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Elemental sulfur, commonly known for its wide range of biological activities, has a long history of use in protecting all garden and vegetable crops from a range of pests and diseases, including powdery mildew, ascochyta blight, clubroot, plant mites, oidium, anthracnose, and scab. In the present study, a quick and environmentally friendly approach has been developed for the synthesis of sulfur nanoparticles with antibacterial activity. Fine sulfur particles (FSPs) were prepared by modifying the surface of elemental sulfur using various polyelectrolyte–surfactant mixtures (PSMs) including sodium carboxymethyl cellulose–sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (NaCMC-SDBS) and polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride–cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (PHMG-CTAB). The FSPs were characterized by UV–visible spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry analysis (TG/DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), with the FSPs showing an almost spherical shape with an average size in the range of 150–200 nm. The antibacterial activity of the FSPs was tested against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium and Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria and one fungus (Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 95 16404). Based on this, it could be seen that FSPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, i.e., S. aureus and E. faecium. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the FSPs-1 and FSPs-2 studied in normal (MeT-5A) and tumorous (MCF-7) human cell lines was assessed in the concentration range from 500 μg/mL to 0.12 mg/mL, from which it was determined as being non-cytotoxic. The received products can be considered for potential application in agriculture and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work is devoted to the development of probiotic microencapsulation systems with the co-encapsulation of a plant extract, which can increase the survival of beneficial bacteria and are suitable for potential applications in the enrichment of fermented beverages based on acid whey. The encapsulation process exhibited a high level of effectiveness, achieving 83.0% for Bifidobacterium (BB), 89.2% for Stevia leaf extract (SE), and 91.3% for their combination (BB + SE). The FTIR analysis verified substantial interactions between the encapsulated agents and the polymer matrix, which enhanced the stability of the microcapsules. The BB + SE microcapsules exhibited reduced swelling and moisture content, indicating a denser structure compared to separately encapsulated BB and SE. Comparison of release kinetics of BB, SE and BB + SE loaded microcapsules showed that the combination of active agents has a quicker initial release, reaching 60% release within the first 2 h, and this value increased to 70% after 4 h. The release kinetics studies demonstrated a controlled release of active substances over 24 h. A morphology analysis shows that the surfaces of the dry microcapsules containing BB, SE, and their combination BB + SE have a porous structure. For encapsulated agents, the size of the capsules produced with BB and SE are smaller than those produced with two components (BB + SE), the sizes of which are between 760 µm and 1.1 mm. Modeling of the behavior of microcapsules in a simulated gastrointestinal tract provides information on swelling and active agents release rates as a function of pH in real biological environments. Thus, the new formulations of microcapsules with microorganisms and plant extracts have great potential for the development of fermented whey-based beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the development of nanomaterials with biocidal properties has received considerable attention due to their potential applications in various industries, including food, medicine, and cultural heritage preservation. The growing demand for coatings with antibacterial properties has sparked interest from industrial sectors in exploring the incorporation of biocides into these materials. Coatings are prone to microbial growth, which can cause damage such as cracking, discoloration, and staining. To combat these problems, the integration of biocides into coatings is a crucial strategy. Biocide-embedded nanomaterials offer numerous advantages, including high efficiency in small quantities, ease of application, good chemical stability, low toxicity, and non-bioaccumulation. Encapsulated nanobiocides are particularly attractive to the agro-industry, because they can be less toxic than traditional biocides while still effectively controlling microbial contamination. To fully exploit the benefits of nanobiocides, future research should focus on optimizing their synthesis, formulation, and delivery methods. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current status of biocide nanomaterials, discuss potential future research directions, and highlight research methods, the development of new forms of nanomaterials, and studies of their physico-chemical properties. Biocide nanocapsules of DCOIT (4,5-Dichloro-2-octyl-2H-isothiazol-3-one) are chosen as an example to illustrate the research pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]