Biocompatible Nano-Cocrystal Engineering for Targeted Herbicide Delivery: Enhancing Efficacy through Stimuli-Responsive Release and Reduced Environmental Losses.

In addressing the critical challenges posed by the misuse and inefficiency of traditional pesticides, we introduce a Nano-Cocrystal material composed of the herbicide clopyralid and coformer phenazine. Developed through synergistic supramolecular self-assembly and mechanochemical nanotechnology, this Nano-Cocrystal significantly enhances pesticide performance. It exhibits a marked improvement in stability, with reductions in hygroscopicity and volatility by approximately 38%. Moreover, it intelligently modulates release according to environmental factors, such as temperature, pH, and soil inorganic salts, demonstrating decreased solubility by up to four times and improved wettability and adhesion on leaf surfaces. Importantly, the herbicidal activity surpasses that of pure clopyralid, increasing suppression rates of Medicago sativa L. and Oxalis corniculata L. by up to 27% at the highest dosage. This Nano-Cocrystal also shows enhanced crop safety and reduced genotoxicity compared to conventional formulations. Offering a blend of simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and robust stability, our findings contribute a sustainable solution to agricultural practices, favoring the safety of nontarget organisms.

Effect of anti-biofouling potential of multi-walled carbon nanotubes-filled polydimethylsiloxane composites on pioneer microbial colonization.

In this paper, two carbon nanotube (CNT) nanofillers, namely the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the carboxyl-modified MWCNTs (cMWCNTs), were introduced into the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix respectively, in order to produce the PDMS composites with reinforced anti-biofouling properties. The anti-biofouling capacity of the silicone-based coatings, including the unfilled PDMS (P0), the MWCNTs-filled PDMS (PM) and the cMWCNTs-filled PDMS (PC), was examined via the field assays conducted in Weihai, China. The effect of different silicone-based coatings on the dynamic variations of the pioneer microbial-community diversity was analyzed using the single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique. The PM and PC surfaces have exhibited excellent anti-biofouling properties in contrast to that of the PDMS surface, with extremely low attachment of the early colonizers, such as juvenile invertebrates, seaweeds and algae sporelings. The PM and PC surfaces can effectively prevent biofouling for more than 12 weeks. These combined results suggest that the incorporation of MWCNTs or cMWCNTs into the PDMS matrix can dramatically reinforce its anti-biofouling properties. The SSCP analysis reveals that compared with the PDMS surfaces, the PM and PC surfaces have strong modulating effect on the pioneer prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities, particularly on the colonization of pioneer eukaryotic microbes. The significantly reduced pioneer eukaryotic-community diversity may contribute to the weakening of the subsequent colonization of macrofoulers.

One-pot facile synthesis of PEGylated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for MRI contrast enhancement.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (PEG·SPIONs) were prepared by a facile one-pot approach. The synthesized PEG·SPIONs were found to be uniform in size with an average hydrodynamic diameter of 11.7 nm. PEG·SPIONs exhibited excellent dispersibility in water, colloidal stability, and biocompatibility. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) properties of PEG·SPIONs were characterized both in vitro and in vivo. The dual contrast both in T1 and T2-weighted imaging was well enhanced with longitudinal and transverse relaxivity (r1, r2) of 35.92 s(-1) per mM of Fe(3+) and 206.91 s(-1) per mM of Fe(3+) respectively. In vivo T2-weighted MRI shows pronounced enhancement in the liver and spleen but not in T1-weighted MRI. Accumulations of nanoparticles were found primarily in the liver, spleen, and intestine, while much lower uptake in the kidney, heart, and lungs. A gradual excretion of PEG·SPIONs was observed via hepatobiliary (HB) processing over a period of 14 days. The toxicity of PEG·SPIONs was also evaluated in vitro and in vivo. PEG·SPIONs were found to be biocompatible by investigating organ tissues after hematoxylin-eosin staining. The conclusion of the study indicates a high potential of PEG·SPIONs in medical MRI.