Thermo- and pH-Responsive Gelatin/Polyphenolic Tannin/Graphene Oxide Hydrogels for Efficient Methylene Blue Delivery.

Gelatin (GE), amino-functionalized polyphenolic tannin derivative (TN), and graphene oxide (GO) were associated to yield thermo- and pH-responsive hydrogels for the first time. Durable hydrogel assemblies for drug delivery purposes were developed using the photosensitizer methylene blue (MB) as a drug model. The cooling GE/TN blends provide brittle physical assemblies. To overcome this disadvantage, different GO contents (between 0.31% and 1.02% wt/wt) were added to the GE/TN blend at 89.7/10.3 wt/wt. FTIR and RAMAN spectroscopy analyses characterized the materials, indicating GO presence in the hydrogels. Incorporation studies revealed a total MB (0.50 mg/mL) incorporation into the GE/TN-GO hydrogel matrices. Additionally, the proposed systems present a mechanical behavior similar to gel. The GO presence in the hydrogel matrices increased the elastic modulus from 516 to 1650 Pa. SEM revealed that hydrogels containing MB present higher porosity with interconnected pores. Dissolution and swelling degree studies revealed less stability of the GE/TN-GO-MB hydrogels in SGF medium (pH 1.2) than SIF (pH 6.8). The degradation increased in SIF with the GO content, making the polymeric matrices more hydrophilic. MB release studies revealed a process controlled by Fickian diffusion. Our results point out the pH-responsible behavior of mechanically reinforced GE/TN-GO-MB hydrogels for drug delivery systems purposes.

Bactericidal Pectin/Chitosan/Glycerol Films for Food Pack Coatings: A Critical Viewpoint.

Pectin and chitosan films containing glycerol (Gly) at 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 wt % were prepared in an aqueous HCl solution (0.10 M) by the solvent evaporation method. The unwashed film (UF) containing 40 wt % Gly (UF40) had elongation at break (ε, %) of 19%. Washed films (WFs) had high tensile strength (σ > 46 MPa) and low elongation at break (ε, <5.0%), enabling their use in food packaging applications. The polymers' self-assembling occurred during the washing, increasing the stiffness. The XPS analysis suggests that some HCl is lost during the drying process, resulting in a low acid content on the UF surfaces. The UF40 (at 5.0 mg/mL) exhibits cytocompatibility toward mammalian cells and antimicrobial and anti-adhesive properties against Escherichia coli. The remaining HCl in the UF40 can be a disadvantage for food packaging applications; the UF40 (∅ = 8.5 mm; 55 µm thickness) releases H3O+/HCl, reducing the pH to approximately 3.0 when kept in 200 mL distilled water for approximately 30 min. Therefore, we propose the use of UF40 to coat commercial food packaging. The UF40 has low permeability to water vapor and oxygen and works as a barrier against ultraviolet light. The UF40 is also colorless and completely transparent. The UF40 maintained tomatoes' structural integrity for 18 days at room temperature with no oxidation or microorganism contamination. This paper presents a critical viewpoint concerning chitosan-based films with antimicrobial activities.

The Inclusion of Chitosan in Poly-ε-caprolactone Nanoparticles: Impact on the Delivery System Characteristics and on the Adsorbed Ovalbumin Secondary Structure.

This report extensively explores the benefits of including chitosan into poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanoparticles (NPs) to obtain an improved protein/antigen delivery system. Blend NPs (PCL/chitosan NPs) showed improved protein adsorption efficacy (84%) in low shear stress and aqueous environment, suggesting that a synergistic effect between PCL hydrophobic nature and the positive charges of chitosan present at the particle surface was responsible for protein interaction. Additionally, thermal analysis suggested the blend NPs were more stable than the isolated polymers and cytotoxicity assays in a primary cell culture revealed chitosan inclusion in PCL NPs reduced the toxicity of the delivery system. A quantitative 6-month stability study showed that the inclusion of chitosan in PCL NPs did not induce a change in adsorbed ovalbumin (OVA) secondary structure characterized by the increase in the unordered conformation (random coil), as it was observed for OVA adsorbed to chitosan NPs. Additionally, the slight conformational changes occurred, are not expected to compromise ovalbumin secondary structure and activity, during a 6-month storage even at high temperatures (45°C). In simulated biological fluids, PCL/chitosan NPs showed an advantageous release profile for oral delivery. Overall, the combination of PCL and chitosan characteristics provide PCL/chitosan NPs valuable features particularly important to the development of vaccines for developing countries, where it is difficult to ensure cold chain transportation and non-parenteral formulations would be preferred.

Self-Assembly of Oligosaccharide-b-PMMA Block Copolymer Systems: Glyco-Nanoparticles and Their Degradation under UV Exposure.

This paper discusses the self-assembly of oligosaccharide-containing block copolymer and the use of ultraviolet (UV) to obtain nanoporous glyco-nanoparticles by photodegradation of the synthetic polymer block. Those glyco-nanoparticles consisting of oligosaccharide-based shell and a photodegradable core domain were obtained from the self-assembly of maltoheptaose-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (MH-b-PMMA48) using the nanoprecipitation protocol. MH-b-PMMA48 self-assembled into well-defined spherical micelles (major compound) with a hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of ca. 10 nm and also into large compound micellar aggregates (minor compound) with an Rh of ca. 65 nm. The oligosaccharide shells of these glyco-nanoparticles were cross-linked through the Michael-type addition of divinyl sulfone under dilute conditions to minimize the intermicellar cross-linking. The core domain photodegradation of the cross-linked glyco-nanoparticles was induced under exposure to 254 nm UV radiation, resulting in porous glyco-nanoparticles with an Rh of ca. 44 nm. The morphology of the cross-linked shell and the core photodegradation of these glyco-nanoparticles were characterized using static light scattering, dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, field-emission gun-scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The innovative aspect of this approach concerns the fact that after removing the PMMA domains the porous nanoparticles are mostly composed of biocompatible and nontoxic oligosaccharides.

Glyco-Nanoparticles Made from Self-Assembly of Maltoheptaose-block-Poly(methyl methacrylate): Micelle, Reverse Micelle, and Encapsulation.

The synthesis and the solution-state self-assembly of the "hybrid" diblock copolymers, maltoheptaose-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (MH-b-PMMA), into large compound micelles (LCMs) and reverve micelle-type nanoparticles, are reported in this paper. The copolymers were self-assembled in water and acetone by direct dissolution method, and the morphologies of the nanoparticles were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR), and fluorescence spectroscopy as a function of the volume fraction of the copolymer hydrophobic block, copolymer concentration, stirring speed, and solvent polarity. The DLS measurements and TEM images showed that the hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of the LCMs obtained in water increases with the copolymer concentration. Apart from that, increasing the stirring speed leads to polydispersed aggregations of the LCMs. On the other hand, in acetone, the copolymers self-assembled into reverse micelle-type nanoparticles having Rh values of about 6 nm and micellar aggregates, as revealed the results obtained from DLS, AFM, and (1)H NMR analyses. The variation in micellar structure, that is, conformational inversion from LCMs to reverse micelle-type structures in response to polarity of the solvent, was investigated by apparent water contact angle (WCA) and (1)H NMR analyses. This conformational inversion of the nanoparticles was further confirmed by encapsulation and release of hydrophobic guest molecule, Nile red, characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy.

Sulfated glycosaminoglycan-based block copolymer: preparation of biocompatible chondroitin sulfate-b-poly(lactic acid) micelles.

Despite a growing interest in amphiphilic polysaccharide-based diblock copolymers as functional polymeric drug delivery nanosystems, biologically relevant sulfated glycosaminoglycan systems were not yet investigated. Here, we report the synthesis and the self-assembly properties in water of chondroitin sulfate-b-poly(lactic acid) (CS-b-PLA(n)). The CS-b-PLA(n) were synthesized using click-grafting onto method implying reducing-end alkynation of low-molecular weight depolymerized CS (M(w) = 5000 g·mol(-1)) and azide-terminated functionalization of PLAn (M(w) = 6500 g·mol(-1) (n = 46) and M(w) = 1700 g·mol(-1) (n = 20)). The diblock copolymer self-assembled in water giving rise to spherical micelles that were characterized in solution using dynamic/static light scattering and at dry state by TEM technique. In vitro assays on healthy cells showed that at high concentrations, up to 10 µg·mL(-1), CS-b-PLA(n) were noncytotoxic. Those preliminary studies are promising in the perspective to use them as biocompatible nanovehicles for anticancer drug delivery.

Preparing silk fibroin nanofibers through electrospinning: further heparin immobilization toward hemocompatibility improvement.

Sodium heparin (HS) was immobilized on the surface of the silk fibroin nanofibers (FS) prepared by electrospinning with the objective of improving the hemocompatibility of the fibers for application as scaffolds in tissue engineering. The nanofiber mats of silk fibroin without (MF-FS) and with (MF-FS/HS) immobilized heparin were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), contact angle, chemical analysis, and biological tests. The formation of hydrogen bonds between the silk fibroin and heparin was discussed based on FTIR-ATR spectra. The amount of immobilized heparin was quantified through papain/N-acetyl-l-cysteine digestion followed by dimethylmethylene blue complexation. Furthermore, the samples with immobilized HS showed higher hydrophilic capability compared to samples without HS due to lower contact angles. It was possible to verify that the capillary end-to-collector distance of 8.5 cm and flow rate of 0.35 mL h(-1) used in the electrospinning process at 20 kV are good conditions for obtaining a small average fiber diameter maintaining the amount of immobilized heparin on MF-FS/HS in ca. 4% w/w. Biological analysis showed that no hemolysis is provoked by MF-FS and MF-FS/HS mat fragments and those such mats are not toxic to Vero cells. However, the MF-FS/HS showed higher cell growth and proliferation than MF-FS, indicating an improvement in the hemocompatibility of the material due to heparin immobilization.

Antimicrobial activity of chitosan derivatives containing N-quaternized moieties in its backbone: a review.

Chitosan, which is derived from a deacetylation reaction of chitin, has attractive antimicrobial activity. However, chitosan applications as a biocide are only effective in acidic medium due to its low solubility in neutral and basic conditions. Also, the positive charges carried by the protonated amine groups of chitosan (in acidic conditions) that are the driving force for its solubilization are also associated with its antimicrobial activity. Therefore, chemical modifications of chitosan are required to enhance its solubility and broaden the spectrum of its applications, including as biocide. Quaternization on the nitrogen atom of chitosan is the most used route to render water-soluble chitosan-derivatives, especially at physiological pH conditions. Recent reports in the literature demonstrate that such chitosan-derivatives present excellent antimicrobial activity due to permanent positive charge on nitrogen atoms side-bonded to the polymer backbone. This review presents some relevant work regarding the use of quaternized chitosan-derivatives obtained by different synthetic paths in applications as antimicrobial agents.

Silver Nanoparticles In Situ Synthesized and Incorporated in Uniaxial and Core-Shell Electrospun Nanofibers to Inhibit Coronavirus.

In the present study, we sought to develop materials applicable to personal and collective protection equipment to mitigate SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, AgNPs were synthesized and stabilized into electrospinning nanofiber matrices (NMs) consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), chitosan (CHT), and poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL). Uniaxial nanofibers of PVA and PVA/CHT were developed, as well as coaxial nanofibers of PCL[PVA/CHT], in which the PCL works as a shell and the blend as a core. A crucial aspect of the present study is the in situ synthesis of AgNPs using PVA as a reducing and stabilizing agent. This process presents few steps, no additional toxic reducing agents, and avoids the postloading of drugs or the posttreatment of NM use. In general, the in situ synthesized AgNPs had an average size of 11.6 nm, and the incorporated nanofibers had a diameter in the range of 300 nm, with high uniformity and low polydispersity. The NM's spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical properties were appropriate for the intended application. Uniaxial (PVA/AgNPs and PVA/CHT/AgNPs) and coaxial (PCL[PVA/CHT/AgNPs]) NMs presented virucidal activity (log's reduction ≥ 5) against mouse hepatitis virus (MHV-3) genus Betacoronavirus strains. In addition to that, the NMs did not present cytotoxicity against fibroblast cells (L929 ATCC® CCL-1TM lineage).

Covalent albumin microparticles as an adjuvant for production of mucosal vaccines against hepatitis B.

Covalently modified albumin (BSA) microparticles were developed for potential use as an adjuvant in mucosal vaccines against hepatitis B. To synthesize consistent protein particles, a covalent approach was proposed to modify BSA. Our strategy was to bond maleic anhydride (MA) molecules to BSA structure by nucleophilic reaction for further radical cross-linking/polymerization reaction with N',N'-dimethylacrylamide (DMAAm). The presence of poly(N',N'-dimethylacrylamide) in the protein network enables the microparticles to show well-defined, homogeneous forms. Cytotoxicity tests showed that the cytotoxic concentration for 50% of VERO cells (CC50) was 216.25 ± 5.30 µg mL(-1) in 72 h of incubation. The obtained CC50 value is relatively low for an incubation time of 72 h, suggesting an acceptable biocompatibility. Assay of total protein showed that the encapsulation efficiency of the microparticles with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 77.7 ± 0.2%. For the reference sample, which was incubated without HBsAg, the quantity of protein was below the limit of detection.

Sustainable energy and waste management: How to transform plastic waste into carbon nanostructures for electrochemical supercapacitors.

Plastic waste consumption increases exponentially every year, mainly in the last three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid growth of plastic products has exceeded the world's capacity to deal with this type of trash. Thus, it has become a substantial environmental concern in modern society. Another dire concern is the improper disposal of used supercapacitors, leading to serious environmental impacts. Consequently, critical action to tackle this issue is to transform trash into high-valued materials, such as carbon nanomaterial supercapacitors. Considering several methodologies of recycling, pyrolysis stands out due to its simplicity and easy handling of mixed plastic waste to produce carbonaceous materials with different dimensions (0, 1, 2, and 3D). Thus, from this technology, it is possible to create new opportunities for using plastic waste and other types of waste to produce cheaper carbon-based materials for supercapacitors. This review aims to provide readers with a sustainability-driven view regarding the reutilization of plastic trash, discusses the environmental consequences of not doing so, and shows plastic waste solutions. Despite the broad scope of the topic, this review focuses on identifying the currently studied strategies to convert plastic waste into carbon-based electrodes, using less expensive and more efficient competitive protocols, besides emphasizing the diverse types (0, 1, 2, and 3D) of nanostructures. This review also proposes promising options for a sustainable cycle of plastic waste and supercapacitor.

Antiadhesive and antibacterial multilayer films via layer-by-layer assembly of TMC/heparin complexes.

N-Trimethyl chitosan (TMC), an antibacterial agent, and heparin (HP), an antiadhesive biopolymer, were alternately deposited on modified polystyrene films, as substrates, to built antiadhesive and antibacterial multilayer films. The properties of the multilayer films were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Kelvin force microscopy. In vitro studies of controlled release of HP were evaluated in simulated intestinal fluid and simulated gastric fluid. The initial adhesion test of E. coli on multilayer films surface showed effective antiadhesive properties. The in vitro antibacterial test indicated that the multilayer films of TMC/HP based on TMC80 can kill the E. coli bacteria. Therefore, antiadhesive and antibacterial multilayer films may have good potential for coatings and surface modification of biomedical applications.

Magnetic-responsive polysaccharide hydrogels as smart biomaterials: Synthesis, properties, and biomedical applications.

This review reports recent advances in polysaccharide-based magnetic hydrogels as smart platforms for different biomedical applications. These hydrogels have proved to be excellent, viable, eco-friendly alternative materials for the biomedical field due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and possibility of controlling delivery processes via modulation of the remote magnetic field. We first present their main synthesis methods and compare their advantages and disadvantages. Next, the synergic properties of hydrogels prepared with polysaccharides and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are discussed. Finally, we describe the main contributions of polysaccharide-based magnetic hydrogels in the targeted drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and hyperthermia therapy fields. Overall, this review aims to motivate the synthesis of novel composite biomaterials, based on the combination of magnetic nanoparticles and natural polysaccharides, to overcome challenges that still exist in the treatment of several diseases.

Effect of chitin nanowhiskers on mechanical and swelling properties of Gum Arabic hydrogels nanocomposites.

Hydrogels based on biopolymers like Gum Arabic (GA) usually show low applicability due to weak mechanical properties. To overcome this issue, (nano)fillers are utilized as reinforcing agents. Here, GA hydrogels were reinforced by chitin nanowhiskers (CtNWs, aspect ratio of 14) isolated from the biopolymer chitin through acid hydrolysis. Firstly, GA was chemically modified with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), which allowed its crosslinking by free radical reactions. Next, hydrogel samples containing different concentrations of CtNWs (0-10 wt%) were prepared and fully characterized. Mechanical characterization revealed that 10 wt% of CtNWs promoted an increase of 44% in the Young's modulus and 96% the rupture force values compared to the pristine hydrogel. Overall, all nanocomposites were stiffer and more resistant to elastic deformation. Due to this feature, the swelling capacity of the nanocomposites decreased. GA hydrogel without CtNWs exhibited a swelling degree of 975%, whereas nanocomposites containing CtNWs exhibited swelling degrees under 725%.

Manufacturing micro/nano chitosan/chondroitin sulfate curcumin-loaded hydrogel in ionic liquid: A new biomaterial effective against cancer cells.

Chitosan/chondroitin sulfate (CHT/CS) curcumin-charged hydrogels were prepared through polyelectrolytic complexation (PEC) following two methodologies (PEC-CUR and PEC-T-CUR) and were applied on apoptosis of HeLa, HT29 and PC3 cancer cells. PEC-T-CUR (ionic liquid (IL) mixed using ultraturrax homogenizer) results show to be far better than for PEC-CUR (IL mixed using magnetic stirring), with IC50 being improved 5.13 times to HeLa cancer cells (from 1675.2 to 326.7 µg mL-1). PECs produced by this methodology presented favorable characteristics, such as particle size, hydrophobicity, pH swelling. Beyond this, the IL was quantitatively recovered in both cases. CUR entrapment levels were hugely loaded into PEC at around 100%. Swelling, dissolution/degradation, and pHpzc assays showed that PECs may positively act in several environments, releasing the CUR, the CHT and CS as well. Characterization through FTIR, SEM, TEM, TGA, DSC, and WAXS confirmed CUR presence in both types of PECs, and cytotoxic studies showed the significant anticancer effects of CUR-containing PECs.

Application of a polyelectrolyte complex based on biocompatible polysaccharides for colorectal cancer inhibition.

Strategies for incorporating water-insoluble photosensitisers (PS) in drug delivery systems have been extensively studied. In this work, we evaluate the formation, characterisation, drug sorption studies, and cytotoxicity of chitosan (CHT)/chondroitin sulphate (CS) polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) coated with polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with chloroaluminum phthalocyanine (AlClPc). The PECs were characterised by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetric (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The PS-b-PAA NPs on the PEC surface was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, optical images distinguished the PEC structures containing PS-b-PAA or PS-b-PAA/AlClPc from the unloaded PEC. Kinetic and equilibrium studies investigate the sorption capacity of the PEC/PS-b-PAA toward AlClPc. The encapsulation efficiency reached 95% at 190 µg mL-1 AlClPc after only 15 min. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic fitted well to the experimental data. The PS-b-PAA NPs on the PEC surfaces increase the AlClPc bioavailability and the PEC structure stabilizes the PS-b-PAA/AlClPc nanostructures. The materials were cytocompatible upon healthy VERO (kidney epithelial cells), and cytotoxic against colorectal cancerous cells (HT-29 cells). For the first time, we associate PS-b-PAA/AlClPc with a hydrophilic and cytocompatible polysaccharide matrix. We suggest the use of these materials in strategies to treat cancer by using photodynamic therapy.

Antimicrobial and cytocompatible chitosan, N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan, and tanfloc-based polyelectrolyte multilayers on gellan gum films.

In this work free-standing gels formed from gellan gum (GG) by solvent evaporation are coated with polysaccharide-based polyelectrolyte multilayers, using the layer-by-layer approach. We show that PEMs composed of iota-carrageenan (CAR) and three different natural polycationic polymers have composition-dependent antimicrobial properties, and support mammalian cell growth. Cationic polymers (chitosan (CHT), N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC), and an amino-functionalized tannin derivative (TN)) are individually assembled with the anionic iota-carrageenan (CAR) at pH 5.0. PEMs (15-layers) are alternately deposited on the GG film. The GG film and coated GG films with PEMs are characterized by infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The TN/CAR coating provides a hydrophobic (WCA = 127°) and rough surface (Rq = 243 ± 48 nm), and the TMC/CAR coating provides a hydrophilic surface (WCA = 78°) with the lowest roughness (Rq = 97 ± 12 nm). Polymer coatings promote stability and durability of the GG film, and introduce antimicrobial properties against Gram-negative (Salmonella enteritidis) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. The films are also cytocompatible. Therefore, they have properties that can be further developed as wound dressings and food packaging.

First report of electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibers mats with chitin and chitosan nanowhiskers: Fabrication, characterization, and antibacterial activity.

Physical adsorption has shown to be facile and highly effective to deposit chitosan nanowhiskers (CsNWs, 60 % deacetylated, length: 247 nm, thickness: 4-12 nm, width:15 nm) on electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibers (CANFs, 560 nm) to effect complete surface charge reversal from negatively charged CANFs (-40 mV) to positively charged CsNWs-adsorbed CANFs (+8 mV). The CsNWs coverage did not alter the smooth and homogeneous morphology of fibers, as observed from SEM images. Biological assays showed the CsNWs covered nanofibers were effective against the Gram-negative bacterium E. coli, reducing 99 % of colony forming units (CFU) in 24 h and atoxic to healthy Vero cells. The use of CsNWs to modify cellulose fiber surfaces has been proved to be efficient and may be applied to a broad scope of fields, especially as biomaterials and biomedical applications.

Uncommon Sorption Mechanism of Aromatic Compounds onto Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/Chitosan/Maleic Anhydride-ß-Cyclodextrin Hydrogels.

Aromatic hydrocarbons are extensive environmental pollutants occurring in both water and air media, and their removal is a priority effort for a healthy environment. The use of adsorbents is among the several strategies used for the remediation of these compounds. In this paper, we aim the synthesis of an amphiphilic hydrogel with the potential for the simultaneous sorption of a set of monocyclic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with toxicity effects in humans. Thus, we start by the synthesis of a copolymer-based in chitosan and ß-cyclodextrin previously functionalized with the maleic anhydride. The presence of ß-cyclodextrin will confer the ability to interact with hydrophobic compounds. The resulting material is posteriorly incorporated in a cryogel of poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix. We aim to improve the amphiphilic ability of the hydrogel matrix. The obtained hydrogel was characterized by swelling water kinetics, thermogravimetric analysis, rheological measurements, and scanning electron microscopy. The sorption of aromatic hydrocarbons onto the gel is characterized by pseudo-first-order kinetics and Henry isotherm, suggesting a physisorption mechanism. The results show that the presence of maleic anhydride-ß-cyclodextrin and chitosan into hydrogels leads to an increase in the removal efficiency of the aromatic compounds. Additionally, the capacity of this hydrogel for removing these pollutants from a fossil fuel sample has also been tested.

Composite materials based on chitosan/gold nanoparticles: From synthesis to biomedical applications.

Conventional strategies (Turkevich's, and modified Turkevich's methods) often synthesize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). These pathways produce AuNPs using toxic chemistries to reduce Au(III) and stabilize Au(0) atoms upon the AuNP surfaces. To overcome the disadvantages of conventional approaches, chitosan and chitosan-based materials associate with Au(III) to produce composites. Chitosan and derivatives reduce Au(III) and stabilize AuNPs, promoting biocompatibility to the composites, following approaches in-situ. In this review, we report methods to develop chitosan/AuNPs-based composites. The main criticism is about the mechanism of composite formation. Also, we highlight applications of chitosan/AuNPs-based devices in the biomedical arena. We report the synthesis of biosensors, drug delivery devices, scaffolds, antimicrobial coatings, and others. The major criticism is concerning the material design and the lack of data regarding the composite biocompatibility. We support a critical viewpoint.