Evaluation of toxicity and adjuvant effects of peptidoglycan microspheres orally administered to mice.

In this study, peptidoglycan microspheres were evaluated for their toxicity and adjuvant effects after oral administration to mice. The liver and spleen indexes, CD cell content in peripheral blood and spleen, and immunoglobulin content in peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry and indirect ELISA, respectively. Peptidoglycan microspheres with a loading capacity of 46.41 ± 0.83 g/100 g were prepared. In vivo tests showed that peptidoglycan microspheres revealed an immuno-enhancing profile as indicated by the slow increase of IgG content in peripheral blood compared with that of the untreated peptidoglycan group. In conclusion, peptidoglycan microspheres may be used as a new oral adjuvant in the host.

Structure and properties of noncrystalline nano-Al(OH)3 reclaimed from carbonized residual wastewater treatment sludge.

Performance of wastewater treatement sludge-carbon (SC) can be evidently improved by removing the inorganic fractions. A novel investigation for recovery of Al from acid leaching of SC and synthesis of nano-Al(OH)(3) has been conducted. Results show that the sodium aluminates with high purity can be obtained by effectively dissolving the inorganic fractions from SC and by further removing the impurities (Fe(3+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), S(4+), and P(3+)). Highly dispersed Al(OH)(3) with high S(BET) is obtained at pH = 6. The peaks of -CH(2)- vibration and the C1s peaks (binding energies of 284.6 eV) imply that polyethylene glycol 1000 (PEG-1000) is chemically adsorbed on the surface of Al(OH)(3) samples, which is propitious to reduce the hydrogen bonds between water molecules and surface -OH groups to prevent hard agglomeration. The stretching vibration peaks of [AlO(2)](-) and the Na1s peaks confirm that a trace of sodium aluminate (NaAl(OH)(4), Na(+)(H(2)O)(4)[Al(OH)(4)(-)], or the dehydrated monomers) is retained in the prepared Al(OH)(3). The main phase transformation for calcination (≤800 °C) of the SC-derived Al(OH)(3) is from amorphous Al(OH)(3) to amorphous A1(2)O(3). Here we highlight that production of Al(OH)(3) and SC from sludge provides the potential application in significant quantities that can revolutionize the handling of such kinds of harmful waste.