and 1045 cm−1 addressed to PCL and nHAp, In addition, Lap was identified through dispersive energy system and X-ray diffraction analyses. All filaments did not exhibit cytotoxic effects.

Gastric ulcer is an injury that develops on the lining of the stomach due to an imbalance between aggressive and defensive agents. Chitosan derivatives demonstrate promising biological activities in accelerating the healing activity of gastric lesions. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the healing activity of gastric lesion, induced by acetic acid (80%), of the chitosan derivative with acetylacetone (Cac) modified with ethylenediamine (Cacen) or diethylenetriamine (Cacdien). The biological activity was determined based on cytotoxicity, antibacterial activity, and gastroprotective activities. The results showed no significant difference in the cytotoxicity, a better antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli, and a positive result on the healing of gastric lesions of the materials (Cac 18.4%, Cacen 55.2%, and Cacdien 68.1%) compared to pure chitosan (50.7%). Therefore, the results indicate that derivatives of chitosan are promising biomaterials for application in the control of lesions on the gastric mucosa.

Water pollution has generated the need to develop technologies to remove industrial pollutants. Adsorption has been recognized as one of the most effective techniques for effluent remediation. In this study, parts (stem and leaves) of a problematic aquatic weed, the water hyacinth (

The incorporation of polymeric components into aerogels based on clay produces a significant improvement in the physical and thermal properties of the aerogels. In this study, clay-based aerogels were produced from a ball clay by incorporation of angico gum and sodium alginate using a simple, ecologically acceptable mixing method and freeze-drying. The compression test showed a low density of spongy material. In addition, both the compressive strength and the Young’s modulus of elasticity of the aerogels showed a progression associated to the decrease in pH. The microstructural characteristics of the aerogels were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical structure was studied by infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FTIR). The TGA curves from a non-oxidizing atmosphere indicated that the clay had a mass loss of 9% above 500 °C and that due to the presence of polysaccharides, the aerogels presented a decomposition of 20% at temperatures above 260 °C. The DSC curves of the aerogels demonstrated a displacement in higher temperatures. In conclusion, the results showed that aerogels of ball clay with the incorporation of polysaccharides, which are still minimally studied, have potential application as thermal insulation considering the mechanical and thermal results obtained.

Funding Information: The authors acknowledge Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco ( FACEPE ) for a scholarship. This study was supported by funding from the Spanish Group CTS-946 and project P18-RT-3786 . Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier B.V. Nanotechnology is a crucial technology in recent years has resulted in new and creative applications of nanomedicine. Polymeric nanoparticles have increasing demands in pharmaceutical applications and require high reproducibility, homogeneity, and control over their properties. Work explores the use of cashew phthalate gum (PCG) as a particle-forming polymer. PCG exhibited a pH-sensitive behavior due to the of acid groups on its chains, and control drug release. We report the development of nanoparticles carrying benznidazole. Formulations were characterized by DLS, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, FTIR, pH-responsive behavior, release, and in vitro kinetics. Interaction between polymer and drug was an evaluated by molecular dynamics. Morphology was observed by SEM, and in vitro cytotoxicity by MTT assay. Trypanocidal effect for epimastigote and trypomastigote forms was also evaluated. NPs responded to the slightly basic pH, triggering the release of BNZ. In acidic medium, they presented small size, spherical shape, and good stability. It was indicated NP with enhanced biological activity, reduced cytotoxicity, high anti T. cruzi performance, and pH-sensitive release. This work investigated properties related to the development and enhancement of nanoparticles. PCG has specific physicochemical properties that make it a promising alternative to drug delivery, however, there are still challenges to be overcome. publishersversion published

Made available in DSpace on 2022-05-01T11:07:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-12-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) The production of edible film from onion (Allium cepa L.) to be applied as packaging is attractive, due to its chemical properties and biodegradable characteristics. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that edible onion film can positively influence the sensory properties, quality and increasing shelf life of beef burgers patties. The experiment was designed in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with two treatments (beef burgers patties with or without edible onion film) at an interval of four storage times (0, 3, 6 and 9 days) at 4◦ C. The uncoated burger patties (control) suffered the most intense color modifications during the storage (p < 0.05). The luminosity index was higher (p < 0.05) in the control at all storage times, except at day 6, and redness, yellowness and chrome were higher (p < 0.05) in the edible onion film patties at all storage times. The pH of the beef burger patties was lower (p < 0.05) at all storage times when the edible onion film was applied. For the texture profile, only the chewiness was affected, as the inclusion of the edible onion film improved the chewing of the beef burgers patties over the storage time (p < 0.05). Additionally, there was an inhibition of the microbial growth of mesophiles and psychrophiles with the application of the edible onion film in beef burgers patties. The use of edible onion film improved the perception of panelists for the variables texture, color, flavor, odor and overall appearance, and increased the preference of panelists. The edible onion film is recommended for preserving beef burgers patties, as it delays the proliferation of unwanted microorganisms, stabilizes and improves the color parameters and sensory attributes, and increases the overall acceptance of the consumer. Department of Animal Science Animal Health and Science Graduate Federal University of Campina Grande Chemistry Department Laboratory of Advanced Materials Federal University of Piauí (UFPI) Department of Biotechnology University Center of Araraquara (UNIARA) Chemical Institute São Paulo State University (UNESP) BioSmart Nano Technology Health Department Federal Institute of Education Science and Technology of Paraiba/Campus Patos Department of Animal Science Federal University of Bahia Chemical Institute São Paulo State University (UNESP) FAPESP: 16/15504-2

Anthocyanins are one of the natural pigments that humanity has employed the most and can substitute synthetic food dyes, which are considered toxic. They are responsible for most purple, blue, and red pigment nuances in tubers, fruits, and flowers. However, they have some limitations in light, pH, oxygen, and temperature conditions. Combining biomolecules and inorganic materials such as clay minerals can help to reverse these limitations. The present work aims to produce materials obtained using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in bentonite clay for incorporation and photostabilization of anthocyanin dye. Characterizations showed that the organic molecules were intercalated between the clay mineral layers, and the dye was successfully incorporated at a different pH. Visible light-driven photostability tests were performed with 200 h of irradiation, confirming that the organic–inorganic matrices were efficient enough to stabilize the quinoidal base form of anthocyanin. The pigment prepared at pH 10 was three-fold more stable than pH 4, showing that the increase in the synthesis pH promotes more stable colors, probably due to the stronger intermolecular interaction obtained under these conditions. Therefore, organobentonite hybrids allow to stabilize the fragile color coming from the quinoidal base form of anthocyanin dyes.

Chicha gum is a natural polymer obtained from the Sterculia striata plant. The hydroxyl groups of its structure have a chemical affinity to form hydrogels, which favors the association with biologically active molecules, such as nerolidol. This association improves the biological properties and allows the material to be used in drug delivery systems. Chicha gum hydrogels associated with nerolidol were produced at two concentrations: 0.01 and 0.02 g mL−1. Then, the hydrogels were characterized by thermogravimetry (TG), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and rheological analysis. The antibacterial activity was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The cytotoxicity was evaluated against Artemia salina. Finally, an in vivo healing assay was carried out. The infrared characterization indicated that interactions were formed during the gel reticulation. This implies the presence of nerolidol in the regions at 3100–3550 cm−1. The rheological properties changed with an increasing concentration of nerolidol, which resulted in less viscous materials. An antibacterial 83.6% growth inhibition effect was observed using the hydrogel with 0.02 g mL−1 nerolidol. The in vivo healing assay showed the practical activity of the hydrogels in the wound treatment, as the materials promoted efficient re-epithelialization. Therefore, it was concluded that the chicha hydrogels have the potential to be used as wound-healing products.

The effects of the replacement of dry ground corn (GC) with corn-grain silage rehydrated with water (RCSwater), cactus pear mucilage (RCSmucilage), and whey (RCSwhey) on the growth, physicochemical composition, and fatty acid profile of goat kids’ meat were investigated. Thirty-two crossbred goat kids (16.4 ± 2.50 kg initial weight) were assigned in a randomized block design with four treatments and eight repetitions. The NDF intake of goat kids fed with RCSmucilage was higher in comparison to RCSwater and RCSwhey (p = 0.0009). The dietary replacement of GC by RCSmucilage increased the final weight (p = 0.033) and meat-cooking losses (p = 0.0001) of kids. The concentrations of oleic (p = 0.046), 11,14-eicosadienoic (p = 0.033), and EPA (p = 0.010) were higher in the meat of kids fed with RCSmucilage and RCSwhey, and the α-linolenic concentration was higher (p = 0.019) for animals feeding with RCSmucilage. Meat from kids fed with RCSwhey presented the lowest ∑SFA and the highest ∑MUFA. In contrast, the ∑PUFA (p < 0.012) was higher for goats fed with RCSwater. The ∑ω3 (p < 0.0001) was higher in animals fed with RCSmucilage and RCSwhey. Desirable fatty acids were higher (p = 0.044) in animals fed with RCSmucilage and RCSwhey, and the atherogenicity (p = 0.044) and thrombogenicity (p < 0.0001) indexes were lower for goats fed the RCSwhey diet. The enzymatic activities of Δ9desaturase (C16) were higher (p = 0.027) in goat kids fed with GC and RCSmucilage, and Δ9desaturase (C18) was higher (p = 0.0497) when goats were fed with RCSmucilage and RCSwhey. Elongase activities were higher (p = 0.045) in goat kids fed with GC and RCSwater. The total replacement of GC by RCSmucilage is recommended in the diet of goat kids due to improvements in the weight gain and proportion of desirable fatty acids in the meat. In addition, RCSmucilage promoted better conservation of the silage at a lower cost when compared to commercial additives.

The presence of drugs in aquatic bodies is a prevailing issue, and their removal by adsorption is an effective treatment. Among the adsorbents, those based clay minerals have been proposed. Bentonite is a clay mineral that is widely studied as an adsorbent due to its unique physicochemical properties, such as cation exchange capacity (CEC), intercalation, and adsorption. The properties of bentonites can be improved through chemical modifications, such as the incorporation of organic and/or inorganic compounds. These modifications allow for the efficient removal of different contaminants, including pharmaceutical compounds. In this work, raw sodium bentonite (Na+-Bent) and vanadyl bentonites were prepared using 100 (BentV1), 300 (BentV3), and 500% (BentV5) of the cationic exchange capacity of the Na+-Bent and further used for amiloride removal from aqueous solution. Analysis of X-ray fluorescence and Na+ in solution after interaction indicated that the principal mechanism of interaction between bentonite and ions was the ion exchange between sodium of the matrix and vanadyl in solution. Infrared spectroscopy suggested the contribution of coordination of the interlayer water with the vanadyl ions and hydrogen bonding between vanadyl and structural OH. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that vanadyl ions were incorporated onto Na+-Bent. Amiloride adsorption was better at pH 5.8, using a solid dosage of 75 mg of Na+-Bent, 25 mg of BentV1 and BentV5, and 50 mg of BentV3. The adsorption occurred briefly until 20 min, and maximum removal values were 457.08, 374.64, 102.56, and 25.63 mg·g−1 for Na+-Bent, BentV1, BentV3, and BentV5, respectively. At lower drug concentrations (48.78 and 91.24 mg·g−1 for Na+-Bent and BentV3), the best performance was obtained for the BentV3 sample.

The development of photocatalystsor their modification to obtain new photocatalytic performances for the removal of contaminants is a challenge. Hydroxyapatite (HAp), (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), is an inorganic component with a high superficial area and low toxicity and the presence of metal in its structure can be an interesting strategy for the photocatalytic approach. This work aimed to synthesize gallium-containing HAp (Ga-HAp) as a promising material for photocatalytic performance. The synthesis was performed by the suspension–precipitation method. The material was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Morphological analysis employed field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and the elemental analysis by energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). To evaluate the photocatalytic activity, methylene blue (MB) dye was used as a pollutant model under UV light for 120 min. The influence of Ga-HAp concentration (0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 g·L−1) and kinetic reaction was also studied. The Ga-HAp was successfully obtained by the suspension–precipitation method. The structural characterization by XRD and FESEM-EDS elucidated the presence of gallium in the structure of hydroxyapatite. The XPS results indicated the substitution of gallium in the crystal lattice of the material. The discoloration rate of MB dye using Ga-Hap was calculated by pseudo first-order kinetics, and the best rate constant was 7.5 × 10−3 min−1 using 1.00 g·L−1 of photocatalyst. The concentration of Ga-HAp influenced the photocatalytic process, because the discoloration rate increased as a function of the concentration of material. Therefore, Ga-HAp is a promising material for environmental remediation.

Mucilage extracted from chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) (MCHs) has come to prominence in recent studies due to its attractive biological activities, improving the interest in developing Salvia hispanica as an industrial crop for sustainable source of bioactive polysaccharide. In this work, chia mucilage properties were evaluated, including physicochemical, photostability, cytocompatibility, and mucoadhesion characteristics. MCHs exhibited excellent photostability, with a degradation percentage of 6.6 % after 120 min under UV light. MTT assay results showed excellent cytocompatibility of MCHs on the L929 fibroblast cell line and additionally, the biomaterial showed promising mucoadhesive activity. Overall, the knowledge of these new properties of chia mucilage reinforces the multipotential feature of this biopolymer for application in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.