Magnesium (Mg2 +), Strontium (Sr2 +), and Zinc (Zn2 +) Co-substituted Bone Cements Based on Nano-hydroxyapatite/Monetite for Bone Regeneration.

New bone cement type that combines Sr2 + /Mg2 + or Sr2 + /Zn2 + co-substituted nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HAs) with calcium phosphate dibasic and chitosan/gelatin polymers was developed to increase adhesion and cellular response. The cements were physicochemically described and tested in vitro using cell cultures. All cements exhibited quite hydrophilic and had high washout resistance. Cement releases Ca2 + , Mg2 + , Sr2 + , and Zn2 + in concentrations that are suitable for osteoblast proliferation and development. All of the cements stimulated cell proliferation in fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and osteoblasts, were non-cytotoxic, and produced apatite. Cements containing co-substituted n-HAs had excellent cytocompatibility, which improved osteoblast adhesion and cell proliferation. These cements had osteoinductive potential, stimulating extracellular matrix (ECM) mineralization and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells by increasing ALP and NO production. The ions Ca2 + , Mg2 + , Zn2 + , and Sr2 + appear to cooperate in promoting osteoblast function. The C3 cement (HA-SrMg5%), which was made up of n-HA co-substituted with 5 mol% Sr and 5 mol% Mg, showed exceptional osteoinductive capacity in terms of bone regeneration, indicating that this new bone cement could be a promising material for bone replacement.

Bifunctionalized chitosan: A versatile adsorbent for removal of Cu(II) and Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.

This study describes the chemical modification of chitosan to produce a novel bifunctionalized adsorbent material (C4) for the removal of Cu2+ and oxyanions of Cr6+ from a single aqueous solution. The chemical modifications allowed C4 to be insoluble under acidic conditions, improving the chemical properties of the modified chitosan in aqueous solution. C4 adsorbent was synthesized by reaction of the amino group of chitosan with 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, a reduction of imine group, followed by esterification with EDTA dianhydride (EDTAD). C4 was characterized by solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The adsorption studies of Cu2+ and oxyanions of Cr6+ in a batch mode were evaluated as a function of the contact time (kinetics), solution pH, and initial metal ion concentration. The maximum adsorption capacities (Qmax) of C4 for the adsorption of Cu2+ (pH 5.5) and Cr6+ (pH 2.0) were 2.60 and 3.50 mmol/g, respectively. The reusability of the recovered C4 adsorbent was also evaluated.