Properties and mechanisms of steel slag strengthening microbial cementation of cyanide tailings.

The advantages of microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) as bio-cementation technology for tailings-solidification are under extensive investigation. In order to improve performance of bio-cementation, many strengthening materials were applied to the bio-cementation of tailings. Steel slag (SS) is a kind of industrial solid waste, its chemical composition and mineral composition are similar to cement, and it has a certain application prospect as an auxiliary cementing material. In this study, the properties and mechanism of SS strengthening MICP cementation of cyanide tailings (CT) were investigated. The results showed that Sporosarcina pasteurii growth is not inhibited by SS, and Sporosarcina pasteurii can promote the hydration reaction of SS, providing a suitable alkaline environment and Ca2+, promoting the production of more CaCO3 in the MICP process. When 200 mL of CT leachate was added 1.4 g SS (200-400 mesh), the adsorption of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, total cyanide (T-CN), and free cyanide (F-CN) reached 48.05%, 44.28%, 36.25%, 16.67%, 79.05%, and 67.20%, respectively. The maximum unconfined compressive strength（UCS） of the cemented body (with 5%, 150 mesh SS) was 1.97 MPa, which was 3.396 times as high as that without SS. The cemented body with the addition of SS (5%, 150 mesh) contained more carbonate bound Cu (2.75%), Pb (4.89%), Zn (5.37%), and Cd (5.75%), and less exchangeable Cu (3.65%), Pb (6.85%), Zn (2.27%), and Cd (4.42%) than that without SS. In summary, the addition of SS improved the UCS of cemented bodies and the stability of heavy metals and cyanide, reduced the environmental risks existing in the process of CT storage. Meanwhile, it also provides new ideas for resource utilization of industrial solid waste SS and improvement of mine filling materials.

Study on the performance of Anerinibacillus sp. in degrading cyanide wastewater and its metabolic mechanism.

Cyanide extraction dominates the gold smelting industry, which leads to the generation of large amounts of cyanide-containing wastewater. In this study, Aneurinibacillus tyrosinisolvens strain named JK-1 was used for cyanide wastewater biodegradation. First, we tested the performance of JK-1 in degrading cyanide under different conditions. Then, we screened metabolic compounds and pathways associated with cyanide degradation by JK-1. Finally, we explored the potential JK-1-mediated cyanide degradation pathway. Our results showed that the optimal pH and temperature for cyanide biodegradation were 7.0 and 30 °C, respectively; under these conditions, a degradation rate of >98% was achieved within 48 h. Untargeted metabolomics results showed that increased cyanide concentration decreased the abundance of metabolic compounds by 71.1% but upregulated 32 metabolic pathways. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment results revealed significant changes in amino acid metabolism pathways during cyanide degradation by JK-1, including cyanoamino acid metabolism, ß-alanine metabolism, and glutamate metabolism. Differential metabolic compounds included acetyl-CoA, l-asparagine, l-glutamic acid, l-phenylalanine, and l-glutamine. These results confirmed that cyanide degradation by JK-1 occurs through amino acid assimilation. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of cyanide biodegradation, which can be applied in the treatment of cyanide wastewater or tailings.

Potassium-rich mining waste addition can shorten the composting period by increasing the abundance of thermophilic bacteria during high-temperature periods.

Conventional compost sludge has a long fermentation period and is not nutrient rich. Potassium-rich mining waste was used as an additive for aerobic composting of activated sludge to make a new sludge product. The effects of different feeding ratios of potassium-rich mining waste and activated sludge on the physicochemical properties and thermophilic bacterial community structure during aerobic composting were investigated. The results showed that potassium-rich waste minerals contribute to the increase in mineral element contents; although the addition of potassium-rich waste minerals affected the peak temperature and duration of composting, the more sufficient oxygen content promoted the growth of thermophilic bacteria and thus shortened the overall composting period. Considering the requirements of composting temperature, it is recommended that the addition of potassium-rich waste minerals is less than or equal to 20%.

[Effect of Aging on Stabilization of Cd2+ Through Biochar Use in Alkaline Soil of Bayan Obo Mining Area].

Although biochar has been widely used in the remediation of heavy metal pollution in acidic and neutral soils, less attention has been paid to whether biochar will alter its structural properties and the ability to retain heavy metals after different degrees of aging in alkaline soils. In this study, two artificial accelerated aging methods (freeze-thaw cycle and dry-wet cycle) and a short-term natural aging method were used to simulate the aging process of biochar prepared from corn stalk. We investigated the changes in the soil pH and bioavailability, total content, and transformation of Cd2+ before and after aging treatments. Biochar was separated from the soil for characterization to explore the effect of aging on the passivation of Cd2+ by biochar in the alkaline soil of the mining area. The results showed that adding biochar to alkaline soil in the Bayan Obo mining area had no significant liming effect, and pH decreased after the freeze-thaw and dry-wet accelerated aging treatments. Compared with that in the control, the CaCl2-extractable contents of Cd2+ decreased by 19.32%-30.67%, and the total contents of Cd2+ decreased by 5.02%-7.18%. Aging did not significantly change the transformation of Cd2+ but reduced the distribution of acid-soluble and reducible fractions, indicating that biochar could immobilize Cd2+ for a long time after aging, which was related to the increase in oxygen-containing functional groups and the pore structure of biochar. These results are important for evaluating its long-term application prospects in the mining environment.

Co-driving factors of tidal effect on the abundance and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in the Yongjiang Estuary, China.

The unreasonable use of antibiotics and the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) induced by antibiotics have led to a large number of ARGs entered the water environment, which seriously threatened human health and environmental safety. The estuarine aquatic environment connects with inland rivers and sea and is frequently influenced by human activities. This study aims to reveal the occurrences and abundances of ARGs and bacterial community composition by high-throughput quantitative PCR including 296 primers and high-throughput sequencing in the tide rising and ebbing of surface water in the Yongjiang Estuary, China. The results showed that there were a large number of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) detected in the rising tide and ebb tide water bodies. The numbers of detected ARGs in each sample at rising and ebb tide ranged from 16 to 77 and 61 to 88, respectively, and the absolute abundance ranges were 1.69 × 104-1.69 × 109 copies/L and 3.18 × 103-2.57 × 109 copies/L, respectively. Obvious tidal distribution characteristics of ARGs were showed. Most of ARGs conferred resistance to multidrug, aminoglycosides and sulfanilamides. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the dominantly bacterial phylum in the Yongjiang Estuary. Network analysis results indicated that multi-genera were identified as possible ARGs hosts, and they carried more than two types of ARGs genes. Partial least squares path modeling further revealed that MGEs and bacterial community composition were the most important driving factors. The results of the study can provide the corresponding scientific basis for the diffusion and control of ARGs in estuaries.

Selection of optimal models for predicting growth stress in Artemisia desertorum by comparison of linear regression and multiple neural networks: Take the construction of a green mine in the Bayan Obo mine as an example.

In recent years, more and more countries are focusing on the control of mining sites and the surrounding ecological environment, and the new environmental concept of green mines has been proposed. By investigating the ecological background of a mine site, pollution and ecological imbalances in the mine can be predicted, managed or transformed. This study investigated the effects of rare earth elements on plant growth in the Baotou Bayan Obo Rare Earth Mine and evaluated soil contamination and subsequent remediation through the measured plant height. Using linear regression, BP(Back Propagation) neural networks, GA-BP(Genetic Algorithm- Back Propagation) neural networks, ELM(Extreme Learning Machine) and GA-ELM(Genetic Algorithm- Extreme Learning Machine) model prediction instruments, the different rare earth solution concentrations were set as input values and the heights of Artemisia desertorum, which as the model plant, were set as output values in the prediction. The results showed that the linear regression predicted the standard error of single La(III), Ce(III) solution and compound La(III) + Ce(III) solution for Artemisia desertorum growth stress was on the high side, 7.02%- 8.92%; the efficiency range of each group of models under BP neural network, GA-BP neural network and ELM neural network were 1.15%- 2.53%, 0.85%- 1.28%, 1.76%- 3.53%; while the efficiency range under GA-ELM neural network was 0.59%- 0.68%, with average error values and predicted values close to the true values. Among them, the MAPE of GA-ELM neural network are significantly lower than other models, and the error decreases with increasing concentration of the compound solution. So GA-ELM neural network can be used as an efficient, fast and reasonable optimal model for predicting the growth stress of Artemisia desertorum in Bayan Obo mining area. The experimental results can provide a theoretical basis for assessing the risk of soil rare earth contamination in the area, evaluating the expectation of later remediation, and provide a degree of new ideas for the construction of green mines.

[Characteristics and Evaluation of Soil Rare Earth Element Pollution in the Bayan Obo Mining Region of Inner Mongolia].

The Bayan Obo deposit is the largest light rare earth ore deposit in the world, which releases rare earth elements (REEs) to the surrounding environment through long-term mining processes. To inform restoration plans, it is necessary to investigate the concentration, spatial distribution, pollution level, and ecological risk of REEs. Sample analyses showed that the average total concentration of REEs in this area is 6064.95 mg·kg-1, which was higher than the background levels of control soils (207.44 mg·kg-1), Inner Mongolia (150.95 mg·kg-1), and China (184.72 mg·kg-1). Light REEs (LREEs) accounted for 83%-99% of the detected REE, and Ce was the dominant element. Areas with high REE concentrations were mainly located near the source bed, and the distribution was extremely inhomogeneous, being greatly affected by external interference. Chondrite normalized REE patterns of different functional areas were similar and normalized curves inclined to the right, indicating district fractionation between the LREE and heavy REEs (HREEs). Significant negative Eu anomalies and positive Ce anomalies were observed in the soils based on δCe and δEu values. La/Yb, La/Sm, and Gd/Yb ratios all indicated that the soils were LREE-enriched, whereas the LREEs were more fractionated than the HREE. Four methods were employed to evaluate the pollution and ecological risk of the detected soil REEs. The average values of Ce, Nd, Pr, and La reached heavily contaminated levels based the geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The modified degree of contamination method showed that the average mCd values of REEs in different functional areas ranged from 7.14 to 31.38. The tailings pond had a high level of pollution, residential and industrial areas had a very high pollution level, and the mining area and waste dump showed extremely high levels of pollution. Based on the pollution load index, the tailings pond is moderately polluted while all other functional areas are severely polluted. The potential ecological risk index values ranged from 120.99 to 6376.46, with REEs in soils posing high strong risk, very strong risk, strong risk, moderate risk, and low risk in 33%, 16%, 12%, 30%, and 9% of the sampling sites, respectively. Based on these findings, measures for controlling current pollution and potential ecological risks from REE in the soils of the Bayan Obo mining region are urgently needed.

Statistical approach reveals tidal effect on the antibiotics and environmental relationship with the case study of Yongjiang Estuary, China.

We used statistical approach by coupling redundancy analysis with linear regression analysis, which is useful to understand potential sources of antibiotics in the tide rising and ebbing of surface water in the Yongjiang Estuary, China. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between 29 antibiotics at five sites over four seasons and 13 environmental parameters during the tide rising and ebbing durations. The results found that dissolved organic carbon (DOC), salinity, temperature and chlorophyll a (Chla) were the main factors to impact antibiotics. The concentrations of macrolides were increasing with DOC, suggesting DOC may influence the adsorption capacity of antibiotics. The concentrations of tetracyclines had significant correlation with temperature and Chla during the tide rising period. This study demonstrated a method of exploring the relationship between the concentrations of antibiotics and environmental parameters, which is beneficial to future antibiotics research in estuaries.

Effects of contaminated surface water and groundwater from a rare earth mining area on the biology and the physiology of Sprague-Dawley rats.

Previous studies have shown that an effective damage detection method for model rats from macro individual to micro cellular, was applied to assess the groundwater quality from rare earth metals tailings seepage. To determine whether it is universal method for measuring the toxicological damage caused by contaminated water around other mining areas to organisms at the organ-tissue-cell-chromosome-gene level. In this study, a rare earth mining area in North China was used as research base. Firstly, the core pollution factors in surface water and groundwater from five different sites were analyzed. Then, the degree of toxicological damage to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats caused by contaminated water were systematically assessed using biological methods. Finally, the possible molecular mechanism of toxicological damage was further discussed. The synthesis results showed that the main pollution factors were some metal elements (Mn, Zn, Co, Ni) and rare earth elements (Sc, Nb, La, Ce, Pr, Dy and Y), which might cause significant DNA genetic damage to SD rats. Further, differential gene expression profile showed that DNA damage-inducible genes (Gadd45g and Ddit4), immunity-related genes (Mpo, Slpi and Elane) and two cancer-related genes (Mmp8 and Ltf) were used as a new prognostic and predictive biomarker for biosafety assessment. Therefore, this study provides a possible molecular mechanism for the toxicological damage, and also it provides a universal method to scientifically and effectively evaluate the water pollution risk for other mining areas.

Global development of the studies focused on antibiotics in aquatic systems from 1945 to 2017.

Antibiotics are used to fight diseases in humans and farm animals. Their residues, however, can enter aquatic environments and affect the resistance of non-target microbial strains, and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) potentially poses negative impacts on human health. In order to better understand how the studies of antibiotics have been conducted, we analyzed the publications on antibiotics in aquatic systems for the period of 1945-2017. We applied a bibliometric analysis method by coupling cluster analysis and network analysis. Results indicated that early research on antibiotics in water was mostly performed in America and Europe, while, in recent years, publications for the same subject were dominated by China and the USA. The majority of the articles were published in journal Chemosphere and the most representative subject categories of the seven sections were "Environmental science and ecology," "Chemistry," "Engineering," "Biochemistry and molecular biology," "Water resources," "Agriculture," and "Pharmacology and pharmacy." The most studied class of antibiotics was tetracyclines in wastewater. Antibiotic resistance, ARGs, Escherichia coli, and some mechanistic studies such as adsorption, toxicity, degradation, and kinetics were common topics in this field. ARGs present a major public health concern and much attention should be directed at the problems with antibiotics in the future studies of water.

Intracellular disposition of chitosan nanoparticles in macrophages: intracellular uptake, exocytosis, and intercellular transport.

Biodegradable nanomaterials have been widely used in numerous medical fields. To further improve such efforts, this study focused on the intracellular disposition of chitosan nanoparticles (CsNPs) in macrophages, a primary cell of the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS). Such interactions with the MPS determine the nanoparticle retention time in the body and consequently play a significant role in their own clinical safety. In this study, various dye-labeled CsNPs (about 250 nm) were prepared, and a murine macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) was selected as a model macrophage. The results showed two mechanisms of macrophage incorporation of CsNPs, ie, a clathrin-mediated endocytosis pathway (the primary) and phagocytosis. Following internalization, the particles partly dissociated in the cells, indicating cellular digestion of the nanoparticles. It was proved that, after intracellular uptake, a large proportion of CsNPs were exocytosed within 24 h; this excretion induced a decrease in fluorescence intensity in cells by 69%, with the remaining particles possessing difficulty being cleared. Exocytosis could be inhibited by both wortmannin and vacuolin-1, indicating that CsNP uptake was mediated by lysosomal and multivesicular body pathways, and after exocytosis, the reuptake of CsNPs by neighboring cells was verified by further experiments. This study, thus, elucidated the fate of CsNPs in macrophages as well as identified cellular disposition mechanisms, providing the basis for how CsNPs are recognized by the MPS; such information is crucial to numerous medical applications of CsNPs.

Hydroxy-Al and cell-surface negativity are responsible for the enhanced sensitivity of Rhodotorula taiwanensis to aluminum by increased medium pH.

Aluminum (Al) is ubiquitous and toxic to microbes. High Al3+ concentration and low pH are two key factors responsible for Al toxicity, but our present results contradict this idea. Here, an Al-tolerant yeast strain Rhodotorula taiwanensis RS1 was incubated in glucose media containing Al with a continuous pH gradient from pH 3.1-4.2. The cells became more sensitive to Al and accumulated more Al when pH increased. Calculations using an electrostatic model Speciation Gouy Chapman Stern indicated that, the increased Al sensitivity of cells was associated with AlOH2+ and Al(OH) 2+ rather than Al3+. The alcian blue (a positively charged dye) adsorption and zeta potential determination of cell surface indicated that, higher pH than 3.1 increased the negative charge and Al adsorption at the cell surface. Taken together, the enhanced sensitivity of R. taiwanensis RS1 to Al from pH 3.1-4.2 was associated with increased hydroxy-Al and cell-surface negativity.

Component analysis, and purification and characterization of active ingredients in aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum / 中草药

Objective: To investigate, purify, and characterize the active ingredients in the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum (the dry heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan). Methods: HPLC-MS/MS was used in the analysis of the chemical constituents in the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum. Then the inhibitory effect of the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum on human bladder tumor cell line T24 in vitro was studied. The main chemical constituents were purified by column chromatography and their structures were characterized by NMR. Results: In the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum, 16 compounds were separated and detected well by HPLC-MS/MS and 14 were identified. The main compounds were quercetin, brazilin, isoliquiritigeni, protosappanin B, brazil A, 3'-deoxysappanol, 4-O-hydroxybrazilin, sappanchalcone, and (αS)-α, 2', 4, 4'-tetrahydroxy dihydrochalcone. The killing rate of cancer cells was positively correlated to the concentration of the main component which was brazilin. At last, according to the purification by column chromatography and the structural characterization by NMR, we obtained the pure brazilin in the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum. Conclusion: The research offers a new method for the identification of the components in the aqueous extract from Sappan Lignum and provides a basis for the medicinal functions of Sappan Lignum for future study.

[Formulation and process optimization of doxorubicin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles and its in vitro release].

Doxorubicin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (DOX-PLGA NPs) was prepared by double emulsion (W/O/W) solvent evaporation method with the biodegradable materials-poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) used as carrier materials. Single-factor test was used to investigate the influence of the type and ratio of the organic phase, the amount of surfactant, PLGA concentration, the ratio of external water phase and oil phase (W/O), the ratio of doxorubicin and PLGA, ultrasonic time and stirring time on the preparation of nanoparticles. The best formulation and preparation conditions were optimized by orthogonal test based on single-factor test, evaluation indicator as particle size and entrapment efficiency, and the results were analyzed by overall desirability. And the in vitro release behaviors of the nanoparticles were studied as well. The size distribution, zeta potential, morphology of DOX-PLGA NPs were characterized by laser light scattering and transmission electron microscopy; encapsulation efficiency and releasing behavior of DOX-PLGA NPs in vitro were investigated by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The results show that the DOX-PLGA NPs are regularly spherical in shape with the mean size of (189.2 +/- 5.3) nm, and the zeta-potential of the NPs is about (-28.32 +/- 0.52) mV. Drug loading and encapsulation efficiency are estimated to be (73.16 +/- 0.43) % and (1.51 +/- 0.07) %, respectively. The cumulative percentage of the drug released is 90.34%, and the in vitro release behavior made up of initial burst release and sustained-release could be described by the bidirectional kinetic equation. The results indicate that hydrophilic small-molecule drugs could be successfully entrapped into PLGA-NPs. With optimization of the formulation and preparation conditions, we obtained uniform and stable DOX-PLGA NPs with sustained release character in vitro and pH-sensitive property, which could provide the experimental basis for the development of a new anti-tumor sustained-release formulation.

[Study on the release and mechanism of carbon nanotubes loaded with verapamil hydrochloride in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to load Verapamil Hydrochloride to carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes( c-CNTs) and discuss the mechanism of drug release which could act as an effective basis for c-MWNTs used as drug carriers of controlled and sustained release delivery system. METHODS: Raw CNTs were treated with mixed strong acid to obtain c-CNTs. Raman, IR, SEM and HR-TEM were used to characterize the CNTs and investigate the loading sites for drugs. The release behavior of the drug delivery system in vitro and the release model were studied. RESULTS: The raw CNTs were successfully grafted with carboxyl group by acid treatment. The water-soluble ability of c-CNTs was greatly improved. The length of c-CNTs was 200-300nm. Meanwhile, the ends of c-CNTs were opened. The results of the drug loading experiment showed that the more adding drugs, the larger loading content of drugs. Most of the drugs were loaded into the inner pores of c-CNTs when adding drugs was no more than 0.1 as quantity as c-CNTs. As the quantity of adding drugs increased, the drugs were loaded both in the inner pores and on the out-wall of c-CNTs. The release results in vitro showed release mechanism had something with the quantity of adding drugs. CONCLUSION: C-CNTs can be used as carriers of sustained and controlled release delivery system. Ideal release behavior of drugs can be achieved by choosing appropriate formula.

[Chitosan-coated ophthalmic submicro emulsion for pilocarpine nitrate].

The study is to design chitosan-coated pilocarpine nitrate submicro emulsion (CS-PN/SE) for the development of a novel mucoadhesive submicro emulsion, aiming to prolong the precorneal retention time and improve the ocular absorption. CS-PN/SE was fabricated in two steps: firstly, pilocarpine nitrate submicro emulsion (PN/SE) was prepared by high-speed shear with medium chain triglycerides (MCT) as oil phase and Tween 80 as the main emulsifier, and then incubated with chitosan (CS) acetic solution. The preparation process was optimized by central composite design-response surface methodology. Besides the particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and micromorphology were investigated, CS-PN/SE's precorneal residence properties and miotic effect were especially studied using New Zealand rabbits as the animal model. When CS-PN/SE was administered topically to rabbit eyes, the ocular clearance and the mean resident time (MRT) of pilocarpine nitrate were found to be dramatically improved (P < 0.05) compared with PN/SE and pilocarpine nitrate solution (PNs), since the K(CS-PN/SE) was declined to 0.006 4 +/- 0.000 3 min(-1) while MRT was prolonged up to 155.4 min. Pharmacodynamics results showed that the maximum miosis of CS-PN/SE was as high as 46.3%, while the miotic response lasted 480 min which is 255 min and 105 min longer than that of PNs and PN/SE, respectively. A larger area under the miotic percentage vs time curve (AUC) of CS-PN/SE was exhibited which is 1.6 folds and 1.2 folds as much as that of PNs and PN/SE, respectively (P < 0.05). Therefore, CS-PN/SE could enhance the duration of action and ocular bioavailability by improving the precorneal residence and ocular absorption significantly.

[Preparation of polyelectrolyte microcapsules containing ferrosoferric oxide nanoparticles].

In this study, polyelectrolyte microcapsules have been fabricated by biocompatible ferrosoferric oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) and poly allyamine hydrochloride (PAH) using layer by layer assembly technique. The Fe3O4 NPs were prepared by chemical co-precipitation, and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and infrared spectrum (IR). Quartz cell also was used as a substrate for building multilayer films to evaluate the capability of forming planar film. The result showed that Fe3O4 NPs were selectively deposited on the surface of quartz cell. Microcapsules containing Fe3O4 NPs were fabricated by Fe3O4 NPs and PAH alternately self-assembly on calcium carbonate microparticles firstly, then 0.2 molL(-1) EDTA was used to remove the calcium carbonate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Zetasizer and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were used to characterize the microcapsule's morphology, size and magnetic properties. The result revealed that Fe3O4 NPs and PAH were successfully deposited on the surface of CaCO3 microparticles, the microcapsule manifested superparamagnetism, size and saturation magnetization were 4.9 +/- 1.2 microm and 8.94 emu x g(-1), respectively. As a model drug, Rhodamin B isothiocyanate labeled bovine serum albumin (RBITC-BSA) was encapsulated in microcapsule depended on pH sensitive of the microcapsule film. When pH 5.0, drug add in was 2 mg, the encapsulation efficiency was (86.08 +/- 3.36) % and the drug loading was 8.01 +/- 0.30 mg x m(L-1).

[Preparation of polyelectrolyte microcapsules contained gold nanoparticles].

In this work, polyelectrolyte microcapsules containing gold nanoparticles were prepared via layer by layer assembly. Gold nanoparticles and poly (allyamine hydrochloride) (PAH) were coated on the CaCO3 microparticles. And then EDTA was used to remove the CaCO3 core. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to characterize the surface of microcapsules. SEM images indicate that the microcapsules and the polyelectrolyte multilayer were deposited on the surface of CaCO3 microparticles. FITC-bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA, 2 mg) was incorporated in the CaCO3 microparticles by co-precipitation. Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe the fluorescence intensity of microcapsules. The encapsulation efficiency was (34.31 +/- 2.44) %. The drug loading was (43.75 +/- 3.12) mg g(-1).

[Preparation of cationic dextran microspheres loaded with tetanus toxoid and study on the mechanism of protein loading].

The aim of this study is to prepare cationic biodegradable dextran microspheres loaded with tetanus toxoid (TT) and to investigate the mechanism of protein loading. Positively charged microspheres were prepared by polymerization of hydroxylethyl methacrylate derivatized dextran (dex-HEMA) and dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) in an aqueous two-phase system. The loading of the microspheres with TT was based on electrostatic attraction. The net positive surface charge increased with increasing amounts of DMAEMA. Confocal images showed fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) could penetrate into cationic dextran microspheres but not natural dextran microspheres. TT loading efficiency by post-loading was higher compared with by pre-loading. Even though TT is incorporated in the hydrogel network based on electrostatic interaction, still a controlled release can be achieved by varying the initial network density of the microspheres.

[Studies on diclofenac sodium pulsatile release pellets].

AIM: To investigate the preparation of diclofenac sodium pulsatile release pellets (DS-PRP), the release in vitro and the pharmacokinetics of the drug. METHODS: Diclofenac sodium (DS) core pellets prepared by extrusion-spheronization technology were coated in a mini-fluidized bed spray coater with swelling material as the inner coating swelling layer and ethylcellulose aqueous dispersion as the outer coating controlled layer. The effects of formulation and medium on pulsatile release of DS were investigated under release rate test. Pharmacokinetic and bioavailability study in eight human subjects were performed by HPLC method. RESULTS: The delayed-release time and release rate of DS from DS-PRP were influenced obviously by the swelling material, the concentration of SDS in medium, the coating level of the inner swelling layer and the outer controlled layer. In vitro, the delayed-release time T0.1 was 3.1 h, and the pulsed-release time T0.1-0.2 was 1.2 h. In vivo, the delayed-release time Tlag was 2.8 h, and the bioavailability was (91 +/- 12)%. CONCLUSION: The release of drug from DS-PRP was shown to be in pulsed way both in vitro and in vivo.