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Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 27812

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Dr. Maciej Jarzębski

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Department of Physics and Biophysics, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland
Interests: nanomaterials; nanoemulsion; nanoparticle synthesis; nanocarriers; liposomes; particle size determination; colloids; nanoemulsions; microscopy; food and nanotechnology; nano-bio; biomedical application of nanoparticles; sensors
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Dear Colleagues,

The issue is dedicated to nanoparticles, nanosized and submicron-sized structures that can be applied in a wide range of biomedical and food technologies. We focus on the multidisciplinary investigations of nanosized and submicron-sized structures with wide experimental design and property characterization. The authors can present new nanomaterials and nanostructure synthesis routes. Nano- and submicron-sized structure characterization technique applications are especially welcome. Nanocarriers such as core–shell systems, liposomes, nanoemulsions, as well as natural-based nanoparticle characterization are invited to this issue. Furthermore, biomaterial, nanosensor, liposome, metal oxide, and polymeric nanostructure development description is cordially welcome. Finally, we would like to present a new way for nanostructure investigations where researchers from different specializations, i.e., materials science, medicine, and food technology, chemistry and physics, etc., meet and present their ideas and results in nanoscience. Research articles, reviewarticles and mini-review are also welcome (review since past last 5 years).

Dr. Maciej Jarzębski
Guest Editor

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Keywords

biomedical applications
nanocarriers
biomaterials
nanomaterials
contrast agents
core–shell nanostructures
liposomes

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Classification and Antioxidant Activity Evaluation of Edible Oils by Using Nanomaterial-Based Electrochemical Sensors

by Irina Georgiana Munteanu and Constantin Apetrei

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(3), 3010; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24033010 - 3 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2369

Abstract

The classification of olive oils and the authentication of their biological or geographic origin are important issues for public health and for the olive oil market and related industries. The development of techniques for olive oil classification that are fast, easy to use, and suitable for online, in situ and remote operation is of high interest. In this study, the possibility of discriminating and classifying vegetable oils according to different criteria related to biological or geographical origin was assessed using cyclic voltammograms (CVs) as input data, obtained with electrochemical sensors based on carbonaceous nanomaterials and gold nanoparticles. In this context, 44 vegetable oil samples of different categories were analyzed and the capacity of the sensor array coupled with multivariate analysis was evaluated. The characteristics highlighted in voltammograms are related to the redox properties of the electroactive compounds, mainly phenolics, existing in the oils. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of the oils’ hydrophilic fraction was also estimated by conventional spectrophotometric methods (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and galvinoxyl) and correlated with the voltammetric responses of the sensors. The percentage of DPPH and galvinoxyl inhibition was accurately predicted from the voltammetric data, with a correlation coefficients greater than 0.97 both in calibration and in validation. The results indicate that this method allows for a clear discrimination of oils from different biological or geographic origins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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24 pages, 3738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Chemically Modified Sensor Based on a Pentapeptide and Its Application for Sensitive Detection of Verbascoside in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

by Irina Georgiana Munteanu, Vasile Robert Grădinaru and Constantin Apetrei

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 15704; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415704 - 11 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1599

Abstract

In addition to their antioxidant and antimicrobial action in functional foods, beverages, and in some dermato-cosmetic products, olive phenolic compounds are also recognized for their role in the prevention of diabetes and inflammation, treatment of heart disease and, consequently, of the numerous chronic diseases mediated by the free radicals. In recent years, attention has increased, in particular, regarding one of the most important compound in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) having glycosidic structure, namely verbocoside, due to the existence in the literature of numerous studies demonstrating its remarkable contribution to the prophylaxis and treatment of various disorders of the human body. The purpose of this study was the qualitative and quantitative determination of verbascoside in commercial EVOOs from different regions by means of a newly developed sensor based on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) modified with graphene oxide (GPHOX), on the surface of which a pentapeptide was immobilized by means of glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent. The modified electrode surface was investigated using both Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods. This newly developed sensor has shown a high sensibility compared to the unmodified electrode, a low detection limit (LOD) of up to 9.38 × 10⁻⁸ M, and a wide linearity range between 0.1 µM and 10.55 µM. The applicability of the modified sensor was confirmed by detecting verbascoside in ten different EVOOs samples using the cyclic voltammetry (CV) method, with very good results. The validation of the electroanalytical method was performed by using the standard addition method with very good recoveries in the range of 97.48–103.77%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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22 pages, 4236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Studies on the Detection of Oleuropein from Extra Virgin Olive Oils Using Enzymatic Biosensors

by Alexandra Virginia Bounegru and Constantin Apetrei

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(20), 12569; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232012569 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2174

Abstract

Oleuropein (OLEU) is an important indicator of the quality and authenticity of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO). Electrochemical sensors and biosensors for the detection of oleuropein can be used to test the adulteration of extra virgin olive oils. The present study aimed at the qualitative and quantitative determination of oleuropein in commercial EVOO samples by applying electrochemical techniques, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The sensing devices used were two newly constructed enzyme biosensors, supported on single-layer carbon-nanotube-modified carbon screen-printed electrode (SPE/SWCNT) on whose surface tyrosinase (SPE/SWCNT/Tyr) and laccase (SPE/SWCNT/Lac) were immobilized, respectively. The active surfaces of the two biosensors were analyzed and characterized by different methods, cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the results confirmed the efficient immobilization of the enzymes. SPE/SWCNT/Tyr was characterized by a low detection limit (LOD = 9.53 × 10⁻⁸ M) and a very good sensitivity (0.0718 μA·μM⁻¹·cm⁻²) over a wide linearity range from 0.49 to 11.22 μM. The process occurring at the biosensor surface corresponds to kinetics (h = 0.90), and tyrosinase showed a high affinity towards OLEU. The tyrosinase-based biosensor was shown to have superior sensitive properties to the laccase-based one. Quantitative determination of OLEU in EVOOs was performed using SPE/SWCNT/Tyr and the results confirmed the presence of the compound in close amounts in the EVOOs analysed, proving that they have very good sensory properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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20 pages, 3918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sensitive Detection of Hydroxytyrosol in Extra Virgin Olive Oils with a Novel Biosensor Based on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Tyrosinase

by Alexandra Virginia Bounegru and Constantin Apetrei

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(16), 9132; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23169132 - 15 Aug 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2343

Abstract

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is an important marker for the authenticity and quality assessment of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO). The aim of the study was the qualitative and quantitative determination of hydroxytyrosol in commercial extra virgin olive oils of different origins and varieties using a newly developed biosensor based on a screen-printed electrode modified with single-layer carbon nanotubes and tyrosinase (SPE-SWCNT-Ty). The enzyme was immobilized on a carbon-based screen-printed electrode previously modified with single-layer carbon nanotubes (SPE-SWCNT-Ty) by the drop-and-dry method, followed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The modified electrode surface was characterized by different methods, including electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)) and spectrometric (Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy) methods. Cyclic voltammetry was used for the quantitative determination of HT, obtaining a detection limit of 3.49 × 10⁻⁸ M and a quantification limit of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ M, with a wide linearity range (0.49–15.602 µM). The electrochemical performance of the SPE-SWCNT-Ty biosensor was compared with that of the modified SPE-SWCNT sensor, and the results showed increased selectivity and sensitivity of the biosensor due to the electrocatalytic activity of tyrosinase. The results obtained from the quantitative determination of HT showed that commercial EVOOs contain significant amounts of HT, proving the high quality of the finished products. The determination of the antiradical activity of HT was carried out spectrophotometrically using the free reagent galvinoxyl. The results showed that there is a very good correlation between the antiradical capacity of EVOOs, the voltammetric response and implicitly the increased concentration of HT. SPE-SWCNT-Ty has multiple advantages such as sensitivity, selectivity, feasibility and low cost and could be used in routine analysis for quality control of food products such as vegetable oils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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29 pages, 5636 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Antioxidant Activity of Catechin in Nutraceuticals: Comparison between a Newly Developed Electrochemical Method and Spectrophotometric Methods

by Irina Georgiana Munteanu and Constantin Apetrei

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8110; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23158110 - 23 Jul 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3245

Abstract

The analysis of antioxidants in different foodstuffs has become an active area of research, which has led to many recently developed antioxidant assays. Many antioxidants exhibit inherent electroactivity, and, therefore, the use of electrochemical methods could be a viable approach for evaluating the overall antioxidant activity of a matrix of nutraceuticals without the need for adding reactive species. Green tea is believed to be a healthy beverage due to a number of therapeutic benefits. Catechin, one of its constituents, is an important antioxidant and possesses free radical scavenging abilities. The present paper describes the electrochemical properties of three screen-printed electrodes (SPEs), the first one based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the second one based on gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and the third one based on carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles (CNTs-GNPs). All three electrodes were modified with the laccase (Lac) enzyme, using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent between the amino groups on the laccase and aldehyde groups of the reticulation agent. As this enzyme is a thermostable catalyst, the performance of the biosensors has been greatly improved. Electro-oxidative properties of catechin were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and these demonstrated that the association of CNTs with GNPs significantly improved the sensitivity and selectivity of the biosensor. The corresponding limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to be 5.6 × 10⁻⁸ M catechin at the CNT-Lac/SPE, 1.3 × 10⁻⁷ M at the GNP-Lac/SPE and 4.9 × 10⁻⁸ M at the CNT-GNP-Lac/SPE. The biosensors were subjected to nutraceutical formulations containing green tea in order to study their catechin content, using CNT-GNP-Lac/SPE, through DPV. Using a paired t-test, the catechin content estimated was in agreement with the manufacturer’s specification. In addition, the relationship between the CNT-GNP-Lac/SPE response at a specific potential and the antioxidant activity of nutraceuticals, as determined by conventional spectrophotometric methods (DPPH, galvinoxyl and ABTS), is discussed in the context of developing a fast biosensor for the relative antioxidant activity quantification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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18 pages, 3544 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Nano-Conjugates for Effective Extraction of Food Components—A Model Study of Tyramine Determination in Craft Beers

by Piotr Luliński, Marta Janczura, Monika Sobiech and Joanna Giebułtowicz

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9560; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179560 - 3 Sep 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2141

Abstract

In this paper, magnetic molecularly imprinted nano-conjugates were synthesized to serve as selective sorbents in a model study of tyramine determination in craft beer samples. The molecularly imprinted sorbent was characterized in terms of morphology, structure, and composition. The magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction protocol was developed and combined with liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to determine tyramine. Ten samples of craft beers were analyzed using a validated method, revealing tyramine concentrations in the range between 0.303 and 126.5 mg L⁻¹. Tyramine limits of detection and quantification were 0.033 mg L⁻¹ and 0.075 mg L⁻¹, respectively. Therefore, the fabricated molecularly imprinted magnetic nano-conjugates with a fast magnetic responsivity and desirable adsorption performance could be an effective tool for monitoring tyramine levels in beverages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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Review

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15 pages, 1703 KiB

Open AccessReview

Lipid-Based Nanoparticulate Systems for the Ocular Delivery of Bioactives with Anti-Inflammatory Properties

by Raquel da Ana, Joel Fonseca, Jacek Karczewski, Amélia M. Silva, Aleksandra Zielińska and Eliana B. Souto

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(20), 12102; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232012102 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2644

Abstract

The complexity of the eye structure and its physiology turned ocular drug administration into one of the most challenging topics in the pharmaceutical field. Ocular inflammation is one of the most common ophthalmic disorders. Topical administration of anti-inflammatory drugs is also commonly used as a side treatment in tissue repair and regeneration. The difficulty in overcoming the eye barriers, which are both physical and chemical, reduces drug bioavailability, and the frequency of administration must be increased to reach the therapeutic effect. However, this can cause serious side effects. Lipid nanoparticles seem to be a great alternative to ocular drug delivery as they are composed from natural excipients and can encapsulate both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs of different sources, and their unique properties, as their excellent biocompatibility, safety and adhesion allow to increase the bioavailability, compliance and achieve a sustained drug release. They are also very stable, easy to produce and scale up, and can be lyophilized or sterilized with no significant alterations to the release profile and stability. Because of this, lipid nanoparticles show a great potential to be an essential part of the new therapeutic technologies in ophthalmology to deliver synthetic and natural anti-inflammatory drugs. In fact, there is an increasing interest in natural bioactives with anti-inflammatory activities, and the use of nanoparticles for their site-specific delivery. It is therefore expected that, in the near future, many more studies will promote the development of new nanomedicines resulting in clinical studies of new drugs formulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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32 pages, 100937 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review of Microfluidic Experimental Designs for Nanoparticle Synthesis

by Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu, Dan Eduard Mihaiescu and Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8293; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23158293 - 27 Jul 2022

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 5533

Abstract

Microfluidics is defined as emerging science and technology based on precisely manipulating fluids through miniaturized devices with micro-scale channels and chambers. Such microfluidic systems can be used for numerous applications, including reactions, separations, or detection of various compounds. Therefore, due to their potential as microreactors, a particular research focus was noted in exploring various microchannel configurations for on-chip chemical syntheses of materials with tailored properties. Given the significant number of studies in the field, this paper aims to review the recently developed microfluidic devices based on their geometry particularities, starting from a brief presentation of nanoparticle synthesis and mixing within microchannels, further moving to a more detailed discussion of different chip configurations with potential use in nanomaterial fabrication. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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20 pages, 953 KiB

Open AccessReview

Contemporary Approach to the Porosity of Dental Materials and Methods of Its Measurement

by Katarzyna Sarna-Boś, Kamil Skic, Jarosław Sobieszczański, Patrycja Boguta and Renata Chałas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8903; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168903 - 18 Aug 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4438

Abstract

Porosity is an important parameter for characterizing the microstructure of solids that corresponds to the volume of the void space, which may contain fluid or air, over the total volume of the material. Many materials of natural and technically manufactured origin have a large number of voids in their internal structure, relatively small in size, compared to the characteristic dimensions of the body itself. Thus, porosity is an important feature of industrial materials, but also of biological ones. The porous structure affects a number of material properties, such as sorption capacity, as well as mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Porosity of materials is an important factor in research on biomaterials. The most popular materials used to rebuild damaged tooth tissues are composites and ceramics, whilst titanium alloys are used in the production of implants that replace the tooth root. Research indicates that the most comprehensive approach to examining such materials should involve an analysis using several complementary methods covering the widest possible range of pore sizes. In addition to the constantly observed increase in the resolution capabilities of devices, the development of computational models and algorithms improving the quality of the measurement signal remains a big challenge. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Investigations of Nanoparticle Synthesis and Analysis for Possible Biomedical and Food Technology Applications 2.0)

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