Journal of Polymers and the Environment最新文献

{"title":"Development of a PLA/PHA-TiO₂ Polymer Blend with Improved Physicochemical and Thermal Properties","authors":"Ibrahim Nazem Qader,&nbsp;Mediha Kök,&nbsp;Kathrin Sleman Mohammed,&nbsp;Meltem Coskun,&nbsp;Ecem Özen Öner,&nbsp;Yıldırım Aydoğdu","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03547-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03547-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The increasing use of plastic products has led to significant environmental concerns from waste accumulation and inadequate recycling, highlighting the need for sustainable solutions like biodegradable plastics. This study investigates the influence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) on the structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymer blends, focusing on their shape memory behavior and crystallinity. The PLA/PHA: TiO₂ nanocomposites, synthesized via solution casting, were characterized by XRD, DSC, TGA, SEM, SME, FTIR, and tensile testing. XRD analysis confirmed the incorporation of highly crystalline tetragonal TiO₂ NPs (space group I41/amd), which increased the overall crystallinity of the composites while reducing the crystallinity of the PLA/PHA blend. Thermal analysis revealed a decrease in the blend’s glass transition temperature (<i>T</i>_<i>g</i>) from 36.5 °C to lower values with TiO₂ doping, while the melting temperature (<i>T</i>_<i>m</i>) remained stable at approximately 175.3 °C. SEM micrographs demonstrated uniform nanoparticle dispersion, with surface roughness increasing at higher TiO₂ concentrations. Tensile testing showed a reduction in elasticity and a progressive increase in stiffness with increasing TiO₂ content, while UV-Vis analysis revealed a decrease in the bandgap energy to below 4 eV due to enhanced charge carrier density. This study pioneers the use of TiO₂ NPs to enhance the crystallinity, thermal stability, and shape memory properties of PLA/PHA blends, offering a promising pathway for advanced environmentally friendly material applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2502 - 2514"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hybrid Nano-Micro Scaffolds for Cartilage Tissue Engineering: Integrating PCL-DWJM-MWCNTs on Chemically Modified Silk Fibroin","authors":"Parisa Zadehnajar,&nbsp;Babak Akbari,&nbsp;Saeed Karbasi,&nbsp;Mohammad Hossein Mirmusavi","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03534-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03534-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Nano-micro scaffolds fabricated based on electrospinning and textile methods. The solution containing polycaprolactone (PCL), decellularized Wharton’s jelly matrix (DWJM) and functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were electrospun on the silk fibroin treated with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS/EDC). Hybrid scaffolds (with/without MWCNTs) were compared with each other in terms of physical, chemical, mechanical, bioactivity, and biological properties. Cross-sectional view showed that the nanofibers are well seated on the NHS/EDC-treated microfibers (T-fibroin). The increase of free functional groups decreased the contact angle to 70.51°±5.22° and improved the tensile strength to 33.84 ± 3.6 MPa. The presence of NHS/EDC leads to the formation of crosslinks in the fibroin polymer network, resulting in enhanced tensile strength of T-Fibroin compared to untreated fibroin (U-Fibroin). The crosslinks within the fibroin structure and the presence of MWCNTs enhanced the crystallinity of the scaffold structure while reducing its degradation rate (1.73%). The presence of carboxyl groups in the structure of MWCNTs, DWJM and T-Fibroin improved bioactivity and enhanced the chondrocytes’ viability on the scaffold. The findings suggest using DWJM and surface chemical modification of fibroin knitted fabric is a promising approach in advancing nano-micro scaffolds. PCL-DWJM-MWCNTs/Fibroin Silk scaffold can served as a basic study for articular cartilage regeneration.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2480 - 2501"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fabrication and in Vivo Evaluation of Hybrid Squalene-Loaded Nanofiber Scaffolds Based on Poly(ε-Caprolactone)/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan for Wound Healing Applications","authors":"Fariba Noori,&nbsp;Azam Bozorgi,&nbsp;Ahmad Reza Farmani,&nbsp;Ali Abbasi,&nbsp;Jafar Ai,&nbsp;Alireza Tavassoli,&nbsp;Abdolmajid Ghasemian,&nbsp;Hassan Morovvati,&nbsp;Hiva Alipanah,&nbsp;Mohammad Reza Ataollahi,&nbsp;Lida Ebrahimi,&nbsp;Seyed Amin Kouhpayeh,&nbsp;Arash Goodarzi","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03543-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03543-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Chronic wounds significantly burden global healthcare systems, necessitating innovative solutions. Hybrid electrospun nanofibers are promising for enhancing wound healing and controlled drug delivery. This study focused on developing and characterizing hybrid nanofibrous scaffolds made from polycaprolactone (PCL), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and chitosan (Cs), infused with squalene (SQ) to improve healing in a rat model of full-thickness wounds. The scaffolds were created using coaxial electrospinning, with PCL as the shell and a PVA/Cs mixture as the SQ-loaded core. Characterization involved Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), mechanical properties, contact angle measurements, swelling, degradation, drug release, cell attachments and cytotoxicity assays. After implantation in a rat model for 14 days, histopathological assessments evaluated inflammation, re-epithelialization, and collagen deposition. The hybrid nanofibers maintained consistent morphology with smooth surfaces and no bead formation. Diameters were 219 ± 33.4 nm for the neat scaffold and 227 ± 59.7 nm, 167.3 ± 35.9 nm, and 126.7 ± 39.75 nm for SQ2%, SQ3%, and SQ4%, respectively. SQ-loaded scaffolds exhibited reduced swelling ratio, hydrophilicity, and degradation rate, alongside improved tensile strength (194% increase in SQ4% vs. control), sustained SQ release (40% over 14 days for SQ3%), as well as considerable reducing in wound sizes (90% reduction in SQ2%). The PCL-PVA/Cs/SQ2% formulation notably reduced inflammation while promoting re-epithelialization and collagen deposition. The PCL-PVA/Cs/SQ nanofiber scaffolds demonstrated superior properties that effectively modulated inflammation and promoted wound healing. They represent a promising strategy for enhancing wound repair.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2515 - 2536"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tuning Properties of Sustainable Castor Oil Based Polyurethanes With Bacterial Biomass as Fillers","authors":"Chebrolu Venkateswara Rao,&nbsp;Maciej Guzik,&nbsp;Veselin Maslak,&nbsp;Malgorzata Zimowska,&nbsp;Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic,&nbsp;Ivana Aleksic,&nbsp;Marijana Ponjavic","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03540-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03540-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A novel series of bio-based polyurethanes (bio-PUs) were synthesized from castor oil using hexamethylenediisocyanate (HMDI) as crosslinking agent by solvent casting method without any catalyst and further reinforced with bacterial biomass as bio-fillers. For the first time, biomasses from the biopolymer polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production process, containing medium chain length biopolymer, mcl-PHA (F1) and residual bacterial biomass after the biopolymer extraction (F2), as well as bacterial biomass from the biopigment prodigiosin production process (F3) were applied as bio-fillers, resulting in PU-F1 to PU-F3 materials, respectively. The resulting functional bio-polyurethanes were characterized by various techniques including ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, X-ray diffraction, mechanical tests, transparency, water contact angle, but also cytotoxicity tests and shape memory ability were evaluated to open their applicative potential. The FTIR spectroscopy analysis confirmed the formation of polyurethane linkage. Bacterial biomass particles size and distribution reflected on the PUs properties suggesting that the type and the dispersion of the filler play an important role in the modulation of new PU materials. The water contact angle measurements revealed that PU-F1, containing mcl-PHA biopolymer exhibits higher hydrophobicity than other bio-PUs, that further reflected on better biofilm attachment in comparison to other bio-PUs. The addition of bacterial biomass containing biopigment resulted in purple dyed material of stable color over time and with the proved absence of toxicity (PU-F3). All synthesized bio-PUs appeared as non-toxic materials for human healthy fibroblast cell line MRC5. Shape memory ability was observed for the bio-PUs. The addition of variety of bacterial biomass into polyurethane matrix is a significant step towards the green conversion of resources and circular bioeconomy for plastics.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2443 - 2463"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating Polyethylene Terephthalate Beverage Packaging: Impact of Recycled Content on Acetaldehyde, Benzene, and Other Contaminants","authors":"Xiaoning Shen,&nbsp;Yvonne Hed,&nbsp;Steffen Annfinsen,&nbsp;Naveen Singh,&nbsp;Hany Anwar,&nbsp;Bavan Mylvaganam,&nbsp;Thor Kamfjord,&nbsp;Åsa Emmer","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03544-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03544-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is commonly used in beverage packaging and can be recycled to reduce plastic pollution, raising concerns regarding non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). Here, two organic NIAS, acetaldehyde and benzene, and metal elements have been examined in PET materials. Elemental analysis revealed that higher recycled content in PET correlated with increased contaminant levels. Moreover, elevated acetaldehyde and benzene concentrations were noticed. PET degradation, intentional addition, and unknown sources complicate the analysis of the effects of the production, recycling, and storage on the introduction, formation, or migration of NIAS in PET materials. Benzene and acetaldehyde could migrate into beverages or the environment during storage. The migration of these two volatile substances was therefore quantified. Despite their presence in all PET materials, the low concentrations of acetaldehyde and benzene detected alleviate potential health concerns. This research contributes to the understanding of how recycling and recycled content impact the presence of NIAS in PET, offering insights for optimizing recycling practices and sustaining the role of PET in environmentally responsible beverage packaging.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2362 - 2370"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10924-025-03544-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparation of Starch Biopolymer Decorated Bimetallic Metal-Organic Framework (Mn-Zn) Bio-nanocomposite for pH-Controlled Drug Delivery","authors":"Malihe Pooresmaeil,&nbsp;Rahim Safarpour,&nbsp;Hassan Namazi","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03545-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03545-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>For the first time, this research aims to prepare a new photoluminescence and porous bio-nanocomposite of the starch nanoparticles@metal-organic framework (Manganese-Zinc) (PSt NPs@MOF(Mn-Zn)) through the composition of starch nanoparticles (St NPs), carbon dots (CDs), and MOF(Mn-Zn) in three steps. The findings of performed characterization techniques approved the success in the fabrication of the PSt NPs@MOF(Mn-Zn). In the following, the potential of PSt NPs@MOF(Mn-Zn) was evaluated as a drug carrier for co-delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and ((5-Fu+DOX)@PSt NPs@MOF(Mn-Zn)) was obtained. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) test showed that the surface area and total pore volume of 275.98 m² g^-1 and 0.4885 cm³ g^-1 for PSt NPs@MOF(Mn-Zn) were reduced to 3.8535 m² g^-1 and 0.0029023 cm³ g^-1 for (5-Fu+DOX)@PSt NPs@MOF(Mn-Zn) that is a good indication of the loading of studied drug molecules in the prepared system. Moreover, the higher release rate of DOX and 5-Fu at pH 5.0 than pH 7.4 is one of the main signs of the system's suitability in cancer treatment. The observation of HeLa cell viability up to 70% after treatment with PSt NPs@MOF(Mn-Zn) approved its biocompatibility and its potential for use as a drug carrier. Overall it can be concluded that the PSt NPs@MOF(Mn-Zn) has the criteria to be proposed as a new bio-nanocomposite for controlled DOX and 5-Fu delivery.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2385 - 2401"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization and Modeling of Simultaneous Removal of Reactive Violet 5 and Acid Red 98 Using Bimetallic Copper-Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles Supported on Biopolymer Chitosan Based on a Central Composite Design and Artificial Neural Network","authors":"Fahimehsadat Mostafavi Neishaboori,&nbsp;Mahmoud Reza Sohrabi,&nbsp;Fereshteh Motiee,&nbsp;Mehran davallo","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03538-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03538-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The discharge of untreated wastewater containing dyes causes water pollution. The present study evaluated the simultaneous removal efficiency of Reactive Violet 5 (RV5) and Acid Red 98 (AR98) utilizing nanosized zero-valent iron (nZVI) incorporated with chitosan (CS) and copper (Cu) (nZVI-CS-Cu) as a novel adsorbent for the concurrent elimination of mentioned dyes. Identification of the synthesized adsorbent was studied by SEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, and BET. The amorphous structure of nZVI-CS-Cu was proven by XRD (2θ = 44˚). The BET surface area was 110.53 m²g⁻¹. Solution pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial concentration of dye, and temperature were various factors for investigating their effects on the adsorption process using central composite design (CCD). To obtain this, a linear model was selected as the best model. According to the findings, at the optimum conditions, including pH of 3.0, sorbent dosage of 0.3 g, contact time of 15 min, dye concentration of 20 mg/L, and temperature of 40 ˚C, the maximum removal efficiency was 87.80% (actual) and 87.97% (predicted). In the CCD model, adjusted R² and R² predicted were 0.9670 and 0.9634, respectively. The significance of the model was confirmed by the F-value of 288.56 and a p-value &lt; 0.0001. Feed-forward back propagation neural network (FFBP-NN) with Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) and scaled conjugate gradient (SCG) as training algorithms were applied for predicting the percentage of dye removal. After testing different layers (2 and 3) and neurons (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), the neurons of 8 in hidden layer 3 with mean square error (MSE) of 4.01 × 10^–20 for the LM algorithm, and neurons of 7 in the layer of 3 with MSE of 1.18 for the SCG algorithm were selected as the best layers and neurons. Excellent modeling with percent recovery close to 100 for LM (training: 100.68%, validation: 100.89%, and testing: 100.85%) and SCG (training: 100.20%, validation: 99.84%, and testing: 100.13%) was obtained. The Langmuir model with R² of 0.9993 and q_max of 52.91 mg/g and pseudo-second-order kinetics with R² of 0.9996 followed the adsorption isotherm and kinetic, respectively. It can be said that the proposed adsorbent is simple and economical with good performance, which can be used to remove different dyes from wastewater.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2402 - 2424"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cellulose-Based Hydrogel Decorated with Green Cobalt-Doped CopperOxide Nanoparticles for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene BlueDye from Aqueous Solution","authors":"Lovedonia Kgabo Kganyakgo,&nbsp;Wilson Marema Seleka,&nbsp;Daniel Masekela,&nbsp;Edwin Makhado","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03533-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03533-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the effectiveness of a novel metal oxide-based hydrogel nanocomposite in degrading synthetic dyes in the presence of UV light. The nanocomposite is synthesized through the insertion of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) into a hydrogel matrix, optimizing the material's photocatalytic properties. The successful synthesis of the hydrogel nanocomposite was verified using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Through determination of XRD parameters, a successful synthesis of Co-CuO HNCs with an average crystallite size of 10.21 nm was confirmed. SEM images showed that after incorporating spherical-shaped Co-CuO NPs into the hydrogel matrix, the surface of the final composite became rough and fragmented with a surface area of 4.06 m²/g. Optical studies showed that the bandgap was reduced as Co-CuO NPs were incorporated into the hydrogel matrix. Photocatalytic degradation experiments were conducted using methylene blue (MB) to assess the hydrogel nanocomposite's efficiency. The results demonstrate a significant enhancement in degradation rates compared to traditional photocatalysts, due to the synergistic effects of the metal NPs and the hydrogel network. Within 120 min, the photocatalytic removal efficiency of MB reached 96% at a pH of 10 using 100 mg of the catalyst. The photocatalytic degradation process followed a pseudo first-order kinetics with a rate constant of 0.0183 min⁻¹. Moreover, scavenger studies showed that ∙OH radicals were major species responsible for the photocatalytic degradation process. The study highlighted the potential of metal-based hydrogel nanocomposites as efficient and sustainable photocatalysts for environmental remediation, offering a promising solution for the treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater. Future research will focus on optimizing the performance of the nanocomposite and exploring its practical applications in large-scale water treatment processes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2425 - 2442"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10924-025-03533-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fabrication of Kaempferol Loaded Zein Nanoparticles: Investigation of in Vitro Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis Induction in Oral Cancer Cells","authors":"R. Roopashree,&nbsp;Anchal Gupta,&nbsp;Mahendra Singh Rathore,&nbsp;Kamini Sharma,&nbsp;Arunachalam Chinnathambi,&nbsp;Sulaiman Ali Alharbi,&nbsp;Mohankumar Ramar,&nbsp;Giriraj Kalaiarasi,&nbsp;Indumathi Thangavelu,&nbsp;Jagadeesh Suriyaprakash","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03532-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03532-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Oral cancer remains a significant health challenge, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies to enhance treatment efficacy and minimize side effects. This study investigates the potential of kaempferol-loaded zein nanoparticles (KZNPs) for this purpose. Kaempferol, a flavonoid with anticancer properties, has poor water solubility, limiting its effectiveness. Zein nanoparticles (ZNPs) offer a promising delivery system for such bioactive compounds. UV-Vis spectroscopy identified Kaempferol’s absorption peaks at 347 and 253 nm, which shifted to 338 nm when encapsulated in ZNPs, indicating a change in π–π* conjugation. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that sodium caseinate (SC) stabilizes ZNPs, resulting in spherical particles with optimal size and stability. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy suggested enhanced hydrogen bonding between Kaempferol and zein. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed the absence of Kaempferol’s crystalline peaks in KZNPs. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) was 98.39%, and drug release studies showed a controlled release of 79% kaempferol over 8 h. In vitro assays demonstrated that KZNPs significantly increased Kaempferol’s cytotoxicity against PCI-13 oral cancer cells without affecting normal NIH3T3 cancer cells. Overall, these results demonstrate that our KZNPs enhanced biocompatibility and anticancer properties for oral cancer cells.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2371 - 2384"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long Chain Polyesters Derived From Tetradecanedioic Acid (TA) and Even-numbered Diols","authors":"Guoqiang Wang,&nbsp;Mengke Zhang,&nbsp;Longqing Shi,&nbsp;Chao Qi,&nbsp;Zhenxiao Zhao,&nbsp;Hongliang Hu,&nbsp;Yujie Jin,&nbsp;Jing Hu","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03542-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03542-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Long-chain polyesters were prepared by melt polymerization using tetradecanedioic acid (TA) and aliphatic diols containing C2-10 as raw materials. The materials were characterised using a range of analytical techniques, including tensile testing, rheological testing, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). An investigation was conducted to ascertain the impact of diol chain length on a number of characteristics, including mechanical properties, crystalline structures, chemical composition, thermal stability, and thermal transition properties. All polyesters had high weight-average molecular weights (&gt; 57000 g/mol). In addition, the crystallization temperature and melting temperature were affected by the chain length of diols. Poly(ethylene tetradecanedioate) (PETd) had a higher crystallization temperature (69.1 °C) and melting temperature (89.0 °C) compared to the other four polyesters, which may be due to its short-chain structure and the kink structures. All polyesters have the same crystal structure like polyethylene. In addition, poly(ethylene tetradecanedioate) (PETd), poly(butylene tetradecanedioate) (PBTd), and poly(octenyl tetradecanedioate) (POTd) exhibited polyethylene-like mechanical properties with comparable tensile strength and elongation at break. It is anticipated that bio-based polyesters will prove to be a highly promising material.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"33 5","pages":"2351 - 2361"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143809204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}