PHA Production in Aerobic Mixed Microbial Cultures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Johnson, K.

2010-01-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a common intracellular energy and carbon storage material in bacteria, which is considered as a bioplastic due to its plastic like properties. PHAs are versatile materials which are biodegradable and made from renewable resources. Commercial production of PHAs is

Ductile electroactive biodegradable hyperbranched polylactide copolymers enhancing myoblast differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Meihua; Wang, Ling; Guo, Baolin; Wang, Zhong; Chen, Y Eugene; Ma, Peter X

2015-12-01

Myotube formation is crucial to restoring muscular functions, and biomaterials that enhance the myoblast differentiation into myotubes are highly desirable for muscular repair. Here, we report the synthesis of electroactive, ductile, and degradable copolymers and their application in enhancing the differentiation of myoblasts to myotubes. A hyperbranched ductile polylactide (HPLA) was synthesized and then copolymerized with aniline tetramer (AT) to produce a series of electroactive, ductile and degradable copolymers (HPLAAT). The HPLA and HPLAAT showed excellent ductility with strain to failure from 158.9% to 42.7% and modulus from 265.2 to 758.2 MPa. The high electroactivity of the HPLAAT was confirmed by UV spectrometer and cyclic voltammogram measurements. These HPLAAT polymers also showed improved thermal stability and controlled biodegradation rate compared to HPLA. Importantly, when applying these polymers for myotube formation, the HPLAAT significantly improved the proliferation of C2C12 myoblasts in vitro compared to HPLA. Furthermore, these polymers greatly promoted myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells as measured by quantitative analysis of myotube number, length, diameter, maturation index, and gene expression of MyoD and TNNT. Together, our study shows that these electroactive, ductile and degradable HPLAAT copolymers represent significantly improved biomaterials for muscle tissue engineering compared to HPLA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biodegradability of Poly(hydroxyalkanoate Materials

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Keiji Numata

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Poly(hydroxyalkanoate (PHA, which is produced from renewable carbon resources by many microorganisms, is an environmentally compatible polymeric material and can be processed into films and fibers. Biodegradation of PHA material occurs due to the action of extracellular PHA depolymerase secreted from microorganisms in various natural environments. A key step in determining the overall enzymatic or environmental degradation rate of PHA material is the degradation of PHA lamellar crystals in materials; hence, the degradation mechanism of PHA lamellar crystals has been studied in detail over the last two decades. In this review, the relationship between crystal structure and enzymatic degradation behavior, in particular degradation rates, of films and fibers for PHA is described.

Production and characterization of PHA from recombinant E. coli harbouring phaC1 gene of indigenous Pseudomonas sp. LDC-5 using molasses

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V Saranya

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA are biodegradable and biocompatible green thermoplastics, synthesized by wide variety of bacteria as an intracellular carbon and energy storage intermediate. They are used as an alternative to nonrenewable petroleum derived plastics. The current interest in these biopolyesters is stimulated by the search for cost-effective capitalized production. This paper attempts to achieve maximized production rate from recombinant system using inexpensive substrate. Molasses from agro-industrial waste was used to produce PHA from recombinant E.coli in batch culture. PHA yield in molasses (3.06g/L ± 0.05-75.5% was higher than that of sucrose (2.5g/L ± 0.05 - 65.1%. Properties of the polymer produced from molasses and sucrose were analyzed by DSC, TGA, DTA, GC/MS, TLC and optical rotation studies. The findings suggested that molasses enhanced PHA production in recombinant E.coli.

Facile synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymers bearing pendant hydroxyl groups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Gaicen; Fan, Xiaoshan; Xu, Bingcan; Zhang, Delong; Hu, Zhiguo, E-mail: zghu@htu.cn

2014-10-01

Novel amphiphilic block copolymers bearing pendant hydroxyl groups polylactide-b–poly(3,3-bis(Hydroxymethyl–triazolylmethyl) oxetane)-b–polylactide (PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA) were synthesized via a facile and efficient method. First, the block copolymer intermediates polylactide-b–poly(3,3-Diazidomethyloxetane)-b–polylactide (PLA-b–PBAMO-b–PLA) were synthesized through ring-opening polymerization of lactide using PBAMO as a macroinitiator. Following “Click” reaction of PLA-b–PBAMO-b–PLA with propargyl alcohol provided the targeted amphiphilic block copolymers PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA with pendant hydroxyl groups. The composition and structure of prepared copolymers were characterized by {sup 1}H nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 1}H NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The self-assembly behavior of the copolymers in water was investigated by transmission electron microscope (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and static light scattering (SLS). The results showed that the novel copolymers PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA self-assembled into spherical micelles with diameters ranging from 100 nm to 200 nm in aqueous solution. These copolymers also exhibited low critical micellar concentrations (CMC: 6.9 × 10{sup −4} mg/mL and 3.9 × 10{sup −5} mg/mL, respectively). In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity of these copolymers was determined in the presence of L929 cells. The results showed that the block copolymers PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA exhibited better biocompatibility. Therefore, these well-defined copolymers are expected to find some applications in drug delivery or tissue engineering. - Highlights: • The method to synthesize PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA is relatively facile and efficient. • PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA self-assembles into spherical micelles with low CMC in water. • PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA exhibits better biocompatibility and biodegradability.

Facile synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymers bearing pendant hydroxyl groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Gaicen; Fan, Xiaoshan; Xu, Bingcan; Zhang, Delong; Hu, Zhiguo

2014-01-01

Novel amphiphilic block copolymers bearing pendant hydroxyl groups polylactide-b–poly(3,3-bis(Hydroxymethyl–triazolylmethyl) oxetane)-b–polylactide (PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA) were synthesized via a facile and efficient method. First, the block copolymer intermediates polylactide-b–poly(3,3-Diazidomethyloxetane)-b–polylactide (PLA-b–PBAMO-b–PLA) were synthesized through ring-opening polymerization of lactide using PBAMO as a macroinitiator. Following “Click” reaction of PLA-b–PBAMO-b–PLA with propargyl alcohol provided the targeted amphiphilic block copolymers PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA with pendant hydroxyl groups. The composition and structure of prepared copolymers were characterized by 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The self-assembly behavior of the copolymers in water was investigated by transmission electron microscope (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and static light scattering (SLS). The results showed that the novel copolymers PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA self-assembled into spherical micelles with diameters ranging from 100 nm to 200 nm in aqueous solution. These copolymers also exhibited low critical micellar concentrations (CMC: 6.9 × 10 −4 mg/mL and 3.9 × 10 −5 mg/mL, respectively). In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity of these copolymers was determined in the presence of L929 cells. The results showed that the block copolymers PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA exhibited better biocompatibility. Therefore, these well-defined copolymers are expected to find some applications in drug delivery or tissue engineering. - Highlights: • The method to synthesize PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA is relatively facile and efficient. • PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA self-assembles into spherical micelles with low CMC in water. • PLA-b–PHMTYO-b–PLA exhibits better biocompatibility and biodegradability

Production of co-polymers of polyhydroxyalkanoates by regulating the hydrolysis of biowastes.

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Kumar, Prasun; Ray, Subhasree; Kalia, Vipin C

2016-01-01

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) co-polymers by Bacillus spp. was studied by feeding defined volatile fatty acids (VFAs) obtained through controlled hydrolysis of various wastes. Eleven mixed hydrolytic cultures (MHCs) each containing 6 strains could generate VFA from slurries of (2% total solids): pea-shells (PS), potato peels (PP), apple pomace (AP) and onion peels (OP). PS hydrolysates (obtained with MHC2 and MHC5) inoculated with Bacillus cereus EGU43 and Bacillus thuringiensis EGU45 produced co-polymers of PHA at the rate of 15-60mg/L with a 3HV content of 1%w/w. An enhancement in PHA yield of 3.66-fold, i.e. 205-550mg/L with 3HV content up to 7.5%(w/w) was observed upon addition of OP hydrolysate and 1% glucose (w/v) to PS hydrolysates. This is the first demonstration, where PHA co-polymer composition, under non-axenic conditions, could be controlled by customizing VFA profile of the hydrolysate by the addition of different biowastes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Diblock copolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate -block-poly-3-hydroxyhexanoate [PHB-b-PHHx] by a β-oxidation weakened Pseudomonas putida KT2442

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tripathi, Lakshmi; Wu, Lin-Ping; Chen, Jinchun

2012-01-01

), thermo- and mechanical analysis. NMR confirmed the existence of diblock copolymers consisting of 58 mol% PHB as the short chain length block with 42 mol% PHHx as the medium chain length block. The block copolymers had two glass transition temperatures (Tg) at 2.7°C and -16.4°C, one melting temperature...... (Tm) at 172.1°C and one cool crystallization temperature (Tc) at 69.1°C as revealed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. This is the first microbial short-chain-length (scl) and medium-chain-length (mcl) PHA block copolymer reported. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to produce PHA......BACKGROUND: Block polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) were reported to be resistant against polymer aging that negatively affects polymer properties. Recently, more and more attempts have been directed to make PHA block copolymers. Diblock copolymers PHB-b-PHHx consisting of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB...

In silico design of PHA synthase and its validation by PHAs producing bacterial isolates

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Susrita Sahoo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Biopolymers are important alternatives to the petroleum-based plastics due to environment friendly manufacturing processes, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Therefore use of novel biopolymers such as polylactide, polysaccharides, aliphatic polyesters and polyhydroxyalkonoates (PHAs is of interest. PHAs are biodegradable polyesters of hydroxyalkanoates (HA produced from renewable resources by using microorganisms as intracellular carbon and energy storage compounds.  Even though PHAs are promising candidate for biodegradable polymers, however, the production cost limits their application on an industrial scale. Therefore an attempt was made to model different PHAs synthases which are the key enzyme in the biosynthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoates as the structural information of this enzyme is in dark veil.Then molecular docking  of class I  PHA  Synthase from Ralstonia Eutrophia was done to study the PHA synthase activity. As there are lots of strain which needs to explore for the production of PHA. This investigation leads to find out the most industrial applicable microbes. Few bacterial isolates from soil sample were screened for production of PHA followed by the validation of the enzymatic activity and its product characterization to understand its structural properties.

Controlled synthesis of biodegradable lactide polymers and copolymers using novel in situ generated or single-site stereoselective polymerisation initiators

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhong, Zhiyuan; Dijkstra, Pieter J.; Feijen, Jan

2004-01-01

Polylactides and their copolymers are key biodegradable polymers used widely in biomedical, pharmaceutical and ecological applications. The development of synthetic pathways and catalyst/initiator systems to produce pre-designed polylactides, as well as the fundamental understanding of the

Pickering emulsions stabilized by biodegradable block copolymer micelles for controlled topical drug delivery.

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Laredj-Bourezg, Faiza; Bolzinger, Marie-Alexandrine; Pelletier, Jocelyne; Chevalier, Yves

2017-10-05

Surfactant-free biocompatible and biodegradable Pickering emulsions were investigated as vehicles for skin delivery of hydrophobic drugs. O/w emulsions of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil droplets loaded with all-trans retinol as a model hydrophobic drug were stabilized by block copolymer nanoparticles: either poly(lactide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-b-PEG) or poly(caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PCL-b-PEG). Those innovative emulsions were prepared using two different processes allowing drug loading either inside oil droplets or inside both oil droplets and non-adsorbed block copolymer nanoparticles. Skin absorption of retinol was investigated in vitro on pig skin biopsies using the Franz cell method. Supplementary experiments by confocal fluorescence microscopy allowed the visualization of skin absorption of the Nile Red dye on histological sections. Retinol and Nile Red absorption experiments showed the large accumulation of hydrophobic drugs in the stratum corneum for the Pickering emulsions compared to the surfactant-based emulsion and an oil solution. Loading drug inside both oil droplets and block copolymer nanoparticles enhanced again skin absorption of drugs, which was ascribed to the supplementary contribution of free block copolymer nanoparticles loaded with drug. Such effect allowed tuning drug delivery to skin over a wide range by means of a suitable selection of either the formulation or the drug loading process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Bistable Behaviour of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 during PHA Depolymerization under Carbon Limitation

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Stephanie Karmann

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Poly(hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs are bacterial polyesters offering a biodegradable alternative to petrochemical plastics. The intracellular formation and degradation of PHAs is a dynamic process that strongly depends on the availability of carbon and other nutrients. Carbon excess and nitrogen limitation are considered to favor PHA accumulation, whereas carbon limitation triggers PHA depolymerization when all other essential nutrients are present in excess. We studied the population dynamics of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 at the single cell level during different physiological conditions, favoring first PHA polymerization during growth on octanoic acid, and then PHA depolymerization during carbon limitation. PHAs accumulate intracellularly in granules, and were proposed to separate preferentially together with nucleic acids, leading to two daughter cells containing approximately equal amounts of PHA. However, we could show that such P. putida KT2440 cells show bistable behavior when exposed to carbon limitation, and separate into two subpopulations: one with high and one with low PHA. This suggests an asymmetric PHA distribution during cell division under carbon limitation, which has a significant influence on our understanding of PHA mobilization.

Biodegradation of the cross-linked copolymer of acrylamide and potassium acrylate by soil bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Oksińska, Małgorzata P; Magnucka, Elżbieta G; Lejcuś, Krzysztof; Pietr, Stanisław J

2016-03-01

Chemical cross-linking and the high molecular weight of superabsorbent copolymers (SAPs) are the two main causes of their resistance to biodegradation. However, SAP particles are colonized by microorganisms. For the purposes of this study, the dry technical copolymer of acrylamide and potassium acrylate containing 5.28 % of unpolymerized monomers was wrapped in a geotextile and incubated in unsterile Haplic Luvisol soil as a water absorbing geocomposite. The highest number of soil bacteria that colonized the hydrated SAP and utilized it as the sole carbon and energy source was found after the first month of incubation in soil. It was equal to 7.21-7.49 log10 cfu g(-1) of water absorbed by the SAP and decreased by 1.35-1.61 log10 units within the next 8 months. During this time, the initial SAP water holding capacity of 1665.8 g has decreased by 24.40 %. Moreover, the 5 g of SAP dry mass has declined by 31.70 %. Two bacteria, Rhizobium radiobacter 28SG and Bacillus aryabhattai 31SG isolated from the watered SAP were found to be able to biodegrade this SAP in pure cultures. They destroyed 25.07 and 41.85 mg of 300 mg of the technical SAP during the 60-day growth in mineral Burk's salt medium, and biodegradation activity was equal to 2.95 and 6.72 μg of SAP μg(-1) of protein, respectively. B. aryabhattai 31SG and R. radiobacter 28SG were also able to degrade 9.99 and 29.70 mg of 82 mg of the ultra-pure SAP in synthetic root exudate medium during the 30-day growth, respectively.

Cloning and Expression of the PHA Synthase Gene From a Locally Isolated Chromobacterium sp. USM2

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Bhubalan, K.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Chromobacterium sp. USM2, a locally isolated bacterium was found to synthesize poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate, P(3HB-co-3HV copolymer with high 3HV monomer composition. The PHA synthase gene was cloned and expressed in Cupriavidus necator PHB¯4 to investigate the possibilities of incorporating other monomer. The recombinant successfully incorporated 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx monomer when fed with crude palm kernel oil (CPKO as the sole carbon source. Approximately 63 ± 2 wt% of P(3HB-co-3HHx copolymer with 4 mol% of 3HHx was synthesized from 5 g/L of oil after 48 h of cultivation. In addition, P(3HB-co-3HV-co-3HHx terpolymer with 9 mol% 3HV and 4 mol% 3HHx could be synthesized with a mixture of CPKO and sodium valerate. The presence of 3HV and 3HHx monomers in the copolymer and terpolymer was further confirmed with +H-NMR analysis. This locally isolated PHA synthase has demonstrated its ability to synthesize P(3HB-co-3HHx copolymer from a readily available and renewable carbon source; CPKO, without the addition of 3HHx precursors.

Comparison of four phaC genes from Haloferax mediterranei and their function in different PHBV copolymer biosyntheses in Haloarcula hispanica

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Han, Jing; Li, Ming; Hou, Jing

2010-01-01

, PhaCHme and PhaEHme, has been identified in this strain, and shown to account for the PHBV biosynthesis. RESULTS: With the aid of the genome sequence of Hfx. mediterranei CGMCC 1.2087, three additional phaC genes (designated phaC1, phaC2, and phaC3) were identified, which encoded putative PhaCs. Like......, among the four genes, only phaCHme was transcribed under PHA-accumulating conditions in the wild-type strain. However, heterologous coexpression of phaEHme with each phaC gene in Haloarcula hispanica PHB-1 showed that all PhaCs, except PhaC2, could lead to PHBV accumulation with various 3HV fractions...... meet various application requirements. CONCLUSION: We discover three cryptic phaC genes in Hfx. mediterranei, and demonstrate that genetic engineering of these newly identified phaC genes has biotechnological potential for PHBV production with tailor-made material properties....

Conversion of post consumer polyethylene to the biodegradable polymer polyhydroxyalkanoate.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzik, Maciej W; Kenny, Shane T; Duane, Gearoid F; Casey, Eoin; Woods, Trevor; Babu, Ramesh P; Nikodinovic-Runic, Jasmina; Murray, Michael; O'Connor, Kevin E

2014-05-01

A process for the conversion of post consumer (agricultural) polyethylene (PE) waste to the biodegradable polymer medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA) is reported here. The thermal treatment of PE in the absence of air (pyrolysis) generated a complex mixture of low molecular weight paraffins with carbon chain lengths from C8 to C32 (PE pyrolysis wax). Several bacterial strains were able to grow and produce PHA from this PE pyrolysis wax. The addition of biosurfactant (rhamnolipids) allowed for greater bacterial growth and PHA accumulation of the tested strains. Some strains were only capable of growth and PHA accumulation in the presence of the biosurfactant. Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO-1 accumulated the highest level of PHA with almost 25 % of the cell dry weight as PHA when supplied with the PE pyrolysis wax in the presence of rhamnolipids. The change of nitrogen source from ammonium chloride to ammonium nitrate resulted in faster bacterial growth and the earlier onset of PHA accumulation. To our knowledge, this is the first report where PE is used as a starting material for production of a biodegradable polymer.

Oxidized Polyethylene Wax as a Potential Carbon Source for PHA Production

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Iza Radecka

2016-05-01

Full Text Available We report on the ability of bacteria to produce biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA using oxidized polyethylene wax (O-PEW as a novel carbon source. The O-PEW was obtained in a process that used air or oxygen as an oxidizing agent. R. eutropha H16 was grown for 48 h in either tryptone soya broth (TSB or basal salts medium (BSM supplemented with O-PEW and monitored by viable counting. Study revealed that biomass and PHA production was higher in TSB supplemented with O-PEW compared with TSB only. The biopolymers obtained were preliminary characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The detailed structural evaluation at the molecular level was performed by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS. The study revealed that, when TSB was supplemented with O-PEW, bacteria produced PHA which contained 3-hydroxybutyrate and up to 3 mol % of 3-hydroxyvalerate and 3-hydroxyhexanoate co-monomeric units. The ESI-MS/MS enabled the PHA characterization when the content of 3-hydroxybutyrate was high and the appearance of other PHA repeating units was very low.

Biodegradable and Biocompatible Polyhydroxy-alkanoates (PHA: Auspicious Microbial Macromolecules for Pharmaceutical and Therapeutic Applications

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Martin Koller

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA are bio-based microbial biopolyesters; their stiffness, elasticity, crystallinity and degradability are tunable by the monomeric composition, selection of microbial production strain, substrates, process parameters during production, and post-synthetic processing; they display biological alternatives for diverse technomers of petrochemical origin. This, together with the fact that their monomeric and oligomeric in vivo degradation products do not exert any toxic or elsewhere negative effect to living cells or tissue of humans or animals, makes them highly stimulating for various applications in the medical field. This article provides an overview of PHA application in the therapeutic, surgical and tissue engineering area, and reviews strategies to produce PHA at purity levels high enough to be used in vivo. Tested applications of differently composed PHA and advanced follow-up products as carrier materials for controlled in vivo release of anti-cancer drugs or antibiotics, as scaffolds for tissue engineering, as guidance conduits for nerve repair or as enhanced sutures, implants or meshes are discussed from both a biotechnological and a material-scientific perspective. The article also describes the use of traditional processing techniques for production of PHA-based medical devices, such as melt-spinning, melt extrusion, or solvent evaporation, and emerging processing techniques like 3D-printing, computer-aided wet-spinning, laser perforation, and electrospinning.

Biodegradability of carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites under aerobic mixed culture conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Phan, Duc C; Goodwin, David G; Frank, Benjamin P; Bouwer, Edward J; Fairbrother, D Howard

2018-10-15

The properties and commercial viability of biodegradable polymers can be significantly enhanced by the incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The environmental impact and persistence of these carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites (CNT/PNCs) after disposal will be strongly influenced by their microbial interactions, including their biodegradation rates. At the end of consumer use, CNT/PNCs will encounter diverse communities of microorganisms in landfills, surface waters, and wastewater treatment plants. To explore CNT/PNC biodegradation under realistic environmental conditions, the effect of multi-wall CNT (MWCNT) incorporation on the biodegradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) was investigated using a mixed culture of microorganisms from wastewater. Relative to unfilled PHA (0% w/w), the MWCNT loading (0.5-10% w/w) had no statistically significant effect on the rate of PHA matrix biodegradation. Independent of the MWCNT loading, the extent of CNT/PNC mass remaining closely corresponded to the initial mass of CNTs in the matrix suggesting a lack of CNT release. CNT/PNC biodegradation was complete in approximately 20 days and resulted in the formation of a compressed CNT mat that retained the shape of the initial CNT/PNC. This study suggests that although CNTs have been shown to be cytotoxic towards a range of different microorganisms, this does not necessarily impact the biodegradation of the surrounding polymer matrix in mixed culture, particularly in situations where the polymer type and/or microbial population favor rapid polymer biodegradation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Diblock copolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate -block-poly-3-hydroxyhexanoate [PHB-b-PHHx] by a β-oxidation weakened Pseudomonas putida KT2442.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Lakshmi; Wu, Lin-Ping; Chen, Jinchun; Chen, Guo-Qiang

2012-04-05

Block polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) were reported to be resistant against polymer aging that negatively affects polymer properties. Recently, more and more attempts have been directed to make PHA block copolymers. Diblock copolymers PHB-b-PHHx consisting of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) block covalently bonded with poly-3-hydroxyhexanoate (PHHx) block were for the first time produced successfully by a recombinant Pseudomonas putida KT2442 with its β-oxidation cycle deleted to its maximum. The chloroform extracted polymers were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), thermo- and mechanical analysis. NMR confirmed the existence of diblock copolymers consisting of 58 mol% PHB as the short chain length block with 42 mol% PHHx as the medium chain length block. The block copolymers had two glass transition temperatures (Tg) at 2.7°C and -16.4°C, one melting temperature (Tm) at 172.1°C and one cool crystallization temperature (Tc) at 69.1°C as revealed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. This is the first microbial short-chain-length (scl) and medium-chain-length (mcl) PHA block copolymer reported. It is possible to produce PHA block copolymers of various kinds using the recombinant Pseudomonas putida KT2442 with its β-oxidation cycle deleted to its maximum. In comparison to a random copolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate (P(HB-co-HHx)) and a blend sample of PHB and PHHx, the PHB-b-PHHx showed improved structural related mechanical properties.

Gd-DTPA L-cystine bisamide copolymers as novel biodegradable macromolecular contrast agents for MR blood pool imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneshiro, Todd L; Ke, Tianyi; Jeong, Eun-Kee; Parker, Dennis L; Lu, Zheng-Rong

2006-06-01

The purpose of this study was to synthesize biodegradable Gd-DTPA L-cystine bisamide copolymers (GCAC) as safe and effective, macromolecular contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to evaluate their biodegradability and efficacy in MR blood pool imaging in an animal model. Three new biodegradable GCAC with different substituents at the cystine bisamide [R = H (GCAC), CH2CH2CH3 (Gd-DTPA L-cystine bispropyl amide copolymers, GCPC), and CH(CH3)2 (Gd-DTPA cystine bisisopropyl copolymers, GCIC)] were prepared by the condensation copolymerization of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) dianhydride with cystine bisamide or bisalkyl amides, followed by complexation with gadolinium triacetate. The degradability of the agents was studied in vitro by incubation in 15 microM cysteine and in vivo with Sprague-Dawley rats. The kinetics of in vivo contrast enhancement was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats on a Siemens Trio 3 T scanner. The apparent molecular weight of the polydisulfide Gd(III) chelates ranged from 22 to 25 kDa. The longitudinal (T1) relaxivities of GCAC, GCPC, and GCIC were 4.37, 5.28, and 5.56 mM(-1) s(-1) at 3 T, respectively. The polymeric ligands and polymeric Gd(III) chelates readily degraded into smaller molecules in incubation with 15 microM cysteine via disulfide-thiol exchange reactions. The in vitro degradation rates of both the polymeric ligands and macromolecular Gd(III) chelates decreased as the steric effect around the disulfide bonds increased. The agents readily degraded in vivo, and the catabolic degradation products were detected in rat urine samples collected after intravenous injection. The agents showed strong contrast enhancement in the blood pool, major organs, and tissues at a dose of 0.1 mmol Gd/kg. The difference of their in vitro degradability did not significantly alter the kinetics of in vivo contrast enhancement of the agents. These novel GCAC are promising contrast agents for cardiovascular and tumor MRI

Strategies for Automated Control of the Bioproduction of Mcl-PHA Biopolymers

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P. Hrnčiřík

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs are polyesters synthesized by numerous bacteria as storage material. Despite being promising candidates for biodegradable materials of industrial interest and environmental value, their usage is still rather limited because of high production costs. One of the areas with considerable potential for further improvements is control of the production process. This paper deals with the experimental work related to the design of control strategies for mcl-PHA biopolymer production process (Pseudomonas putida KT2442 fed-batch cultivations. For this bioprocess, a set of five control strategies (two main and three auxiliary strategies have been proposed, together with the proper sequence of their switching during the fed-batch part of the production process. The application of these strategies with octanoic acid as a sole carbon source resulted in intracellular PHA content (max. mass fraction 65 % of mcl-PHA in cell dry mass (g g–1 and PHA productivity (max. 0.89 g L–1 h–1 comparable to the best results reported in the literature for this type of strain and carbon substrate.

Injectable biocompatible and biodegradable pH-responsive hollow particle gels containing poly(acrylic acid): the effect of copolymer composition on gel properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Halacheva, Silvia S; Adlam, Daman J; Hendow, Eseelle K; Freemont, Tony J; Hoyland, Judith; Saunders, Brian R

2014-05-12

The potential of various pH-responsive alkyl (meth)acrylate ester- and (meth)acrylic acid-based copolymers, including poly(methyl methacrylate-co-acrylic acid) (PMMA-AA) and poly(n-butyl acrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (PBA-MAA), to form pH-sensitive biocompatible and biodegradable hollow particle gel scaffolds for use in non-load-bearing soft tissue regeneration have been explored. The optimal copolymer design criteria for preparation of these materials have been established. Physical gels which are both pH- and redox-sensitive were formed only from PMMA-AA copolymers. MMA is the optimal hydrophobic monomer, whereas the use of various COOH-containing monomers, e.g., MAA and AA, will always induce a pH-triggered physical gelation. The PMMA-AA gels were prepared at physiological pH range from concentrated dispersions of swollen, hollow, polymer-based particles cross-linked with either cystamine (CYS) or 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid dihydrazide (DTP). A linear relationship between particle swelling ratios, gel elasticity, and ductility was observed. The PMMA-AA gels with lower AA contents feature lower swelling ratios, mechanical strengths, and ductilities. Increasing the swelling ratio (e.g., through increasing AA content) decreased the intraparticle elasticity; however, intershell contact and gel elasticity were found to increase. The mechanical properties and performance of the gels were tuneable upon varying the copolymers' compositions and the structure of the cross-linker. Compared to PMMA-AA/CYS, the PMMA-AA/DTP gels were more elastic and ductile. The biodegradability and cytotoxicity of the new hollow particle gels were tested for the first time and related to their composition, mechanical properties, and morphology. The new PMMA-AA/CYS and PMMA-AA/DTP gels have shown good biocompatibility, biodegradability, strength, and interconnected porosity and therefore have good potential as a tissue repair agent.

Selective adsorption of Pb (II) ions by amylopectin-g-poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid): A bio-degradable graft copolymer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasmal, Dinabandhu; Maity, Jayanta; Kolya, Haradhan; Tripathy, Tridib

2017-04-01

Amylopectin-g-poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) [AP-g-poly (AM-co-AA)] was synthesised in water medium by using potassium perdisulphate as an initiator. The graft copolymer was characterized by molecular weight determination by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies, thermal analysis, measurement of neutralisation equivalent and biodegradation studies. The graft copolymer was used for Pb (II) ion removal from aqueous solution. The Pb (II) ion removal capacity of the graft copolymer was also compared with another laboratory developed graft copolymer Amylopectin-g-poly (acrylamide) (AP-g-PAM). Both the graft copolymers were also used for the competitive metal ions removal with Pb (II)/Cd (II), Pb (II)/Zn (II), Pb (II)/Ni (II), Pb (II)/Cu (II) pairs separately under similar conditions. AP-g-poly (AM-co-AA) showed better Pb (II) ion adsorbing power over AP-g-PAM and also much selective towards Pb (II) ions. The adsorption follows a second order rate equation and Langmuir isotherm model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and self-assembly behavior of a biodegradable and sustainable soybean oil-based copolymer nanomicelle

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Lixia; Bian, Longchun; Zhao, Mimi; Lei, Jingxin; Wang, Jiliang

2014-08-01

Herein, we report a novel amphiphilic biodegradable and sustainable soybean oil-based copolymer (SBC) prepared by grafting hydrophilic and biocompatible hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) polymeric segments onto the natural hydrophobic soybean oil chains. FTIR, H1-NMR, and GPC measurements have been used to investigate the molecular structure of the obtained SBC macromolecules. Self-assembly behaviors of the prepared SBC in aqueous solution have also been extensively evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The prepared SBC nanocarrier with the size range of 40 to 80 nm has a potential application in the biomedical field.

Biodegradable elastomeric scaffolds for soft tissue engineering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pêgo, A.P.; Poot, Andreas A.; Grijpma, Dirk W.; Feijen, Jan

2003-01-01

Elastomeric copolymers of 1,3-trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and ε-caprolactone (CL) and copolymers of TMC and D,L-lactide (DLLA) have been evaluated as candidate materials for the preparation of biodegradable scaffolds for soft tissue engineering. TMC-DLLA copolymers are amorphous and degrade more

Specific character of bacterial biodegradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates with different chemical structure in soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Prudnikova, S V; Vinogradova, O N; Trusova, M Y

2017-03-01

The study addresses the influence of the physicochemical properties of the reserve cellular macromolecules (polyhydroxyalkanoates, PHA) with different chemical composition on their biodegradation in the agro-transformed field soil of the Siberian region (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia). It was shown that the degradation of the PHA samples depends on the degree of polymer crystallinity (C x ). For the first time, it was shown that the range of PHA-degrading microorganisms differs for each of PHA types. The study defines the primary degraders specific to each PHA type and common to all types of examined polymers.

Synthesis and Properties of Biodegradable Copolymers of 9-Phenyl-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro-[5,5]undcane-3-one and Ethylene Ethyl Phosphate

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jian XU; Zhi Lan LIU; Ren Xi ZHUO

2006-01-01

Novel biodegradable copolymer poly(CC-co-EEP) was synthesized by ring-opening copolymerization of cyclic carbonate 9-phenyl-2, 4, 8, 10-tetraoxaspiro-[5, 5]undcane-3-one (CC)and ethylene ethyl phosphate (EEP). The obtained poly (CC-co-EEP)s were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). In vitro hydrolytic degradation of the copolymers were investigated in phosphate buffer solution (pH=7.4).Hydrophilic phosphate units apparently improved the degradability of poly(carbonate-phosphate).

Tailored biodegradable triblock copolymer coatings obtained by MAPLE: a parametric study

Science.gov (United States)

Brajnicov, S.; Neacsu, P.; Moldovan, A.; Marascu, V.; Bonciu, A.; Ion, R.; Dinca, V.; Cimpean, A.; Dinescu, M.

2017-11-01

Biocompatible and biodegradable coatings with controllable and tailored chemical and physical characteristics (i.e. morphology and roughness) are of great interest in bone related research applications. Within this research direction, in this work, a series of novel biodegradable coatings based on triblock copolymers poly(lactide- co-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(lactide- co-caprolactone) (PLCL-PEG-PLCL) were obtained by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) and their morphological characteristics and roughness were modulated by varying target composition and laser fluence. The coatings were used for preliminary in vitro testing with MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. It was found that for a specific range of fluences, the main functional groups in the MAPLE-deposited thin films, as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, are similar to the molecular structures of the initial material. Depending on the deposition parameters, significant changes in morphologies, i.e. material accumulation in the form of droplets, wrinkles, or carpet-like structures were revealed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy. The optimized coating characteristics were further correlated to MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts response. The ability to control the morphology and to maintain unaltered the chemistry of the deposited material through MAPLE is an important step in creating functional bio-interfaces in the field of biomedical research and tissue engineering.

Bacterial production of the biodegradable plastics polyhydroxyalkanoates.

Science.gov (United States)

Urtuvia, Viviana; Villegas, Pamela; González, Myriam; Seeger, Michael

2014-09-01

Petroleum-based plastics constitute a major environmental problem due to their low biodegradability and accumulation in various environments. Therefore, searching for novel biodegradable plastics is of increasing interest. Microbial polyesters known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable plastics. Life cycle assessment indicates that PHB is more beneficial than petroleum-based plastics. In this report, bacterial production of PHAs and their industrial applications are reviewed and the synthesis of PHAs in Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 is described. PHAs are synthesized by a large number of microorganisms during unbalanced nutritional conditions. These polymers are accumulated as carbon and energy reserve in discrete granules in the bacterial cytoplasm. 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate are two main PHA units among 150 monomers that have been reported. B. xenovorans LB400 is a model bacterium for the degradation of polychlorobiphenyls and a wide range of aromatic compounds. A bioinformatic analysis of LB400 genome indicated the presence of pha genes encoding enzymes of pathways for PHA synthesis. This study showed that B. xenovorans LB400 synthesize PHAs under nutrient limitation. Staining with Sudan Black B indicated the production of PHAs by B. xenovorans LB400 colonies. The PHAs produced were characterized by GC-MS. Diverse substrates for the production of PHAs in strain LB400 were analyzed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Evolution of Polymer Composition during PHA Accumulation: The Significance of Reducing Equivalents

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Liliana Montano-Herrera

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a systematic investigation into monomer development during mixed culture Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA accumulation involving concurrent active biomass growth and polymer storage. A series of mixed culture PHA accumulation experiments, using several different substrate-feeding strategies, was carried out. The feedstock comprised volatile fatty acids, which were applied as single carbon sources, as mixtures, or in series, using a fed-batch feed-on-demand controlled bioprocess. A dynamic trend in active biomass growth as well as polymer composition was observed. The observations were consistent over replicate accumulations. Metabolic flux analysis (MFA was used to investigate metabolic activity through time. It was concluded that carbon flux, and consequently copolymer composition, could be linked with how reducing equivalents are generated.

Properties of PHA bi-, ter-, and quarter-polymers containing 4-hydroxybutyrate monomer units.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhila, Natalia; Shishatskaya, Ekaterina

2018-05-01

The present study investigates physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers containing 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) synthesized in Cupriavidus eutrophus B10646 culture. In poly(3-hydroxybutyrate/4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB/4HB)] bipolymers, 4HB varied between 10.4 and 75.0 mol%; in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate/3-hydroxyvalerate/4-hydroxybutyrate) terpolymers, 4HB constituted 28.7-55.6 mol%; and in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate/3-hydroxyvalerate/4-hydroxybutyrate/3-hydroxyhexanoate) quaterpolymers, 4HB varied between 9.3 and 13.3 mol%. The degree of crystallinity of P(3HB/4HB) copolymers decreased consistently with an increase in 4HB content, reaching 38%. The incorporation of 3-hydroxyvalerate and 3-hydroxyhexanoate into copolymers enhanced that effect. The effect of 4HB monomer units on temperature properties of copolymers was exhibited as lowering of the melting temperature and crystallization temperature, which improved the processing-related properties of the copolymers. All copolymers containing 4HB showed enhanced elongation at break compared to poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). Polymer films prepared from PHAs with different chemical composition had similar microstructure and porosity and had no toxic effect on mouse fibroblast NIH 3 T3 cells, proving their high biocompatibility. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and aqueous phase behavior of thermoresponsive biodegradable poly(D,L-3-methylglycolide)-block-poly(ethyelene glycol)-block-poly(D,L-3-methylglycolide) triblock copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhong, Zhiyuan; Dijkstra, Pieter J.; Feijen, Jan; Kwon, Young-Min; Bae, You Han; Kim, Sung Wan

2002-01-01

Novel biodegradable thermosensitive triblock copolymers of poly(D,L-3-methylglycolide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(D,L-3-methylglycolide) (PMG-PEG-PMG) have been synthesized. Ring-opening polymerization of D,L-3-methyl-glycolide (MG) initiated with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and

PhaC Synthases and PHA Depolymerases: The Enzymes that Produce and Degrade Plastic

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Amro A. Amara

2011-12-01

Full Text Available PHAs are a group of intracellular biodegradable polymer produced by (most bacteria under unbalanced growth conditions. A series of enzymes are involved in different PHAs synthesis, however PhaC synthases are responsible for the polymerization step. PHAs are accumulated in bacterial cells from soluble to insoluble form as storage materials inside the inclusion bodies during unbalanced nutrition or to save organisms from reduces equivalents. PHAs are converted again to soluble components by another pathways and enzymes for the degradation process. PHAs depolymerases are the responsible enzymes. This review is designed to give the non-specialists a condense background about PHAs especially for researcher and students in medicinal and pharmaceutical filled. ABSTRAK: PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoate merupakan sekumpulan polimer terbiodegradasikan intrasel yang dihasilkan oleh (kebanyakan bakteria di bawah keadaan tumbesaran tak seimbang. Satu rangkaian enzim terlibat dalam sistesis PHAs yang berbeza, namun sintesis PhaC bertanggungjawab dalam peringkat pempolimeran. PHAs dikumpulkan dalam sel bakteria dari bentuk larut dan tak larut sebagai bahan simpan di dalam jasad terangkum semasa nutrisi tak seimbang atau untuk menyelamatkan organisma daripada pengurangan tak keseimbangan. PHAs ditukarkan sekali lagi kepada komponen larut dengan cara lain dan enzim lain untuk proses degradasi. PHAs depoly-merases (enzim yang memangkin penguraian makro molekul kepada molekul yang lebih mudah merupakan enzim yang bertanggunjawab. Kajian semula ini direka untuk memberi mereka yang bukan pakar, satu ringkasan tentang PHAs terutamanya penyelidik dan penuntut dalam bidang peubatan dan farmaseutikal.

PHA Corporate Strategy 2011-2015

OpenAIRE

Public Health Agency

2011-01-01

The PHA Corporate Strategy has been developed with input from staff across the PHA and taking account of feedback from external stakeholders.� It is a high level document, setting out the direction for the PHA over the next few years, and will be supported by the annual PHA Corporate Business Plan, Directorate Business Plans and the Joint Commissioning Plan.� The Strategy was approved by the PHA board at the November 2011 board meeting.�The PHA Corporate strategy sets out the role, direction ...

Evaluating PHA productivity of bioengineered Rhodosprillum rubrum.

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Huanan Jin

Full Text Available This study explored the potential of using Rhodosprillum rubrum as the biological vehicle to convert chemically simple carbon precursors to a value-added bio-based product, the biopolymer PHA. R. rubrum strains were bioengineered to overexpress individually or in various combinations, six PHA biosynthetic genes (phaC1, phaA, phaB, phaC2, phaC3, and phaJ, and the resulting nine over-expressing strains were evaluated to assess the effect on PHA content, and the effect on growth. These experiments were designed to genetically evaluate: 1 the role of each apparently redundant PHA polymerase in determining PHA productivity; 2 identify the key gene(s within the pha biosynthetic operon that determines PHA productivity; and 3 the role of phaJ to support PHA productivity. The result of overexpressing each PHA polymerase-encoding gene indicates that phaC1 and phaC2 are significant contributors to PHA productivity, whereas phaC3 has little effect. Similarly, over-expressing individually or in combination the three PHA biosynthesis genes located in the pha operon indicates that phaB is the key determinant of PHA productivity. Finally, analogous experiments indicate that phaJ does not contribute significantly to PHA productivity. These bioengineering strains achieved PHA productivity of up to 30% of dry biomass, which is approximately 2.5-fold higher than the non-engineered control strain, indicating the feasibility of using this approach to produce value added bio-based products.

To be or not to be a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) depolymerase: PhaZd1 (PhaZ6) and PhaZd2 (PhaZ7) of Ralstonia eutropha, highly active PHB depolymerases with no detectable role in mobilization of accumulated PHB.

Science.gov (United States)

Sznajder, Anna; Jendrossek, Dieter

2014-08-01

The putative physiological functions of two related intracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) depolymerases, PhaZd1 and PhaZd2, of Ralstonia eutropha H16 were investigated. Purified PhaZd1 and PhaZd2 were active with native PHB granules in vitro. Partial removal of the proteinaceous surface layer of native PHB granules by trypsin treatment or the use of PHB granules isolated from ΔphaP1 or ΔphaP1-phaP5 mutant strains resulted in increased specific PHB depolymerase activity, especially for PhaZd2. Constitutive expression of PhaZd1 or PhaZd2 reduced or even prevented the accumulation of PHB under PHB-permissive conditions in vivo. Expression of translational fusions of enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) with PhaZd1 and PhaZd2 in which the active-site serines (S190 and Ser193) were replaced with alanine resulted in the colocalization of only PhaZd1 fusions with PHB granules. C-terminal fusions of inactive PhaZd2(S193A) with EYFP revealed the presence of spindle-like structures, and no colocalization with PHB granules was observed. Chromosomal deletion of phaZd1, phaZd2, or both depolymerase genes had no significant effect on PHB accumulation and mobilization during growth in nutrient broth (NB) or NB-gluconate medium. Moreover, neither proteome analysis of purified native PHB granules nor lacZ fusion studies gave any indication that PhaZd1 or PhaZd2 was detectably present in the PHB granule fraction or expressed at all during growth on NB-gluconate medium. In conclusion, PhaZd1 and PhaZd2 are two PHB depolymerases with a high capacity to degrade PHB when artificially expressed but are apparently not involved in PHB mobilization in the wild type. The true in vivo functions of PhaZd1 and PhaZd2 remain obscure. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

BIOPROSPECCION DE BACTERIAS PRODUCTORAS DE POLIHIDROXIALCANOATOS (PHA's EN EL DEPARTAMENTO DE NARIÑO

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IVAN DARIO OTERO-RAMÍREZ

Full Text Available Los polihidroxialcanoatos (PHA's, gránulos intracelulares acumulados por bacterias en ambientes con desbalance Carbono/Nitrógeno, Carbono/Fósforo tienen propiedades físico-químicas similares a plásticos convencionales, pero son biodegradables. Sin embargo, los elevados costos de producción de los PHA's conllevan a la búsqueda de estrategias con la menor inversión posible; por ello, en esta investigación se exploraron diferentes ambientes del departamento de Nariño en búsqueda de bacterias productoras de PHA's y se seleccionaron aquellas con potencial industrial. La detección presuntiva de bacterias PHA's a partir de muestras de suelo y agua, se realizó utilizando Rojo Nilo, los aislamientos seleccionados se sometieron a una fermentación Batch y el polímero obtenido se caracterizó por cromatografía de gases y cromatografía de gases-espectrometría de masas. Aquellos aislamientos con mayor acumulación de polímero se caracterizaron mediante pruebas bioquímicas y la secuencia parcial del gen rRNA 16S.Finalmente, se evaluó la producción de PHA's utilizando como sustrato aguas residuales domésticas. Se obtuvo 189 aislamientos bacterianos que produjeron desde 0,01gL-1 hasta 5,24gL-1 del homopolimero Poli-3-hidroxibutirato o el copolímero Poli-3-hidroxibutirato-co-3-hidroxivalerato. Así mismo, se recuperó 0,111gL-1 de Poli-3-hidroxibutirato a partir de las aguas residuales. Desde esta perspectiva las bacterias silvestres productoras de PHA's del departamento de Nariño tienen potencial en procesos ambientales e industriales.

Sustained Release of Protein Therapeutics from Subcutaneous Thermosensitive Biocompatible and Biodegradable Pentablock Copolymers (PTSgels

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Elizabeth Schaefer

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate thermosensitive, biodegradable pentablock copolymers (PTSgel for sustained release and integrity of a therapeutic protein when injected subcutaneously. Materials and Methods. Five PTSgels with PEG-PCL-PLA-PCL-PEG block arrangements were synthesized. In vitro release of IgG from PTSgels and concentrations was evaluated at 37°C. Released IgG integrity was characterized by SDS-PAGE. In vitro disintegration for 10GH PTSgel in PBS was monitored at 37°C over 72 days using gravimetric loss and GPC analysis. Near-infrared IgG in PTSgel was injected subcutaneously and examined by in vivo imaging and histopathology for up to 42 days. Results. IgG release was modulated from approximately 7 days to more than 63 days in both in vitro and in vivo testing by varying polymer composition, concentration of PTSgel aqueous solution, and concentration of IgG. Released IgG in vitro maintained structural integrity by SDS-PAGE. Subcutaneous PTSgels were highly biocompatible and in vitro IgG release occurred in parallel with the disappearance of subcutaneous gel in vivo. Conclusions. Modulation of release of biologics to fit the therapeutic need can be achieved by varying the biocompatible and biodegradable PTSgel composition. Release of IgG parallels disappearance of the polymeric gel; hence, little or no PTSgel remains after drug release is complete.

The link of feast-phase dissolved oxygen (DO) with substrate competition and microbial selection in PHA production.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaofei; Oehmen, Adrian; Freitas, Elisabete B; Carvalho, Gilda; Reis, Maria A M

2017-04-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biobased and biodegradable polyesters with the potential to replace conventional plastics. Aeration requires large amounts of energy in PHA production by mixed microbial cultures (MMCs), particularly during the feast phase due to substrate uptake. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of DO concentrations on microbial selection, substrate competition and PHA production performance by MMCs. This represents the first study investigating DO impact on PHA production while feeding the multiple volatile fatty acids (VFAs) typically encountered in real fermented feedstocks, as well as the substrate preferences at different DO levels. Efficient microbial cultures were enriched under both high (3.47 ± 1.12 mg/L) and low (0.86 ± 0.50 mg/L) DO conditions in the feast phase containing mostly the same populations but with different relative abundance. The most abundant microorganisms in the two MMCs were Plasticicumulans, Zoogloea, Paracoccus, and Flavobacterium. Butyrate and valerate were found to be the preferred substrates as compared to acetate and propionate regardless of DO concentrations. In the accumulation step, the PHA storage capacity and yield were less affected by the change of DO levels when applying the culture selected under low DO in the feast phase (PHA storage capacity >60% and yield > 0.9 Cmol PHA/Cmol VFA). A high DO level is required for maximal PHA accumulation rates with the four VFAs (acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate) present, due to the lower specific uptake rates of acetate and propionate under low DO conditions. However, butyrate and valerate specific uptake rates were less impacted by DO levels and hence low DO for PHA accumulation may be effective when feed is composed of these substrates only. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MANUFACTURING BIODEGRADABLE COMPOSITE MATERIALS BASED ON POLYETHYLENE AND FUNCTIONALIZED BY ALCOHOLYSIS OF ETHYLENE-VINYL ACETATE COPOLYMER

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Aleksandr A. Shabarin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The continuous growth of production and consumption of plastic packaging creates a serious problem of disposal of package. This problem has ecological character, because the contents of the landfills decompose for decades, emit toxic com¬pounds and pollute the environment. The work is devoted to obtaining and investigation mechanical and rheological properties of biodegradable composite materials based on polyethylene and starch. Materials and Methods. In this work the author used polyethylene grade HDPE 273- 83 (GOST 16338-85, Sevilen brand 12206-007 (TU 6-05-1636-97 and potato starch (GOST 53876-2010 as a filler. Functionalization of sevilen was carried in the 30 % ethanol solution KOH at a temperature 80 °C during 3 hours. Compounding components was carried out at the laboratory of the two rotary mixer HAAKE PolyLab Rheomix 600 OS with rotors Banbury. Formation of plates for elastic strength and rheological studies were carried out on a hydraulic press Gibitre. Elastic and strength tests were carried out on the tensile machine the UAI-7000 M. Rheology tests were carried out on the rheometer Haake MARS III. The humidity filler (starch authors determined by the thermogravimetric method on the analyzer of moisture “Evlas-2M”. Results. It is shown, that the filler should not contain more than 7% moisture. Functionalization of ethylene with vinyl acetate copolymer (sevilen has performed by the method of alkaline alcoholysis. By the method of IC – spectroscopy the authors confirmed the presence of hydroxyl groups in the polymer. Using as a compatibilizer functionalized by the method of alcoholises has greatly ( significantly improved physical, mechanical and rheological properties of composite materials. Optimal content of sevilen (F in the compound according to the results of experiments amount 10 %. Discussion and Conclusions. Using of functionalized by the method of alcoholysis ethy-lene-vinyl acetate copolymer as a

Glutathione-mediated biodegradable polyurethanes derived from L-arabinitol.

Science.gov (United States)

de Paz, M Violante; Zamora, Francisca; Begines, Belén; Ferris, Cristina; Galbis, Juan A

2010-01-11

The synthesis, characterization, and some properties of new glutathione-mediated biodegradable sugar-based copolyurethanes are described. These copolyurethanes were obtained by polyaddition reaction of mixtures of 2,2'-dithiodiethanol (DiT) and 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-L-arabinitol (ArBn) or 2,3,4-tri-O-methyl-L-arabinitol (ArMe) to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI). The copolymer compositions were studied by elemental microanalyses and (1)H NMR, revealing that the content of the copolymer units is in all cases very similar to that of their corresponding feed. The PU(DiT-HMDI) homopolymer exhibited a high crystallinity, but the introduction of the arabinitol-based diols led to a reduction in the crystallinity of the copolymers. In their TG curves, the copolymers exhibited a mixed trend of the related homopolymers, and all of them were thermally stable, with degradation temperatures above 220 degrees C. The degradation properties of the macromolecules under physiological conditions in the presence of glutathione were tested. All the copolyurethanes proved to be biodegradable under the experimental conditions (pH = 7.02 and 37 degrees C). The degradation pattern of the copolymers depended not only on the dithiodiethanol (DiT) reactive units ratio in the polymer backbone, but also on the crystallinity of the macromolecule.

24 CFR 941.201 - PHA eligibility.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

.... HUD will determine eligibility based on a showing that the PHA has the legal authority and local cooperation required by this part. (b) Legal authority. The PHA must demonstrate that it has the legal... solicitation and the selection before award of a contract is made by such a PHA. (d) Local cooperation. The PHA...

PhaM is the physiological activator of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthase (PhaC1) in Ralstonia eutropha.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeiffer, Daniel; Jendrossek, Dieter

2014-01-01

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthase (PhaC1) is the key enzyme of PHB synthesis in Ralstonia eutropha and other PHB-accumulating bacteria and catalyzes the polymerization of 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA to PHB. Activity assays of R. eutropha PHB synthase are characterized by the presence of lag phases and by low specific activity. It is assumed that the lag phase is caused by the time necessary to convert the inactive PhaC1 monomer into the active dimeric form by an unknown priming process. The lag phase can be reduced by addition of nonionic detergents such as hecameg [6-O-(N-heptyl-carbamoyl)-methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside], which apparently accelerates the formation of PhaC1 dimers. We identified the PHB granule-associated protein (PGAP) PhaM as the natural primer (activator) of PHB synthase activity. PhaM was recently discovered as a novel type of PGAP with multiple functions in PHB metabolism. Addition of PhaM to PHB synthase assays resulted in immediate polymerization of 3HB coenzyme A with high specific activity and without a significant lag phase. The effect of PhaM on (i) PhaC1 activity, (ii) oligomerization of PhaC1, (iii) complex formation with PhaC1, and (iv) PHB granule formation in vitro and in vivo was shown by cross-linking experiments of purified proteins (PhaM, PhaC1) with glutardialdehyde, by size exclusion chromatography, and by fluorescence microscopic detection of de novo-synthesized PHB granules.

Biodegradable polymeric prodrugs of naltrexone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bennet, D.B.; Li, X.; Adams, N.W.; Kim, S.W.; Hoes, C.J.T.; Hoes, C.J.T.; Feijen, Jan

1991-01-01

The development of a biodegradable polymeric drug delivery system for the narcotic antagonist naltrexone may improve patient compliance in the treatment of opiate addiction. Random copolymers consisting of the ¿-amino acids N5-(3-hydroxypropyl--glutamine and -leucine were synthesized with equimolar

Characterization of a Bio-Based, Biodegradable Class of Copolymers, Poly[(R)-3-Hydroxybutyrate-Co-(R)-3- Hydroxyhexanoate], and Application Development

Science.gov (United States)

Sobieski, Brian

As modern society begins to focus on sustainability and renewable resources there is a growing need for the polymer industry to develop more environmentally friendly materials and practices. Part of this movement can be seen in the use of recycled materials in new products and in the development of bio-based, biodegradable polymers. Bio-based, biodegradable polymers are produced from renewable carbon sources, such as vegetable oils, typically polymerized using fermentation reactions via bacteria, and are able to be consumed by bacteria in landfills to completely convert the polymers to water and CO2. One class of such polymers are poly(hydroxyalkanoate)'s (PHAs), which are chiral, aliphatic polyesters. Within this class of polyesters are poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and the copolymer poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate- co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate] (PHBHx), which have received extensive study due to their material properties as thermoplastics. Although the properties of PHB have been widely explored, much still remains to be understood about these promising biodegradable polymers. Specifically, PHB and its copolymers exhibit physical gelation in most solvents, yet the origin and mechanism of gelation and the properties of the resulting gel state are unknown. This research effort was primarily focused on investigating the physical gel state of PHBHx. Five goals were laid out and completed: determining the origin of gelation, the mechanism of gelation, the structure of the gel state, the properties of the gel state, and the effects of gelation on electrospun fibers of PHBHx. These goals were achieved through material characterization of the gel state utilizing infrared spectroscopy/two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and many other analysis methods. Crystallization of the polymer in solution was found to cause gelation in PHBHx solutions, where the polymer crystals act as tie points forming

Biodegradable polymersomes for targeted ultrasound imaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhou, W.; Hennink, W.E.; Feijen, J.; Meng, Fenghua; Sam, T; Engbers, G.H.M.; Feijen, Jan

2006-01-01

Biodegradable polymersomes with a sub-micron size were prepared by using poly(ethylene glycol)–polylactide (PEG–PDLLA) block-copolymers in aqueous media. Air-encapsulated polymersomes could be obtained by a lyophilization/rehydration procedure. Preliminary results showed that these polymersomes were

Polydisulfide Manganese(II) Complexes as Non-Gadolinium Biodegradable Macromolecular MRI Contrast Agents

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Zhen; Jeong, Eun-Kee; Wu, Xueming; Tan, Mingqian; Yin, Shouyu; Lu, Zheng-Rong

2011-01-01

Purpose To develop safe and effective manganese(II) based biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents. Materials and Methods In this study, we synthesized and characterized two polydisulfide manganese(II) complexes, Mn-DTPA cystamine copolymers and Mn-EDTA cystamine copolymers, as new biodegradable macromolecular MRI contrast agents. The contrast enhancement of the two manganese based contrast agents were evaluated in mice bearing MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma xenografts, in comparison with MnCl2. Results The T1 and T2 relaxivities were 4.74 and 10.38 mM−1s−1 per manganese at 3T for Mn-DTPA cystamine copolymers (Mn=30.50 kDa) and 6.41 and 9.72 mM−1s−1 for Mn-EDTA cystamine copolymers (Mn= 61.80 kDa). Both polydisulfide Mn(II) complexes showed significant liver, myocardium and tumor enhancement. Conclusion The manganese based polydisulfide contrast agents have a potential to be developed as alternative non-gadolinium contrast agents for MR cancer and myocardium imaging. PMID:22031457

Biodegradable Polydepsipeptides

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Jintang Guo

2009-02-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews the synthesis, characterization, biodegradation and usage of bioresorbable polymers based on polydepsipeptides. The ring-opening polymerization of morpholine-2,5-dione derivatives using organic Sn and enzyme lipase is discussed. The dependence of the macroscopic properties of the block copolymers on their structure is also presented. Bioresorbable polymers based on polydepsipeptides could be used as biomaterials in drug controlled release, tissue engineering scaffolding and shape-memory materials.

Engineering bacteria for enhanced polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA biosynthesis

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Guo-Qiang Chen

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA have been produced by some bacteria as bioplastics for many years. Yet their commercialization is still on the way. A few issues are related to the difficulty of PHA commercialization: namely, high cost and instabilities on molecular weights (Mw and structures, thus instability on thermo-mechanical properties. The high cost is the result of complicated bioprocessing associated with sterilization, low conversion of carbon substrates to PHA products, and slow growth of microorganisms as well as difficulty of downstream separation. Future engineering on PHA producing microorganisms should be focused on contamination resistant bacteria especially extremophiles, developments of engineering approaches for the extremophiles, increase on carbon substrates to PHA conversion and controlling Mw of PHA. The concept proof studies could still be conducted on E. coli or Pseudomonas spp. that are easily used for molecular manipulations. In this review, we will use E. coli and halophiles as examples to show how to engineer bacteria for enhanced PHA biosynthesis and for increasing PHA competitiveness.

Backup Expression of the PhaP2 Phasin Compensates for phaP1 Deletion in Herbaspirillum seropedicae, Maintaining Fitness and PHB Accumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Luis P S; Teixeira, Cícero S; Tirapelle, Evandro F; Donatti, Lucélia; Tadra-Sfeir, Michelle Z; Steffens, Maria B R; de Souza, Emanuel M; de Oliveira Pedrosa, Fabio; Chubatsu, Leda S; Müller-Santos, Marcelo

2016-01-01

Phasins are important proteins controlling poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) granules formation, their number into the cell and stability. The genome sequencing of the endophytic and diazotrophic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1 revealed two homologous phasin genes. To verify the role of the phasins on PHB accumulation in the parental strain H. seropedicae SmR1, isogenic strains defective in the expression of phaP1, phaP2 or both genes were obtained by gene deletion and characterized in this work. Despite of the high sequence similarity between PhaP1 and PhaP2, PhaP1 is the major phasin in H. seropedicae, since its deletion reduced PHB accumulation by ≈50% in comparison to the parental and ΔphaP2. Upon deletion of phaP1, the expression of phaP2 was sixfold enhanced in the ΔphaP1 strain. The responsive backup expression of phaP2 partially rescued the ΔphaP1 mutant, maintaining about 50% of the parental PHB level. The double mutant ΔphaP1.2 did not accumulate PHB in any growth stage and showed a severe reduction of growth when glucose was the carbon source, a clear demonstration of negative impact in the fitness. The co-occurrence of phaP1 and phaP2 homologous in bacteria relatives of H. seropedicae, including other endophytes, indicates that the mechanism of phasin compensation by phaP2 expression may be operating in other organisms, showing that PHB metabolism is a key factor to adaptation and efficiency of endophytic bacteria.

Synthetic biology of microbes synthesizing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA

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Guo-Qiang Chen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA have been produced as bioplastics for various purposes. Under the support of China National Basic Research 973 Project, we developed synthetic biology methods to diversify the PHA structures into homo-, random, block polymers with improved properties to better meet various application requirements. At the same time, various pathways were assembled to produce various PHA from glucose as a simple carbon source. At the end, Halomonas bacteria were reconstructed to produce PHA in changing morphology for low cost production under unsterile and continuous conditions. The synthetic biology will advance the PHA into a bio- and material industry.

Backup expression of the PhaP2 phasin compensates for phaP1 deletion in Herbaspirillum seropedicae, maintaining fitness and PHB accumulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Paulo Silveira Alves

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Phasins are important proteins controlling PHB granules formation, their number into the cell and stability. The genome sequencing of the endophytic and diazotrophic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1 revealed two homologous phasin genes. To verify the role of the phasins on PHB accumulation in the parental strain H. seropedicae SmR1, isogenic strains defective in the expression of phaP1, phaP2 or both genes were obtained by gene deletion and characterized in this work. Despite of the high sequence similarity between PhaP1 and PhaP2, PhaP1 is the major phasin in H. seropedicae, since its deletion reduced PHB accumulation by ≈ 50 % in comparison to the parental and ΔphaP2. Upon deletion of phaP1, the expression of phaP2 was 6-fold enhanced in the ΔphaP1 strain. The responsive backup expression of phaP2 partially rescued the ΔphaP1 mutant, maintaining about 50% of the parental PHB level. The double mutant ΔphaP1.2 did not accumulate PHB in any growth stage and showed a severe reduction of growth when glucose was the carbon source, a clear demonstration of negative impact in the fitness. The co-occurrence of phaP1 and phaP2 homologous in bacteria relatives of H. seropedicae, including other endophytes, indicates that the mechanism of phasin compensation by phaP2 expression may be operating in other organisms, showing that PHB metabolism is a key factor to adaptation and efficiency of endophytic bacteria.

PhaR, a Negative Regulator of PhaP, Modulates the Colonization of a Burkholderia Gut Symbiont in the Midgut of the Host Insect, Riptortus pedestris.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Seong Han; Jang, Ho Am; Lee, Junbeom; Kim, Jong Uk; Lee, Seung Ah; Park, Kyoung-Eun; Kim, Byung Hyun; Jo, Yong Hun; Lee, Bok Luel

2017-06-01

Five genes encoding PhaP family proteins and one phaR gene have been identified in the genome of Burkholderia symbiont strain RPE75. PhaP proteins function as the surface proteins of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) granules, and the PhaR protein acts as a negative regulator of PhaP biosynthesis. Recently, we characterized one phaP gene to understand the molecular cross talk between Riptortus insects and Burkholderia gut symbionts. In this study, we constructed four other phaP gene-depleted mutants (Δ phaP1 , Δ phaP2 , Δ phaP3 , and Δ phaP4 mutants), one phaR gene-depleted mutant, and a phaR -complemented mutant (Δ phaR/phaR mutant). To address the biological roles of four phaP family genes and the phaR gene during insect-gut symbiont interaction, these Burkholderia mutants were fed to the second-instar nymphs, and colonization ability and fitness parameters were examined. In vitro , the Δ phaP3 and Δ phaR mutants cannot make a PHA granule normally in a stressful environment. Furthermore, the Δ phaR mutation decreased the colonization ability in the host midgut and negatively affected the host insect's fitness compared with wild-type Burkholderia -infected insects. However, other phaP family gene-depleted mutants colonized well in the midgut of the fifth-instar nymph insects. However, in the case of females, the colonization rate of the Δ phaP3 mutant was decreased and the host's fitness parameters were decreased compared with the wild-type-infected host, suggesting that the environment of the female midgut may be more hostile than that of the male midgut. These results demonstrate that PhaR plays an important role in the biosynthesis of PHA granules and that it is significantly related to the colonization of the Burkholderia gut symbiont in the host insects' midgut. IMPORTANCE Bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis is a complex process requiring several enzymes. The biological roles of PHA granule synthesis enzymes and the surface proteins of PHA

Biocompatible, Biodegradable, and Electroactive Polyurethane-Urea Elastomers with Tunable Hydrophilicity for Skeletal Muscle Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jing; Dong, Ruonan; Ge, Juan; Guo, Baolin; Ma, Peter X

2015-12-30

It remains a challenge to develop electroactive and elastic biomaterials to mimic the elasticity of soft tissue and to regulate the cell behavior during tissue regeneration. We designed and synthesized a series of novel electroactive and biodegradable polyurethane-urea (PUU) copolymers with elastomeric property by combining the properties of polyurethanes and conducting polymers. The electroactive PUU copolymers were synthesized from amine capped aniline trimer (ACAT), dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA), polylactide, and hexamethylene diisocyanate. The electroactivity of the PUU copolymers were studied by UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Elasticity and Young's modulus were tailored by the polylactide segment length and ACAT content. Hydrophilicity of the copolymer films was tuned by changing DMPA content and doping of the copolymer. Cytotoxicity of the PUU copolymers was evaluated by mouse C2C12 myoblast cells. The myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts on copolymer films was also studied by analyzing the morphology of myotubes and relative gene expression during myogenic differentiation. The chemical structure, thermal properties, surface morphology, and processability of the PUU copolymers were characterized by NMR, FT-IR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and solubility testing, respectively. Those biodegradable electroactive elastic PUU copolymers are promising materials for repair of soft tissues such as skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and nerve.

Start a Research on Biopolymer Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giin-Yu Amy Tan

2014-03-01

Full Text Available With the impending fossil fuel crisis, the search for and development of alternative chemical/material substitutes is pivotal in reducing mankind’s dependency on fossil resources. One of the potential substitute candidates is polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA. PHA is a carbon-neutral and valuable polymer that could be produced from many renewable carbon sources by microorganisms, making it a sustainable and environmental-friendly material. At present, PHA is not cost competitive compared to fossil-derived products. Encouraging and intensifying research work on PHA is anticipated to enhance its economic viability in the future. The development of various biomolecular and chemical techniques for PHA analysis has led to the identification of many PHA-producing microbial strains, some of which are deposited in culture collections. Research work on PHA could be rapidly initiated with these ready-to-use techniques and microbial strains. This review aims to facilitate the start-up of PHA research by providing a summary of commercially available PHA-accumulating microbial cultures, PHA biosynthetic pathways, and methods for PHA detection, extraction and analysis.

Chicken feather hydrolysate as an inexpensive complex nitrogen source for PHA production by Cupriavidus necator on waste frying oils.

Science.gov (United States)

Benesova, P; Kucera, D; Marova, I; Obruca, S

2017-08-01

The chicken feather hydrolysate (FH) has been tested as a potential complex nitrogen source for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by Cupriavidus necator H16 when waste frying oil was used as a carbon source. The addition of FH into the mineral salt media with decreased inorganic nitrogen source concentration improved the yields of biomass and polyhydrohyalkanoates. The highest yields were achieved when 10 vol.% of FH prepared by microwave-assisted alkaline hydrolysis of 60 g l -1 feather was added. In this case, the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) yields were improved by more than about 50% as compared with control cultivation. A positive impact of FH was also observed for accumulation of copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) when sodium propionate was used as a precursor. The copolymer has superior processing and mechanical properties in comparison with PHB homopolymer. The application of FH eliminated the inhibitory effect of propionate and resulted in altered content of 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) in copolymer. Therefore, the hydrolysed feather can serve as an excellent complex source of nitrogen for the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production. Moreover, by the combination of two inexpensive types of waste, such as waste frying oil and feather hydrolysate, it is possible to produce PHA with substantially improved efficiency and sustainability. Millions of tons of feathers, important waste product of poultry-processing industry, are disposed off annually without any further benefits. Thus, there is an inevitable need for new technologies that enable ecologically and economically sensible processing of this waste. Herein, we report that alkali-hydrolysed feathers can be used as a complex nitrogen source considerably improving polyhydroxyalkanoates production on waste frying oil employing Cupriavidus necator. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Mixed Culture PHA Production With Alternating Feedstocks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira, C.S.S.; Duque, A.F.; Carvalho, Gilda

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics that can be obtained from industrial wastes/by-products using mixed microbial cultures (MMC). MMC PHA production is commonly carried out in a 3-stage process consisting of an acidogenic stage, a PHA producing cultu...

Fixation of zygomatic and mandibular fractures with biodegradable plates

OpenAIRE

Degala, Saikrishna; Shetty, Sujeeth; Ramya, S

2013-01-01

Context: In this prospective study, 13 randomly selected patients underwent treatment for zygomatic?complex fractures (2 site fractures) and mandibular fractures using 1.5 / 2 / 2.5-mm INION CPS biodegradable plates and screws. Aims: To assess the fixation of zygomatic-complex and mandibular fractures with biodegradable copolymer osteosynthesis system. Materials and Methods: In randomly selected 13 patients, zygomatic-complex and mandibular fractures were plated using resorbable plates and sc...

A microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) based bio- and materials industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Guo-Qiang

2009-08-01

Biopolyesters polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) produced by many bacteria have been investigated by microbiologists, molecular biologists, biochemists, chemical engineers, chemists, polymer experts and medical researchers. PHA applications as bioplastics, fine chemicals, implant biomaterials, medicines and biofuels have been developed and are covered in this critical review. Companies have been established or involved in PHA related R&D as well as large scale production. Recently, bacterial PHA synthesis has been found to be useful for improving robustness of industrial microorganisms and regulating bacterial metabolism, leading to yield improvement on some fermentation products. In addition, amphiphilic proteins related to PHA synthesis including PhaP, PhaZ or PhaC have been found to be useful for achieving protein purification and even specific drug targeting. It has become clear that PHA and its related technologies are forming an industrial value chain ranging from fermentation, materials, energy to medical fields (142 references).

Ralstonia eutropha's Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)(PHB) polymerase PhaC1 and PHB depolymerase PhaZa1 are phosphorylated in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Jüngert, Janina R; Patterson, Cameron; Jendrossek, Dieter

2018-04-20

In this study, we screened PHB synthase PhaC1 and PHB depolymerase PhaZa1 of Ralstonia eutropha for the presence of phosphorylated residues during the PHB accumulation and PHB degradation phase. Thr373 of PHB synthase PhaC1 was phosphorylated in the stationary growth phase but was not modified in the exponential and PHB accumulation phases. Ser35 of PHB depolymerase PhaZa1 was identified in phosphorylated form both in the exponential and in the stationary growth phase. Additional phosphosites were identified for both proteins in sample-dependent forms. Site-directed mutagenesis of the codon for Thr373 and other phosphosites of PhaC1 revealed a strong negative impact on PHB synthase activity. Modification of Thr26 and Ser35 of PhaZa1 reduced the ability of R. eutropha to mobilize PHB in the stationary growth phase. Our results show that phosphorylation of PhaC1 and PhaZa1 can be important for modulation of the activities of PHB synthase and PHB depolymerase. Importance Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and related polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are important intracellular carbon and energy storage compounds in many prokaryotes. The accumulation of PHB or PHAs increases the fitness of cells during periods of starvation and other stress conditions. The simultaneous presence of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthase (PhaC1) and PHB depolymerase (PhaZa1) on synthesized PHB granules in Ralstonia eutropha (alternative designation Cupriavidus necator ) has been previously shown in several laboratories. These findings imply that the activities of PHB synthase and PHB depolymerase should be regulated to avoid a futile cycle of simultaneous synthesis and degradation of PHB. Here, we addressed this question by identifying phosphorylation sites on PhaC1 and PhaZa1 and by site-directed mutagenesis of identified residues. Furthermore, we conducted in vitro and in vivo analysis of PHB synthase activity and PHB contents. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Investigation of the phase morphology of bacterial PHA inclusion bodies by contrast variation SANS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, R.A.; Holden, P.J.; Garvey, C.J.; Wilde, K.L.; Hammerton, K.M.; Foster, L.J.

2006-01-01

Under growth-limiting conditions, many bacteria are able to metabolise excess organic acids into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and store these polymers as intracellular inclusions until the return of favourable conditions. Various models have been proposed for the macromolecular organisation of the boundary layer surrounding the polymer, and contrast-variation small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to study its organisation. Inclusions formed by Pseudomonas oleovorans under hydrogenating conditions showed lowest scattering intensity at ca. 20% D 2 O. The inclusions consist of protein and membrane lipids in the boundary layer and polyhydroxyoctanoate (lipid) in the inclusion body. At 20% D 2 O the contributions of lipids were contrast matched with the solvent, indicating that lipids contributed the bulk of the scattering intensity observed at other D 2 O/H 2 O ratios. These results are inconsistent with a model of the boundary layer which proposed outer and inner layers of crystalline protein lattice sandwiching a membrane lipid membrane layer [E.S. Stuart, R.W. Lenz, R.C. Fuller, Can J Microbiol 41(Suppl 1) (1995) 84-93], and is more consistent with a model consisting of a lipid monolayer containing embedded proteins [U. Pieper-furst, M.H. Madkour, F. Mayer, A. Steinbuchel, J. Bacteriol. 176 (1994) 4328-4337.] By altering the H/D content of the precursors, we were able to collect SANS data from preparations of both deuterated and H/D copolymer inclusions, where initial PHA produced was hydrogenated followed by deuteration. Deuterated inclusions showed minimum intensity above 90% D 2 O/H 2 O whereas the sequentially produced copolymer (assumed to be in a core/shell arrangement) displayed minimum scattering some 20% lower, which is consistent with the increased hydrogenation of the boundary layer expected from its synthesis during supply of hydrogenated followed by deuterated precursors

Agro-industrial residues and starch for growth and co-production of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer and α-amylase by Bacillus sp. CFR-67

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T. R. Shamala

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA and α-amylase (α-1,4 glucan-4-glucanohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.1 were co-produced by Bacillus sp. CFR-67 using unhydrolysed corn starch as a substrate. Bacterial growth and polymer production were enhanced with the supplementation of hydrolysates of wheat bran (WBH or rice bran (RBH individually or in combination (5-20 g L-1, based on weight of soluble substrates-SS. In batch cultivation, a mixture of WBH and RBH (1:1, 10 g L-1 of SS along with ammonium acetate (1.75 g L-1 and corn starch (30 g L-1 produced maximum quantity of biomass (10 g L-1 and PHA (5.9 g L-1. The polymer thus produced was a copolymer of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate of 95:5 to 90:10 mol%. Presence of WBH and corn starch (10-50 g L-1 in the medium enhanced fermentative yield of α-amylase (2-40 U mL-1 min-1. The enzyme was active in a wide range of pH (4-9 and temperature (40-60ºC. This is the first report on simultaneous production of copolymer of bacterial PHA and α-amylase from unhydrolysed corn starch and agro-industrial residues as substrates.

Exploration of Global Trend on Biomedical Application of Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): A Patent Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ponnaiah, Paulraj; Vnoothenei, Nagiah; Chandramohan, Muruganandham; Thevarkattil, Mohamed Javad Pazhayakath

2018-01-30

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are bio-based, biodegradable naturally occurring polymers produced by a wide range of organisms, from bacteria to higher mammals. The properties and biocompatibility of PHA make it possible for a wide spectrum of applications. In this context, we analyze the potential applications of PHA in biomedical science by exploring the global trend through the patent survey. The survey suggests that PHA is an attractive candidate in such a way that their applications are widely distributed in the medical industry, drug delivery system, dental material, tissue engineering, packaging material as well as other useful products. In our present study, we explored patents associated with various biomedical applications of polyhydroxyalkanoates. Patent databases of European Patent Office, United States Patent and Trademark Office and World Intellectual Property Organization were mined. We developed an intensive exploration approach to eliminate overlapping patents and sort out significant patents. We demarcated the keywords and search criterions and established search patterns for the database request. We retrieved documents within the recent 6 years, 2010 to 2016 and sort out the collected data stepwise to gather the most appropriate documents in patent families for further scrutiny. By this approach, we retrieved 23,368 patent documents from all the three databases and the patent titles were further analyzed for the relevance of polyhydroxyalkanoates in biomedical applications. This ensued in the documentation of approximately 226 significant patents associated with biomedical applications of polyhydroxyalkanoates and the information was classified into six major groups. Polyhydroxyalkanoates has been patented in such a way that their applications are widely distributed in the medical industry, drug delivery system, dental material, tissue engineering, packaging material as well as other useful products. There are many avenues through which PHA & PHB could be

Miscibility, crystallization and mechanical properties of biodegradable blends of poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(butylene succinate-b-ethylene succinate) multiblock copolymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiao, Ling; Huang, Cai-Li; Zeng, Jian-Bing; Wang, Yu-Zhong; Wang, Xiu-Li

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The blend of PLLA and PBES showed limited miscibility. ► The crystallization rate of PLLA was accelerated by blending with PBES. ► The crystal structures of PLLA and PBES did not change. - Abstract: Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) is regarded as one of the most promising biobased and biodegradable polymers. However, its application was restricted due to the brittle nature. In the present study, PLLA was blended with a novel biodegradable flexible multiblock copolymer, poly(butylene succinate-b-ethylene succinate) (PBES) to produce new biodegradable materials. PLLA/PBES blends with different composition were prepared by solution blending and casting method with chloroform as a mutual solvent. Miscibility, crystallization behavior, and mechanical properties of the blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), and tensile tests. The results indicated that PLLA and PBES showed limited miscibility in the amorphous phase. The crystallization rate of PLLA was accelerated with the increase of PBES in the blends while the crystallization mechanism did not change. The results of tensile tests suggest that the blends showed longer elongation at break than neat PLLA. The elongation at break of PLLA was obtained to be 10%, and those of PLLA/PBES 80/20, 60/40, 40/60 and 20/80 were 29, 110, 442, and 455%, respectively.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production from fermented crude glycerol: Study on the conversion of 1,3-propanediol to PHA in mixed microbial consortia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burniol Figols, Anna; Varrone, Cristiano; Daugaard, Anders Egede

2018-01-01

Crude glycerol, a by-product from the biodiesel industry, can be converted by mixed microbial consortia into 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) and volatile fatty acids. In this study, further conversion of these main products into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) was investigated with the focus on 1,3-PDO. Two...... different approaches for the enrichment of PHA accumulating microbial consortia using an aerobic dynamic feeding strategy were applied. With the first approach, where nitrogen was present during the whole cycle, no net production of PHA from 1,3-PDO was observed in the fermented effluent, not even...... the storage response. Nitrogen was still supplied during the famine phase. With the latter strategy, a net production of PHA from 1,3-PDO was observed at a yield of 0.24 Cmol PHA/Cmol 1,3-PDO. The overall yield from the fermented effluent was 0.42 Cmol PHA/Cmol substrate. Overall, the PHA yield from 1,3-PDO...

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA: Review of synthesis, characteristics, processing and potential applications in packaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Bugnicourt

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs are gaining increasing attention in the biodegradable polymer market due to their promising properties such as high biodegradability in different environments, not just in composting plants, and processing versatility. Indeed among biopolymers, these biogenic polyesters represent a potential sustainable replacement for fossil fuel-based thermoplastics. Most commercially available PHAs are obtained with pure microbial cultures grown on renewable feedstocks (i.e. glucose under sterile conditions but recent research studies focus on the use of wastes as growth media. PHA can be extracted from the bacteria cell and then formulated and processed by extrusion for production of rigid and flexible plastic suitable not just for the most assessed medical applications but also considered for applications including packaging, moulded goods, paper coatings, non-woven fabrics, adhesives, films and performance additives. The present paper reviews the different classes of PHAs, their main properties, processing aspects, commercially available ones, as well as limitations and related improvements being researched, with specific focus on potential applications of PHAs in packaging.

Combined polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and 1,3-propanediol production from crude glycerol: Selective conversion of volatile fatty acids into PHA by mixed microbial consortia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burniol Figols, Anna; Varrone, Cristiano; Le, Simone Balzer

2018-01-01

in the supernatant by means of mixed microbial consortia selection strategies. The process showed highly reproducible results in terms of PHA yield, 0.99 ± 0.07 Cmol PHA/Cmol S (0.84 g COD PHA/g COD S), PHA content (76 ± 3.1 g PHA/100 g TSS) and 1,3-PDO recovery (99 ± 2.1%). The combined process had an ultimate...

Biodegradable shape-memory block co-polymers for fast self-expandable stents.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Liang; Dai, Shiyao; Li, Zhi

2010-11-01

Block co-polymers PCTBVs (M(n) of 36,300-65,300 g/mol, T(m) of 39-40 and 142 degrees C) containing hyperbranched three-arm poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) as switching segment and microbial polyester PHBV as crystallizable hard segment were designed as biodegradable shape-memory polymer (SMP) for fast self-expandable stent and synthesized in 96% yield by the reaction of three-arm PCL-triol (M(n) of 4200 g/mol, T(m) of 47 degrees C) with methylene diphenyl 4,4'-diisocyanate isocynate (MDI) to form the hyperbrached MDI-linked PCL (PTCM; M(n) of 25,400 g/mol and a T(m) of 38 degrees C), followed by further polymerization with PHBV-diol (M(n) of 2200 g/mol, T(m) of 137 and 148 degrees C). The polymers were characterized by (1)H NMR, GPC, DSC, tensile test, and cyclic thermomechanical tensile test. PCTBVs showed desired thermal properties, mechanical properties, and ductile nature. PCTBV containing 25 wt% PHBV (PCTBV-25) demonstrated excellent shape-memory property at 40 degrees C, with R(f) of 94%, R(r) of 98%, and shape recovery within 25s. PCTBV-25 was also shown as a safe material with good biocompatibility by cytotoxicity tests and cell growth experiments. The stent made from PCTBV-25 film showed nearly complete self-expansion at 37 degrees C within only 25 s, which is much better and faster than the best known self-expandable stents. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Triblock copolymers based on epsilon-caprolactone and trimethylene carbonate for the 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guney, Aysun; Malda, Jos; Dhert, Wouter J. A.; Grijpma, Dirk W.

Background: Biodegradable PCL-b-PTMC-b-PCL triblock copolymers based on trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and epsilon-caprolactone (CL) were prepared and used in the 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds. Triblock copolymers of various molecular weights containing equal amounts of TMC and CL were

Triblock copolymers based on ε-caprolactone and trimethylene carbonate for the 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Güney, Aysun; Malda, Jos; Dhert, Wouter J A; Grijpma, Dirk W

BACKGROUND: Biodegradable PCL-b-PTMC-b-PCL triblock copolymers based on trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and ε-caprolactone (CL) were prepared and used in the 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds. Triblock copolymers of various molecular weights containing equal amounts of TMC and CL were

Triblock copolymers based on ε-caprolactone and trimethylene carbonate for the 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Güney, Aysun; Malda, Jos; Dhert, Wouter J.A.; Grijpma, Dirk W.

2017-01-01

Background: Biodegradable PCL-b-PTMC-b-PCL triblock copolymers based on trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and ε-caprolactone (CL) were prepared and used in the 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds. Triblock copolymers of various molecular weights containing equal amounts of TMC and CL were

Biosynthesis and Lipase-Catalysed Hydrolysis of 4-Hydroxybutyrate-Containing Polyhydroxyalkanoates from Delftia acidovorans

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Diana Hooi-Ean Ch’ng

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Aims: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA having various molar fractions of 4-hydroxybutyrate has been successfully synthesized by Delftia acidovorans.Methodology and results: The monomer compositions of the PHA were varied by cultivating the bacterium in a mixture of 1,4-butanediol and sodium valerate, γ-butyrolactone and sodium valerate as well as 4-hydroxybutyric acid and sodium valerate, which resulted in the production of PHA terpolymers. Although the highest terpolymer content achieved was only 57 wt% of the dry cell weight, the 4HB molar fractions can be regulated from 2-50 mol% when culture conditions such as initial pH, inoculum concentration and aeration were varied. The in vitro degradation of [P(3HB-co-50 % 4HB] synthesized by D. acidovorans were also studied by monitoring the erosion rate of the copolymer in aqueous solutions of lipases (Lipase A ‘Amano’ 12 and Newlase F. Results have shown that the types of lipases, concentration of lipase solution and pH of the buffer solution influenced the degradation rate of the PHA copolymer.Conclusion, significance and impact of the study: The overall results have shown that D. acidovorans is a very promising strain for the production of 4HB containing PHAs with specific compositions which are very suitable to be tailor made into biodegradable and biocompatible materials for medical applications.

Biodegradation of waste PET based copolyesters in thermophilic anaerobic sludge

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hermanová, S.; Šmejkalová, P.; Merna, J.; Zarevúcka, Marie

2015-01-01

Roč. 111, Jan (2015), s. 176-184 ISSN 0141-3910 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : poly(ethylene terephthalate) * copolymers * sludge * biodegradation * hydrolysis * waste Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 3.120, year: 2015

CAVITATION PROPERTIES OF BLOCK COPOLYMER STABILIZED PHASE-SHIFT NANOEMULSIONS USED AS DRUG CARRIERS

OpenAIRE

RAPOPORT, NATALYA; CHRISTENSEN, DOUGLAS A.; KENNEDY, ANNE M.; NAM, KWEONHO

2010-01-01

Cavitation properties of block copolymer stabilized perfluoropentane nanoemulsions have been investigated. The nanoemulsions were stabilized by two biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymers differing in the structure of the hydrophobic block, poly(ethylene oxide)-co-poly(L-lactide) (PEG-PLLA) and poly(ethylene oxide)-co-polycaprolactone (PEG-PCL). Cavitation parameters were measured in liquid emulsions and gels as a function of ultrasound pressure for unfocused or focused 1-MHz ultrasound. A...

A poly(ether-ester) copolymer for the preparation of nanocarriers with improved degradation and drug delivery kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gagliardi, M.; Bertero, A.; Bardi, G.; Bifone, A.

2016-01-01

This paper reports the synthesis and the physicochemical, functional and biological characterisations of nanocarriers made of a novel di-block biodegradable poly(ether-ester) copolymer. This material presents tunable, fast biodegradation rates, but its products are less acidic than those of other biosorbable polymers like PLGA, thus presenting a better biocompatibility profile and the possibility to carry pH-sensitive payloads. A method for the production of monodisperse and spherical nanoparticles is proposed; drug delivery kinetics and blood protein adsorption were measured to evaluate the functional properties of these nanoparticles as drug carriers. The copolymer was labelled with a fluorescent dye for internalisation tests, and rhodamine B was used as a model cargo to study transport and release inside cultured cells. Biological tests demonstrated good cytocompatibility, significant cell internalisation and the possibility to vehiculate non-cell penetrating moieties into endothelial cells. Taken together, these results support the potential use of this nanoparticulate system for systemic administration of drugs. - Highlights: • We propose a novel biodegradable nanocarrier for intracellular drug delivery. • Biodegradation rates can be finely tuned by controlling copolymer composition. • Degradation products are less acidic, thus enabling delivery of pH-sensitive cargoes. • We demonstrate intracellular delivery of a non-cell-penetrating model drug. • No significant membrane damage by the polymer nanocarriers is observed.

A poly(ether-ester) copolymer for the preparation of nanocarriers with improved degradation and drug delivery kinetics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gagliardi, M., E-mail: mariacristina.gagliardi@iit.it [Center for Micro Bio-Robotics @SSSA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Italy); Bertero, A. [Department of Biology, Unit of Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Pisa, S.S.12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa (Italy); Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UNITN, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto (Italy); Bardi, G. [Center for Bio-Molecular Nanotechnologies @UniLe, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Barsanti, 73010 Arnesano (Italy); Bifone, A. [Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UNITN, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto (Italy)

2016-02-01

This paper reports the synthesis and the physicochemical, functional and biological characterisations of nanocarriers made of a novel di-block biodegradable poly(ether-ester) copolymer. This material presents tunable, fast biodegradation rates, but its products are less acidic than those of other biosorbable polymers like PLGA, thus presenting a better biocompatibility profile and the possibility to carry pH-sensitive payloads. A method for the production of monodisperse and spherical nanoparticles is proposed; drug delivery kinetics and blood protein adsorption were measured to evaluate the functional properties of these nanoparticles as drug carriers. The copolymer was labelled with a fluorescent dye for internalisation tests, and rhodamine B was used as a model cargo to study transport and release inside cultured cells. Biological tests demonstrated good cytocompatibility, significant cell internalisation and the possibility to vehiculate non-cell penetrating moieties into endothelial cells. Taken together, these results support the potential use of this nanoparticulate system for systemic administration of drugs. - Highlights: • We propose a novel biodegradable nanocarrier for intracellular drug delivery. • Biodegradation rates can be finely tuned by controlling copolymer composition. • Degradation products are less acidic, thus enabling delivery of pH-sensitive cargoes. • We demonstrate intracellular delivery of a non-cell-penetrating model drug. • No significant membrane damage by the polymer nanocarriers is observed.

Potential and Prospects of Continuous Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA Production

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Martin Koller

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Together with other so-called “bio-plastics”, Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs are expected to soon replace established polymers on the plastic market. As a prerequisite, optimized process design is needed to make PHAs attractive in terms of costs and quality. Nowadays, large-scale PHA production relies on discontinuous fed-batch cultivation in huge bioreactors. Such processes presuppose numerous shortcomings such as nonproductive time for reactor revamping, irregular product quality, limited possibility for supply of certain carbon substrates, and, most of all, insufficient productivity. Therefore, single- and multistage continuous PHA biosynthesis is increasingly investigated for production of different types of microbial PHAs; this goes for rather crystalline, thermoplastic PHA homopolyesters as well as for highly flexible PHA copolyesters, and even blocky-structured PHAs consisting of alternating soft and hard segments. Apart from enhanced productivity and constant product quality, chemostat processes can be used to elucidate kinetics of cell growth and PHA formation under constant process conditions. Furthermore, continuous enrichment processes constitute a tool to isolate novel powerful PHA-producing microbial strains adapted to special environmental conditions. The article discusses challenges, potential and case studies for continuous PHA production, and shows up new strategies to further enhance such processes economically by developing unsterile open continuous processes combined with the application of inexpensive carbon feedstocks.

Novel bio-based and biodegradable polymer blends

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shengzhe

Most plastic materials, including high performance thermoplastics and thermosets are produced entirely from petroleum-based products. The volatility of the natural oil markets and the increasing cost of petroleum have led to a push to reduce the dependence on petroleum products. Together with an increase in environmental awareness, this has promoted the use of alternative, biorenewable, environmentally-friendly products, such as biomass. The growing interest in replacing petroleum-based products by inexpensive, renewable, natural materials is important for sustainable development into the future and will have a significant impact on the polymer industry and the environment. This thesis involved characterization and development of two series of novel bio-based polymer blends, namely polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)/polyamide (PA) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/soy protein. Blends with different concentrations and compatible microstructures were prepared using twin-screw extruder. For PHA/PA blends, the poor mechanical properties of PHA improved significantly with an excellent combination of strength, stiffness and toughness by adding PA. Furthermore, the effect of blending on the viscoelastic properties has been investigated using small-amplitude oscillatory shear flow experiments as a function of blend composition and angular frequency. The elastic shear modulus (G‧) and complex viscosity of the blends increased significantly with increasing the concentration of PHA. Blending PLA with soy protein aims at reducing production cost, as well as accelerating the biodegradation rate in soil medium. In this work, the mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of the blends were investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and tensile tests.

Preservation of beech and spruce wood by allyl alcohol-based copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solpan, Dilek; Gueven, Olgun

1999-01-01

Allyl alcohol (AA), acrylonitrile (AN), methyl methacrylate (MMA), monomers and monomer mixtures AA+AN, AA+MMA were used to conserve and consolidate Beech and Spruce. After impregnation, copolymerisation and polymerisation were accomplished by gamma irradiation. The fine structure of wood+polymer(copolymer) composites was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It was observed that copolymer obtained from AA+MMA monomer mixture showed the optimum compatibility. The compressional strength and Brinell Hardness Numbers determined for untreated and treated wood samples indicated that the mechanical strength of wood+copolymer composites was increased. It was found that the mechanical strength of the wood samples containing the AA+MMA copolymer was higher than the others. In the presence of P(AA/MMA), at highest conversion, the compressive strength perpendicular to the fibres in Beech and Spruce increased approximately 100 times. The water uptake capacity of wood+copolymer composites was observed to decrease by more than 50% relative to the original samples, and biodegradation did not take place

Co-Expression of ORFCma with PHB Depolymerase (PhaZCma ) in Escherichia coli Induces Efficient Whole-Cell Biodegradation of Polyesters.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ming-Chieh; Liu, En-Jung; Yang, Cheng-Han; Hsiao, Li-Jung; Wu, Tzong-Ming; Li, Si-Yu

2018-04-01

Whole-cell degradation of polyesters not only avoids the tedious process of enzyme separation, but also allows the degraded product to be reused as a carbon source. In this study, Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) harboring phaZ Cma , a gene encoding poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) depolymerase from Caldimonas manganoxidans, is constructed. The extra-cellular fraction of E. coli/pPHAZ exhibits a fast PHB degradation rate where it only took 35 h to completely degrade PHB films, while C. manganoxidans takes 81 h to do the same. The co-expression of ORF Cma (a putative periplasmic substrate binding protein that is within the same operon of phaZ Cma ) further improves the PHB degradation. While 28 h is needed for E. coli/pPHAZ to cause an 80% weight loss in PHB films, E. coli/pORFPHAZ needs only 21 h. Furthermore, it is able to degrade at-least four different polyesters, PHB, poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), and poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA). Testing of the time course of 3-hydroxybutyrate concentration and the turbidity of the degradation solutions over time shows that PhaZ Cma has both exo- and endo-enzymatic activity. The whole-cell E. coli/pORFPHAZ can be used for recycling various polyesters while ORF Cma can potentially be a universal element for enhancing the secretion of recombinant protein. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

PHA annual report 2009-2010

OpenAIRE

Public Health Agency

2010-01-01

The Public Health Agency Annual report 2009–2010 report provides background information about the PHA, highlights the achievements during the2009–2010 financial year and provides an overview of work undertaken in priority areas for each directorate within the organisation. The summary financial accounts are presented in the operating and financial review section of the report and members of the PHA board are detailed within the report also.

PHA annual report 2009-2010

OpenAIRE

Public Health Agency

2010-01-01

The Public Health Agency Annual report 2009��-2010 report provides background information about the PHA, highlights the achievements during the�2009-2010 financial year and provides an overview of work undertaken in priority areas for each directorate within the organisation.The summary financial accounts are presented in the operating and financial review section of the report and members of the PHA board are detailed within the report also.�

Biodegradation, Biocompatibility, and Drug Delivery in Poly(ω-pentadecalactone-co-p-dioxanone) Copolyesters

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jie; Jiang, Zhaozhong; Zhang, Shengmin; Liu, Chen; Gross, Richard A.; Kyriakides, Themis R.; Saltzman, W. Mark

2011-01-01

Poly(ω-pentadecalactone-co-p-dioxanone) [poly(PDL-co-DO)] copolyesters are copolymers of an isodimorphic system, which remain semicrystalline over the whole range of compositions. Here, we evaluated enzymatically synthesized poly(PDL-co-DO) copolymers as new materials for biomedical applications. In vivo experiments using mice showed that the copolyesters are well tolerated, with tissue responses that are comparable to poly(p-dioxanone). In addition, the copolymers were found to degrade hydrolytically at controlled rates over a period of several months under physiological conditions. The poly(PDL-co-DO) copolymers with up to 69 mol% DO units were successfully transformed to free-standing nanoparticles that are capable of encapsulating an anticancer drug, doxorubicin, or a polynucleotide, siRNA. Drug- or siRNA-loaded nanoparticles exhibited controlled and continuous release of agent over many weeks. In addition, siLUC-encapsulated poly(PDL-co-DO) nanoparticles were active in inhibiting luciferase gene expression in LUC-RKO cells. Because of substantial differences in structure and hydrophobicity between PDL and DO units, poly(PDL-co-DO) biodegradation rate and physical properties can be tuned over a wide range depending on the copolymer composition. Our results demonstrate that the semicrystalline and biodegradable poly(PDL-co-DO) copolyesters are promising biomaterials to serve as drug carriers, as well as potential raw materials for constructing bioabsorbable sutures and other medical devices. PMID:21641030

Radiation effects on biodegradable polyesters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiroshi Mitomo; Darmawan Darwis; Fumio Yoshii; Keizo Makuuchi

1999-01-01

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] and its copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] are microbial biodegradable polyesters produced by many types of bacteria. Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(E-caprolactone) (PCL) are also biodegradable synthetic polyesters which have been commercialized. These thermoplastics are expected for wide usage in environmental protection and blocompatible applications. Radiation grafting of hydrophilic monomers onto many polymers, e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene has been studied mainly for biomedical applications. In the present study, radiation-induced graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto PHB and P(3HB-co-3HV) was carried out and improvement of their properties was studied. Changes in the properties and biodegradability were compared with the degree of grafting. Radiation-induced crosslinking of PBS and PCL which relatively show thermal and irradiation stability was also carried out to improve their thermal stability or processability. Irradiation to PBS and PCL mainly resulted in crosslinking and characterization of these crosslinked polyesters was investigated

Indirect rapid prototyping of antibacterial acid anhydride copolymer microneedles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boehm, Ryan D; Miller, Philip R; Singh, Ritika; Narayan, Roger J; Shah, Akash; Stafslien, Shane; Daniels, Justin

2012-01-01

Microneedles are needle-like projections with microscale features that may be used for transdermal delivery of a variety of pharmacologic agents, including antibacterial agents. In the study described in this paper, an indirect rapid prototyping approach involving a combination of visible light dynamic mask micro-stereolithography and micromolding was used to prepare microneedle arrays out of a biodegradable acid anhydride copolymer, Gantrez® AN 169 BF. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry and nanoindentation studies were performed to evaluate the chemical and mechanical properties of the Gantrez® AN 169 BF material. Agar plating studies were used to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial performance of these arrays against Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Large zones of growth inhibition were noted for Escherichia coli, S. aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and B. subtilis. The performance of Gantrez® AN 169 BF against several bacteria suggests that biodegradable acid anhydride copolymer microneedle arrays prepared using visible light dynamic mask micro-stereolithography micromolding may be useful for treating a variety of skin infections. (communication)

Modelling of microbial polyhydroxyalkanoate surface binding protein PhaP for rational mutagenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hongyu; Yao, Zhenyu; Chen, Xiangbin; Wang, Xinquan; Chen, Guo-Qiang

2017-11-01

Phasins are unusual amphiphilic proteins that bind to microbial polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) granules in nature and show great potential for various applications in biotechnology and medicine. Despite their remarkable diversity, only the crystal structure of PhaP A h from Aeromonas hydrophila has been solved to date. Based on the structure of PhaP A h , homology models of PhaP A z from Azotobacter sp. FA-8 and PhaP TD from Halomonas bluephagenesis TD were successfully established, allowing rational mutagenesis to be conducted to enhance the stability and surfactant properties of these proteins. PhaP A z mutants, including PhaP A z Q38L and PhaP A z Q78L, as well as PhaP TD mutants, including PhaP TD Q38M and PhaP TD Q72M, showed better emulsification properties and improved thermostability (6-10°C higher melting temperatures) compared with their wild-type homologues under the same conditions. Importantly, the established PhaP homology-modelling approach, based on the high-resolution structure of PhaP A h , can be generalized to facilitate the study of other PhaP members. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Characterisation of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers with controllable four-monomer composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Yu; Lambert, Lynette; Yuan, Zhiguo; Keller, Jurg

2008-03-20

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers comprising the four monomers 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV), 3-hydroxy-2-methylvalerate (3HMV) and 3-hydroxy-2-methylbutyrate (3HMB) were generated using the recently discovered Defluviicoccus vanus-related glycogen accumulating organisms (DvGAOs) under anaerobic conditions without applying any nutrient limitations. The composition could be manipulated in a defined range by modifying the ratio of propionate and acetate provided in the feed stream. The PHAs produced were characterised as random copolymers (from propionate alone) or a mixture of random copolymers (from mixture of propionate and acetate) through microstructure analysis using 13C NMR spectroscopy. The sequence distribution of all eight comonomer pairs in the carbonyl region of 3HB and 3HV was identified and assigned with confidence utilising two-dimensional heteronuclear multiple bond coherence (HMBC) spectroscopy. Weight average molecular weights were in the range 390-560 kg/mol. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) traces showed that the melting temperature (Tm) varied between 70 and 161 degrees C and glass transition temperature (Tg) ranged from -8 to 0 degrees C. The incorporation of considerable amounts of 3HMV and 3HMB monomer units introduced additional "defects" into the PHBV copolymer structure and hence greatly lowered the crystallinity. The data indicate the potential of these four-monomer PHAs to be employed for practical applications, considering their favourable properties and the cost-effective production process using a mixed culture and simple carbon sources.

Biodegradable plastics from Sinorhizobium meliloti as plastics compatible with the environment and human health

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Mehrdad Hashemi Beidokhti

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs are natural polyesters and biodegradable plastics that are stored as intracellular inclusion bodies by a great variety of bacteria. The aim of this study was to extract polyhydroxyalkanoate from native Sinorhizobium meliloti in Iran. Materials and methods: Sinorhizobium meliloti isolates were collected from roots of alfalfa plants and were identified by Gram staining, biochemical experiments and amplification of 1500 bp fragment of 16Sr DNA gene. PHA granules were detected by microscopic examination. PHA production was evaluated in nutrient deficient medium and its amount was determined by conversion of PHA into crotonic acid by sulphuric acid treatment. The effect of various temperatures, agitation rate and carbon source (sucrose, mannitol, and maltose were evaluated on dry cell weight and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB production. Results: The maximum amount of polymer production (43.10% was seen in basal mineral medium at 29°C, pH~7 and 215 revolutions per minute (rpm. The results of this research showed that the S5 isolate was capable to produce maximum poly3- hydroxybutyrate. The produced polymer was analyzed for its purity by GC- mass (gas chromatography- mass spectroscopy and confirmed to be PHB compared with the standard polymer. Discussion and conclusion: Native strains of Sinorhizobium can be used in the production of biodegradable plastics and the results of present study showed that S. meliloti S5 was capable to produce maximum PHB at 29°C, agitation rate of 215 rpm, and pH~7. 

Sequence analysis and structure prediction of type II Pseudomonas sp. USM 4–55 PHA synthase and an insight into its catalytic mechanism

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Ahmad Khairudin Nurul

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA, are biodegradable polyesters derived from many microorganisms such as the pseudomonads. These polyesters are in great demand especially in the packaging industries, the medical line as well as the paint industries. The enzyme responsible in catalyzing the formation of PHA is PHA synthase. Due to the limited structural information, its functional properties including catalysis are lacking. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the structural properties as well as its catalytic mechanism by predicting the three-dimensional (3D model of the Type II Pseudomonas sp. USM 4–55 PHA synthase 1 (PhaC1P.sp USM 4–55. Results Sequence analysis demonstrated that PhaC1P.sp USM 4–55 lacked similarity with all known structures in databases. PSI-BLAST and HMM Superfamily analyses demonstrated that this enzyme belongs to the alpha/beta hydrolase fold family. Threading approach revealed that the most suitable template to use was the human gastric lipase (PDB ID: 1HLG. The superimposition of the predicted PhaC1P.sp USM 4–55 model with 1HLG covering 86.2% of the backbone atoms showed an RMSD of 1.15 Å. The catalytic residues comprising of Cys296, Asp451 and His479 were found to be conserved and located adjacent to each other. In addition to this, an extension to the catalytic mechanism was also proposed whereby two tetrahedral intermediates were believed to form during the PHA biosynthesis. These transition state intermediates were further postulated to be stabilized by the formation of oxyanion holes. Based on the sequence analysis and the deduced model, Ser297 was postulated to contribute to the formation of the oxyanion hole. Conclusion The 3D model of the core region of PhaC1P.sp USM 4–55 from residue 267 to residue 484 was developed using computational techniques and the locations of the catalytic residues were identified. Results from this study for the first time highlighted Ser297 potentially

Novel extracellular PHB depolymerase from Streptomyces ascomycinicus: PHB copolymers degradation in acidic conditions.

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Javier García-Hidalgo

Full Text Available The ascomycin-producer strain Streptomyces ascomycinicus has been proven to be an extracellular poly(R-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB degrader. The fkbU gene, encoding a PHB depolymerase (PhaZ Sa , has been cloned in E. coli and Rhodococcus sp. T104 strains for gene expression. Gram-positive host Rhodococcus sp. T104 was able to produce and secrete to the extracellular medium an active protein form. PhaZ Sa was purified by two hydrophobic interaction chromatographic steps, and afterwards was biochemically as well as structurally characterized. The enzyme was found to be a monomer with a molecular mass of 48.4 kDa, and displayed highest activity at 45°C and pH 6, thus being the first PHB depolymerase from a gram-positive bacterium presenting an acidic pH optimum. The PHB depolymerase activity of PhaZ Sa was increased in the presence of divalent cations due to non-essential activation, and also in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin and PEG 3350. Protein structure was analyzed, revealing a globular shape with an alpha-beta hydrolase fold. The amino acids comprising the catalytic triad, Ser(131-Asp(209-His(269, were identified by multiple sequence alignment, chemical modification of amino acids and site-directed mutagenesis. These structural results supported the proposal of a three-dimensional model for this depolymerase. PhaZ Sa was able to degrade PHB, but also demonstrated its ability to degrade films made of PHB, PHBV copolymers and a blend of PHB and starch (7∶3 proportion wt/wt. The features shown by PhaZ Sa make it an interesting candidate for industrial applications involving PHB degradation.

Novel extracellular PHB depolymerase from Streptomyces ascomycinicus: PHB copolymers degradation in acidic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Hidalgo, Javier; Hormigo, Daniel; Arroyo, Miguel; de la Mata, Isabel

2013-01-01

The ascomycin-producer strain Streptomyces ascomycinicus has been proven to be an extracellular poly(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) degrader. The fkbU gene, encoding a PHB depolymerase (PhaZ Sa ), has been cloned in E. coli and Rhodococcus sp. T104 strains for gene expression. Gram-positive host Rhodococcus sp. T104 was able to produce and secrete to the extracellular medium an active protein form. PhaZ Sa was purified by two hydrophobic interaction chromatographic steps, and afterwards was biochemically as well as structurally characterized. The enzyme was found to be a monomer with a molecular mass of 48.4 kDa, and displayed highest activity at 45°C and pH 6, thus being the first PHB depolymerase from a gram-positive bacterium presenting an acidic pH optimum. The PHB depolymerase activity of PhaZ Sa was increased in the presence of divalent cations due to non-essential activation, and also in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin and PEG 3350. Protein structure was analyzed, revealing a globular shape with an alpha-beta hydrolase fold. The amino acids comprising the catalytic triad, Ser(131)-Asp(209)-His(269), were identified by multiple sequence alignment, chemical modification of amino acids and site-directed mutagenesis. These structural results supported the proposal of a three-dimensional model for this depolymerase. PhaZ Sa was able to degrade PHB, but also demonstrated its ability to degrade films made of PHB, PHBV copolymers and a blend of PHB and starch (7∶3 proportion wt/wt). The features shown by PhaZ Sa make it an interesting candidate for industrial applications involving PHB degradation.

A new biological recovery approach for PHA using mealworm, Tenebrio molitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Murugan, Paramasivam; Han, Lizhu; Gan, Chee-Yuen; Maurer, Frans H J; Sudesh, Kumar

2016-12-10

Bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are expensive partly due to the recovery and purification processes. Thus, many studies have been carried out in order to minimize the cost. Here we report on the use of mealworm, which is the larva of mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor) to recover PHA granules from Cupriavidus necator. Mealworms were shown to readily consume the freeze-dried C. necator cells and excrete the PHA granules in the form of whitish feces. Further purification using water, detergent and heat resulted in almost 100% pure PHA granules. Comparison with chloroform extraction showed no signs of reduction in the molecular weight and dispersion of the PHA molecules. Scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering measurements revealed that the biologically recovered PHA granules retained their native spherical morphology. The PHA granules were subjected to a battery of tests to determine their purity and properties in comparison to the chloroform extracted PHA. This study has demonstrated the possibility of using mealworms as a biological agent to partially purify the PHA granules. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polyester-Based (Bio)degradable Polymers as Environmentally Friendly Materials for Sustainable Development

Science.gov (United States)

Rydz, Joanna; Sikorska, Wanda; Kyulavska, Mariya; Christova, Darinka

2014-01-01

This review focuses on the polyesters such as polylactide and polyhydroxyalkonoates, as well as polyamides produced from renewable resources, which are currently among the most promising (bio)degradable polymers. Synthetic pathways, favourable properties and utilisation (most important applications) of these attractive polymer families are outlined. Environmental impact and in particular (bio)degradation of aliphatic polyesters, polyamides and related copolymer structures are described in view of the potential applications in various fields. PMID:25551604

FY1995 biodegradable medical devices with molecular piston function; 1995 nendo bunshi piston kino wo yusuru iryoyo tainai bunkaisei soshi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

The design of biodegradable medical devices with molecular piston function is examined by utilizing the structure of polyrotaxane. A polyrotaxane in which {beta}-cyclodextrins ({beta}-CDs) are threaded onto a block-copolymer of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) is synthesized, and its molecular dynamics is evaluated in terms of the movement of {beta}-CDs along the copolymer. Also, polyrotaxanes in which {alpha}-cyclodextrins ({alpha}-CDs) are threaded onto a PEG chain capped with biodegradable peptide moieties are synthesized, and their degradation characteristics concerning {alpha}-CD release behavior are clarified. Cellular response to these polyrotaxanes is examined as a bioactive molecule. The polyrotaxane composed of {beta}-CDs and the block-copolymer was synthesized, and both assembled and dispersed states of {alpha}-CDs were characterized along the copolymer in response to external stimulus (temperature). Further, the polyrotaxane composed of {alpha}-CDs and PEG were synthesize, and their facility as a drug carrier was evaluated in terms of the release of {alpha}-CDs triggered by the hydrolysis of terminal peptides. Also, these biodegradable polyrotaxanes were found to enhance the fluidity of plasma membranes and to regulate cellular activation (cytoplasmic calcium increase). Thus, the polyrotaxanes were concluded to be promising as novel biomaterials aiming for medical micromachines and polymeric drug carriers. (NEDO)

24 CFR 983.252 - PHA information for accepted family.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false PHA information for accepted family... family. (a) Oral briefing. When a family accepts an offer of PBV assistance, the PHA must give the family... of how the program works; and (2) Family and owner responsibilities. (b) Information packet. The PHA...

Análisis de las polihidroxialcanoato sintasas (PhaC1 y PhaC2 en una cepa de Pseudomonas fluorescens IBUN S1602, aislada en suelos colombianos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julieth Serrano Riaño

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Título en ingles: Analysis of polyhydroxyalkanoate synthases (PhaC1 and PhaC2 in a strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens   IBUN S1602 isolated from Colombian soil. Resumen La cepa Pseudomonas fluorescens IBUN S1602 conforma el grupo de aislamientos provenientes de suelos colombianos de caña de azúcar, que acumula polihidrioxialcanoato (PHA, fue seleccionada como promisoria para escalamiento comercial por tener afinidad por sustratos alternativos y económicos como el glicerol, aceites usados, suero de leche, entre otros. Dada la importancia de la enzima sintasa en la síntesis de los PHAs, en el presente trabajo se realizó el análisis molecular de los genes phaC1 y phaC2 que codifican las enzimas sintasas tipo II (PhaC1 y PhaC2. Para la obtención de los amplímeros requeridos en la secuenciación, se utilizó la técnica de PCR bajo condiciones estandarizadas para iniciadores diseñados reportados en las bases de datos. Se identificaron dos fragmentos de 1680 pb y 1683 pb correspondientes a  phaC1 y phaC2. El análisis comparativo de las secuencias proteicas resultantes de estos genes demuestra que la sintasa  IBUN S1602 contiene la región α/β hidrolasa y 8 residuos de aminoácidos conservados, que son características de las sintasas examinadas a nivel mundial. Se analizó la estructura enzimática a nivel primario y se predijo la secundaria. Se concluyó que  las sintasas de la cepa Pseudomonas fluorescens IBUN S1602 presentan alta homología con las sintasas tipo II  que se reportan para Pseudomonas. Los resultados obtenidos contribuyen al entendimiento básico de la biosíntesis de PHA,  la cual permitirá, en un futuro, el aumento de la calidad de PHA debida a la modulación del nivel de sintasa que se exprese en un organismo recombinante, con el fin de variar el peso molecular del biopolímero, propiedad esencial en el estudio de aplicaciones industriales.   Palabras clave: polihidroxialcanoatos, PHA sintasa, bioinform

Water absorption and biodegradation kinetics of highly filled EOC-FS biocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Zykova, A. K.; Pantyukhov, P. V.; Platov, Yu. T.; Bobojonova, G. A.; Ramos, C. Chaverri; Popov, A. A.

2017-12-01

The paper analyzes the water absorption and biodegradation kinetics in highly filled biocomposites based on ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC) and oil flax straw (FS). It is shown that adding the filler to EOC increases the water absorption from 0 to 22%. The tendency can be explained both by the low interfacial adhesion of EOC to FS and by the hydrophilic nature of the filler. According to biodegradation tests (10 months), the mass of pure EOC remains unchanged, suggesting that it fails to biodegrade in the environment. Increasing the filler content increases the weight loss of the composites and the degree of microbiological contamination (fungi filaments, bacteria) as evidenced by optical microscopy.

Localization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) granule-associated proteins during PHB granule formation and identification of two new phasins, PhaP6 and PhaP7, in Ralstonia eutropha H16.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeiffer, Daniel; Jendrossek, Dieter

2012-11-01

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) granules are covered by a surface layer consisting of mainly phasins and other PHB granule-associated proteins (PGAPs). Phasins are small amphiphilic proteins that determine the number and size of accumulated PHB granules. Five phasin proteins (PhaP1 to PhaP5) are known for Ralstonia eutropha. In this study, we identified three additional potential phasin genes (H16_B1988, H16_B2296, and H16_B2326) by inspection of the R. eutropha genome for sequences with "phasin 2 motifs." To determine whether the corresponding proteins represent true PGAPs, fusions with eYFP (enhanced yellow fluorescent protein) were constructed. Similar fusions of eYFP with PhaP1 to PhaP5 as well as fusions with PHB synthase (PhaC1), an inactive PhaC1 variant (PhaC1-C319A), and PhaC2 were also made. All fusions were investigated in wild-type and PHB-negative backgrounds. Colocalization with PHB granules was found for all PhaC variants and for PhaP1 to PhaP5. Additionally, eYFP fusions with H16_B1988 and H16_B2326 colocalized with PHB. Fusions of H16_B2296 with eYFP, however, did not colocalize with PHB granules but did colocalize with the nucleoid region. Notably, all fusions (except H16_B2296) were soluble in a ΔphaC1 strain. These data confirm that H16_B1988 and H16_B2326 but not H16_B2296 encode true PGAPs, for which we propose the designation PhaP6 (H16_B1988) and PhaP7 (H16_B2326). When localization of phasins was investigated at different stages of PHB accumulation, fusions of PhaP6 and PhaP7 were soluble in the first 3 h under PHB-permissive conditions, although PHB granules appeared after 10 min. At later time points, the fusions colocalized with PHB. Remarkably, PHB granules of strains expressing eYFP fusions with PhaP5, PhaP6, or PhaP7 localized predominantly near the cell poles or in the area of future septum formation. This phenomenon was not observed for the other PGAPs (PhaP1 to PhaP4, PhaC1, PhaC1-C319A, and PhaC2) and indicated that some phasins

METHOD FOR PROVIDING SHAPED BIODEGRADABLE AND ELASTOMERIC STRUCTURES OF (CO) POLYMERS OF 1,3-TRIMETHYLENE CARBONATE (TMC), SHAPED BIODEGRADABLE AND ELASTOMERIC STRUCTURES, AND THE USE OF THESE STRUCTURES

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grijpma, D.W.; Pêgo, A.P.; Feijen, Jan

2004-01-01

The present invention relates to methods for providing shaped biodegradable and elastomeric structures of (co)polymers of 1,3­trimethylene carbonate (TMC) with improved (mechanical) properties which can be used for tissue or tissue component support, generation or regeneration. Such shaped

Controlled Synthesis of AB2 amphiphilic triarm star-shaped block copolymers by ring-opening polymerization

OpenAIRE

Petrova, Svetla; Riva, Raphaël; Jérôme, Christine; Lecomte, Philippe; Mateva, Rosa

2009-01-01

This paper describes the synthesis of a novel amphiphilic AB2 triarm star-shaped copolymer with A = non-toxic and biocompatible hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and B = biodegradable and hydrophobic poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). A series of AB2 triarm star-shaped copolymers with different molecular weights for the PCL block were successfully synthesized by a three-step procedure. α-methoxy-ω-epoxy-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-epoxide) was first synthesized by the nucleophilic substitution of...

[A comparative study of biodegradation kinetics of biopolymer systems based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)].

Science.gov (United States)

Boskhomdzhiev, A P; Banartsev, A P; Makhina, T K; Myshkina, V L; Ivanov, E A; Bagrov, D V; Filatova, E V; Iordanskiĭ, A L; Bonartseva, G A

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate and to compare of long-term kinetics curves of biodegradation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), its copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), and PHB/polylactic acid blend. The total weight loss and the change of average viscosity molecular weight were used as an index of biodegradation degree. The rate of biodegradation was analyzed in vitro in presence oflipase and in vivo when the films were implanted in animal tissues. The morphology of PHB films surface was studied by atomic force microscopy technique. It was shown that biodegradation of PHB is occurred by means of as polymer hydrolysis, and as its enzymatic biodegradation. The obtained data can be used for development of medical devices on the base of PHB.

Accumulation of a poly(hydroxyalkanoate) copolymer containing primarily 3-hydroxyvalerate from simple carbohydrate substrates by Rhodococcus sp. NCIMB 40126.

Science.gov (United States)

Haywood, G W; Anderson, A J; Williams, D R; Dawes, E A; Ewing, D F

1991-04-01

A number of taxonomically-related bacteria have been identified which accumulate poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) copolymers containing primarily 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) monomer units from a range of unrelated single carbon sources. One of these, Rhodococcus sp. NCIMB 40126, was further investigated and shown to produce a copolymer containing 75 mol% 3HV and 25 mol% 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) from glucose as sole carbon source. Polyesters containing both 3HV and 3HB monomer units, together with 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB), 5-hydroxyvalerate (5HV) or 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx), were also produced by this organism from certain accumulation substrates. With valeric acid as substrate, almost pure (99 mol% 3HV) poly(3-hydroxyvalerate) was produced. N.m.r. analysis confirmed the composition of these polyesters. The thermal properties and molecular weight of the copolymer produced from glucose were comparable to those of PHB produced by Alcaligenes eutrophus.

Biodegradation of polyester. Polyester no bunkai sei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tokiwa, Y. (Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo (Japan). Fermentation Research Inst.)

1991-09-10

Penicillium sp. 14-3 and penicillium sp. 26-1 can degrade various kinds of polyester. The results of studies made on hydrolysis of polyester by enzyme, hydrolysis of polyester by various kinds of lipase, and degradation of ester type polyurethane by microbes and lipase are introduced. For the improvement of physical properties of aliphatic polyester, aromatic-aliphatic polyester copolymers (CPE) have been synthesized to study the biodegradability. Copolymer in which a number of polyamide (nylon) are alternately introduced (CPAE) to aliphatic polyester has been developed. The result of studies made on the degradability of a blended body of PCL and natural high polymer, and on the collapsibility by lipase of high polymer materials including aliphatic polyamide are introduced. 26 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Composition and property measurements for PHA Phase 4 glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, T.B.

2000-01-01

The results presented in this report are for nine Precipitate Hydrolysis Aqueous (PHA) Phase 4 glasses. Three of the glasses contained HM sludge at 22, 26, and 30 wt% respectively, 10 wt% PHA and 1.25 wt% monosodium titanate (MST), all on an oxide basis. The remaining six glasses were selected from the Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies (Purex sludge) but with an increased amount of MST. The high-end target for MST of 2.5 wt% oxide was missed in Phases 1 and 2 due to ∼30 wt% water content of the MST. A goal of this Phase 4 study was to determine whether this increase in titanium concentration from the MST had any impact on glass quality or processibility. Two of the glasses, pha14c and pha15c, were rebatched and melted due to apparent batching errors with pha14 and pha15. The models currently in the Defense Waste Processing Facility's (DWPF) Product Composition Control System (PCCS) were used to predict durability, homogeneity, liquidus, and viscosity for these nine glasses. All of the HM glasses and half of the Purex glasses were predicted to be phase separated, and consequently prediction of glass durability is precluded with the cument models for those glasses that failed the homogeneity constraint. If one may ignore the homogeneity constraint, the measured durabilities were within the 95% prediction limits of the model. Further efforts will be required to resolve this issue on phase separation (inhomogeneity). The liquidus model predicted unacceptable liquidus temperatures for four of the nine glasses. The approximate, bounding liquidus temperatures measured for all had upper limits of 1,000 C or less. Given the fact that liquidus temperatures were only approximated, the 30 wt% loading of Purex may be near or at the edge of acceptability for liquidus. The measured viscosities were close to the predictions of the model. For the Purex glasses, pha12c and pha15c, the measured viscosities of 28 and 23 poise, respectively, indicate that DWPF processing may be compromised

Highly filled biocomposites based on ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and wood flour

Science.gov (United States)

Shelenkov, P. G.; Pantyukhov, P. V.; Popov, A. A.

2018-05-01

Recently, there is a great interest in the world to biodegradable materials based on synthetic polymers in a composition with natural fillers. Highly filled polymer composite materials based on various grades of synthetic block copolymer of ethylene vinyl acetate with wood flour were under investigation. Five grades of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer differing in the content of vinyl acetate groups and a melt flow index were used in this work in order to find the best one for highly filled biocomposites. Wood flour content in biocomposites was 50, 60, 70 weight %. The rheological and physico-mechanical characteristics of the resulting biocomposites were studied.

PHA Annual report and accounts 2014-2015

OpenAIRE

Public Health Agency

2015-01-01

The Public Health Agency Annual report 2014 2015 provides background information about the PHA, highlights the achievements during the�2014-2015 financial year and provides an overview of work undertaken in priority areas�within each directorate�of�the organisation.The�full financial accounts are included in this report as is�information on members of the PHA board.Click here for the PDF.

PHA Annual report and accounts 2012-2013

OpenAIRE

Public Health Agency

2013-01-01

The Public Health Agency Annual report 2012-2013 provides background information about the PHA, highlights the achievements during the�2012-2013 financial year and provides an overview of work undertaken in priority areas�within each directorate�of�the organisation.The�full financial accounts are included in this report as is�information on members of the PHA board.Click here for the PDF

Accumulation of PHA granules in Cupriavidus necator as seen by confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mravec, Filip; Obruca, Stanislav; Krzyzanek, Vladislav; Sedlacek, Petr; Hrubanova, Kamila; Samek, Ota; Kucera, Dan; Benesova, Pavla; Nebesarova, Jana

2016-05-01

Many bacteria are capable of accumulating intracellular granules of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). In this work, we developed confocal microscopy analysis of bacterial cells to study changes in the diameters of cells as well as PHA granules during growth and PHA accumulation in the bacterium Cupriavidus necator H16 (formerly Ralstonia eutropha). The cell envelope was stained by DiD(®) fluorescent probe and PHA granules by Nile Red. Signals from both probes were separated based on their spectral and fluorescence life-time properties. During growth and PHA accumulation, bacterial cells increased their length but the width of the cells remained constant. The volume fraction of PHA granules in cells increased during PHA accumulation, nevertheless, its value did not exceed 40 vol. % regardless of the PHA weight content. It seems that bacterial cultures lengthen the cells in order to control the PHA volume portion. However, since similar changes in cell length were also observed in a PHA non-accumulating mutant, it seems that there is no direct control mechanism, which regulates the prolongation of the cells with respect to PHA granules volume. It is more likely that PHA biosynthesis and the length of cells are influenced by the same external stimuli such as nutrient limitation. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Engineered biosynthesis of biodegradable polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Jambunathan, Pooja; Zhang, Kechun

2016-08-01

Advances in science and technology have resulted in the rapid development of biobased plastics and the major drivers for this expansion are rising environmental concerns of plastic pollution and the depletion of fossil-fuels. This paper presents a broad view on the recent developments of three promising biobased plastics, polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS), well known for their biodegradability. The article discusses the natural and recombinant host organisms used for fermentative production of monomers, alternative carbon feedstocks that have been used to lower production cost, different metabolic engineering strategies used to improve product titers, various fermentation technologies employed to increase productivities and finally, the different downstream processes used for recovery and purification of the monomers and polymers.

Safety analysis of tritium processing system based on PHA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Wanfa; Luo Deli; Tang Tao

2012-01-01

Safety analysis on primary confinement of tritium processing system for TBM was carried out with Preliminary Hazard Analysis. Firstly, the basic PHA process was given. Then the function and safe measures with multiple confinements about tritium system were described and analyzed briefly, dividing the two kinds of boundaries of tritium transferring through, that are multiple confinement systems division and fluid loops division. Analysis on tritium releasing is the key of PHA. Besides, PHA table about tritium releasing was put forward, the causes and harmful results being analyzed, and the safety measures were put forward also. On the basis of PHA, several kinds of typical accidents were supposed to be further analyzed. And 8 factors influencing the tritium safety were analyzed, laying the foundation of evaluating quantitatively the safety grade of various nuclear facilities. (authors)

Synthesis and flocculation properties of gum ghatti andpoly(acrylamide-co-acrylonitrile) based biodegradable hydrogels

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mittal, H

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This article reports the development of biodegradable flocculants based on graft co-polymers of gum ghatti (Gg) and a mixture of acrylamide and acrylonitrile co-monomers (AAm-co-AN). The hydrogel polymer exhibited an excellent swelling capacity...

The Opportunity for High-Performance Biomaterials from Methane.

Science.gov (United States)

Strong, Peter James; Laycock, Bronwyn; Mahamud, Syarifah Nuraqmar Syed; Jensen, Paul Douglas; Lant, Paul Andrew; Tyson, Gene; Pratt, Steven

2016-02-03

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers are widely recognised as outstanding candidates to replace conventional petroleum-derived polymers. Their mechanical properties are good and can be tailored through copolymer composition, they are biodegradable, and unlike many alternatives, they do not rely on oil-based feedstocks. Further, they are the only commodity polymer that can be synthesised intracellularly, ensuring stereoregularity and high molecular weight. However, despite offering enormous potential for many years, they are still not making a significant impact. This is broadly because commercial uptake has been limited by variable performance (inconsistent polymer properties) and high production costs of the raw polymer. Additionally, the main type of PHA produced naturally is poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), which has limited scope due to its brittle nature and low thermal stability, as well as its tendency to embrittle over time. Production cost is strongly impacted by the type of the feedstock used. In this article we consider: the production of PHAs from methanotrophs using methane as a cost-effective substrate; the use of mixed cultures, as opposed to pure strains; and strategies to generate a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) copolymer (PHBV), which has more desirable qualities such as toughness and elasticity.

Metabolic modelling of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers production by mixed microbial cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reis Maria AM

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper presents a metabolic model describing the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA copolymers in mixed microbial cultures, using mixtures of acetic and propionic acid as carbon source material. Material and energetic balances were established on the basis of previously elucidated metabolic pathways. Equations were derived for the theoretical yields for cell growth and PHA production on mixtures of acetic and propionic acid as functions of the oxidative phosphorylation efficiency, P/O ratio. The oxidative phosphorylation efficiency was estimated from rate measurements, which in turn allowed the estimation of the theoretical yield coefficients. Results The model was validated with experimental data collected in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR operated under varying feeding conditions: feeding of acetic and propionic acid separately (control experiments, and the feeding of acetic and propionic acid simultaneously. Two different feast and famine culture enrichment strategies were studied: (i either with acetate or (ii with propionate as carbon source material. Metabolic flux analysis (MFA was performed for the different feeding conditions and culture enrichment strategies. Flux balance analysis (FBA was used to calculate optimal feeding scenarios for high quality PHA polymers production, where it was found that a suitable polymer would be obtained when acetate is fed in excess and the feeding rate of propionate is limited to ~0.17 C-mol/(C-mol.h. The results were compared with published pure culture metabolic studies. Conclusion Acetate was more conducive toward the enrichment of a microbial culture with higher PHA storage fluxes and yields as compared to propionate. The P/O ratio was not only influenced by the selected microbial culture, but also by the carbon substrate fed to each culture, where higher P/O ratio values were consistently observed for acetate than propionate. MFA studies suggest that when mixtures of

Effective removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solution using gum ghatti-based biodegradable hydrogel

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mittal, H

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Biodegradable hydrogels of gum ghatti (Gg) with a co-polymer mixture of acrylamide (AAm) and methacrylic acid (MAA) (termed as Gg-cl-P(AAm-co-MAA)) were synthesised by microwave-assisted free radical graft co-polymerisation technique. The hydrogel...

Fungal degradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates and a semiquantitative assay for screening their degradation by terrestrial fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Matavulj, M; Molitoris, H P

1992-12-01

The current problems with decreasing fossile resources and increasing environmental pollution by petrochemical-based plastics have stimulated investigations to find biosynthetic materials which are also biodegradable. Bacterial reserve materials such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) have been discovered to possess thermoplastic properties and can be synthesized from renewable resources. Poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) is at present the most promising PHA; and BIOPOL, its copolymer with poly-beta-hydroxy-valerate (PHV), is already industrially produced (ICI, UK), and used as packaging material (WELLA, FRG). According to the literature, PHA degradation has so far mainly been observed in bacteria; only under certain environmental conditions has fungal degradation of PHAs been indicated. Since fungi constitute an important part of microbial populations participating in degradation processes, a simple screening method for fungal degradation of BIOPOL, a PHA-based plastic, was developed. Several media with about 150 fungal strains from different terrestrial environments and belonging to different systematic and ecological groups were used. PHA depolymerization was tested on three PHB-based media, each with 0.1% BIOPOL or PHB homopolymer causing turbidity of the medium. The media contained either a comparatively low or high content of organic carbon (beside PHA) or were based on mineral medium with PHA as the principal source of carbon. The degradation activity was detectable due to formation of a clear halo around the colony (Petri plates) or a clear zone under the colony (test tubes).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

24 CFR 983.351 - PHA payment to owner for occupied unit.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER (PBV) PROGRAM Payment to Owner § 983.351 PHA payment to owner for occupied unit. (a) When payments are made. (1) During the term of the HAP contract, the PHA shall... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false PHA payment to owner for occupied...

Public Housing Agency (PHA) Inventory

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Housing and Urban Development — The dataset contains current data on low rent and Section 8 units in PHA's administered by HUD. The Section 8 Rental Voucher Program increases affordable housing...

Acute toxicity evaluation of in situ gel-forming controlled drug delivery system based on biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Fang; Gong Changyang; Dong Pengwei; Fu Shaozhi; Gu Yingchun; Guo Gang; Zhao Xia; Wei Yuquan; Qian Zhiyong

2009-01-01

In this paper, biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-PEG-PCL) triblock copolymer was synthesized, and was characterized by FTIR, 1 H-NMR and GPC. The PCL-PEG-PCL/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution displayed in situ gelling behavior when subcutaneously injected into the body. Toxicity tests and a histopathological study were performed in BALB/c mice. We focused mainly on acute organ toxicity of BALB/c mice by subcutaneous injection. In the acute toxicity test, the dose of subcutaneous injection was 5 g/kg body weight (b.w.), and the mice were observed continuously for 14 days. For the histopathological study, samples including heart, lung, liver, kidneys, spleen, stomach and intestine were histochemically prepared and stained with hematoxylin-eosin for histopathological examination. No mortality or significant signs of toxicity were observed during the whole observation period, and there is no significant lesion to be shown in histopathological study of major organs in the mice. Therefore, the maximal tolerance dose of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution of PCL-PEG-PCL copolymer by subcutaneous injection was calculated to be higher than 5 g/kg b.w. Therefore, the PCL-PEG-PCL/DMSO system was thought to be non-toxic after subcutaneous injection, and it might be a candidate for an in situ gelling controlled drug delivery system.

Modeling the competition between PHA-producing and non-PHA-producing bacteria in feast-famine SBR and staged CSTR systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Marang, Leonie; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M; Kleerebezem, Robbert

2015-12-01

Although the enrichment of specialized microbial cultures for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) is generally performed in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), the required feast-famine conditions can also be established using two or more continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTRs) in series with partial biomass recirculation. The use of CSTRs offers several advantages, but will result in distributed residence times and a less strict separation between feast and famine conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the reactor configuration, and various process and biomass-specific parameters, on the enrichment of PHA-producing bacteria. A set of mathematical models was developed to predict the growth of Plasticicumulans acidivorans-as a model PHA producer-in competition with a non-storing heterotroph. A macroscopic model considering lumped biomass and an agent-based model considering individual cells were created to study the effect of residence time distribution and the resulting distributed bacterial states. The simulations showed that in the 2-stage CSTR system the selective pressure for PHA-producing bacteria is significantly lower than in the SBR, and strongly affected by the chosen feast-famine ratio. This is the result of substrate competition based on both the maximum specific substrate uptake rate and substrate affinity. Although the macroscopic model overestimates the selective pressure in the 2-stage CSTR system, it provides a quick and fairly good impression of the reactor performance and the impact of process and biomass-specific parameters. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Metabolic modeling of mixed substrate uptake for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jiang, Y.; Hebly, M.; Kleerebezem, R.; Muyzer, G.; van Loosdrecht, M.C.M.

2011-01-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production by mixed microbial communities can be established in a two-stage process, consisting of a microbial enrichment step and a PHA accumulation step. In this study, a mathematical model was constructed for evaluating the influence of the carbon substrate composition

Function of the PHA-4/FOXA transcription factor during C. elegans post-embryonic development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Di

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background pha-4 encodes a forkhead box (FOX A transcription factor serving as the C. elegans pharynx organ identity factor during embryogenesis. Using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE, comparison of gene expression profiles between growing stages animals and long-lived, developmentally diapaused dauer larvae revealed that pha-4 transcription is increased in the dauer stage. Results Knocking down pha-4 expression by RNAi during post-embryonic development showed that PHA-4 is essential for dauer recovery, gonad and vulva development. daf-16, which encodes a FOXO transcription factor regulated by insulin/IGF-1 signaling, shows overlapping expression patterns and a loss-of-function post-embryonic phenotype similar to that of pha-4 during dauer recovery. pha-4 RNAi and daf-16 mutations have additive effects on dauer recovery, suggesting these two regulators may function in parallel pathways. Gene expression studies using RT-PCR and GFP reporters showed that pha-4 transcription is elevated under starvation, and a conserved forkhead transcription factor binding site in the second intron of pha-4 is important for the neuronal expression. The vulval transcription of lag-2, which encodes a ligand for the LIN-12/Notch lateral signaling pathway, is inhibited by pha-4 RNAi, indicating that LAG-2 functions downstream of PHA-4 in vulva development. Conclusion Analysis of PHA-4 during post-embryonic development revealed previously unsuspected functions for this important transcriptional regulator in dauer recovery, and may help explain the network of transcriptional control integrating organogenesis with the decision between growth and developmental arrest at the dauer entry and exit stages.

Production of polyhydroxy alkanoates by Ralstonia eutropha from volatile fatty acids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Jung Hyun; Sawant, Shailesh S.; Kim, Beom Soo [Chungbuk National University, Cheongju (Korea, Republic of)

2013-12-15

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastics that can be synthesized in various microorganisms. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are produced by anaerobic treatment of organic wastes that can be utilized as inexpensive substrates for PHA synthesis. In this study, several Ralstonia eutropha strains were grown on the mixture of VFAs (acetic, propionic, and butyric acid) as its carbon and energy source for growth and PHA synthesis. R. eutropha KCTC 2658 accumulated PHAs up to 50% of dry cell weight from total 5 g/L of mixed VFAs (acetic acid : propionic acid : butyric acid=1 : 2 : 2). In batch culture of R. eutropha KCTC2658 in a 5 L fermentor, a homopolymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] was produced from 20 g/L glucose as a sole carbon source with dry cell weight of 8.4 g/L and PHA content of 30%. In fed-batch culture, two feeding strategies, pulse or pH-stat, were applied to add VFAs to the fermentor. When VFAs were fed using pH-stat feeding strategy after 40 h, a copolymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] was produced with dry cell weight of 8.1 g/L, PHA content of 50%, and 3HV fraction of 20 mol%.

Production of polyhydroxy alkanoates by Ralstonia eutropha from volatile fatty acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, Jung Hyun; Sawant, Shailesh S.; Kim, Beom Soo

2013-01-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastics that can be synthesized in various microorganisms. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are produced by anaerobic treatment of organic wastes that can be utilized as inexpensive substrates for PHA synthesis. In this study, several Ralstonia eutropha strains were grown on the mixture of VFAs (acetic, propionic, and butyric acid) as its carbon and energy source for growth and PHA synthesis. R. eutropha KCTC 2658 accumulated PHAs up to 50% of dry cell weight from total 5 g/L of mixed VFAs (acetic acid : propionic acid : butyric acid=1 : 2 : 2). In batch culture of R. eutropha KCTC2658 in a 5 L fermentor, a homopolymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] was produced from 20 g/L glucose as a sole carbon source with dry cell weight of 8.4 g/L and PHA content of 30%. In fed-batch culture, two feeding strategies, pulse or pH-stat, were applied to add VFAs to the fermentor. When VFAs were fed using pH-stat feeding strategy after 40 h, a copolymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] was produced with dry cell weight of 8.1 g/L, PHA content of 50%, and 3HV fraction of 20 mol%

Triblock copolymers based on ε-caprolactone and trimethylene carbonate for the 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds.

Science.gov (United States)

Güney, Aysun; Malda, Jos; Dhert, Wouter J A; Grijpma, Dirk W

2017-05-09

Biodegradable PCL-b-PTMC-b-PCL triblock copolymers based on trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and ε-caprolactone (CL) were prepared and used in the 3D printing of tissue engineering scaffolds. Triblock copolymers of various molecular weights containing equal amounts of TMC and CL were prepared. These block copolymers combine the low glass transition temperature of amorphous PTMC (approximately -20°C) and the semi-crystallinity of PCL (glass transition approximately -60°C and melting temperature approximately 60°C). PCL-b-PTMC-b-PCL triblock copolymers were synthesized by sequential ring opening polymerization (ROP) of TMC and ε-CL. From these materials, films were prepared by solvent casting and porous structures were prepared by extrusion-based 3D printing. Films prepared from a polymer with a relatively high molecular weight of 62 kg/mol had a melting temperature of 58°C and showed tough and resilient behavior, with values of the elastic modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break of approximately 120 MPa, 16 MPa and 620%, respectively. Porous structures were prepared by 3D printing. Ethylene carbonate was used as a crystalizable and water-extractable solvent to prepare structures with microporous strands. Solutions, containing 25 wt% of the triblock copolymer, were extruded at 50°C then cooled at different temperatures. Slow cooling at room temperature resulted in pores with widths of 18 ± 6 μm and lengths of 221 ± 77 μm, rapid cooling with dry ice resulted in pores with widths of 13 ± 3 μm and lengths of 58 ± 12 μm. These PCL-b-PTMC-b-PCL triblock copolymers processed into porous structures at relatively low temperatures may find wide application as designed degradable tissue engineering scaffolds. In this preliminary study we prepared biodegradable triblock copolymers based on 1,3-trimethylene carbonate and ε-caprolactone and assessed their physical characteristics. Furthermore, we evaluated their potential as melt-processable thermoplastic

Homologous functional expression of cryptic phaG from Pseudomonas oleovorans establishes the transacylase-mediated polyhydroxyalkanoate biosynthetic pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, N; Steinbüchel, A; Rehm, B H

2000-11-01

Various pseudomonads are capable of the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), composed of medium chain length (MCL) 3-hydroxy fatty acids (C6-C14), when grown on simple carbon sources such as, for example, gluconate or acetate. In Pseudomonas putida, the fatty acid de novo synthesis and PHA synthesis are linked by the transacylase PhaG. Southern hybridization experiments with digoxigenin-labeled phaG(Pp) from P. putida and genomic DNA from various pseudomonads indicate that phaG homologues are present in various other pseudomonads. Although P. oleovorans does not accumulate PHA(MCL) from non-related carbon sources, its genomic DNA reveals a strong hybridization signal. We employed PCR to amplify this phaG homologue. The respective PCR product comprising the coding region of phaG(Po) was cloned into pBBR1MCS-2, resulting in plasmid pBHR84. DNA sequencing revealed that putative PhaG(Po) from P. oleovorans exhibited about 95% amino acid sequence identity to PhaG(Pp) from P. putida. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis demonstrated that phaG(Po) was not transcribed even tinder inducing conditions, i.e. in the presence of gluconate as carbon source, whereas induction of phaG(Pp) transcription was obtained in P. putida. When octanoate was used as sole carbon source, only low levels of phaG mRNA were detected in P. putida. Plasmid pBHR84 complemented the phaG-negative mutant PhaG(N)-21 from P. putida. Interestingly, reintroduction of phaG(Po) under lac promoter control into the natural host P. oleovorans established PHA(MCL) synthesis from non-related carbon sources in this bacterium. These data indicated that phaG(Po) in P. oleovorans is not functionally expressed and does not exert its original function.

How Stress Treatments Influence the Performance of Biodegradable Poly(Butylene Succinate)-Based Copolymers with Thioether Linkages for Food Packaging Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Siracusa, Valentina; Genovese, Laura; Munari, Andrea; Lotti, Nadia

2017-08-30

Biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)-based random copolymers containing thioether linkages (P(BSxTDGSy)) of various compositions have been investigated and characterized from the gas barrier, thermal, and mechanical point of view, after food contact simulants or thermal and photoaging processes. Each stress treatment was performed on thin films and the results obtained have been compared to the same untreated film, used as a standard. Barrier properties with different gases (O₂ and CO₂) were evaluated, showing that the polymer chemical composition strongly influenced the permeability behavior. The relationships between the diffusion coefficients ( D ) and solubility ( S ) with polymer composition were also investigated. The results highlighted a correlation between polymer chemical structure and treatment. Gas transmission rate ( GTR ) mainly depending on the performed treatment, as GTR increased with the increase of TDGS co-unit amount. Thermal and mechanical tests allowed for the recording of variations in the degree of crystallinity and in the tensile properties. An increase in the crystallinity degree was recorded after contact with simulant liquids and aging treatments, together with a molecular weight decrease, a slight enhancement of the elastic modulus and a decrement of the elongation at break, proportional to the TDGS co-unit content.

Biodegradable p(DLLA-epsilon-CL) nerve guides versus autologous nerve grafts : Electromyographic and video analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meek, MF; Nicolai, JPA; Gramsbergen, A; van der Werf, J.F.A.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional effects of bridging a gap in the sciatic nerve of the rat with either a biodegradable copolymer of (DL)-lactide and epsilon -caprolactone [p(DLLA-epsilon -CL)] nerve guide or an autologous nerve graft. Electromyograms (EMGs) of the gastrocnemius

Impact of phosphate limitation on PHA production in a feast-famine process.

Science.gov (United States)

Korkakaki, Emmanouela; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M; Kleerebezem, Robbert

2017-12-01

Double-limitation systems have shown to induce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production in chemostat studies limited in e.g. carbon and phosphate. In this work the impact of double substrate limitation on the enrichment of a PHA producing community was studied in a sequencing batch process. Enrichments at different C/P concentration ratios in the influent were established and the effect on the PHA production capacity and the enrichment community structure was investigated. Experimental results demonstrated that when a double substrate limitation is imposed at a C/P ratio in the influent in a range of 150 (C-mol/mol), the P-content of the biomass and the specific substrate uptake rates decreased. Nonetheless, the PHA storage capacity remained high (with a maximum of 84 wt%). At a C/P ratio of 300, competition in the microbial community is based on phosphate uptake, and the PHA production capacity is lost. Biomass specific substrate uptake rates are a linear function of the cellular P-content, offering advantages for scaling-up the PHA production process due to lower oxygen requirements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PHA-induced cytotoxicity of human lymphocytes against adherent hela-cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huges-Law, G.; de Gast, G. C.; The, T. Hauw

The conditions for a phytohaemagglutinin(PHA)-induced cytotoxicity test of human peripheral blood lymphocytes were investigated. [3H]thymidine prelabelled HeLa cells were used as target cells. Stimulation with 10 μl PHA/ml during 24 h gave the best measure of lymphocyte cytotoxic capacity.

The Opportunity for High-Performance Biomaterials from Methane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter James Strong

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA biopolymers are widely recognised as outstanding candidates to replace conventional petroleum-derived polymers. Their mechanical properties are good and can be tailored through copolymer composition, they are biodegradable, and unlike many alternatives, they do not rely on oil-based feedstocks. Further, they are the only commodity polymer that can be synthesised intracellularly, ensuring stereoregularity and high molecular weight. However, despite offering enormous potential for many years, they are still not making a significant impact. This is broadly because commercial uptake has been limited by variable performance (inconsistent polymer properties and high production costs of the raw polymer. Additionally, the main type of PHA produced naturally is poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB, which has limited scope due to its brittle nature and low thermal stability, as well as its tendency to embrittle over time. Production cost is strongly impacted by the type of the feedstock used. In this article we consider: the production of PHAs from methanotrophs using methane as a cost-effective substrate; the use of mixed cultures, as opposed to pure strains; and strategies to generate a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate copolymer (PHBV, which has more desirable qualities such as toughness and elasticity.

Structural and chemical aspects of HPMA copolymers as drug carriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulbrich, Karel; Subr, Vladimír

2010-02-17

Synthetic strategies and chemical and structural aspects of the synthesis of HPMA copolymer conjugates with various drugs and other biologically active molecules are described and discussed in this chapter. The discussion is held from the viewpoint of design and structure of the polymer backbone and biodegradable spacer between a polymer and drug, structure and methods of attachment of the employed drugs to the carrier and structure and methods of conjugation with targeting moieties. Physicochemical properties of the water-soluble polymer-drug conjugates and polymer micelles including mechanisms of drug release are also discussed. Detailed description of biological behavior of the polymer-drug conjugates as well as application of the copolymers for surface modification and targeting of gene delivery vectors are not included, they are presented and discussed in separate chapters of this issue. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increasing polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) yields from Cupriavidus necator by using filtered digestate liquors.

Science.gov (United States)

Passanha, Pearl; Esteves, Sandra R; Kedia, Gopal; Dinsdale, Richard M; Guwy, Alan J

2013-11-01

The production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) using digestate liquor as culture media is a novel application to extend the existing uses of digestates. In this study, two micro-filtered digestates (0.22 μm) were evaluated as a source of complex culture media for the production of PHA by Cupriavidus necator as compared to a conventional media. Culture media using a mixture of micro-filtered liquors from food waste and from wheat feed digesters showed a maximum PHA accumulation of 12.29 g/l PHA, with 90% cell dry weight and a yield of 0.48 g PHA/g VFA consumed, the highest reported to date for C. necator studies. From the analysis of the starting and residual media, it was concluded that ammonia, potassium, magnesium, sulfate and phosphate provided in the digestate liquors were vital for the initial growth of C. necator whereas copper, iron and nickel may have played a significant role in PHA accumulation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Light scattering on PHA granules protects bacterial cells against the harmful effects of UV radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Slaninova, Eva; Sedlacek, Petr; Mravec, Filip; Mullerova, Lucie; Samek, Ota; Koller, Martin; Hesko, Ondrej; Kucera, Dan; Marova, Ivana; Obruca, Stanislav

2018-02-01

Numerous prokaryotes accumulate polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in the form of intracellular granules. The primary function of PHA is the storage of carbon and energy. Nevertheless, there are numerous reports that the presence of PHA granules in microbial cells enhances their stress resistance and fitness when exposed to various stress factors. In this work, we studied the protective mechanism of PHA granules against UV irradiation employing Cupriavidus necator as a model bacterial strain. The PHA-accumulating wild type strain showed substantially higher UV radiation resistance than the PHA non-accumulating mutant. Furthermore, the differences in UV-Vis radiation interactions with both cell types were studied using various spectroscopic approaches (turbidimetry, absorption spectroscopy, and nephelometry). Our results clearly demonstrate that intracellular PHA granules efficiently scatter UV radiation, which provides a substantial UV-protective effect for bacterial cells and, moreover, decreases the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species in UV-challenged cells. The protective properties of the PHA granules are enhanced by the fact that granules specifically bind to DNA, which in turn provides shield-like protection of DNA as the most UV-sensitive molecule. To conclude, the UV-protective action of PHA granules adds considerable value to their primary storage function, which can be beneficial in numerous environments.

Whole genome amplification approach reveals novel polyhydroxyalkanoate synthases (PhaCs) from Japan Trench and Nankai Trough seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Foong, Choon Pin; Lau, Nyok-Sean; Deguchi, Shigeru; Toyofuku, Takashi; Taylor, Todd D; Sudesh, Kumar; Matsui, Minami

2014-12-24

Special features of the Japanese ocean include its ranges of latitude and depth. This study is the first to examine the diversity of Class I and II PHA synthases (PhaC) in DNA samples from pelagic seawater taken from the Japan Trench and Nankai Trough from a range of depths from 24 m to 5373 m. PhaC is the key enzyme in microorganisms that determines the types of monomer units that are polymerized into polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and thus affects the physicochemical properties of this thermoplastic polymer. Complete putative PhaC sequences were determined via genome walking, and the activities of newly discovered PhaCs were evaluated in a heterologous host. A total of 76 putative phaC PCR fragments were amplified from the whole genome amplified seawater DNA. Of these 55 clones contained conserved PhaC domains and were classified into 20 genetic groups depending on their sequence similarity. Eleven genetic groups have undisclosed PhaC activity based on their distinct phylogenetic lineages from known PHA producers. Three complete DNA coding sequences were determined by IAN-PCR, and one PhaC was able to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) in recombinant Cupriavidus necator PHB-4 (PHB-negative mutant). A new functional PhaC that has close identity to Marinobacter sp. was discovered in this study. Phylogenetic classification for all the phaC genes isolated from uncultured bacteria has revealed that seawater and other environmental resources harbor a great diversity of PhaCs with activities that have not yet been investigated. Functional evaluation of these in silico-based PhaCs via genome walking has provided new insights into the polymerizing ability of these enzymes.

24 CFR 982.304 - Illegal discrimination: PHA assistance to family.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... assistance to family. 982.304 Section 982.304 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing... Leasing a Unit § 982.304 Illegal discrimination: PHA assistance to family. A family may claim that illegal... prevents the family from finding or leasing a suitable unit with assistance under the program. The PHA must...

Microbial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and its copolymers: A review of recent advancements.

Science.gov (United States)

Anjum, Anbreen; Zuber, Mohammad; Zia, Khalid Mahmood; Noreen, Aqdas; Anjum, Muhammad Naveed; Tabasum, Shazia

2016-08-01

Traditional mineral oil based plastics are important commodity to enhance the comfort and quality of life but the accumulation of these plastics in the environment has become a major universal problem due to their low biodegradation. Solution to the plastic waste management includes incineration, recycling and landfill disposal methods. These processes are very time consuming and expensive. Biopolymers are important alternatives to the petroleum-based plastics due to environment friendly manufacturing processes, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Therefore use of novel biopolymers, such as polylactide, polysaccharides, aliphatic polyesters and polyhydroxyalkanoates is of interest. PHAs are biodegradable polyesters of hydroxyalkanoates (HA) produced from renewable resources by using microorganisms as intracellular carbon and energy storage compounds. Even though PHAs are promising candidate for biodegradable polymers, however, the production cost limit their application on an industrial scale. This article provides an overview of various substrates, microorganisms for the economical production of PHAs and its copolymers. Recent advances in PHAs to reduce the cost and to improve the performance of PHAs have also been discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Release of ammonia from HAN-type PHA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zamecnik, J.R.

1992-01-01

A preliminary design basis for ammonia scrubbers in the DWPF has been issued. This design basis is based on a theoretical model of ammonia evolution from the SRAT, SME and RCT. It is desirable to acquire actual process data on ammonia evolution prior to performing detailed design of scrubbers for DWPF. The evolution of ammonia from the SRAT and SME in the Integrated DWPF Melter System (IDMS) was investigated during the HM4 run. In this run, Precipitate Hydrolysis Aqueous (PHA), which was made in the Precipitate Hydrolysis Experimental Facility (PHEF) using the HAN (hydroxylamine nitrate) process was used, thus resulting in PHA with a high concentration of ammonium ion

Preparation of biodegradable PLA/PLGA membranes with PGA mesh and their application for periodontal guided tissue regeneration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Eun Jin; Kang, Inn-Kyu [Department of Polymer Science, Kyungpook National University, 1370 Sankyuk-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-701 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Suk Joon [Department of Biology, Sookmyung Women' s University, Hyochangwongil 52, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 140-742 (Korea, Republic of); Yeo, Guw-Dong; Pai, Chaul-Min, E-mail: ikkang@knu.ac.k [Samyang Central R and D Center, 63-2 Hwaam-dong, Yusung-gu, Daejeon 305-717 (Korea, Republic of)

2009-10-15

A biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA)/poly(glycolide-co-lactide) copolymer (PLGA) membrane with polyglycolic acid (PGA) mesh was prepared to aid the effective regeneration of defective periodontal tissues. The microporous membrane used in this study consists of biodegradable polymers, and seems to have a structure to provide appropriate properties for periodontal tissue regeneration. Based on the albumin permeation test, it is known that the biodegradable membrane exhibits the suitable permeability of nutrients. The membrane maintained its physical integrity for 6-8 weeks, which could be sufficient to retain space in the periodontal pocket. Cell attachment and cytotoxicity tests were performed with respect to the evaluation of biocompatibility of the membrane. As a result, the membrane did not show any cytotoxicity. The safety and therapeutic efficacies of the biodegradable membranes were confirmed in animal tests.

Hard X-Ray PHA System on the HT-7 Tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Shiyao; Shi Yuejiang; Wan Baonian; Chen Zhongyong; Hu Liqun

2006-01-01

A new hard X-ray pulse-height analysis (PHA) system has been established on HT-7 tokamak for long pulse steady-state operation. This PHA system consists of hard X-ray diagnostics and multi-channel analysers (MCA). The hard X-ray diagnostics consists of a vertical X-ray detector array (CdTe) and a horizontal X-ray detector array (NaI). The hard X-ray diagnostics can provide the profile of power deposition and the distribution function of fast electron during radio frequency (RF) current drive. The MCA system is the electronic part of the PHA system, which has been modularized and linked to PC through LAN. Each module of MCA can connect with 8 X-ray detectors. The embedded Ethernet adapter in the MCA module makes the data communication between PC and MCA very convenient. A computer can control several modules of MCA through certain software and a hub. The RAM in MCA can store 1024 or more spectra for each detector and therefore the PHA system can be applied in the long pulse discharge of several minutes

PHB granules are attached to the nucleoid via PhaM in Ralstonia eutropha.

Science.gov (United States)

Wahl, Andreas; Schuth, Nora; Pfeiffer, Daniel; Nussberger, Stephan; Jendrossek, Dieter

2012-11-16

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) granules are important storage compounds of carbon and energy in many prokaryotes which allow survival of the cells in the absence of suitable carbon sources. Formation and subcellular localization of PHB granules was previously assumed to occur randomly in the cytoplasm of PHB accumulating bacteria. However, contradictionary results on subcellular localization of PHB granules in Ralstonia eutropha were published, recently. Here, we provide evidence by transmission electron microscopy that PHB granules are localized in close contact to the nucleoid region in R. eutropha during growth on nutrient broth. Binding of PHB granules to the nucleoid is mediated by PhaM, a PHB granule associated protein with phasin-like properties that is also able to bind to DNA and to phasin PhaP5. Over-expression of PhaM resulted in formation of many small PHB granules that were always attached to the nucleoid region. In contrast, PHB granules of ∆phaM strains became very large and distribution of granules to daughter cells was impaired. Association of PHB granules to the nucleoid region was prevented by over-expression of PhaP5 and clusters of several PHB granules were mainly localized near the cell poles. Subcellular localization of PHB granules is controlled in R. eutropha and depends on the presence and concentrations of at least two PHB granule associated proteins, PhaM and PhaP5.

Cloning of phaCAB genes from thermophilic Caldimonas manganoxidans in Escherichia coli for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) production.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Ji-Hong; Lee, Ming-Chieh; Sue, You-Sheng; Liu, Yung-Chuan; Li, Si-Yu

2017-08-01

PHB biosynthesis pathway, consisting of three open reading frames (ORFs) that encode for β-ketothiolase (phaA Cma , 1179 bp), acetoacetyl-CoA reductase (phaB Cma , 738 bp), and PHA synthase (phaC Cma , 1694 bp), of Caldimonas manganoxidans was identified. The functions of PhaA, PhaB, and PhaC were demonstrated by successfully reconstructing PHB biosynthesis pathway of C. manganoxidans in Escherichia coli, where PHB production was confirmed by OD 600 , gas chromatography, Nile blue stain, and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The protein sequence alignment of PHB synthases revealed that phaC Cma shares at least 60% identity with those of class I PHB synthase. The effects of PhaA, PhaB, and PhaC expression levels on PHB production were investigated. While the overexpression of PhaB is found to be important in recombinant E. coli, performances of PHB production can be quantified as follows: PHB concentration of 16.8 ± 0.6 g/L, yield of 0.28 g/g glucose, content of 74%, productivity of 0.28 g/L/h, and Mw of 1.41 MDa.

Development and characterization of biodegradable polymer blends - PHBV/PCL irradiated with gamma rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosario, F.; Casarin, S.A.; Agnelli, J.A.M.; Souza Junior, O.F. de

2010-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study that aimed to develop PHBV biodegradable polymer blends, in a major concentration with PCL, irradiate the pure polymers and blends in two doses of gamma radiation and to analyze the changes in chemical and mechanical properties. The blends used in this study were from natural biodegradable copolymer poly (hydroxybutyrate-valerate) (PHBV) and synthetic biodegradable polymer poly (caprolactone) (PCL 2201) with low molar mass (2,000 g/mol). Several samples were prepared in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and afterwards, the tensile specimens were injected for the irradiation treatment with 50 kGy to 100 kGy doses and for the mechanical tests. The characterization of the samples before and after the irradiation treatments was performed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and mechanical tensile tests. (author)

Preparation of degradable porous structures based on 1,3-trimethylene carbonate and D,L-lactide (co)polymers for heart tissue engineering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pego, AP; Siebum, B; Van Luyn, MJA; Van Seijen, XJGY; Poot, AA; Grijpma, DW; Feijen, J

2003-01-01

Biodegradable porous scaffolds for heart tissue engineering were prepared from amorphous elastomeric (co)polymers of 1,3-trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and D,L-lactide (DLLA). Leaching of salt from compression-molded polymer-salt composites allowed the preparation of highly porous structures in a

Fixation of zygomatic and mandibular fractures with biodegradable plates.

Science.gov (United States)

Degala, Saikrishna; Shetty, Sujeeth; Ramya, S

2013-01-01

In this prospective study, 13 randomly selected patients underwent treatment for zygomatic-complex fractures (2 site fractures) and mandibular fractures using 1.5 / 2 / 2.5-mm INION CPS biodegradable plates and screws. To assess the fixation of zygomatic-complex and mandibular fractures with biodegradable copolymer osteosynthesis system. In randomly selected 13 patients, zygomatic-complex and mandibular fractures were plated using resorbable plates and screws using Champy's principle. All the cases were evaluated clinically and radiologically for the type of fracture, need for the intermaxillary fixation (IMF) and its duration, duration of surgery, fixation at operation, state of reduction at operation, state of bone union after operation, anatomic reduction, paresthesia, occlusal discrepancies, soft tissue infection, immediate and late inflammatory reactions related to biodegradation process, and any need for the removal of the plates. Descriptives, Frequencies, and Chi-square test were used. In our study, the age group range was 5 to 55 years. Road traffic accidents accounted for the majority of patients six, (46.2%). Postoperative occlusal discrepancies were found in seven patients as mild to moderate, which resolved with IMF for 1-8 weeks. There were minimal complications seen and only as soft tissue infection. Use of biodegradable osteosynthesis system is a reliable alternative method for the fixation of zygomatic-complex and mandibular fractures. The biodegradable system still needs to be refined in material quality and handling to match the stability achieved with metal system. Biodegradable plates and screws is an ideal system for pediatric fractures with favorable outcome.

The Effect Of PHA And SEA On Mitotic Index Of Lymphocyte Cell Of Macaca Fasciulare

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lubis, Masnelli; Iwiq-Indrawati

2003-01-01

The observation of influences of PHA (phytohemagglutinin) and SEA (staphilucoccal enterotoxin A) on mitotic index of lymphocyte of Macaca Fascicularis had been done. Half milliliters of lymphocyte cells stimulated with PHA or SEA were cultured in 10 ml RPMI + 1.0 ml Fetal Bouvine Serum (FBS ) + 0.1 ml L-glutamine + 0.15 ml PHA or 0.1 ml SEA ( 0.5 μg/ml ) + 0.1 ml Colchisin on 37 degree C for 96 hours. The result demonstrated that the frequency of mitotic index stimulated with PHA was higher than that of SEA. The average of mitotic index with PHA was 18.56 %, and with SEA was 8.3 %. (author)

How Stress Treatments Influence the Performance of Biodegradable Poly(Butylene Succinate-Based Copolymers with Thioether Linkages for Food Packaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Siracusa

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Biodegradable poly(butylene succinate (PBS-based random copolymers containing thioether linkages (P(BSxTDGSy of various compositions have been investigated and characterized from the gas barrier, thermal, and mechanical point of view, after food contact simulants or thermal and photoaging processes. Each stress treatment was performed on thin films and the results obtained have been compared to the same untreated film, used as a standard. Barrier properties with different gases (O2 and CO2 were evaluated, showing that the polymer chemical composition strongly influenced the permeability behavior. The relationships between the diffusion coefficients (D and solubility (S with polymer composition were also investigated. The results highlighted a correlation between polymer chemical structure and treatment. Gas transmission rate (GTR mainly depending on the performed treatment, as GTR increased with the increase of TDGS co-unit amount. Thermal and mechanical tests allowed for the recording of variations in the degree of crystallinity and in the tensile properties. An increase in the crystallinity degree was recorded after contact with simulant liquids and aging treatments, together with a molecular weight decrease, a slight enhancement of the elastic modulus and a decrement of the elongation at break, proportional to the TDGS co-unit content.

Biodegradable gadolinium-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide) copolymers for gene transfection and magnetic resonance imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Xiaolong [Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065 (China); Wang, Gangmin [Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040 (China); Shi, Ting [The Institute for Translational Nanomedicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Nanoscience, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092 (China); Shao, Zhihong [Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065 (China); Zhao, Peng; Shi, Donglu [The Institute for Translational Nanomedicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Nanoscience, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092 (China); Ren, Jie [Institute of Nano and Biopolymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804 (China); Lin, Chao, E-mail: chaolin@tongji.edu.cn [The Institute for Translational Nanomedicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Nanoscience, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092 (China); Wang, Peijun, E-mail: tjpjwang@sina.com [Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065 (China)

2016-08-01

Theranostic nano-polyplexes containing gene and imaging agents hold a great promise for tumor diagnosis and therapy. In this work, we develop a group of new gadolinium (Gd)-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide)s for gene delivery and T{sub 1}-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Cationic poly(urethane amide)s (denoted as CPUAs) having multiple disulfide bonds, urethane and amide linkages were synthesized by stepwise polycondensation reaction between 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine and a mixture of di(4-nitrophenyl)-2, 2′-dithiodiethanocarbonate (DTDE-PNC) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) dianhydride at varied molar ratios. Then, Gd-chelated CPUAs (denoted as GdCPUAs) were produced by chelating Gd(III) ions with DTPA residues of CPUAs. These GdCPUAs could condense gene into nanosized and positively-charged polyplexes in a physiological condition and, however, liberated gene in an intracellular reductive environment. In vitro transfection experiments revealed that the GdCPUA at a DTDE-PNC/DTPA residue molar ratio of 85/15 induced the highest transfection efficiency in different cancer cells. This efficiency was higher than that yielded with 25 kDa branched polyethylenimine as a positive control. GdCPUAs and their polyplexes exhibited low cytotoxicity when an optimal transfection activity was detected. Moreover, GdCPUAs may serve as contrast agents for T{sub 1}-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The results of this work indicate that biodegradable Gd-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide) copolymers have high potential for tumor theranostics. - Highlights: • Novel cationic gadolinium-chelated poly(urethane amide)s (GdCPUAs) are prepared. • GdCPUAs can induce a high transfection efficacy in different cancer cells. • GdCPUAs reveal good cyto-compatibility against cancer cells. • GdCPUAs may be applied as T{sub 1}-contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. • GdCPUAs hold high potential for cancer theranostics.

Biodegradable gadolinium-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide) copolymers for gene transfection and magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Xiaolong; Wang, Gangmin; Shi, Ting; Shao, Zhihong; Zhao, Peng; Shi, Donglu; Ren, Jie; Lin, Chao; Wang, Peijun

2016-01-01

Theranostic nano-polyplexes containing gene and imaging agents hold a great promise for tumor diagnosis and therapy. In this work, we develop a group of new gadolinium (Gd)-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide)s for gene delivery and T 1 -weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Cationic poly(urethane amide)s (denoted as CPUAs) having multiple disulfide bonds, urethane and amide linkages were synthesized by stepwise polycondensation reaction between 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine and a mixture of di(4-nitrophenyl)-2, 2′-dithiodiethanocarbonate (DTDE-PNC) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) dianhydride at varied molar ratios. Then, Gd-chelated CPUAs (denoted as GdCPUAs) were produced by chelating Gd(III) ions with DTPA residues of CPUAs. These GdCPUAs could condense gene into nanosized and positively-charged polyplexes in a physiological condition and, however, liberated gene in an intracellular reductive environment. In vitro transfection experiments revealed that the GdCPUA at a DTDE-PNC/DTPA residue molar ratio of 85/15 induced the highest transfection efficiency in different cancer cells. This efficiency was higher than that yielded with 25 kDa branched polyethylenimine as a positive control. GdCPUAs and their polyplexes exhibited low cytotoxicity when an optimal transfection activity was detected. Moreover, GdCPUAs may serve as contrast agents for T 1 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The results of this work indicate that biodegradable Gd-chelated cationic poly(urethane amide) copolymers have high potential for tumor theranostics. - Highlights: • Novel cationic gadolinium-chelated poly(urethane amide)s (GdCPUAs) are prepared. • GdCPUAs can induce a high transfection efficacy in different cancer cells. • GdCPUAs reveal good cyto-compatibility against cancer cells. • GdCPUAs may be applied as T 1 -contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. • GdCPUAs hold high potential for cancer theranostics.

Biodegradation of aromatic-aliphatic copolyesters and polyesteramides by esterase activity-producing microorganisms

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Novotný, Čeněk; Erbanová, Pavla; Sezimová, H.; Malachová, K.; Rybková, Z.; Malinová, L.; Prokopová, I.; Brožek, Jiří

2015-01-01

Roč. 97, č. 1 (2015), s. 25-30 ISSN 0964-8305 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAAX00200901; GA ČR GA106/09/1378; GA MŠk 7E13013; GA MŠk(CZ) ED2.1.00/03.0100; GA MŠk LO1208 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Biodegradation * bacteria * copolymer Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 2.429, year: 2015

PCL-PDMS-PCL copolymer-based microspheres mediate cardiovascular differentiation from embryonic stem cells

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Liqing

Poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL) based copolymers have received much attention as drug or growth factor delivery carriers and tissue engineering scaffolds due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable biophysical properties. Copolymers of PCL and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) also have shape memory behaviors and can be made into thermoresponsive shape memory polymers for various biomedical applications such as smart sutures and vascular stents. However, the influence of biophysical properties of PCL-PDMS-PCL copolymers on stem cell lineage commitment is not well understood. In this study, PDMS was used as soft segments of varying length to tailor the biophysical properties of PCL-based co-polymers. While low elastic modulus (affected cardiovascular differentiation of embryonic stem cells, the range of 60-100 MPa PCL-PDMS-PCL showed little influence on the differentiation. Then different size (30-140 mum) of microspheres were fabricated from PCL-PDMS-PCL copolymers and incorporated within embryoid bodies (EBs). Mesoderm differentiation was induced using bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4 for cardiovascular differentiation. Differential expressions of mesoderm progenitor marker KDR and vascular markers CD31 and VE-cadherin were observed for the cells differentiated from EBs incorporated with microspheres of different size, while little difference was observed for cardiac marker alpha-actinin expression. Small size of microspheres (30 mum) resulted in higher expression of KDR while medium size of microspheres (94 mum) resulted in higher CD31 and VE-cadherin expression. This study indicated that the biophysical properties of PCL-based copolymers impacted stem cell lineage commitment, which should be considered for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.

Process optimization for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from waste via microbial enrichment cultures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korkakaki, E.

2017-01-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are compounds naturally produced by microorganisms, with many industrial applications, either as bioplastics or as precursors for production of chemicals. Until now, industrial PHA production was conducted with pure strains of bacteria fed with well-defined feedstocks,

Functionalized and graft copolymers of chitosan and its pharmaceutical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhavsar, Chintan; Momin, Munira; Gharat, Sankalp; Omri, Abdelwahab

2017-10-01

Chitosan is the second most abundant natural polysaccharide. It belongs a family of polycationic polymers comprised of repetitive units of glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine. Its biodegradability, nontoxicity, non-immunogenicity and biocompatibility along with properties like mucoadhesion, fungistatic and bacteriogenic have made chitosan an appreciated polymer with numerous applications in the pharmaceutical, comestics and food industry. However, the limited solubility of chitosan at alkaline and neutral pH limits its widespread commercial use. This can be circumvented by fabrication of chitosan by graft copolymerization with acyl, alkyl, monomeric and polymeric moieties. Areas covered: Modifications like quarterization, thiolation, acylation and grafting result in copolymers with higher mucoadhesion strength, increased hydrophobic interactions (advantageous in hydrophobic drug entrapment), and increased solubility in alkaline pH, the ability for adsorption of metal ions, protein and peptide delivery and nutrient delivery. Insights on methods of polymerization, including atomic transfer radical polymerization and click chemistry are discussed. Applications of such modified chitosan copolymers in medical and surgical, and drug delivery, including nasal, oral and buccal delivery have also been covered. Expert opinion: Despite a number of successful investigations, commercialization of chitosan copolymers still remains a challenge. Further advancements in polymerization techniques may address the unmet needs of the healthcare industry.

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) by bacterial consortium from excess sludge fermentation liquid at laboratory and pilot scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Qianqian; Xiong, Huilei; Wang, Hui; Shi, Hanchang; Sheng, Xinying; Sun, Run; Chen, Guoqiang

2014-11-01

The generation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from excess sludge fermentation liquid (SFL) was studied at lab and pilot scale. A PHA-accumulated bacterial consortium (S-150) was isolated from activated sludge using simulated SFL (S-SFL) contained high concentration volatile fatty acids (VFA) and nitrogen. The maximal PHA content accounted for 59.18% in S-SFL and dropped to 23.47% in actual SFL (L-SFL) of the dry cell weight (DCW) at lab scale. The pilot-scale integrated system comprised an anaerobic fermentation reactor (AFR), a ceramic membrane system (CMS) and a PHA production bio-reactor (PHAR). The PHA content from pilot-scale SFL (P-SFL) finally reached to 59.47% DCW with the maximal PHA yield coefficient (YP/S) of 0.17 g PHA/g COD. The results indicated that VFA-containing SFL was suitable for PHA production. The adverse impact of excess nitrogen and non-VFAs in SFL might be eliminated by pilot-scale domestication, which might resulted in community structure optimization and substrate selective ability improvement of S-150. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, characterizations and biocompatibility of novel biodegradable star block copolymers based on poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] and poly(epsilon-caprolactone)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Linping; Wang, Liang; Wang, Xiaojuan

2010-01-01

Star block copolymers based on poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), termed SPHBCL, were successfully synthesized with structural variation on arm numbers and lengths via coupling reactions and ring opening polymerizations. Arm numbers 3, 4 and 6 of SPHBCL were...... weights of the SPHBCL due to the discrepancy of star copolymer structures. The melting temperature of SPHBCL decreased with increasing degree of branching. Thermal decomposition temperature was revealed to be lower than that of linear block copolymer LPHBCL counterparts based on PHB and PCL. Films made...... from various SPHBCL copolymers had different porous or networking surface morphology, and all possessed improved biocompatibility in terms of less blood clotting and more osteoblast cell growth compared with their corresponding homopolymers PHB and PCL. Among them, it was found, however, that the 4-arm...

Biodegradable flocculants based on polyacrylamide and poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) grafted amylopectin.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolya, Haradhan; Tripathy, Tridib

2014-09-01

Synthesis of amylopectin grafted polyacrylamide (AP-g-PAM) and poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (AP-g-PDMA) was carried out by Ce4+ in water medium. The reaction conditions for maximum grafting was optimized by varying the reaction variables, including the concentration of monomers, ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN), amylopectin, reaction time and temperature. The graft copolymers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, NMR (both 1H and 13C) spectroscopy, molecular weight determination and molecular weight distribution by using size exclusion chromatography (SEC), thermal analysis (TGA), SEM studies. Biodegradation of the graft copolymers was carried out by enzyme hydrolysis. Flocculation performances of the graft copolymers were evaluated in 1.0 wt% coal and 1.0 wt% silica suspensions. A comparative study of the flocculation performances of AP-g-PDMA and AP-g-PAM was also made. It shows that the flocculation performance of AP-g-PDMA was better than that of AP-g-PAM. AP-g-PDMA performed best when compared with other commercial flocculants in the same suspensions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immunotoxicological studies of genetically modified rice expressing PHA-E lectin or Bt toxin in Wistar rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kroghsbo, Stine; Madsen, Charlotte; Poulsen, Morten; Schroder, Malene; Kvist, Peter H.; Taylor, Mark; Gatehouse, Angharad; Shu, Qingyao; Knudsen, Ib

2008-01-01

As part of the SAFOTEST project the immunmodulating effect of Cry1Ab protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and PHA-E lectin from kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris erythroagglutinin) was examined in 28- and 90-day feeding studies in Wistar rats. PHA-E lectin was chosen as positive control. Rats were fed control rice, transgenic rice expressing Cry1Ab protein or PHA-E lectin, or transgenic rice spiked with the purified recombinant protein. Total immunoglobulin levels, mitogen-induced cell proliferation, T-dependent antibody response to sheep red blood cells and the antigen-specific antibody response in serum were examined at the end of the studies. A dose-dependent increase in mesenteric lymph node weight and total immunoglobulin A was seen when feeding PHA-E transgenic rice alone or spiked with 0.1% purified PHA-E lectin for 90 days indicating a local effect of PHA-E in the intestine. No adverse effects of Cry1Ab protein were found. An anti-PHA-E and anti-Cry1Ab antibody response was induced both after inhalation (control groups) and after inhalation/ingestion (groups fed recombinant protein alone or together with transgenic rice). In conclusion, only PHA-E lectin was found to have an immunomodulating effect when feeding rats for 90 days with approximately 70 mg PHA-E/kg bodyweight per day. As both PHA-E lectin and Cry1Ab protein were capable of inducing an antigen-specific antibody response it is important to make careful considerations when designing future animal studies to avoid intake of proteins from the other groups by inhalation as well as to examine the sensitization and elicitation potential of 'foreign' proteins before introduction to the world market

Detection of the enzymatically-active polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase subunit gene, phaC, in cyanobacteria via colony PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Lane, Courtney E; Benton, Michael G

2015-12-01

A colony PCR-based assay was developed to rapidly determine if a cyanobacterium of interest contains the requisite genetic material, the PHA synthase PhaC subunit, to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). The test is both high throughput and robust, owing to an extensive sequence analysis of cyanobacteria PHA synthases. The assay uses a single detection primer set and a single reaction condition across multiple cyanobacteria strains to produce an easily detectable positive result - amplification via PCR as evidenced by a band in electrophoresis. In order to demonstrate the potential of the presence of phaC as an indicator of a cyanobacteria's PHA accumulation capabilities, the ability to produce PHA was assessed for five cyanobacteria with a traditional in vivo PHA granule staining using an oxazine dye. The confirmed in vivo staining results were then compared to the PCR-based assay results and found to be in agreement. The colony PCR assay was capable of successfully detecting the phaC gene in all six of the diverse cyanobacteria tested which possessed the gene, while exhibiting no undesired product formation across the nine total cyanobacteria strains tested. The colony PCR quick prep provides sufficient usable DNA template such that this assay could be readily expanded to assess multiple genes of interest simultaneously. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitric acid flowsheet with late wash PHA testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zamecnik, J.R.

1993-01-01

This Task Technical Plan outlines the activities to be conducted in the Integrated DWPF Melter System (IDMS) in ongoing support of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Chemical Process Cell (CPC) utilizing the Nitric Acid Flowsheet in the Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) and Precipitate Hydrolysis Aqueous (PHA) produced by the Late Wash Flowsheet. The IDMS facility is to be operated over a series of runs (2 to 4) using the Nitric Acid Flowsheet. The PHA will be produced with the Late Wash Flowsheet in the Precipitate Hydrolysis Experimental Facility (PHEF). All operating conditions shall simulate the expected DWPF operating conditions as closely as possible. The task objectives are to perform at least two IDMS runs with as many operating conditions as possible at nominal DWPF conditions. The major purposes of these runs are twofold: verify that the combined Late Wash and Nitric Acid flowsheets produce glass of acceptable quality without additional changes to process equipment, and determine the reproducibility of data from run to run. These runs at nominal conditions will be compared to previous runs made with PHA produced from the Late Wash flowsheet and with the Nitric Acid flowsheet in the SRAT (Purex 4 and Purex 5)

The adsorption of Pb(sup2+) and Cu(sup2+) onto gum ghatti-grafted poly(acrylamide-co-acrylonitrile) biodegradable hydrogel: isotherms and kinetic models

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mittal, H

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A biodegradable hydrogel polymer of gum ghatti (Gg) with a copolymer mixture of acrylamide (AAm) and acrylonitrile (AN) was synthesized using the free-radical graft copolymerization technique. The effect of graft copolymerization on the surface area...

24 CFR 903.7 - What information must a PHA provide in the Annual Plan?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... those needs, and the PHA's reasons for choosing its strategy. (b) A statement of the PHA's... furthering fair housing, such as reasonable marketing activities to attract applicants regardless of race or...

Photoautotrophic Polyhydroxybutyrate Granule Formation Is Regulated by Cyanobacterial Phasin PhaP in Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803

Science.gov (United States)

Hauf, Waldemar; Watzer, Björn; Roos, Nora; Klotz, Alexander

2015-01-01

Cyanobacteria are photoautotrophic microorganisms which fix atmospheric carbon dioxide via the Calvin-Benson cycle to produce carbon backbones for primary metabolism. Fixed carbon can also be stored as intracellular glycogen, and in some cyanobacterial species like Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulates when major nutrients like phosphorus or nitrogen are absent. So far only three enzymes which participate in PHB metabolism have been identified in this organism, namely, PhaA, PhaB, and the heterodimeric PHB synthase PhaEC. In this work, we describe the cyanobacterial PHA surface-coating protein (phasin), which we term PhaP, encoded by ssl2501. Translational fusion of Ssl2501 with enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) showed a clear colocalization to PHB granules. A deletion of ssl2501 reduced the number of PHB granules per cell, whereas the mean PHB granule size increased as expected for a typical phasin. Although deletion of ssl2501 had almost no effect on the amount of PHB, the biosynthetic activity of PHB synthase was negatively affected. Secondary-structure prediction and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy of PhaP revealed that the protein consists of two α-helices, both of them associating with PHB granules. Purified PhaP forms oligomeric structures in solution, and both α-helices of PhaP contribute to oligomerization. Together, these results support the idea that Ssl2501 encodes a cyanobacterial phasin, PhaP, which regulates the surface-to-volume ratio of PHB granules. PMID:25911471

Accuracy and Optimal Altitude for Physical Habitat Assessment (PHA of Stream Environments Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ângela Maria Klein Hentz

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Physical Habitat Assessments (PHA are useful to characterize and monitor stream and river habitat conditions, but can be costly and time-consuming. Alternative methods for data collection are getting attention, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV. The objective of this work was to evaluate the accuracy of UAV-based remote sensing techniques relative to ground-based PHA measurements, and to determine the influence of flight altitude on those accuracies. A UAV quadcopter equipped with an RGB camera was flown at the altitudes of 30.5 m, 61.0 m, 91.5 m and 122.0 m, and the metrics wetted width (Ww, bankfull width (Wbf and distance to water (Dw were compared to field PHA. The UAV-PHA method generated similar values to observed PHA values, but underestimated distance to water, and overestimated wetted width. Bankfull width provided the largest RMSE (25–28%. No systematic error patterns were observed considering the different flight altitudes, and results indicated that all flight altitudes investigated can be reliably used for PHA measurements. However, UAV flight at 61 m provided the most accurate results (CI = 0.05 considering all metrics. All UAV parameters over all altitudes showed significant correlation with observed PHA data, validating the use of UAV-based remote sensing for PHA.

Methods for the Isolation of Genes Encoding Novel PHA Metabolism Enzymes from Complex Microbial Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Jiujun; Nordeste, Ricardo; Trainer, Maria A; Charles, Trevor C

2017-01-01

Development of different PHAs as alternatives to petrochemically derived plastics can be facilitated by mining metagenomic libraries for diverse PHA cycle genes that might be useful for synthesis of bio-plastics. The specific phenotypes associated with mutations of the PHA synthesis pathway genes in Sinorhizobium meliloti and Pseudomonas putida, allows the use of powerful selection and screening tools to identify complementing novel PHA synthesis genes. Identification of novel genes through their function rather than sequence facilitates the functional proteins that may otherwise have been excluded through sequence-only screening methodology. We present here methods that we have developed for the isolation of clones expressing novel PHA metabolism genes from metagenomic libraries.

Biodegradable electroactive materials for tissue engineering applications

Science.gov (United States)

Guimard, Nathalie Kathryn

This dissertation focuses on the development of biomaterials that could be used to enhance the regeneration of severed peripheral nerves. These materials were designed to be electroactive, biodegradable, and biocompatible. To render the materials electroactive the author chose to incorporate conducting polymer (CP) units into the materials. Because CPs are inherently non-degradable, the key challenge was to create a CP-based material that was also biodegradable. Two strategies were explored to generate a biodegradable CP-based material. The first strategy centered around the incorporation of both electroactive and biodegradable subunits into a copolymer system. In the context of this approach, two bis(methoxyquaterthiophene)-co-adipic acid polyester (QAPE) analogues were successfully synthesized, one through polycondensation (giving undoped QAPE) and the second through oxidative polymerization (giving doped QAPE-2). QAPE was found to be electroactive by cyclic voltammetry, bioerodible, and cytocompatible with Schwann cells. QAPE was doped with ferric perchlorate, although only a low doping percentage was realized (˜8%). Oxidative polymerization of a bis(bithiophene) adipate permitted the direct synthesis of doped QAPE-2, which was found to have a higher doping level (˜24%). The second strategy pursued with the goal of generating an electroactive biodegradable material involved covalently immobilizing low molecular weight polythiophene chains onto the surface of crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) films. HA films are not only biodegradable and biocompatible, but they also provide mechanical integrity to bilayer systems. Dicyclocarbodiimide coupling of carboxylic acids to HA alcohol groups was used to functionalize HA films. The HA-polythiophene composite is still in the early stages of development. However, to date, thiophene has been successfully immobilized at the surface of HA films with a high degree of substitution. The author has also shown that thiophene

Biodegradable polymersomes as carriers and release systems for paclitaxel using Oregon Green® 488 labeled paclitaxel as a model compound

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lee, Jung Seok; Feijen, Jan

2012-01-01

Oregon Green® 488 labeled paclitaxel (Flutax) loaded biodegradable polymersomes (Flutax-Ps) based on methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(d,l-lactide) (mPEG-PDLLA), methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (mPEG-PCL) or a mixture of the block copolymers (50:50, w/w) were prepared

Advanced drug and gene delivery systems based on functional biodegradable polycarbonates and copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chen, Wei; Meng, Fenghua; Cheng, R.; Deng, C.; Feijen, Jan; Zhong, Zhiyuan

2014-01-01

Biodegradable polymeric nanocarriers are one of the most promising systems for targeted and controlled drug and gene delivery. They have shown several unique advantages such as excellent biocompatibility, prolonged circulation time, passive tumor targeting via the enhanced permeability and retention

Magnesium Affects Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate Content and Composition by Affecting Glucose Uptake in Delftia acidovorans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee, W. H.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Precise control of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA composition is necessary in order to synthesize polymers with specific properties. Among the various types of PHA that have been identified, those that contain 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB monomers are especially useful in the medical and pharmaceutical fields as absorbable biomaterial. In this study, we have investigated the effect of magnesium concentration on the biosynthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate [P(3HB-co-4HB] by Delftia acidovorans DS-17. Our results show that, magnesium affects the copolymer content and composition by affecting glucose uptake from the culture medium. Higher concentrations of magnesium resulted in lower molar fractions of 3HB in the copolymer and reduced uptake of glucose. The results show for the first time that magnesium may be used to achieve fine control of biologically synthesized PHA copolymer composition.

Development of corn starch based green composites reinforced with Saccharum spontaneum L fiber and graft copolymers--evaluation of thermal, physico-chemical and mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaith, B S; Jindal, R; Jana, A K; Maiti, M

2010-09-01

In this paper, corn starch based green composites reinforced with graft copolymers of Saccharum spontaneum L. (Ss) fiber and methyl methacrylates (MMA) and its mixture with acrylamide (AAm), acrylonitrile (AN), acrylic acid (AA) were prepared. Resorcinol-formaldehyde (Rf) was used as the cross-linking agent in corn starch matrix and different physico-chemical, thermal and mechanical properties were evaluated. The matrix and composites were found to be thermally more stable than the natural corn starch backbone. Further the matrix and composites were subjected for biodegradation studies through soil composting method. Different stages of biodegradation were evaluated through FT-IR and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) techniques. S. spontaneum L fiber-reinforced composites were found to exhibit better tensile strength. On the other hand Ss-g-poly (MMA) reinforced composites showed maximum compressive strength and wear resistance than other graft copolymers reinforced composite and the basic matrix. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HPMA Copolymer-Drug Conjugates with Controlled Tumor-Specific Drug Release.

Science.gov (United States)

Chytil, Petr; Koziolová, Eva; Etrych, Tomáš; Ulbrich, Karel

2018-01-01

Over the past few decades, numerous polymer drug carrier systems are designed and synthesized, and their properties are evaluated. Many of these systems are based on water-soluble polymer carriers of low-molecular-weight drugs and compounds, e.g., cytostatic agents, anti-inflammatory drugs, or multidrug resistance inhibitors, all covalently bound to a carrier by a biodegradable spacer that enables controlled release of the active molecule to achieve the desired pharmacological effect. Among others, the synthetic polymer carriers based on N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers are some of the most promising carriers for this purpose. This review focuses on advances in the development of HPMA copolymer carriers and their conjugates with anticancer drugs, with triggered drug activation in tumor tissue and especially in tumor cells. Specifically, this review highlights the improvements in polymer drug carrier design with respect to the structure of a spacer to influence controlled drug release and activation, and its impact on the drug pharmacokinetics, enhanced tumor uptake, cellular trafficking, and in vivo antitumor activity. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Métodos de obtención de microesferas biodegradables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Ramos Picos

2001-08-01

Full Text Available La liberación controlada de agentes terapéuticos desde microesferas biodegradables poliméricas ha sido extensamente estudiada. El ácido poliláctico y sus copolímeros con el ácido glicólico se han utilizado en la preparación de microesferas debido a su biodegradabilidad y biocompatibilidad. Estas microesferas han sido preparadas por varios métodos de obtención, los que son revisados en este trabajo. Se plantean las ventajas y desventajas de algunos de los métodos de obtención. En el caso del método de evaporación/extracción del solvente, que es el más usado, se plantean las variables que pueden influir en este y se discuten algunas de ellas.The controlled release of therapeutic agents from polymeric biodegradable microspheres has been widely studied. Polylactic acid and its copolymers with glycolic acid have been used in the preparation of microspheres because of their biodegradability and biocompatibility. These microspheres have been prepared by various methods which are reviewed in this paper. As to their most used solvent evaporation-extraction method. The variables that might affect it are set forth here and some of them are also discussed.

Comparative Study of the Physical, Topographical and Biological Properties of Electrospinning PCL, PLLA, their Blend and Copolymer Scaffolds

Science.gov (United States)

Bolbasov, E.; Goreninskii, S.; Tverdokhlebov, S.; Mishanin, A.; Viknianshchuk, A.; Bezuidenhout, D.; Golovkin, A.

2018-05-01

Biodegradable polymers (blends, copolymers) could be the ideal materials for manufacturing of scaffolds for small diameter vascular graft. Such material characteristics as mechanical properties, chemical structure, nano- and micro topography, surface charge, porosity, wettability etc. are becoming the most important aspects for effectiveness of prosthesis biofunctionalization because of their great impact on cell adhesion, spreading, cell proliferation, differentiation and cell function. The aim of the study is to compare physical, topographical and biological properties of polycaprolactone (PCL), poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), polycaprolactone + poly-L-lactic acid blend (PCL PLLA), L-lactide/Caprolactone copolymer (PLC7015) scaffolds fabricated with the same fiber thickness using electrospun technology. PCL PLLA scaffolds had the highest average pore area (pactive phase of adhesion process. We propose that physical and topographical properties of PCL, PLLA, their blend and copolymer are of a great dependence of chemical structure but could be changed during the manufacturing process that will lead to changes in biological properties.

24 CFR 884.225 - PHA reporting requirements. [Reserved

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... reporting requirements. [Reserved] ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false PHA reporting requirements. [Reserved] 884.225 Section 884.225 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban...

Block Copolymers of Macrolactones/Small Lactones by a “Catalyst-Switch” Organocatalytic Strategy. Thermal Properties and Phase Behavior

KAUST Repository

Ladelta, Viko

2018-03-16

Poly(macrolactones) (PMLs) can be considered as biodegradable alternatives of polyethylene; however, controlling the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of macrolactone (ML) monomers remains a challenge due to their low ring strain. To overcome this problem, phosphazene (t-BuP4), a strong superbase, has to be used as catalyst. Unfortunately, the one-pot sequential block copolymerization of MLs with small lactones (SLs) is impossible since the high basicity of t-BuP4 promotes both intra- and intermolecular transesterification reactions, thus leading to random copolymers. By using ROP and the “catalyst-switch” strategy [benzyl alcohol, t-BuP4/neutralization with diphenyl phosphate/(t-BuP2)], we were able to synthesize different well-defined PML-b-PSL block copolymers (MLs: dodecalactone, ω-pentadecalactone, and ω-hexadecalactone; SLs: δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone). The thermal properties and the phase behavior of these block copolymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. This study shows that the thermal properties and phase behavior of PMLs-b-PSLs are largely influenced by the PMLs block if PMLs components constitute the majority of the block copolymers.

Block Copolymers of Macrolactones/Small Lactones by a “Catalyst-Switch” Organocatalytic Strategy. Thermal Properties and Phase Behavior

KAUST Repository

Ladelta, Viko; Kim, Joey D.; Bilalis, Panagiotis; Gnanou, Yves; Hadjichristidis, Nikolaos

2018-01-01

Poly(macrolactones) (PMLs) can be considered as biodegradable alternatives of polyethylene; however, controlling the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of macrolactone (ML) monomers remains a challenge due to their low ring strain. To overcome this problem, phosphazene (t-BuP4), a strong superbase, has to be used as catalyst. Unfortunately, the one-pot sequential block copolymerization of MLs with small lactones (SLs) is impossible since the high basicity of t-BuP4 promotes both intra- and intermolecular transesterification reactions, thus leading to random copolymers. By using ROP and the “catalyst-switch” strategy [benzyl alcohol, t-BuP4/neutralization with diphenyl phosphate/(t-BuP2)], we were able to synthesize different well-defined PML-b-PSL block copolymers (MLs: dodecalactone, ω-pentadecalactone, and ω-hexadecalactone; SLs: δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone). The thermal properties and the phase behavior of these block copolymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. This study shows that the thermal properties and phase behavior of PMLs-b-PSLs are largely influenced by the PMLs block if PMLs components constitute the majority of the block copolymers.

Gamma radiation effects on random copolymers based on poly(butylene succinate) for packaging applications

Science.gov (United States)

Negrin, M.; Macerata, E.; Consolati, G.; Quasso, F.; Genovese, L.; Soccio, M.; Giola, M.; Lotti, N.; Munari, A.; Mariani, M.

2018-01-01

Within the context of new bioplastic materials, poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and four novel poly(butylene/thiodiethylene succinate) random copolymers (PBS-PTDGS), in sheets as well as in films, were exposed to gamma radiation, in air and in water, and their behavior along with the effect on their biodegradability was investigated. The molecular weight data obtained from gel permeation chromatography indicate that the sensibility to radiation increases with the amount of sulfur-containing co-unit (TDGS). At 200 kGy the average molecular weight of PBS film halves, while for P(BS60TDGS40) the residual molecular weight is about 20%. The calculated intermolecular crosslink Gx and scissioning Gs yields confirmed that degradation is predominant over crosslink for all the aliphatic systems. As shown by thermal analyses, gamma radiation affects the thermal properties, leading to an increased crystallinity of the systems, remarkable for PBS, and lower decomposition temperatures. Variations of crystallinity with the increasing absorbed dose were confirmed also by PALS analyses. Water contact angle measurements revealed post-irradiation wettability alterations that could positively affect polymer biodegradability. In particular, when irradiated in water at 100 kGy PBS film exhibits a water contact angle decrease of about 17%, indicating an enhanced wettability. After degradation in compost, changes in the surface morphology were observed by means of SEM and sample weight losses were determined, at different extent, according to the irradiation environment. Interestingly, after 52 days in compost PBS films, both pristine and irradiated in air at 25 kGy, showed a residual weight of about 60%, while the ones irradiated in water at 25 kGy of about 44%. Experimental data confirmed that gamma irradiation could represent a viable treatment to enhance biodegradation in compost of PBS and PBS-based copolymers.

Atividades biológicas das lectinas PHA, WGA, jacalina e artocarpina Biological activities of PHA, WGA, jacalin and artocarpin lectins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Maria Sell

2000-05-01

Full Text Available As lectinas são (glicoproteínas que se ligam a açúcares. O interesse destas moléculas na investigação científica se deve às diversas atividades biológicas a elas atribuídas. Além da identificação de grupos sangüíneos, da caracterização de microorganismos e da estimulação mitogênica de células imunes, as lectinas estão envolvidas nos processos de reconhecimento e das interações celulares. No presente trabalho, revisamos algumas atividades biológicas das lectinas PHA (fitohemaglutinina de Phaseolus vulgaris, WGA (aglutinina de germe de trigo, jacalina e artocarpina (lectinas de Artocarpus integrifolia. PHA, jacalina e artocarpina são mitogênicas para os linfócitos, estimulam a produção de citocinas endógenas, a atração e a ativação de leucócitos. WGA é uma lectina não-mitogênica, no entanto, modula a resposta de defesa estimulando a liberação de superóxido pelos neutrófilos. O entendimento das atividades biológicas permitirá o uso destas moléculas como uma ferramenta útil no diagnóstico e tratamento de muitas doenças.Lectins are ubiquitous (glycoproteins, which exhibit a specific and reversibly carbohydrate binding activity. Because of their structural complexity and variability, they can participate in many physiological functions. Besides the blood groups identification, microorganism characterization and mitogenic immune cell proliferation, they are involved in the cell recognition and cell-cell interaction. In the present work we revised some biological activities of the PHA (Phaseolus vulgaris phytohemagglutinin, WGA (wheat germ agglutinin, jacalin and artocarpin (Artocarpus integrifolia lectins. PHA, jacalin and artocarpin may stimulate lymphocyte proliferation, attract and activate mononuclear cells and stimulate endogenous citokines production. WGA is a nonmitogenic lectin, however it may stimulate neutrophil superoxide production. The understanding of the lectin biological activities may

24 CFR 943.150 - What procurement standards apply to a PHA's joint venture partner?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... a PHA's joint venture partner? 943.150 Section 943.150 Housing and Urban Development Regulations... HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY CONSORTIA AND JOINT VENTURES Subsidiaries, Affiliates, Joint Ventures in Public Housing § 943.150 What procurement standards apply to a PHA...

Synthesis and Characterization of Biodegradable Amphiphilic Star and Y-Shaped Block Copolymers as Potential Carriers for Vinorelbine

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Fatemeh Bahadori

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Two amphiphilic block copolymers using hydrophobic poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL and hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol (PEG were successfully synthesized. One of them is an (A-b-B4 type star polymer [(PCL-b-PEG4] and the other one is a Y-shaped PEG–(PCL2. A star-shaped polymer (PCL-b-PEG4 was prepared by ring-opening polymerization (ROP of ε-caprolactone continued by click reaction of (PCL-azide4 and PEG-alkyne. The synthesis of Y-shaped PEG–(PCL2 block copolymer was carried out via Diels-Alder click reaction of a furan protected maleimide end-functionalized PEG (PEG-MI with an anthracene end-functionalized PCL following the ROP of ε-caprolactone. The characterization of micelles is carried out using both materials in aqueous media as drug delivery vehicles, which showed satisfying results and enhanced the cytotoxic effect of the anti-cancer drug vinorelbine (VLB. However, micelles consisted of Y-shaped unimers were found to be more convenient for delivery of hydrophobic drugs such as VLB because they formed in lower concentration, carrying a higher amount of drugs and owing a monomodal distribution. We concluded that the free tails of hydrophobic chains in Y-shaped block copolymer facilitate the assembly of amphiphilic material in water to form micelles.

Mass spectrometry for the elucidation of the subtle molecular structure of biodegradable polymers and their degradation products.

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Kowalczuk, Marek; Adamus, Grażyna

2016-01-01

Contemporary reports by Polish authors on the application of mass spectrometric methods for the elucidation of the subtle molecular structure of biodegradable polymers and their degradation products will be presented. Special emphasis will be given to natural aliphatic (co)polyesters (PHA) and their synthetic analogues, formed through anionic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of β-substituted β-lactones. Moreover, the application of MS techniques for the evaluation of the structure of biodegradable polymers obtained in ionic and coordination polymerization of cyclic ethers and esters as well as products of step-growth polymerization, in which bifunctional or multifunctional monomers react to form oligomers and eventually long chain polymers, will be discussed. Furthermore, the application of modern MS techniques for the assessment of polymer degradation products, frequently bearing characteristic end groups that can be revealed and differentiated by MS, will be discussed within the context of specific degradation pathways. Finally, recent Polish accomplishments in the area of mass spectrometry will be outlined. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Formulation and evaluation of biodegradable nanoparticles for the oral delivery of fenretinide.

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Graves, Richard A; Ledet, Grace A; Glotser, Elena Y; Mitchner, Demaurian M; Bostanian, Levon A; Mandal, Tarun K

2015-08-30

Fenretinide is an anticancer drug with low water solubility and poor bioavailability. The goal of this study was to develop biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles of fenretinide with the intent of increasing its apparent aqueous solubility and intestinal permeability. Three biodegradable polymers were investigated for this purpose: two different poly lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) polymers, one acid terminated and one ester terminated, and one poly lactide-co-glycolide/polyethylene glycol (PLGA/PEG) diblock copolymer. Nanoparticles were obtained by using an emulsification solvent evaporation technique. The formulations were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and particle size analysis. Dissolution studies and Caco-2 cell permeation studies were also carried out for all formulations. Ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS) and ultraviolet detection was used for the quantitative determination of fenretinide. Drug loading and the type of polymer affected the nanoparticles' physical properties, drug release rate, and cell permeability. While the acid terminated PLGA nanoparticles performed the best in drug release, the ester terminated PLGA nanoparticles performed the best in the Caco-2 cell permeability assays. The PLGA/PEG copolymer nanoparticles performed better than the formulations with ester terminated PLGA in terms of drug release but had the poorest performance in terms of cell permeation. All three categories of formulations performed better than the drug alone in both drug release and cell permeation studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodegradable nanocomposite hydrogel structures with enhanced mechanical properties prepared by photo-crosslinking solutions of poly(trimethylene carbonate)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(trimethylene carbonate) macromonomers and nanoclay particles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sharifi, Shahriar; Blanquer, Sebastien; van Kooten, T.G.; Grijpma, Dirk W.

2012-01-01

Soft hydrogels with elasticity modulus values lower than 100 kPa that are tough and biodegradable are of great interest in medicine and in tissue engineering applications. We have developed a series of soft hydrogel structures from different methacrylate-functionalized triblock copolymers of

Screening of polyhydroxyalkanoate-producing bacteria and PhaC-encoding genes in two hypersaline microbial mats from Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico

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Carolina A. Martínez-Gutiérrez

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Hypersaline microbial mats develop through seasonal and diel fluctuations, as well as under several physicochemical variables. Hence, resident microorganisms commonly employ strategies such as the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs in order to resist changing and stressful conditions. However, the knowledge of bacterial PHA production in hypersaline microbial mats has been limited to date, particularly in regard to medium-chain length PHAs (mcl-PHAs, which have biotechnological applications due to their plastic properties. The aim of this study was to obtain evidence for PHA production in two hypersaline microbial mats of Guerrero Negro, Mexico by searching for PHA granules and PHA synthase genes in isolated bacterial strains and environmental samples. Six PHA-producing strains were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing; three of them corresponded to a Halomonas sp. In addition, Paracoccus sp., Planomicrobium sp. and Staphylococcus sp. were also identified as PHA producers. Presumptive PHA granules and PHA synthases genes were detected in both sampling sites. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis showed that most of the phylotypes were distantly related to putative PhaC synthases class I sequences belonging to members of the classes Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria distributed within eight families, with higher abundances corresponding mainly to Rhodobacteraceae and Rhodospirillaceae. This analysis also showed that PhaC synthases class II sequences were closely related to those of Pseudomonas putida, suggesting the presence of this group, which is probably involved in the production of mcl-PHA in the mats. According to our state of knowledge, this study reports for the first time the occurrence of phaC and phaC1 sequences in hypersaline microbial mats, suggesting that these ecosystems may be a novel source for the isolation of short- and medium-chain length PHA producers.

Amphiphilic poly(ether ester amide) multiblock copolymers as biodegradable matrices for the controlled release of proteins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bezemer, J.M.; Oude Weme, P.; Grijpma, Dirk W.; Dijkstra, Pieter J.; van Blitterswijk, Clemens; Feijen, Jan

2000-01-01

Amphiphilic poly(ether ester amide) (PEEA) multiblock copolymers were synthesized by polycondensation in the melt from hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), 1,4-dihydroxybutane and short bisester-bisamide blocks. These amide blocks were prepared by reaction of 1,4-diaminobutane with dimethyl

Beyond feast and famine: Selecting a PHA accumulating photosynthetic mixed culture in a permanent feast regime.

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Fradinho, J C; Reis, M A M; Oehmen, A

2016-11-15

Currently, the feast and famine (FF) regime is the most widely applied strategy to select for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) accumulating organisms in PHA production systems with mixed microbial cultures. As an alternative to the FF regime, this work studied the possibility of utilizing a permanent feast regime as a new operational strategy to select for PHA accumulating photosynthetic mixed cultures (PMCs). The PMC was selected in an illuminated environment and acetate was constantly present in the mixed liquor to guarantee a feast regime. During steady-state operation, the culture presented low PHA accumulation levels, likely due to low light availability, which resulted in most of the acetate being used for biomass growth (Y x/s of 0.64 ± 0.18 Cmol X/Cmol Acet). To confirm the light limitation on the PMC, SBR tests were conducted with higher light availability, at similar levels as would be expectable from natural sunlight. In this case, the Y x/s reduced to 0.11 ± 0.01 Cmol X/Cmol Acet and the culture presented a PHB production yield on acetate of 0.67 ± 0.01 Cmol PHB/Cmol Acet, leading to a maximum PHB content of 60%. Unlike other studied PMCs, the PMC was capable of simultaneous growth and PHB accumulation continuously throughout the cycle. Thus far, 60% PHA content is the maximum value ever reported for a PMC, a result that prospects the utilization of feast regimes as an alternative strategy for the selection of PHA accumulating PMCs. Furthermore, the PMC also presented high phosphate removal rates, delivering an effluent that complies with phosphate discharge limits. The advantages of selecting PMCs under a permanent feast regime are that no aeration inputs are required; it allows higher PHA contents and phosphate removal rates in comparison to FF-operated PMC systems; and it represents a novel means of integrating wastewater treatment with resource recovery in the form of PHA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of solvents on the enzyme mediated degradation of copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Aditi; Chatterjee, Kaushik; Madras, Giridhar

2015-01-01

The biodegradation of polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolide (PGA) and their copolymers, poly (lactide-co-glycolide) and poly (D, L-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL) was investigated. The influence of different solvents on the degradation of these polymers at 37 °C in the presence of two different lipases namely Novozym 435 and the free lipase of porcine pancreas was investigated. The rate coefficients for the polymer degradation and enzyme deactivation were determined using continuous distribution kinetics. Among the homopolymers, the degradation of PGA was nearly an order of magnitude lower than that for PCL and PLA. The overall rate coefficients of the copolymers were higher than their respective homopolymers. Thus, PLCL degraded faster than either PCL or PLA. The degradation was highly dependent on the viscosity of the solvent used with the highest degradation observed in acetone. The degradation of the polymers in acetone was nearly twice that observed in dimethyl sulfoxide indicating that the degradation decreases with increase in the solvent viscosity. The degradation of the polymers in water-solvent mixtures indicated an optimal water content of 2.5 wt% of water. (paper)

Silicon containing copolymers

CERN Document Server

Amiri, Sahar; Amiri, Sanam

2014-01-01

Silicones have unique properties including thermal oxidative stability, low temperature flow, high compressibility, low surface tension, hydrophobicity and electric properties. These special properties have encouraged the exploration of alternative synthetic routes of well defined controlled microstructures of silicone copolymers, the subject of this Springer Brief. The authors explore the synthesis and characterization of notable block copolymers. Recent advances in controlled radical polymerization techniques leading to the facile synthesis of well-defined silicon based thermo reversible block copolymers?are described along with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), a technique utilized to develop well-defined functional thermo reversible block copolymers. The brief also focuses on Polyrotaxanes and their great potential as stimulus-responsive materials which produce poly (dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) based thermo reversible block copolymers.

Construction of Halomonas bluephagenesis capable of high cell density growth for efficient PHA production.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Yilin; Ling, Chen; Hajnal, Ivan; Wu, Qiong; Chen, Guo-Qiang

2018-05-01

High-cell-density cultivation is an effective way to improve the productivity of microbial fermentations and in turn reduce the cost of the final products, especially in the case of intracellular products. Halomonas bluephagenesis TD01 is a halophilic platform bacterium for the next generation of industrial biotechnology with a native PHA synthetic pathway, able to grow under non-sterile continuous fermentation conditions. A selection strategy for mutant strains that can grow to a high cell density was developed. Based on an error-prone DNA polymerase III ε subunit, a genome-wide random mutagenesis system was established and used in conjunction with an artificial high cell density culture environment during the selection process. A high-cell-density H. bluephagenesis TDHCD-R3 obtained after 3 rounds of selection showed an obvious enhancement of resistance to toxic metabolites including acetate, formate, lactate and ethanol compared to wild-type. H. bluephagenesis TDHCD-R3-8-3 constructed from H. bluephagenesis TDHCD-R3 by overexpressing an optimized phaCAB operon was able to grow to 15 g/L cell dry weight (CDW) containing 94% PHA in shake flask studies. H. bluephagenesis TDHCD-R3-8-3 was grown to more than 90 g/L CDW containing 79% PHA compared with only 81 g/L with 70% PHA by the wild type when incubated in a 7-L fermentor under the same conditions.

Growth kinetics, effect of carbon substrate in biosynthesis of mcl-PHA by Pseudomonas putida Bet001.

Science.gov (United States)

Gumel, A M; Annuar, M S M; Heidelberg, T

2014-01-01

Growth associated biosynthesis of medium chain length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHA) in Pseudomonas putida Bet001 isolated from palm oil mill effluent was studied. Models with substrate inhibition terms described well the kinetics of its growth. Selected fatty acids (C8:0 to C18:1) and ammonium were used as carbon and nitrogen sources during growth and PHA biosynthesis, resulting in PHA accumulation of about 50 to 69% (w/w) and PHA yields ranging from 10.12 g L(-1) to 15.45 g L(-1), respectively. The monomer composition of the PHA ranges from C4 to C14, and was strongly influenced by the type of carbon substrate fed. Interestingly, an odd carbon chain length (C7) monomer was also detected when C18:1 was fed. Polymer showed melting temperature (T m) of 42.0 (± 0.2) °C, glass transition temperature (T g) of -1.0 (± 0.2) °C and endothermic melting enthalpy of fusion (ΔHf) of 110.3 (± 0.1) J g(-1). The molecular weight (M w) range of the polymer was relatively narrow between 55 to 77 kDa.

Growth kinetics, effect of carbon substrate in biosynthesis of mcl-PHA by Pseudomonas putida Bet001

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A.M. Gumel

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Growth associated biosynthesis of medium chain length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHA in Pseudomonas putida Bet001 isolated from palm oil mill effluent was studied. Models with substrate inhibition terms described well the kinetics of its growth. Selected fatty acids (C8:0 to C18:1 and ammonium were used as carbon and nitrogen sources during growth and PHA biosynthesis, resulting in PHA accumulation of about 50 to 69% (w/w and PHA yields ranging from 10.12 g L-1 to 15.45 g L-1, respectively. The monomer composition of the PHA ranges from C4 to C14, and was strongly influenced by the type of carbon substrate fed. Interestingly, an odd carbon chain length (C7 monomer was also detected when C18:1 was fed. Polymer showed melting temperature (Tm of 42.0 (± 0.2 °C, glass transition temperature (Tg of -1.0 (± 0.2 °C and endothermic melting enthalpy of fusion (ΔHf of 110.3 (± 0.1 J g-1. The molecular weight (Mw range of the polymer was relatively narrow between 55 to 77 kDa.

Cloning and heterologous expression of a novel subgroup of class IV polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase genes from the genus Bacillus.

Science.gov (United States)

Mizuno, Kouhei; Kihara, Takahiro; Tsuge, Takeharu; Lundgren, Benjamin R; Sarwar, Zaara; Pinto, Atahualpa; Nomura, Christopher T

2017-01-01

Many microorganisms harbor genes necessary to synthesize biodegradable plastics known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). We surveyed a genomic database and discovered a new cluster of class IV PHA synthase genes (phaRC). These genes are different in sequence and operon structure from any previously reported PHA synthase. The newly discovered PhaRC synthase was demonstrated to produce PHAs in recombinant Escherichia coli.

Insights into Feast-Famine polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-producer selection: Microbial community succession, relationships with system function and underlying driving forces.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Long; Chen, Zhiqiang; Wen, Qinxue; Zhao, Lizhi; Lee, Duu-Jong; Yang, Lian; Wang, Yao

2017-12-18

The Feast-Famine (FF) process has been frequently used to select polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-accumulating mixed cultures (MCs), but there has been little insight into the ecophysiology of the microbial community during the selection process. In three FF systems with well-defined conditions, synchronized variations in higher-order properties of MCs and complicate microbial community succession mainly including enrichment and elimination of non-top competitors and unexpected turnover of top competitors, were observed. Quantification of PHA-accumulating function genes (phaC) revealed that the top competitors maintained the PHA synthesis by playing consecutive roles when the highly dynamic turnover occurred. Due to its specific physiological characteristics during the PHA-accumulating process, Thauera strain OTU 7 was found to be responsible for the fluctuating SVI, which threatened the robustness of the FF system. This trait was also responsible for its later competitive exclusion by the other PHA-producer, Paracoccus strain OTU 1. Deterministic processes dominated the entire FF system, resulting in the inevitable microbial community succession in the acclimation phase and maintenance of the stable PHA-accumulating function in the maturation phase. However, neutral processes, likely caused by predation from bacterial phages, also occurred, which led to the unpredictable temporal dynamics of the top competitors. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

T and B cells and PHA response of peripheral lymphocytes among atomic bomb survivors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamakido, Michio; Akiyama, Mitoshi; Dock, D.S.; Hamilton, H.B.; Awa, A.A.

1982-07-01

Little is known about immune compretence in atomic bomb survivors. The following results were observed from this study. T and B cells showed no change in proportion by age or exposure dose. The percentage of T cells was slightly lower in malignant tumor patients than in the control group. However, it was significantly higher in the group with chromosomal aberrations than in the control group. Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response of peripheral lymphocytes decreased significantly with age in the 0 rad control group and the 200+ rad exposure group, particularly so in the latter. The malignant tumor group also showed lower PHA response than the control group. The PHA response of the chromosomal aberration group was significantly depressed compared with that of the control group. (author)

Temporal regulation of foregut development by HTZ-1/H2A.Z and PHA-4/FoxA.

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Dustin L Updike

2006-09-01

Full Text Available The histone variant H2A.Z is evolutionarily conserved and plays an essential role in mice, Drosophila, and Tetrahymena. The essential function of H2A.Z is unknown, with some studies suggesting a role in transcriptional repression and others in activation. Here we show that Caenorhabditis elegans HTZ-1/H2A.Z and the remodeling complex MYS-1/ESA1-SSL-1/SWR1 synergize with the FoxA transcription factor PHA-4 to coordinate temporal gene expression during foregut development. We observe dramatic genetic interactions between pha-4 and htz-1, mys-1, and ssl-1. A survey of transcription factors reveals that this interaction is specific, and thus pha-4 is acutely sensitive to reductions in these three proteins. Using a nuclear spot assay to visualize HTZ-1 in living embryos as organogenesis proceeds, we show that HTZ-1 is recruited to foregut promoters at the time of transcriptional onset, and this recruitment requires PHA-4. Loss of htz-1 by RNAi is lethal and leads to delayed expression of a subset of foregut genes. Thus, the effects of PHA-4 on temporal regulation can be explained in part by recruitment of HTZ-1 to target promoters. We suggest PHA-4 and HTZ-1 coordinate temporal gene expression by modulating the chromatin environment.

Thermal Annealing to Modulate the Shape Memory Behavior of a Biobased and Biocompatible Triblock Copolymer Scaffold in the Human Body Temperature Range.

Science.gov (United States)

Merlettini, Andrea; Gigli, Matteo; Ramella, Martina; Gualandi, Chiara; Soccio, Michelina; Boccafoschi, Francesca; Munari, Andrea; Lotti, Nadia; Focarete, Maria Letizia

2017-08-14

A biodegradable and biocompatible electrospun scaffold with shape memory behavior in the physiological temperature range is here presented. It was obtained starting from a specifically designed, biobased PLLA-based triblock copolymer, where the central block is poly(propylene azelate-co-propylene sebacate) (P(PAz60PSeb40)) random copolymer. Shape memory properties are determined by the contemporary presence of the low melting crystals of the P(PAz60PSeb40) block, acting as switching segment, and of the high melting crystal phase of PLLA blocks, acting as physical network. It is demonstrated that a straightforward annealing process applied to the crystal phase of the switching element gives the possibility to tune the shape recovery temperature from about 25 to 50 °C, without the need of varying the copolymer's chemical structure. The thermal annealing approach here presented can be thus considered a powerful strategy for "ad hoc" programming the same material for applications requiring different recovery temperatures. Fibroblast culture experiments demonstrated scaffold biocompatibility.

Novel approach for productivity enhancement of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production by Cupriavidus necator DSM 545.

Science.gov (United States)

Berezina, Nathalie

2013-01-25

In the global context of increased concerns for our environment, the use of bioplastics as a replacement for existing petroleum-based polymers is an important challenge. Indeed, bioplastics hardly meet economical and technical constraints. One, of the most promising among currently studied bioplastics, is the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). To circumvent the economical issue for this particular biopolymer one solution can be the enhancement of the overall productivity by the improvement of the nutritional medium of the microorganism producing the biopolymer. Thus, several nutrition media, supplemented or not with sodium glutamate, were tested for the growth and the PHA production by Cupriavidus necator DSM 545 strain. The most efficient for the biomass and the PHA production improvement were found to be the Luria broth (LB) and the Bonnarme's media, both supplemented with 10 g/L sodium glutamate. Hence the overall productivity was 33 times enhanced comparing to traditional cultivation methods. These results open a new route for the PHA production by C. necator which appears to be more suitable on a rich, or enriched, medium with no limiting factors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Granules Have no Phospholipids

Science.gov (United States)

Bresan, Stephanie; Sznajder, Anna; Hauf, Waldemar; Forchhammer, Karl; Pfeiffer, Daniel; Jendrossek, Dieter

2016-01-01

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) granules, also designated as carbonosomes, are supra-molecular complexes in prokaryotes consisting of a PHB polymer core and a surface layer of structural and functional proteins. The presence of suspected phospholipids in the surface layer is based on in vitro data of isolated PHB granules and is often shown in cartoons of the PHB granule structure in reviews on PHB metabolism. However, the in vivo presence of a phospholipid layer has never been demonstrated. We addressed this topic by the expression of fusion proteins of DsRed2EC and other fluorescent proteins with the phospholipid-binding domain (LactC2) of lactadherin in three model organisms. The fusion proteins specifically localized at the cell membrane of Ralstonia eutropha but did not co-localize with PHB granules. The same result was obtained for Pseudomonas putida, a species that accumulates another type of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) granules related to PHB. Notably, DsRed2EC-LactC2 expressed in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense was detected at the position of membrane-enclosed magnetosome chains and at the cytoplasmic membrane but not at PHB granules. In conclusion, the carbonosomes of representatives of α-proteobacteria, β-proteobacteria and γ-proteobacteria have no phospholipids in vivo and we postulate that the PHB/PHA granule surface layers in natural producers generally are free of phospholipids and consist of proteins only. PMID:27222167

PHA Productivity and Yield of Ralstonia eutropha When Intermittently or Continuously Fed a Mixture of Short Chain Fatty Acids

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Panchali Chakraborty

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The research described in this present study was part of a larger effort focused on developing a dual substrate, dual fermentation process to produce Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA. The focus of this study was developing and optimizing a strategy for feeding a mixture of SCFAs (simulated ARF and maximizing PHA production in a cost-effective way. Three different feeding strategies were examined in this study. The substrate evaluated in this study for the growth phase of R. eutropha was condensed corn solubles, a low-value byproduct of the dry-mill, corn ethanol industry. The culture was grown to high cell densities in nitrogen-supplemented condensed corn solubles media in 5 L bioreactors. The overall growth rate of R. eutropha was 0.2 h−1. The 20 mL ARF feeding every 3 h from 48 to 109 h strategy gave the best results in terms of PHA production. PHA productivity (0.0697 g L−1 h−1, PHA concentration (8.37 g L−1, and PHA content (39.52% were the highest when ARF was fed every 3 h for 61 h. This study proved that condensed corn solubles can be potentially used as a growth medium to boost PHA production by R. eutropha thus reducing the overall cost of biopolymer production.

PHA Productivity and Yield of Ralstonia eutropha When Intermittently or Continuously Fed a Mixture of Short Chain Fatty Acids

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Panchali; Muthukumarappan, Kasiviswanathan; Gibbons, William R.

2012-01-01

The research described in this present study was part of a larger effort focused on developing a dual substrate, dual fermentation process to produce Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). The focus of this study was developing and optimizing a strategy for feeding a mixture of SCFAs (simulated ARF) and maximizing PHA production in a cost-effective way. Three different feeding strategies were examined in this study. The substrate evaluated in this study for the growth phase of R. eutropha was condensed corn solubles, a low-value byproduct of the dry-mill, corn ethanol industry. The culture was grown to high cell densities in nitrogen-supplemented condensed corn solubles media in 5 L bioreactors. The overall growth rate of R. eutropha was 0.2 h−1. The 20 mL ARF feeding every 3 h from 48 to 109 h strategy gave the best results in terms of PHA production. PHA productivity (0.0697 g L−1 h−1), PHA concentration (8.37 g L−1), and PHA content (39.52%) were the highest when ARF was fed every 3 h for 61 h. This study proved that condensed corn solubles can be potentially used as a growth medium to boost PHA production by R. eutropha thus reducing the overall cost of biopolymer production. PMID:23118512

Biodegradable blends of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) / polyhydroxybutrate (PHB) copolymer and its effects on rheological, thermal and mechanical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Sood, Nitin K.

Poly (Lactic acid) is the most important plastic derived from the renewable resources. PLA based products have extensively been used in the medical industry. However, PLA has a few disadvantages such as inherent brittleness and low toughness despite a high modulus. A focus of this experiment was to study the improvement in toughness of PLA and to study the changes in thermal and rheological properties by blending PLA with a PHB copolymer. Where, PLA and PHB copolymer were melt blended using a twin screw Brabender extruder in the ratios of 100/0, 70/30, 50/50, 30/70, 0/100. Further, the blends were injection molded into tensile bar and impact bars for mechanical testing. Rheological properties were studied using a Galaxy capillary rheometer for melt viscosities and temperature dependence indicated a shear-thinning behavior along with power law model and consistency index. Blends were characterized to study the phase model using a differential scanning calorimetric (DSC), showed two separate phases. Mechanical properties were analyzed using a Tensile and Izod impact test indicating decrease in elastic modulus with increase in toughness and elongation as the PHB copolymer content was increased in the blend.

An amphiphilic graft copolymer-based nanoparticle platform for reduction-responsive anticancer and antimalarial drug delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Najer, Adrian; Wu, Dalin; Nussbaumer, Martin G.; Schwertz, Geoffrey; Schwab, Anatol; Witschel, Matthias C.; Schäfer, Anja; Diederich, François; Rottmann, Matthias; Palivan, Cornelia G.; Beck, Hans-Peter; Meier, Wolfgang

2016-08-01

Medical applications of anticancer and antimalarial drugs often suffer from low aqueous solubility, high systemic toxicity, and metabolic instability. Smart nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems provide means of solving these problems at once. Herein, we present such a smart nanoparticle platform based on self-assembled, reduction-responsive amphiphilic graft copolymers, which were successfully synthesized through thiol-disulfide exchange reaction between thiolated hydrophilic block and pyridyl disulfide functionalized hydrophobic block. These amphiphilic graft copolymers self-assembled into nanoparticles with mean diameters of about 30-50 nm and readily incorporated hydrophobic guest molecules. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) was used to study nanoparticle stability and triggered release of a model compound in detail. Long-term colloidal stability and model compound retention within the nanoparticles was found when analyzed in cell media at body temperature. In contrast, rapid, complete reduction-triggered disassembly and model compound release was achieved within a physiological reducing environment. The synthesized copolymers revealed no intrinsic cellular toxicity up to 1 mg mL-1. Drug-loaded reduction-sensitive nanoparticles delivered a hydrophobic model anticancer drug (doxorubicin, DOX) to cancer cells (HeLa cells) and an experimental, metabolically unstable antimalarial drug (the serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) inhibitor (+/-)-1) to Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (iRBCs), with higher efficacy compared to similar, non-sensitive drug-loaded nanoparticles. These responsive copolymer-based nanoparticles represent a promising candidate as smart nanocarrier platform for various drugs to be applied to different diseases, due to the biocompatibility and biodegradability of the hydrophobic block, and the protein-repellent hydrophilic block.Medical applications of anticancer and antimalarial drugs often suffer from low aqueous

24 CFR 982.306 - PHA disapproval of owner.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... fraud, bribery or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with any federal housing program; (3... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false PHA disapproval of owner. 982.306... the Fair Housing Act or other federal equal opportunity requirements, and such action is pending; or...

Development of biodegradable hyper-branched tissue adhesives for the repair of meniscus tears.

Science.gov (United States)

Bochyńska, A I; Van Tienen, T G; Hannink, G; Buma, P; Grijpma, D W

2016-03-01

Meniscus tears are one of the most commonly occurring injuries of the knee joint. Current meniscus repair techniques are challenging and do not bring fully satisfactory results. Tissue adhesives are a promising alternative, since they are easy to apply and cause minimal tissue trauma. In this study, a series of amphiphilic copolymers based on polyethylene glycol, trimethylene carbonate and citric acid were synthesized and subsequently end-functionalized with hexamethylene diisocyanate to form reactive adhesive materials. The shear adhesive strength of the networks to bovine meniscus tissue measured in a lap-shear adhesion test ranged between 20 and 80 kPa, which was better than for fibrin glue (10 kPa). The elastic modulus of the networks depended on composition and was in the same range as that of human meniscus. Cell compatibility was assessed using Alamar Blue staining after incubation of the bovine meniscus cells with different concentrations of the glues for 7 days. Cell viability was not affected after adding up to 3mg of the adhesive/mL of medium. The proposed materials are suitable candidates to be used as resorbable tissue adhesives for meniscus repair. They have excellent mechanical and adhesive properties that can be adjusted by varying the composition of the copolymers. Meniscal tears often occur and current treatment strategies do not bring fully satisfactory results. Use of biodegradable tissue adhesives would be an interesting option, but currently available adhesives are not suited due to toxicity or poor mechanical properties. Here, we describe the development of novel biodegradable, hyper-branched, adhesive copolymers. These adhesives cure upon contact with water forming flexible networks. Their adhesion to bovine meniscus tissue was significantly better than that of clinically used fibrin glue. The tensile properties of the cured networks were in the same range of values of the human meniscus. When physiologically relevant amounts were added to

Selecting optimal feast-to-famine ratio for a new polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production system fed by valerate-dominant sludge hydrolysate.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Jiuxiao; Wang, Hui; Wang, Xiujin

2018-04-01

The feast-to-famine ratio (F/F) represents the extent of selective pressure during polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) culture selection. This study evaluated the effects of F/F on a new PHA production system by an enriched culture with valerate-dominant sludge hydrolysate and selected the optimal F/F. After the original F/F 1/3 was modified to 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, and 1/5, F/F did not affect their lengths of feast phase, but affected their biomass growth behaviors during the famine phase and PHA-producing abilities. The optimal F/F was 1/2, and compared with 1/3, it increased the maximal PHA content and the fraction of 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) and 3-hydroxy-2-methylvalerate (3H2MV) monomers, with higher productivity and better polymer properties. Although F/F 1/2 impaired the advantage of the dominant genus Delftia, it improved the PHA production rate while decreased biomass growth rate, meanwhile enhancing the utilization and conversion of valerate. These findings indicate that in contrast to previous studies using acetate-dominant substrate for PHA production, the new system fed by valerate-dominant substrate can adopt a higher F/F.

Identifikace PHA produkujících bakterií pomocí nástrojů molekulární biologie

OpenAIRE

Gajdová, Barbora

2017-01-01

Tato diplomová práce se zabývá identifikací bakterií, které jsou schopny produkce polyhydroxyalkanoátů (PHA). Mezi testovanými bakteriemi byli převážně zástupci rodu Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, dále vzorky z termofilní kultury a vzorky z přírodních zdrojů. Bakterie byly testovány pomocí molekulárně biologické metody PCR. Byla analyzována amplifikace genu kódujícího PHA syntázu (phaC). V první reakci byl detekován jak phaC gen zodpovědný za syntézu PHA, tak současně i 16S rRNA...

Enhancing the stability of colloidal silver nanoparticles using polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from Bacillus circulans (MTCC 8167) isolated from crude oil contaminated soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Phukon, Pinkee; Saikia, Jyoti Prasad; Konwar, Bolin Kumar

2011-09-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) was produced by growing Bacillus circulans (MTCC 8167) in the specific detection medium. The identification of the polymer as PHA was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. The PHA was purified and characterized using FT-IR. The silver nanoparticles (SNP) were synthesized from AgNO3 in the dispersed colloids of PHA (0.085%) using NaBH4 (sodium borohydrate as reducing agent). The stability was tested using wave length scanning with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer and finally with transmission electron microscopy. The PHA stabilized solution was found to be stable for 30 days as against the low stability of silver nanoparticles (SNP) solution alone. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immunotoxicological studies of genetically modified rice expressing PHA-E lectin or Bt toxin in Wistar rats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kroghsbo, Stine; Madsen, Charlotte Bernhard; Poulsen, Morten

2008-01-01

As part of the SAFOTEST project the immunmodulating effect of Cry1Ab protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and PHA-E lectin from kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris erythroagglutinin) was examined in 28- and 90-day feeding studies in Wistar rats. PHA-E lectin was chosen as positive control. Rats...

Olefin–Styrene Copolymers

OpenAIRE

Nunzia Galdi; Antonio Buonerba; Leone Oliva

2016-01-01

In this review are reported some of the most relevant achievements in the chemistry of the ethylene–styrene copolymerization and in the characterization of the copolymer materials. Focus is put on the relationship between the structure of the catalyst and that of the obtained copolymer. On the other hand, the wide variety of copolymer architecture is related to the properties of the material and to the potential utility.

Isolation and Characterization of PHA-Producing Bacteria from Propylene Oxide Saponification Wastewater Residual Sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ruirui; Gu, Pengfei; Fan, Xiangyu; Shen, Junyu; Wu, Yulian; Huang, Lixuan; Li, Qiang

2018-03-21

A polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-producing strain was isolated from propylene oxide (PO) saponification wastewater activated sludge and was identified as Brevundimonas vesicularis UJN1 through 16S rDNA sequencing and Biolog microbiological identification. Single-factor and response surface methodology experiments were used to optimize the culture medium and conditions. The optimal C/N ratio was 100/1.04, and the optimal carbon and nitrogen sources were sucrose (10 g/L) and NH 4 Cl (0.104 g/L) respectively. The optimal culture conditions consisted of initial pH of 6.7 and an incubation temperature of 33.4 °C for 48 h, with 15% inoculum and 100 mL medium at an agitation rate of 180 rpm. The PHA concentration reached 34.1% of the cell dry weight and increased three times compared with that before optimization. The only report of PHA-producing bacteria by Brevundimonas vesicularis showed that the conversion rate of PHAs using glucose as the optimal carbon source was 1.67%. In our research, the conversion rate of PHAs with sucrose as the optimal carbon source was 3.05%, and PHA production using sucrose as the carbon source was much cheaper than that using glucose as the carbon source.

The Molecular Level Characterization of Biodegradable Polymers Originated from Polyethylene Using Non-Oxygenated Polyethylene Wax as a Carbon Source for Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Brian; Jiang, Guozhan; Hill, David; Adamus, Grazyna; Kwiecień, Iwona; Zięba, Magdalena; Sikorska, Wanda; Green, Matthew; Kowalczuk, Marek; Radecka, Iza

2017-08-28

There is an increasing demand for bio-based polymers that are developed from recycled materials. The production of biodegradable polymers can include bio-technological (utilizing microorganisms or enzymes) or chemical synthesis procedures. This report demonstrates the corroboration of the molecular structure of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) obtained by the conversion of waste polyethylene (PE) via non-oxygenated PE wax (N-PEW) as an additional carbon source for a bacterial species. The N-PEW, obtained from a PE pyrolysis reaction, has been found to be a beneficial carbon source for PHA production with Cupriavidus necator H16. The production of the N-PEW is an alternative to oxidized polyethylene wax (O-PEW) (that has been used as a carbon source previously) as it is less time consuming to manufacture and offers fewer industrial applications. A range of molecular structural analytical techniques were performed on the PHAs obtained; which included nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Our study showed that the PHA formed from N-PEW contained 3-hydroxybutyrate (HB) with 11 mol% of 3-hydroxyvalerate (HV) units.

Kinetics of prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane A2 synthesis and suppression of PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Awara, W; Hillier, K; Jones, D

1986-12-01

The immunomodulatory effects of thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin E2 on peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes stimulated with PHA in vitro, and the relationship of this to the time-course of their synthesis in culture, were investigated using prostaglandin E2, a thromboxane A2 synthesis inhibitor (UK37248), a thromboxane A2 mimic (U46619) and a thromboxane A2 receptor blocker (EP045). The inhibitory effect of prostaglandin E2 on PHA-induced human peripheral blood mononuclear leucocyte proliferation diminishes if the addition of PGE2 is delayed. If added 4 hr after a maximum concentration of PHA (5 micrograms/ml), the effect of PGE2 was reduced by 60%. If a submaximal concentration of PHA (1 microgram/ml) was used, the effect of PGE2 was not reduced if added 4 hr later but fell by about 60% after 16 hr. UK37248 moderately inhibited PHA-induced activation while substantially inhibiting thromboxane A2 synthesis and simultaneously enhancing PGE2 synthesis. The enhanced accumulation of PGE2 occurs while sensitivity to PGE2 is dropping. U46619, exogenously applied as a thromboxane A2 mimic, inhibited PHA-induced activation at concentrations that did not significantly alter PGE2 synthesis. EP045, which may modulate the effects of endogenous thromboxane A2 by blocking receptors, did not alter PHA-induced activation. We conclude that thromboxane A2 may have a role in inhibiting PHA-induced activation on the basis of the effect of U46619. However, this study highlights difficulties in utilizing prostaglandin and thromboxane receptor and synthesis inhibitors to examine their endogenous role in the modulation of mitogen-induced activation in vitro. If sensitivity to the purported endogenous substance is limited to the early stages of culture and if only low levels are synthesized at this early stage, then blocking drugs would have little effect.

24 CFR 965.205 - Qualified PHA-owned insurance entity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... a PHA could purchase insurance coverage without regard to competitive selection procedures when it purchases it from a nonprofit insurance entity owned and controlled by PHAs approved by HUD in accordance... of experience in large risk (exceeding $100,000 in annual premiums) commercial underwriting or at...

Biodegradable poly lactone-family polymer and their applications in medical field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.; Bei, J.

2005-01-01

Poly lactone-family polymers such as poly lactide, poly glycolide and polycaprolactone are kind aliphatic polyester. Since they can degrade by hydrolysis reaction under all the ph condition and possess biocompatibility, biodegradability and other good properties, especially they included not peptide bond in their molecules, they are non-antigen and non-immunization, as well as have no-toxicity and no-stimulation. So they are interested biomaterials and very useful in medical field. However the properties of all of the homo-poly lactones can not be changed in a large range, the limited properties result in limited applications of these homo-poly lactones. Based on macromolecular design, a series of copolylactones such as poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), poly(glycolide-co-lactide-co-caprolactone) tri- component copolymer (PGLC), tri- and multi-block poly lactide/poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer (TPLE and BPLE), as well as polycaprolactone/poly lactide/poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer (PCEL) et al were synthesized by copolymerization among various lactone monomers or lactone monomers with poly(ethylene glycol). These copolylactones have wide range of degradation life from several months to years and different mechanical properties. After plasma treatment the surface property of the copolylactones were improved further and cell affinity of the copolylactones was improved obviously. The applications of these poly lactone-family polymers in medical field for used as drug carrier in drug delivery system, and as cell scaffold in tissue engineering were discussed

Structure and polymer form of poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates produced by Pseudomonas oleovorans grown with mixture of sodium octanoate/undecylenic acid and sodium octanoate/5-phenylvaleric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, I-Ching; Yang, Sheng-Pin; Chiu, Wen-Yen; Huang, Shih-Yow

2007-01-30

PHAs (poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates) obtained by Pseudomonas oleovorans grown with mixed carbon sources were investigated. Mixed carbon sources were sodium octanoate/undecylenic acid and sodium octanoate/5-phenylvaleric acid. Effect of carbon source in pre-culture on PHAs structure was investigated. Main fermentation was conducted with mixture of sodium octanoate/undecylenic acid, and PHA contained both saturated and unsaturated units. When more undecylenic acid was used in the medium, the ratio of unsaturated unit increased and the T(g) of the products also changed. The PHA grown with mixture of sodium octanoate and undecylenic acid was a random copolymer, which was determined by DSC analysis. Using mixed carbon sources of sodium octanoate and 5-phenylvaleric acid, highest dry cell weight and PHA concentration were obtained when 0.02g or 0.04g of 5-phenylvaleric acid were added in 50mL medium. Cultured with sodium octanoate and 5-phenylvaleric acid, PHA containing HO (3-hydroxyoctanoate) unit and HPV (3-hydroxy-5-phenylvalerate) unit was produced. T(g) of the products fell between those of pure PHO and pure PHPV. By means of DSC analysis and fractionation method, the PHA obtained was regarded as a random copolymer.

Super toughened biodegradable polylactide blends with non-linear copolymer interfacial architecture obtained via facile in-situ reactive compatibilization

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ojijo, Vincent O

2015-12-01

Full Text Available to the formation of non-linear copolymer architecture at the interface. Scanning electron microscopy showed a drastic reduction of the dispersed phase size upon compatibilization, even at very low quantities of the chain extender. Rheological probing...

Blends of Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene Triblock Copolymer with Random Styrene-Maleic Anhydride Copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Piccini, Maria Teresa; Ruggeri, Giacomo; Passaglia, Elisa; Picchioni, Francesco; Aglietto, Mauro

2002-01-01

Blends of styrene-butadiene-styrene triblock copolymer (SBS) with random styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers (PS-co-MA), having different MA content, were prepared in a Brabender Plastigraph mixer. The presence of polystyrene (PS) blocks in the SBS copolymer and the high styrene content (93 and 86

Surface characterization and biodegradation behavior of magnesium implanted poly(L-lactide/caprolactone) films

Science.gov (United States)

Sokullu, Emel; Ersoy, Fulya; Yalçın, Eyyup; Öztarhan, Ahmet

2017-11-01

Biopolymers are great source for medical applications such as drug delivery, wound patch, artificial tissue studies etc., food packaging, cosmetic applications etc. due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Particularly, the biodegradation ability of a biomaterial makes it even advantageous for the applications. The more tunable the biodegradation rate the more desired the biopolymers. There are many ways to tune degradation rate including surface modification. In this study ion implantation method applied to biopolymer surface to determine its effect on biodegradation rate. In this study, surface modification of poly(L-lactide/caprolactone) copolymer film is practiced via Mg-ion-implantation using a MEVVA ion source. Mg ions were implanted at a fluence of 1 × 1015 ions/cm2 and ion energy of 30 keV. Surface characterization of Mg-ion-implanted samples is examined using Atomic Force Microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, contact angle measurement and FT-IR Spectroscopy. These analyses showed that the surface become more hydrophilic and rougher after the ion implantation process which is advantageous for cell attachment on medical studies. The in vitro enzymatic degradation of Mg-implanted samples was investigated in Lipase PS containing enzyme solution. Enzymatic degradation rate was examined by mass loss calculation and it is shown that Mg-implanted samples lost more than 30% of their weight while control samples lost around 20% of their weight at the end of the 16 weeks. The evaluation of the results confirmed that Mg-ion-implantation on poly(L-lactide/caprolactone) films make the surface rougher and more hydrophilic and changes the organic structure on the surface. On the other hand, ion implantation has increased the biodegradation rate.

Biosynthesis and composition of bacterial poly(hydroxyalkanoates).

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, A J; Haywood, G W; Dawes, E A

1990-04-01

It is well established that Alcaligenes eutrophus can accumulate a copolymer containing 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate, but longer 3-hydroxyacid monomers have not been reported to occur in this organism. The properties of the enzymes of poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) biosynthesis are discussed and it is proposed that the substrate specificity of the polymerizing enzyme restricts the range of monomer units incorporated into PHA. Various other bacteria produce similar copolymers from propionic acid and/or valeric acid. A number of Pseudomonas species accumulate PHAs containing longer-chain monomer units from linear alkanoic acids, alkanes and alcohols.

植物凝集素PHA-L对小鼠急性辐射防护作用%Protective effects of the plant lectin PHA-L on acute radiation injuries in mice

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

张广慧; 吴红英; 靳瑾; 周则卫; 刘培勋; 龙伟

2016-01-01

The aim is to observe the protective effects of plant lectin PHA-L against radiation injuries and the relative mechanism. 30 d survival experiment was used to observe the survival condition of mice 30 d after irradiation with 7.2 Gy γ-rays. Blood and immunological experiments of mice were carried out to observe WBC (White blood cell), femoral nucleated cells, bone marrow DNA content and organs index after irradiation with 7.2 Gy γ-rays. Intestine pathological section of mice irradiated on abdomen with 9.0 Gy γ-rays was prepared to observe the pathology of intestine. The results showed that compared with the irradiation group, the survival rate of mice treated with PHA-L increased, especially for the high dose group (60% lifted); compared with the irradiation group, white blood cell count, bone marrow DNA content and spleen nodules of mice administered with high dose group increased from 0.74±0.16, 1.02±0.17 and 9.80±6.46 to 1.18±0.40, 1.22±0.17 and 18.10±6.87 respectively, which were statistically significant (p<0.05). Moreover, PHA-L also had some protective effect on the organ. In pathology observation, the intestines of mice treated with PHA-L recovered significantly as well. Therefore, plant lectin PHA-L can protect mice from radiation injuries, yet the mechanism needs further study.%观察植物凝集素PHA-L对小鼠急性辐射损伤的保护作用及相关机制.采用动物30 d存活率实验,即小鼠全身辐照至吸收剂量为7.2 Gy后观察其存活情况;利用外周血和免疫学实验,小鼠全身照射至吸收剂量为7.2 Gy后测外周血白细胞数(White blood cell,WBC)、股骨有核细胞数(The number of nucleated cells in bone marrow,BMNC)、骨髓DNA含量以及各脏器指数;对小鼠进行9.0 Gy腹部照射,取小肠组织做病理切片观察.结果显示,照射给药组小鼠30 d存活率比单纯照射组均有提高,特别是高剂量组提高约60%;�

Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Thermoresponsive Polyhydroxyalkanoate-graft-Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Yi-Ming; Wei, Dai-Xu; Yao, Hui

2016-01-01

(3HDD-co-3H10U), a random copolymer of 3-hydroxydodecanoate (3HDD) and 3-hydroxy-10-undecylenate (3H10U), via a thiol–ene click reaction. Enhanced hydrophilicity and thermoresponsive property of the resulted PHA-g-PNIPAm were confirmed by water contact angle studies. The biocompatibility of PHA...

Functional redundancy ensures performance robustness in 3-stage PHA-producing mixed cultures under variable feed operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Gilda; Pedras, Inês; Karst, Soren M; Oliveira, Catarina S S; Duque, Anouk F; Nielsen, Per H; Reis, Maria A M

2018-01-25

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biopolymers that can be produced by mixed microbial cultures using wastes or industrial by-products, which represent an economical and environmental advantage over pure culture processes. The use of alternate feedstocks enables using seasonal by-products, providing that the process is resilient to transient conditions. The mixed microbial communities of a 3-stage PHA producing system fed initially with molasses and then cheese whey were investigated through amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The transition in feedstock resulted in an adaptation of the acidogenic community, where Actinobacteria dominated with sugarcane molasses (up to 93% of the operational taxonomic units) and Firmicutes, with cheese whey (up to 97%). The resulting fermentation products profile also changed, with a higher fraction of HV precursors obtained with molasses than cheese whey (7.1±0.5 and 1.7±0.7 gCOD/L, respectively). As for the PHA storing culture, the genera Azoarcus, Thauera and Paracoccus were enriched with fermented molasses (average 89% of Bacteria). Later, fermented cheese whey fostered a higher diversity, including some less characterised PHA-storers such as the genera Paenibacillus and Lysinibacillus. Although the microbial community structure was significantly affected by the feedstock shift, the acidogenic and PHA storing performance of the 3-stage system was very similar once a pseudo steady state was attained, showing that a reliable level of functional redundancy was attained in both mixed cultures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Chain Microstructure of Biodegradable Copolyesters Obtained with Low-Toxic Zirconium Initiator to In Vitro Biocompatibility

Science.gov (United States)

Orchel, Arkadiusz; Kasperczyk, Janusz; Marcinkowski, Andrzej; Pamula, Elzbieta; Orchel, Joanna; Bielecki, Ireneusz

2013-01-01

Because of the wide use of biodegradable materials in tissue engineering, it is necessary to obtain biocompatible polymers with different mechanical and physical properties as well as degradation ratio. Novel co- and terpolymers of various composition and chain microstructure have been developed and applied for cell culture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adhesion and proliferation of human chondrocytes to four biodegradable copolymers: lactide-coglycolide, lactide-co-ε-caprolactone, lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate, glycolide-co-ε-caprolactone, and one terpolymer glycolide-colactide-co-ε-caprolactone synthesized with the use of zirconium acetylacetonate as a nontoxic initiator. Chain microstructure of the copolymers was analyzed by means of 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and surface properties by AFM technique. Cell adhesion and proliferation were determined by CyQUANT Cell Proliferation Assay Kit. After 4 h the chondrocyte adhesion on the surface of studied materials was comparable to standard TCPS. Cell proliferation occurred on all the substrates; however, among the studied polymers poly(L-lactide-coglycolide) 85 : 15 that characterized the most blocky structure best supported cell growth. Chondrocytes retained the cell membrane integrity evaluated by the LDH release assay. As can be summarized from the results of the study, all the studied polymers are well tolerated by the cells that make them appropriate for human chondrocytes growth. PMID:24062998

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Bioplastic Packaging Materials

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-01

the non-isothermal melt-crystallization kinetics of the subject PHB copolymers. In this test, the specimen (cut from a disc compression molded at...of PHB was determined to be about 1.10 g/cm3 at 160 °C; this value was used in all the calculations. Specifically, the specimen disc was placed

Main-chain supramolecular block copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Si Kyung; Ambade, Ashootosh V; Weck, Marcus

2011-01-01

Block copolymers are key building blocks for a variety of applications ranging from electronic devices to drug delivery. The material properties of block copolymers can be tuned and potentially improved by introducing noncovalent interactions in place of covalent linkages between polymeric blocks resulting in the formation of supramolecular block copolymers. Such materials combine the microphase separation behavior inherent to block copolymers with the responsiveness of supramolecular materials thereby affording dynamic and reversible materials. This tutorial review covers recent advances in main-chain supramolecular block copolymers and describes the design principles, synthetic approaches, advantages, and potential applications.

Microbial synthesis of functional homo-, random, and block polyhydroxyalkanoates by β-oxidation deleted Pseudomonas entomophila

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Shijun; Cai, Longwei; Wu, Linping

2014-01-01

-link with other PHA polymer chains. However, it has been very difficult to obtain structurally controllable functional homo-, random, or block PHA. For the first time, a β-oxidation deleted Pseudomonas entomophila was used to successfully synthesize random copolymers of 3-hydroxydodecanoate (3HDD) and 3-hydroxy-9...... be controlled to meet various requirements....

Synthesis of amphiphilic poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly( N-vinylcaprolactam) block copolymers via the combination of RAFT polymerization and click chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assis, Paulo Henrique; Aguiar, Graziele Aparecida de Jesus; Moraes, Rodolfo Minto de; Medeiros, Simone de Fatima; Santos, Amilton Martins

2016-01-01

Full text: In recent years, well-defined block copolymers composed of a hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments have gained much interest as drug carriers, because of their enhanced solubility and sustained release of the drug in controlled delivery systems [1]. The development of strategies to obtain block copolymers has attracted considerable attention, due to the possibility to combine characteristic properties of the homopolymers. A wide variety of well-defined block copolymers have been successfully synthesized by combining the efficiency and selectivity of click chemistry with the powerful RAFT polymerization mechanism. In the present work, well-defined amphiphilic, biocompatible, partially biodegradable, and thermosensitive poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PCL-b-PNVCL) block copolymers were synthesized by combining ring opening polymerization (ROP), reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and subsequent click chemistry reaction. Alkyne-terminated poly(ε-caprolactone) (alkyne-PCL) was obtained by the ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) using propargyl alcohol as initiator and stannous-2-ethylhexanoate [Sn(Oct) 2 ] as catalyst. The azide end-capped-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL-N 3 ) was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer/macromolecular design via interchange of xanthates (RAFT/MADIX) polymerization of the N-vinylcaprolactam (NVCL) mediated by a novel chain transfer agent comprising an azide function , 2-azidoethyl[(ethoxycarbonothioyl)thio](phenyl)acetate. These functionalized homopolymers, alkyne-PCL and PNVCL-N 3 , were coupled by the 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition reaction in order to obtain the corresponding block copolymers. These (co)polymers were characterized by FTIR, 1 H NMR and GPC measurements. Reference: 1. RAMESH, K., SINGH, S., MITRA, K., CHATTOPADHYAY, D., MISRA, N., & RAY, B. (2015). Colloid and Polymer Science, 1-9. (author)

Metallo-supramolecular block copolymer micelles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gohy, J.M.W.

2009-01-01

Supramolecular copolymers have become of increasing interest in recent years in the search for new materials with tunable properties. In particular, metallo-supramolecular block copolymers in which metal-ligand complexes are introduced in block copolymer architectures, have known important progress,

Optimization of the expression of phaC2 encoding poly (3-hydroxyalkanoate synthase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PTCC1310 in Fad B deleted Escherichia coli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daryoush Abedi

2016-01-01

Conclusion: We obtained functional expression of the phaC2 gene and investigated various conditions that could influence the expression of protein to optimize production of PHA synthase enzymes. This would allow us to study PHA production in large quantities.

Distribution of short block copolymer chains in Binary Blends of Block Copolymers Having Hydrogen Bonding

Science.gov (United States)

Kwak, Jongheon; Han, Sunghyun; Kim, Jin Kon

2014-03-01

A binary mixture of two block copolymers whose blocks are capable of forming the hydrogen bonding allows one to obtain various microdomains that could not be expected for neat block copolymer. For instance, the binary blend of symmetric polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) copolymer (PS-b-P2VP) and polystyrene-block-polyhydroxystyrene copolymer (PS-b-PHS) blends where the hydrogen bonding occurred between P2VP and PHS showed hexagonally packed (HEX) cylindrical and body centered cubic (BCC) spherical microdomains. To know the exact location of short block copolymer chains at the interface, we synthesized deuterated polystyrene-block-polyhydroxystyrene copolymer (dPS-b-PHS) and prepared a binary mixture with PS-b-P2VP. We investigate, via small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and neutron reflectivity (NR), the exact location of shorter dPS block chain near the interface of the microdomains.

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation of peripheral-blood lymphocytes and stem cell take

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Astaldi, G [Blood Research Foundation Center, Tortona, Italy; Karanovic, D; Vettori, P P; Karanovic, J; Piletic, O

1974-01-01

The effect of PHA-stimulation of peripheral-blood lymphocytes on the spleen-colony formation in irradiated rats was examined. 25-day old Wistar rats underwent total-body irradiation (600 R), and they were used as recipients. On the other hand, 2 and /sup 1///sub 2/ month old untreated Wistar rats were used as donors of peripheral-blood lymphocytes, which were obtained by sedimentation with Dextraven from defibrinated blood. Four rat lots were used. The 1st one did not receive irradiation, and was kept as ''blank control.'' The 2nd one was just irradiated and kept as ''radiated control.'' The 3rd and the 4th rat lots of the series were irradiated, but the former lot was injected i.v. with 5 x 10/sup 7/ peripheral-blood untreated lymphocytes, whereas the fourth lot was injected i.v. with the same amount of lymphocytes, which were previously incubated in vitro for 24 hrs with PHA-M (Difco). The results showed that the PHA-incubation of transplanted peripheral-blood lymphocytes significantly increases the number and size of the macroscopic spleen colonies, in relationship to the colonies which occurs after transplantation of untreated lymphocytes. Histo-cytological observation clearly showed that the colonies formed after injection of mitogen-pretreated peripheral-blood lymphocytes were predominantly of erythroid type and, then, of non-differentiated cells. Only a few of them were of a mixed type, consisting of both undifferentiated cells and erythroid cells.

24 CFR 902.69 - PHA right of petition and appeal.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... financial information, management information, or resident information (the components of the PHAS score... designation. (b) Appeal of PHAS score. If a PHA believes that an objectively verifiable and material error (or errors) exists in any of the scores for its PHAS Indicators, which, if corrected, will result in a...

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase from Bacillus thuringiensis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yung Lin; Lin, Yi Ting; Chen, Chia Lin; Shaw, Gwo Chyuan; Liaw, Shwu Huey

2014-10-01

Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB) is a microbial biopolymer that has been commercialized as biodegradable plastics. The key enzyme for the degradation is PHB depolymerase (PhaZ). A new intracellular PhaZ from Bacillus thuringiensis (BtPhaZ) has been screened for potential applications in polymer biodegradation. Recombinant BtPhaZ was crystallized using 25% polyethylene glycol 3350, 0.2 M ammonium acetate, 0.1 M bis-tris pH 6.5 at 288 K. The crystals belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 42.97, b = 83.23, c = 85.50 Å, α = 73.45, β = 82.83, γ = 83.49°. An X-ray diffraction data set was collected to 1.42 Å resolution with an Rmerge of 6.4%. Unexpectedly, a molecular-replacement solution was obtained using the crystal structure of Streptomyces lividans chloroperoxidase as a template, which shares 24% sequence identity to BtPhaZ. This is the first crystal structure of an intracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase.

A probabilistic model for x-ray PHA data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diesso, M.; Hill, K.

1986-01-01

In this paper, a mathematical model of the data produced by a single-arm x-ray pulse height analyzer (PHA) system is developed. Given an assumption on the electron temperature and density profiles, a maximum likelihood technique is applied to calculate the peak electron temperature and enhancement factor of the plasma. This method is currently being used in the analysis of x-ray data from the tokamak fusion test reactor (TFTR); sample results are presented

The radiation crosslinking of ethylene copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burns, N.M.

1979-01-01

The enhanced radiation crosslinking tendency of ethylene-vinyl acetate and ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymers over ethylene homopolymer is proportional to the comonomer content. This is caused by an increase in the amorphous polymer content and by structure-related factors. The copolymers crosslink by a random process that for ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer involves some crosslinking through the acetoxy group of the comonomer. While knowledge of the process for the crosslinking of ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer is less certain, it is currently believed to occur primarily at the branch point on the polymer backbone. Data relating comonomer content and the molecular weight of the copolymers to the radiation crosslinking levels realized were developed to aid in resin selection by the formulator. Triallyl cyanurate cure accelerator was found to be less effective in ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer than in homopolymer and to have no effect on gel development in ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer. (author)

Enhanced production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymer and antimicrobial yellow pigmentation from Cupriavidus sp. USMAHM13 with antibiofilm capability.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Iszatty; Gurusamy, Tana Poorani; Ramachandran, Hema; Al-Ashraf Amirul, Abdullah

2017-04-21

Antibiofilm polymers have the ability to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation, which is known to occur ubiquitously in the environment and pose risks of infection. In this study, production of P(3HB-co-4HB) copolymer and antimicrobial yellow pigment from Cupriavidus sp. USMAHM13 are enhanced through medium optimization. Before the improvement of yellow pigment production, screening for the best additional supplement was performed resulting in high-yield yellow pigmentation using yeast extract with optimum concentration of 2 g/L. Effects of different concentrations of 1,4-butanediol, ammonium acetate, and yeast extract were studied using central composite design. Under optimal conditions, 53 wt% of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) content, 0.35 g/L of pigment concentration, and 5.87 g/L of residual biomass were achieved at 0.56 wt% C of 1,4-butanediol, 1.14 g/L of ammonium acetate, and 2 g/L of yeast extract. Antibiofilm tests revealed that the yellow pigment coated on P(3HB-co-4HB) copolymer had significant effect on the inhibition of bacteria proliferation and colonization from 6 hr onward reaching 100% inhibition by 12 hr, hence effectively inhibiting the biofilm formation.

Analysis of polyhydroxyalkanoates granuales in bacillus Sp. MFD11 and enterobacter Sp. SEL2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naheed, N.; Jamil, N.

2016-01-01

Bacillus sp. MFD11 (JF901809) and Enterobacter sp. SEL2 (JF901810) were isolated from agriculture waste contaminated sites. When fed with 2% glucose as a carbon source, these bacteria produced 75.26±0.45% and 76.61±0.28% PHA of their wet weight respectively. The accumulated PHA was extracted by direct addition of sodium dodysyl sulphate in the culture medium, which yielded 52.3±0.56 micro g/l and 136.21±0.45 micro g/l PHA respectively when assayed with Crotonic acid. The PHA detection medium (PDM) provided nutrient limitation condition which favored accumulation of PHA granules. A tremendous increase in cell size was observed when strain MFD11 was grown in PDM. The size of the granules as revealed by TEM micrographs spanned from 0.1 to 1.5 micro m which is quite large as compared to the size reported in the literature 0.2 to 0.5 micro m 18). (PHA polymer was analyzed by FTIR, GC/MS and proton Nuclear magnetic resonance. The intense absorption band in the spectrum at 1724-1740 cm -1 and 1215 cm -1 to 1280 corresponding to C=O and C-O stretching group, respectively, indicated that the both strains were PHA producers. GC/MS analysis indicated that the polymer produced were copolymers of PHB-co-PHV. NMR also suggested that the extracted PHA was not a homopolymer but was the blend of copolymers with 3HV in lower abundance. Differential calorimetric thermal analysis showed melting temperature of 163 and 169 degree C for PHA produced by both strains, respectively. However, the observed melting temperature was found to be lower than the standard PHB (Signa-aldrich). (author)

24 CFR 960.203 - Standards for PHA tenant selection criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... tenants; and (3) A history of criminal activity involving crimes of physical violence to persons or... histories receive points. (See 24 CFR 902.43(a)(5).) This policy takes into account the importance of... tenants. (See § 960.204.) With respect to criminal activity described in § 960.204: (i) The PHA may...

Immediate implant placement using a biodegradable barrier, polyhydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate reinforced with polyglactin 910. An experimental study in dogs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gotfredsen, K; Nimb, L; Hjørting-Hansen, E

1994-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of a biodegradable membrane of polyhydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate copolymer reinforced with polyglactin 910 fibers, as an occlusive barrier over implants placed into fresh extraction sockets. Ten dogs had the 3rd and 4th mandibular premolars...... extracted bilaterally. Each dog had 4 Astra Dental Implants placed directly into the fresh extraction sockets. The top of the fixtures was placed at the same level as the top of the buccal cortical bone. The two implants in the right side were covered with the hydrolyzable polyester material...

Identification of a multifunctional protein, PhaM, that determines number, surface to volume ratio, subcellular localization and distribution to daughter cells of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), PHB, granules in Ralstonia eutropha H16.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeiffer, Daniel; Wahl, Andreas; Jendrossek, Dieter

2011-11-01

A two-hybrid approach was applied to screen for proteins with the ability to interact with PHB synthase (PhaC1) of Ralstonia eutropha. The H16_A0141 gene (phaM) was identified in the majority of positive clones. PhaM (26.6 kDa) strongly interacted with PhaC1 and with phasin PhaP5 but not with PhaP1 or other PHB granule-associated proteins. A ΔphaM mutant accumulated only one or two large PHB granules instead of three to six medium-sized PHB granules of the wild type, and distribution of granules to daughter cells was disordered. All three phenotypes (number, size and distribution of PHB granules) were reversed by reintroduction of phaM. Purified PhaM revealed DNA-binding properties in gel mobility shift experiments. Expression of a fusion of the yellow fluorescent protein (eYfp) with PhaM resulted in formation of many small fluorescent granules that were bound to the nucleoid region. Remarkably, an eYfp-PhaP5 fusion localized at the cell poles in a PHB-negative background and overexpression of eYfp-PhaP5 in the wild type conferred binding of PHB granules to the cell poles. In conclusion, subcellular localization of PHB granules in R. eutropha depends on a concerted expression of at least three PHB granule-associated proteins, namely PhaM, PhaP5 and PHB synthase PhaC1. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation of peripheral-blood lymphocytes and stem cell take

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Astaldi, G. (Blood Research Foundation Center, Tortona, Italy); Karanovic, D.; Vettori, P.P.; Karanovic, J.; Piletic, O.

1974-01-01

The effect of PHA-stimulation of peripheral-blood lymphocytes on the spleen-colony formation in irradiated rats was examined. 25-day old Wistar rats underwent total-body irradiation (600 R), and they were used as recipients. On the other hand, 2 and /sup 1///sub 2/ month old untreated Wistar rats were used as donors of peripheral-blood lymphocytes, which were obtained by sedimentation with Dextraven from defibrinated blood. Four rat lots were used. The 1st one did not receive irradiation, and was kept as ''blank control.'' The 2nd one was just irradiated and kept as ''radiated control.'' The 3rd and the 4th rat lots of the series were irradiated, but the former lot was injected i.v. with 5 x 10/sup 7/ peripheral-blood untreated lymphocytes, whereas the fourth lot was injected i.v. with the same amount of lymphocytes, which were previously incubated in vitro for 24 hrs with PHA-M (Difco). The results showed that the PHA-incubation of transplanted peripheral-blood lymphocytes significantly increases the number and size of the macroscopic spleen colonies, in relationship to the colonies which occurs after transplantation of untreated lymphocytes. Histo-cytological observation clearly showed that the colonies formed after injection of mitogen-pretreated peripheral-blood lymphocytes were predominantly of erythroid type and, then, of non-differentiated cells. Only a few of them were of a mixed type, consisting of both undifferentiated cells and erythroid cells.

Strategies for efficiently selecting PHA producing mixed microbial cultures using complex feedstocks: Feast and famine regime and uncoupled carbon and nitrogen availabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Catarina S S; Silva, Carlos E; Carvalho, Gilda; Reis, Maria A

2017-07-25

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by open mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) has been attracting increasing interest as an alternative technology to PHA production by pure cultures, due to the potential for lower costs associated with the use of open systems (eliminating the requirement for sterile conditions) and the utilisation of cheap feedstock (industrial and agricultural wastes). Such technology relies on the efficient selection of an MMC enriched in PHA-accumulating organisms. Fermented cheese whey, a protein-rich complex feedstock, has been used previously to produce PHA using the feast and famine regime for selection of PHA accumulating cultures. While this selection strategy was found efficient when operated at relatively low organic loading rate (OLR, 2g-CODL -1 d -1 ), great instability and low selection efficiency of PHA accumulating organisms were observed when higher OLR (ca. 6g-CODL -1 d -1 ) was applied. High organic loading is desirable as a means to enhance PHA productivity. In the present study, a new selection strategy was tested with the aim of improving selection for high OLR. It was based on uncoupling carbon and nitrogen supply and was implemented and compared with the conventional feast and famine strategy. For this, two selection reactors were fed with fermented cheese whey applying an OLR of ca. 8.5g-CODL -1 (with 3.8g-CODL -1 resulting from organic acids and ethanol), and operated in parallel under similar conditions, except for the timing of nitrogen supplementation. Whereas in the conventional strategy nitrogen and carbon substrates were added simultaneously at the beginning of the cycle, in the uncoupled substrates strategy, nitrogen addition was delayed to the end of the feast phase (i.e. after exogenous carbon was exhausted). The two different strategies selected different PHA-storing microbial communities, dominated by Corynebacterium and a Xantomonadaceae, respectively with the conventional and the new approaches. The new

Synthesis and bioimaging of biodegradable red fluorescent organic nanoparticles with aggregation-induced emission characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Dazhuang; Zou, Hui; Liu, Meiying; Tian, Jianwen; Huang, Hongye; Wan, Qing; Dai, Yanfeng; Wen, Yuanqing; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

2017-12-15

Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) features have recently emerged as promising fluorescent probes for biomedical applications owing to their excellent optical properties, designability and biocompatibility. Significant progress has been made recently for synthesis and biomedical applications of these AIE-active FONs. However, only very limited reports have demonstrated the fabrication of biodegradable AIE-active FONs with red fluorescence emission. In this study, a novel strategy has been developed for the preparation of biodegradable AIE-active polyurethanes (PUs) through a two-step polymerization, in which the diisocyanate-terminated polyethylene glycol (NCO-PEG-NCO) was synthesized and subsequently conjugated with diamine-containing AIE dye (NH 2 -Phe-NH 2 ). The successful synthesis of AIE-active Phe-PEG 2000 PUs is evidenced by a series of characterization techniques. Because of the formation of AIE-active amphiphilic PUs, the final copolymers can self-assemble into spherical nanoparticles, which exhibit strong luminescence and high water dispersion. The biological evaluation results suggest that the AIE-active Phe-PEG 2000 FONs possess low toxicity and desirable cell permeability. Therefore, we anticipate that these AIE-active FONs with biodegradable potential will trigger much research enthusiasm and effort toward the creation of new AIE-active materials with improved properties for various biomedical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aerobic biodegradation of a nonylphenol polyethoxylate and toxicity of the biodegradation metabolites.

Science.gov (United States)

Jurado, Encarnación; Fernández-Serrano, Mercedes; Núñez-Olea, Josefa; Lechuga, Manuela

2009-09-01

In this paper a study was made of the biodegradation of a non-ionic surfactant, a nonylphenol polyethoxylate, in biodegradability tests by monitoring the residual surfactant matter. The influence of the concentration on the extent of primary biodegradation, the toxicity of biodegradation metabolites, and the kinetics of degradation were also determined. The primary biodegradation was studied at different initial concentrations: 5, 25 and 50 mg/L, (at sub-and supra-critical micelle concentration). The NPEO used in this study can be considered biodegradable since the primary biodegradation had already taken place (a biodegradation greater than 80% was found for the different initial concentration tested). The initial concentration affected the shape of the resulting curve, the mean biodegradation rate and the percentage of biodegradation reached (99% in less than 8 days at 5 mg/L, 98% in less than 13 days at 25 mg/L and 95% in 14 days at 50 mg/L). The kinetic model of Quiroga and Sales (1991) was applied to predict the biodegradation of the NPEO. The toxicity value was measured as EC(20) and EC(50). In addition, during the biodegradation process of the surfactant a toxicity analysis was made of the evolution of metabolites generated, confirming that the subproducts of the biodegradation process were more toxic than the original.

Biodegradability and biodegradation rate of poly(caprolactone)-starch blend and poly(butylene succinate) biodegradable polymer under aerobic and anaerobic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, H S; Moon, H S; Kim, M; Nam, K; Kim, J Y

2011-03-01

The biodegradability and the biodegradation rate of two kinds biodegradable polymers; poly(caprolactone) (PCL)-starch blend and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), were investigated under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. PCL-starch blend was easily degraded, with 88% biodegradability in 44 days under aerobic conditions, and showed a biodegradation rate of 0.07 day(-1), whereas the biodegradability of PBS was only 31% in 80 days under the same conditions, with a biodegradation rate of 0.01 day(-1). Anaerobic bacteria degraded well PCL-starch blend (i.e., 83% biodegradability for 139 days); however, its biodegradation rate was relatively slow (6.1 mL CH(4)/g-VS day) compared to that of cellulose (13.5 mL CH(4)/g-VS day), which was used as a reference material. The PBS was barely degraded under anaerobic conditions, with only 2% biodegradability in 100 days. These results were consistent with the visual changes and FE-SEM images of the two biodegradable polymers after the landfill burial test, showing that only PCL-starch blend had various sized pinholes on the surface due to attack by microorganisms. This result may be use in deciding suitable final disposal approaches of different types of biodegradable polymers in the future. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of biodegradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1990-01-01

This book contains the proceedings of Biodegradation. Topics include:biodegradation using the tools of biotechnology, basic science aspects of biodegradation, the physiological characteristics of microorganisms, the use of selective techniques that enhance the process of microbial evolution of biodegradative genes in nature, the genetic characteristics of microorganisms allowing them to biodegrade both natural and synthetic toxic chemicals, the molecular techniques that allow selective assembly of genetic segments form a variety of bacterial strains to a single strain, and methods needed to advance biodegradation research as well as the high-priority chemical problems important to the Department of Defense or to the chemical industry

Marine fungi: Degraders of poly-3-hydroxyalkanoate based plastic materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matavulj Milan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The search for new biosynthetic and biodegradable materials to save nonrenewable resources and reduce global pollution problems is an urgent task. Recently, materials like thermoplastic poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates (PHA, have been found synthesized by bacteria as storage materials. The major PHAs synthesized are poly-b-hydroxybutyrate (PHB, poly-b-hydroxyvalerate (PHV and their copolymers. They are already commercially produced and used as BIOPOLTM (ICI, England. Their complete degradability by bacteria has already been shown. Today, oceans and estuaries serve as major landfills, and since fungi are an important part of the degrading microbiota, in order to prove their participation in the degradation process, a simple degradation test suitable for fungi and marine conditions had to be developed. Several solid media based on artificial sea water, differing in the content of non-alkanoate organics and supplemented with 0.1% PHA (or BIOPOLTM as a main source of carbon have been tested. The testing principle consists of clearing the turbid medium in test tube or plates caused by suspended granules of PHA. All media tested supported the growth of fungi. For the discrete and transparent clearing of zones, a mineral medium with 0.01% peptone, 0.01% yeast extract, and 0.1% PHB or BIOPOLTM was finally chosen where the fine and evenly distributed turbidity is accomplished by a specific procedure. This method allows the investigation of degradability of PHA-based plastic materials as well as screening for fungal ability to depolymerise pure PHA homopolymers. Using this medium, 32 strains of marine yeasts and 102 strains of marine mycelial fungi belonging to different systematic and ecological groups were tested for their ability to degrade PHAs. Only about 4% of the strains were able to degrade BIOPOLTM and about 6% depolymerised pure PHB homopolymer. This is in sharp contrast to the results of our previous experiments with 143 strains of terrestrial fungi

Poly(CL/DLLA-b-CL multiblock copolymers as biodegradable thermoplastic elastomers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Lactic acid and ∑-caprolactone based polymers and their derivates are widely used in biomedical applications. Different properties are introduced by modifying the composition. In this study, poly(ε-caprolactone/D,L-lactide-b-poly(ε-caprolactone multiblock copolymers were synthesized as poly(ester-urethanes (PEUs by polymerizing in two steps involving ring-opening polymerization of precursors and by diisocyanate linking of precursors to produce thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs. The precursors and products were characterized by SEC, 1H-NMR and DSC, and dynamic mechanical study (by dynamic mechanical analysis, DMA as well as morphological characterization (by transmission electron microscopy, TEM of the product TPEs was carried out. Tensile and creep recovery properties of them were also studied. According to the characterizations, all the polymerizations were successful, and the prepared TPEs showed clear elastic behavior. In the DMA scans, rubbery plateau in the storage modulus curves between Tg and terminal flow region was clearly detectable indicating elasticity. The TEM images demonstrated phase separation of amorphous and crystalline blocks when the degree of crystallinity of the hard blocks was high enough. The elongations of TPEs varied between 800–1800%, while the modulus was 7–66 MPa. Two different types of recovery tests indicated the creep properties of TPEs to be highly dependent on the degree of crystallinity.

Radiation resistance of ethylene-styrene copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, Kaoru; Ikeda, Masaaki; Ohki, Yoshimichi; Kusama, Yasuo; Harashige, Masahiro; Yazaki, Fumihiko.

1988-01-01

In this paper, the radiation resistance of ethylene-styrene copolymer, a polymeric resin developed newly by the authors, is reported. Resin examined were five kinds of ethylene-styrene copolymers: three random and two graft copolymers with different styrene contents. Low-density polyethylene was used as a reference. The samples were irradiated by 60 Co γ-rays to total absorbed doses up to 10 MGy. The mechanical properties of the smaples were examined. Infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray scattering techniques were used to examine the morphology of the samples. The random copolymers are soft and easy to extend, because benzene rings which exisist highly at random hinder the crystallization. As for the radiation resistance, they are highly resistant to γ-rays in the aspects of carbonyl group formation, gel formation, and elongation. Further, they show even better radiation resistance when proper additives were compounded in. The graft copolymers are hard to extend, because they consist of segregated polystyrene and polyethylene regions which are connected with each other. The tensile strength of irradiated graft copolymers does not decrease below that of unirradiated copolymers, up to a total dose of 10 MGy. As a consequence, it can be said that ethylene-styrene copolymers have good radiation resistance owing to the so-called 'sponge' effect of benzene rings. (author)

24 CFR 903.2 - With respect to admissions, what must a PHA do to deconcentrate poverty in its developments and...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... must a PHA do to deconcentrate poverty in its developments and comply with fair housing requirements... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCY PLANS Deconcentration of Poverty and Fair Housing in Program Admissions § 903.2 With respect to admissions, what must a PHA do to deconcentrate poverty in its...

Nanoformulation of D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate-b-poly(ε-caprolactone-ran-glycolide) diblock copolymer for breast cancer therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Laiqiang; Chen, Hongbo; Zheng, Yi; Song, Xiaosong; Liu, Ranyi; Liu, Kexin; Zeng, Xiaowei; Mei, Lin

2011-10-01

The purpose of this research was to develop formulation of docetaxel-loaded biodegradable TPGS-b-(PCL-ran-PGA) nanoparticles for breast cancer chemotherapy. A novel diblock copolymer, d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate-b-poly(ε-caprolactone-ran-glycolide) [TPGS-b-(PCL-ran-PGA)], was synthesized from ε-caprolactone, glycolide and d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate by ring-opening polymerization using stannous octoate as catalyst. The obtained copolymers were characterized by (1)H NMR, GPC and TGA. The docetaxel-loaded TPGS-b-(PCL-ran-PGA) nanoparticles were prepared and characterized. The data showed that the fluorescence TPGS-b-(PCL-ran-PGA) nanoparticles could be internalized by MCF-7 cells. The TPGS-b-(PCL-ran-PGA) nanoparticles achieved significantly higher level of cytotoxicity than commercial Taxotere®. MCF-7 xenograft tumor model on SCID mice showed that docetaxel formulated in the TPGS-b-(PCL-ran-PGA) nanoparticles could effectively inhibit the growth of tumor over a longer period of time than Taxotere® at the same dose. In conclusion, the TPGS-b-(PCL-ran-PGA) copolymer could be acted as a novel and potential biologically active polymeric material for nanoformulation in breast cancer chemotherapy. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Solvent-free biodegradable scleral plugs providing sustained release of vancomycin, amikacin, and dexamethasone--an in vivo study.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yi-Jie; Kau, Yi-Chuan; Wen, Chin-Wei; Liu, Kuo-Sheng; Liu, Shih-Jung

2010-08-01

Delivering effective drugs at sufficiently high concentrations to the area of infection is a standard treatment for infectious disease, such as endophthalmitis. This is currently done by empirical trans pars plana intravitreal injection of both antibiotics directed against gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms and steroids. However, injections by needles repeatedly may increase the risks of intraocular infection and hemorrhage, as well as retinal detachment. This article explores the alternative of using biodegradable polymers as scleral plugs for a long-term drug release in vivo. To manufacture plugs, poly(lactide-glycolide) copolymers were first mixed with vancomycin, amikacin, and dexamethasone. The mixture was compressed and sintered at 55 degrees C to form scleral plugs 1.4 mm in diameter. Biodegradable scleral plugs released high concentrations of antibiotics (well above the minimum inhibitory concentrations, MIC) and steroids in vivo for the period of time needed to treat intraocular infection. In addition, no major complications such as infectious or sterile endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, ocular phthisis, or uvea protrusion at sclerotomy site were observed throughout the experiment. The sclerotomy wound healed after total degradation of the scleral implants without leakage or local necrosis. Antibiotic/steroid-impregnated biodegradable scleral plugs may have a potential role in the treatment of various intraocular infections. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Molecular Interaction Control in Diblock Copolymer Blends and Multiblock Copolymers with Opposite Phase Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Junhan

2014-03-01

Here we show how to control molecular interactions via mixing AB and AC diblock copolymers, where one copolymer exhibits upper order-disorder transition and the other does lower disorder-order transition. Linear ABC triblock copolymers possessing both barotropic and baroplastic pairs are also taken into account. A recently developed random-phase approximation (RPA) theory and the self-consistent field theory (SCFT) for general compressible mixtures are used to analyze stability criteria and morphologies for the given systems. It is demonstrated that the copolymer systems can yield a variety of phase behaviors in their temperature and pressure dependence upon proper mixing conditions and compositions, which is caused by the delicate force fields generated in the systems. We acknowledge the financial support from National Research Foundation of Korea and Center for Photofunctional Energy Materials.

Biocompatible and Biodegradable Ultrafine Nanoparticles of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate-co-Methacrylic Acid Prepared via Semicontinuous Heterophase Polymerization: Kinetics and Product Characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henned Saade

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Ultrafine nanoparticles, less than 10 nm in mean diameter, of the FDA approved copolymer methyl methacrylate- (MMA- co-methacrylic acid (MAA, 2/1 (mol/mol, were prepared. The method used for the preparation of these particles stabilized in a latex containing around 11% solids includes the dosing of the monomers mixture on a micellar solution preserving monomer starved conditions. It is thought that the operation at these conditions combined with the hydrophilicity of MMA and MAA units favors the formation of ultrafine particles; the propagation reaction carried out within so small compartments renders copolymer chains rich in syndiotactic units very likely as consequence of the restricted movements of the end propagation of the chains. Because of their biocompatibility and biodegradability as well as their extremely small size these nanoparticles could be used as vehicles for improved drug delivery in the treatment of chronic-degenerative diseases.

24 CFR 943.144 - What financial impact do operations of a subsidiary, affiliate, or joint venture have on a PHA?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... of a subsidiary, affiliate, or joint venture have on a PHA? 943.144 Section 943.144 Housing and Urban... CONSORTIA AND JOINT VENTURES Subsidiaries, Affiliates, Joint Ventures in Public Housing § 943.144 What financial impact do operations of a subsidiary, affiliate, or joint venture have on a PHA? Income generated...

Ureteral in situ biocompatibility of L-lactide-glycolic acid copolymer 80:20 stent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou Yuchuan; Wang Chunxi; Zhang Baogang; Chen Xuesi

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the in situ biocompatibility of a new biodegradable ureteral stent made of L-lactide-glycolic acid copolymer 80:20 (PLGA 80:20). Methods: 16 dogs served as experimental animals. Ureteral stents of PLGA 80:20 were inserted in situ into the left ureter after transection at the mid level, then the ureters were routinely anastomosed. Ureters surrounding the stent were taken out 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively. The ureters were dissected to find changes of stents and local ureters. Histological analysis was performed to investigate tissue reactions to the stent and evaluate the biocompatibility. Rods of UROVISION stent served as controls. Results: The PLGA stent was degraded completely within 12 weeks post implantation. In the early stage (2-4 weeks), both stents induced epithelial hyperplasia and inflammatory cell reaction at local ureter (P>0.05). In the later stage (8-12 weeks), the tissue reaction nearly subsided in PLGA stented ureters after degradation of the device. Whereas, the tissue reaction induced by UROVISION stent had lasted throughout the observation period, even deteriorated with time going (P<0.05). Conclusion: The tissue reaction induced by PLGA stent is retrievable. PLGA is regarded highly compatible and can serve as an ideal material for biodegradable ureteral stent. (authors)

Lymphocyte subsets and response to PHA among atomic bomb survivors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakao, Susumu; Noguchi, Kyouichi; Eida, Kazuyuki; Tashiro, Kazunori; Hayashida, Ken

1986-01-01

In an effort to elucidate the effect of radiation exposure on immune competence in man, the number of lymphocytes, lymphocyte subsets, and the percentage of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced transformation of lymphocytes were determined in 66 cancer patients, 25 of whom were exposed to atomic radiation at ≤ 2,000 m from ground zero and 41 others were not exposed. The number of lymphocytes was decreased with increasing age at exposure. The percentage of OKT3-positive cells tended to be lower in exposed patients who were in their twenties at the time of exposure than the non-exposed patients. Among patients in their teens and twenties at the time of exposure, there was a tendency toward decreased percentage of OKT4-positive cells (T4) and increased percentage of OKT8-positive cells (T8). The T4/T8 ratio was reduced. Patients who were in their first decade of life at the time of exposure tended to have decreased OKIa 1-positive cells, and increased Leulla-positive cells. Patients exposed in their twenties and thirties had slightly decreased percentage of PHA-induced transformation of lymphocytes. (Namekawa, K.)

DNA repair in PHA stimulated human lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catena, C.; Mattoni, A.

1984-01-01

Damage an repair of radiation induced DNA strand breaks were measured by alkaline lysis and hydroxyapatite chromatography. PHA stimulated human lymphocytes show that the rejoining process is complete within the first 50 min., afterwords secondary DNA damage and chromatid aberration. DNA repair, in synchronized culture, allows to evaluate individual repair capacity and this in turn can contribute to the discovery of individual who, although they do not demonstrate apparent clinical signs, are carriers of DNA repair deficiency. Being evident that a correlation exists between DNA repair capacity and carcinogenesis, the possibility of evaluating the existent relationship between DNA repair and survival in tumor cells comes therefore into discussion

In-situ crosslinkable and self-assembling elastin-like polypeptide block copolymers for cartilage tissue repair

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Dong Woo

bulk hydrogels, which may be useful for in situ tissue supplementation and repair because they show viscoelastic gel-like behaviors upon raising the temperature, and they are composed of biocompatible and biodegradable elements. These results show that the injectable biomaterials based on the ELP block copolymers and the ELP-g-HAs have potential for cartilage tissue repair and supplementation.

Rapid self-assembly of block copolymers to photonic crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yan; Sveinbjornsson, Benjamin R; Grubbs, Robert H; Weitekamp, Raymond; Miyake, Garret M; Atwater, Harry A; Piunova, Victoria; Daeffler, Christopher Scot; Hong, Sung Woo; Gu, Weiyin; Russell, Thomas P.

2016-07-05

The invention provides a class of copolymers having useful properties, including brush block copolymers, wedge-type block copolymers and hybrid wedge and polymer block copolymers. In an embodiment, for example, block copolymers of the invention incorporate chemically different blocks comprising polymer size chain groups and/or wedge groups that significantly inhibit chain entanglement, thereby enhancing molecular self-assembly processes for generating a range of supramolecular structures, such as periodic nanostructures and microstructures. The present invention also provides useful methods of making and using copolymers, including block copolymers.

Antibacterial modification of an injectable, biodegradable, non-cytotoxic block copolymer-based physical gel with body temperature-stimulated sol-gel transition and controlled drug release.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaowen; Hu, Huawen; Wang, Wenyi; Lee, Ka I; Gao, Chang; He, Liang; Wang, Yuanfeng; Lai, Chuilin; Fei, Bin; Xin, John H

2016-07-01

Biomaterials are being extensively used in various biomedical fields; however, they are readily infected with microorganisms, thus posing a serious threat to the public health care. We herein presented a facile route to the antibacterial modification of an important A-B-A type biomaterial using poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether (mPEG)- poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-mPEG as a typical model. Inexpensive, commercial bis(2-hydroxyethyl) methylammonium chloride (DMA) was adopted as an antibacterial unit. The effective synthesis of the antibacterial copolymer mPEG-PCL-∼∼∼-PCL-mPEG (where ∼∼∼ denotes the segment with DMA units) was well confirmed by FTIR and (1)H NMR spectra. At an appropriate modification extent, the DMA unit could render the copolymer mPEG-PCL-∼∼∼-PCL-mPEG highly antibacterial, but did not largely alter its fascinating intrinsic properties including the thermosensitivity (e.g., the body temperature-induced sol-gel transition), non-cytotoxicity, and controlled drug release. A detailed study on the sol-gel-sol transition behavior of different copolymers showed that an appropriate extent of modification with DMA retained a sol-gel-sol transition, despite the fact that a too high extent caused a loss of sol-gel-sol transition. The hydrophilic and hydrophobic balance between mPEG and PCL was most likely broken upon a high extent of quaternization due to a large disturbance effect of DMA units at a large quantity (as evidenced by the heavily depressed PCL segment crystallinity), and thus the micelle aggregation mechanism for the gel formation could not work anymore, along with the loss of the thermosensitivity. The work presented here is highly expected to be generalized for synthesis of various block copolymers with immunity to microorganisms. Light may also be shed on understanding the phase transition behavior of various multiblock copolymers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodegradable Polymers

OpenAIRE

Vroman, Isabelle; Tighzert, Lan

2009-01-01

Biodegradable materials are used in packaging, agriculture, medicine and other areas. In recent years there has been an increase in interest in biodegradable polymers. Two classes of biodegradable polymers can be distinguished: synthetic or natural polymers. There are polymers produced from feedstocks derived either from petroleum resources (non renewable resources) or from biological resources (renewable resources). In general natural polymers offer fewer advantages than synthetic polymers. ...

Intimately coupling of photolysis accelerates nitrobenzene biodegradation, but sequential coupling slows biodegradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Lihui [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Life and Environmental Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234 (China); Zhang, Yongming, E-mail: zhym@shnu.edu.cn [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Life and Environmental Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234 (China); Bai, Qi; Yan, Ning; Xu, Hua [Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Life and Environmental Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234 (China); Rittmann, Bruce E. [Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5701 (United States)

2015-04-28

Highlights: • Intimately coupled UV photolysis accelerated nitrobenzene biodegradation. • NB biodegradation was slowed by accumulation of nitrophenol. • Oxalic acid was a key product of UV photolysis. • Oxalic acid accelerated biodegradation of nitrobenzene and nitrophenol by a co-substrate effect. • Intimate coupling of UV and biodegradation accentuated the benefits of oxalic acid. - Abstract: Photo(cata)lysis coupled with biodegradation is superior to photo(cata)lysis or biodegradation alone for removal of recalcitrant organic compounds. The two steps can be carried out sequentially or simultaneously via intimate coupling. We studied nitrobenzene (NB) removal and mineralization to evaluate why intimate coupling of photolysis with biodegradation was superior to sequential coupling. Employing an internal circulation baffled biofilm reactor, we compared direct biodegradation (B), biodegradation after photolysis (P + B), simultaneous photolysis and biodegradation (P&B), and biodegradation with nitrophenol (NP) and oxalic acid (OA) added individually and simultaneously (B + NP, B + OA, and B + NP + OA); NP and OA were NB’s main UV-photolysis products. Compared with B, the biodegradation rate P + B was lower by 13–29%, but intimately coupling (P&B) had a removal rate that was 10–13% higher; mineralization showed similar trends. B + OA gave results similar to P&B, B + NP gave results similar to P + B, and B + OA + NP gave results between P + B and P&B, depending on the amount of OA and NP added. The photolysis product OA accelerated NB biodegradation through a co-substrate effect, but NP was inhibitory. Although decreasing the UV photolysis time could minimize the inhibition impact of NP in P + B, P&B gave the fastest removal of NB by accentuating the co-substrate effect of OA.

Intimately coupling of photolysis accelerates nitrobenzene biodegradation, but sequential coupling slows biodegradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Lihui; Zhang, Yongming; Bai, Qi; Yan, Ning; Xu, Hua; Rittmann, Bruce E.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Intimately coupled UV photolysis accelerated nitrobenzene biodegradation. • NB biodegradation was slowed by accumulation of nitrophenol. • Oxalic acid was a key product of UV photolysis. • Oxalic acid accelerated biodegradation of nitrobenzene and nitrophenol by a co-substrate effect. • Intimate coupling of UV and biodegradation accentuated the benefits of oxalic acid. - Abstract: Photo(cata)lysis coupled with biodegradation is superior to photo(cata)lysis or biodegradation alone for removal of recalcitrant organic compounds. The two steps can be carried out sequentially or simultaneously via intimate coupling. We studied nitrobenzene (NB) removal and mineralization to evaluate why intimate coupling of photolysis with biodegradation was superior to sequential coupling. Employing an internal circulation baffled biofilm reactor, we compared direct biodegradation (B), biodegradation after photolysis (P + B), simultaneous photolysis and biodegradation (P&B), and biodegradation with nitrophenol (NP) and oxalic acid (OA) added individually and simultaneously (B + NP, B + OA, and B + NP + OA); NP and OA were NB’s main UV-photolysis products. Compared with B, the biodegradation rate P + B was lower by 13–29%, but intimately coupling (P&B) had a removal rate that was 10–13% higher; mineralization showed similar trends. B + OA gave results similar to P&B, B + NP gave results similar to P + B, and B + OA + NP gave results between P + B and P&B, depending on the amount of OA and NP added. The photolysis product OA accelerated NB biodegradation through a co-substrate effect, but NP was inhibitory. Although decreasing the UV photolysis time could minimize the inhibition impact of NP in P + B, P&B gave the fastest removal of NB by accentuating the co-substrate effect of OA

Lignin poly(lactic acid) copolymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olsson, Johan Vilhelm; Chung, Yi-Lin; Li, Russell Jingxian; Waymouth, Robert; Sattely, Elizabeth; Billington, Sarah; Frank, Curtis W.

2017-02-14

Provided herein are graft co-polymers of lignin and poly(lactic acid) (lignin-g-PLA copolymer), thermoset and thermoplastic polymers including them, methods of preparing these polymers, and articles of manufacture including such polymers.

Block copolymer membranes for aqueous solution applications

KAUST Repository

Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2016-03-22

Block copolymers are known for their intricate morphology. We review the state of the art of block copolymer membranes and discuss perspectives in this field. The main focus is on pore morphology tuning with a short introduction on non-porous membranes. The two main strategies for pore formation in block copolymer membranes are (i) film casting and selective block sacrifice and (ii) self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation (SNIPS). Different fundamental aspects involved in the manufacture of block copolymer membranes are considered, including factors affecting the equilibrium morphology in solid films, self-assembly of copolymer in solutions and macrophase separation by solvent-non-solvent exchange. Different mechanisms are proposed for different depths of the SNIPS membrane. Block copolymer membranes can be prepared with much narrower pore size distribution than homopolymer membranes. Open questions and indications of what we consider the next development steps are finally discussed. They include the synthesis and application of new copolymers and specific functionalization, adding characteristics to respond to stimuli and chemical environment, polymerization-induced phase separation, and the manufacture of organic-inorganic hybrids.

Block copolymer membranes for aqueous solution applications

KAUST Repository

Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2016-01-01

Block copolymers are known for their intricate morphology. We review the state of the art of block copolymer membranes and discuss perspectives in this field. The main focus is on pore morphology tuning with a short introduction on non-porous membranes. The two main strategies for pore formation in block copolymer membranes are (i) film casting and selective block sacrifice and (ii) self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation (SNIPS). Different fundamental aspects involved in the manufacture of block copolymer membranes are considered, including factors affecting the equilibrium morphology in solid films, self-assembly of copolymer in solutions and macrophase separation by solvent-non-solvent exchange. Different mechanisms are proposed for different depths of the SNIPS membrane. Block copolymer membranes can be prepared with much narrower pore size distribution than homopolymer membranes. Open questions and indications of what we consider the next development steps are finally discussed. They include the synthesis and application of new copolymers and specific functionalization, adding characteristics to respond to stimuli and chemical environment, polymerization-induced phase separation, and the manufacture of organic-inorganic hybrids.

The loss of function of PhaC1 is a survival mechanism that counteracts the stress caused by the overproduction of poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates in Pseudomonas putidaΔfadBA.

Science.gov (United States)

Obeso, José I; Maestro, Beatriz; Sanz, Jesús M; Olivera, Elías R; Luengo, José M

2015-09-01

The poly-3-hydroxylkanoate (PHA)-overproducing mutant Pseudomonas putida U ΔfadBA (PpΔfadBA) lacks the genes encoding the main β-oxidation pathway (FadBA). This strain accumulates enormous amounts of bioplastics when cultured in chemically defined media containing PHA precursors (different n-alkanoic or n-aryl-alkanoic acids) and an additional carbon source. In medium containing glucose or 4-hydroxy-phenylacetate, the mutant does not accumulate PHAs and grows just as the wild type (P. putida U). However, when the carbon source is octanoate, growth is severely impaired, suggesting that in PpΔfadBA, the metabolic imbalance resulting from a lower rate of β-oxidation, together with the accumulation of bioplastics, causes severe physiological stress. Here, we show that PpΔfadBA efficiently counteracts this latter effect via a survival mechanism involving the introduction of spontaneous mutations that block PHA accumulation. Surprisingly, genetic analyses of the whole pha cluster revealed that these mutations occurred only in the gene encoding one of the polymerases (phaC1) and that the loss of PhaC1 function was enough to prevent PHA synthesis. The influence of these mutations on the structure of PhaC1 and the existence of a protein-protein (PhaC1-PhaC2) interaction that explains the functionality of the polymerization system are discussed herein. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Manufacturing of biodegradable polyurethane scaffolds based on polycaprolactone using a phase separation method: physical properties and in vitro assay

Science.gov (United States)

Asefnejad, Azadeh; Khorasani, Mohammad Taghi; Behnamghader, Aliasghar; Farsadzadeh, Babak; Bonakdar, Shahin

2011-01-01

Background Biodegradable polyurethanes have found widespread use in soft tissue engineering due to their suitable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Methods In this study, polyurethane samples were synthesized from polycaprolactone, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and a copolymer of 1,4-butanediol as a chain extender. Polyurethane scaffolds were fabricated by a combination of liquid–liquid phase separation and salt leaching techniques. The effect of the NCO:OH ratio on porosity content and pore morphology was investigated. Results Scanning electron micrographs demonstrated that the scaffolds had a regular distribution of interconnected pores, with pore diameters of 50–300 μm, and porosities of 64%–83%. It was observed that, by increasing the NCO:OH ratio, the average pore size, compressive strength, and compressive modulus increased. L929 fibroblast and chondrocytes were cultured on the scaffolds, and all samples exhibited suitable cell attachment and growth, with a high level of biocompatibility. Conclusion These biodegradable polyurethane scaffolds demonstrate potential for soft tissue engineering applications. PMID:22072874

Polyether-polyester graft copolymer

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Vernon L. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

Described is a polyether graft polymer having improved solvent resistance and crystalline thermally reversible crosslinks. The copolymer is prepared by a novel process of anionic copolymerization. These polymers exhibit good solvent resistance and are well suited for aircraft parts. Previous aromatic polyethers, also known as polyphenylene oxides, have certain deficiencies which detract from their usefulness. These commercial polymers are often soluble in common solvents including the halocarbon and aromatic hydrocarbon types of paint thinners and removers. This limitation prevents the use of these polyethers in structural articles requiring frequent painting. In addition, the most popular commercially available polyether is a very high melting plastic. This makes it considerably more difficult to fabricate finished parts from this material. These problems are solved by providing an aromatic polyether graft copolymer with improved solvent resistance and crystalline thermally reversible crosslinks. The graft copolymer is formed by converting the carboxyl groups of a carboxylated polyphenylene oxide polymer to ionic carbonyl groups in a suitable solvent, reacting pivalolactone with the dissolved polymer, and adding acid to the solution to produce the graft copolymer.

Polyether/Polyester Graft Copolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Vernon L., Jr.; Wakelyn, N.; Stoakley, D. M.; Proctor, K. M.

1986-01-01

Higher solvent resistance achieved along with lower melting temperature. New technique provides method of preparing copolymers with polypivalolactone segments grafted onto poly (2,6-dimethyl-phenylene oxide) backbone. Process makes strong materials with improved solvent resistance and crystalline, thermally-reversible crosslinks. Resulting graft copolymers easier to fabricate into useful articles, including thin films, sheets, fibers, foams, laminates, and moldings.

PEO-related block copolymer surfactants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, K.

2001-01-01

Non-ionic block copolymer systems based on hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) and more hydrophobic co-polymer blocks are used intensively in a variety of industrial and personal applications. A brief description on the applications is presented. The physical properties of more simple model systems...... of such PEG-based block copolymers in aqueous suspensions are reviewed. Based on scattering experiments using either X-ray or neutrons, the phase behavior is characterized, showing that the thermo-reversible gelation is a result of micellar ordering into mesoscopic crystalline phases of cubic, hexagonal...

Flexible control of cellular encapsulation, permeability, and release in a droplet-templated bifunctional copolymer scaffold.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qiushui; Chen, Dong; Wu, Jing; Lin, Jin-Ming

2016-11-01

Designing cell-compatible, bio-degradable, and stimuli-responsive hydrogels is very important for biomedical applications in cellular delivery and micro-scale tissue engineering. Here, we report achieving flexible control of cellular microencapsulation, permeability, and release by rationally designing a diblock copolymer, alginate-conjugated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (Alg-co-PNiPAM). We use the microfluidic technique to fabricate the bifunctional copolymers into thousands of mono-disperse droplet-templated hydrogel microparticles for controlled encapsulation and triggered release of mammalian cells. In particular, the grafting PNiPAM groups in the synthetic cell-laden microgels produce lots of nano-aggregates into hydrogel networks at elevated temperature, thereafter enhancing the permeability of microparticle scaffolds. Importantly, the hydrogel scaffolds are readily fabricated via on-chip quick gelation by triggered release of Ca 2+ from the Ca-EDTA complex; it is also quite exciting that very mild release of microencapsulated cells is achieved via controlled degradation of hydrogel scaffolds through a simple strategy of competitive affinity of Ca 2+ from the Ca-Alginate complex. This finding suggests that we are able to control cellular encapsulation and release through ion-induced gelation and degradation of the hydrogel scaffolds. Subsequently, we demonstrate a high viability of microencapsulated cells in the microgel scaffolds.

24 CFR 965.506 - Surcharges for excess consumption of PHA-furnished utilities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... shall not be subject to the advance notice requirements of this section. (b) For dwelling units served... estimated utility consumption attributable to resident-owned major appliances or to optional functions of... functions of PHA-furnished equipment) for which surcharges shall be made and the amounts of such charges...

Grey water biodegradability.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghunmi, Lina Abu; Zeeman, Grietje; Fayyad, Manar; van Lier, Jules B

2011-02-01

Knowing the biodegradability characteristics of grey water constituents is imperative for a proper design and operation of a biological treatment system of grey water. This study characterizes the different COD fractions of dormitory grey water and investigates the effect of applying different conditions in the biodegradation test. The maximum aerobic and anaerobic biodegradability and conversion rate for the different COD fractions is determined. The results show that, on average, dormitory grey water COD fractions are 28% suspended, 32% colloidal and 40% dissolved. The studied factors incubation time, inoculum addition and temperature are influencing the determined biodegradability. The maximum biodegradability and biodegradation rate differ between different COD fractions, viz. COD(ss), COD(col) and COD(diss). The dissolved COD fraction is characterised by the lowest degradation rate, both for anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The maximum biodegradability for aerobic and anaerobic conditions is 86 and 70% respectively, whereas the first order conversion rate constant, k₂₀, is 0.119 and 0.005 day⁻¹, respectively. The anaerobic and aerobic conversion rates in relation to temperature can be described by the Arrhenius relation, with temperature coefficients of 1.069 and 1.099, respectively.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate-based natural-synthetic hybrid copolymer films: A small-angle neutron scattering study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, L. John R.; Knott, Robert; Sanguanchaipaiwong, Vorapat; Holden, Peter J.

2006-01-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates have attracted attention as biodegradable alternatives to conventional thermoplastics and as biomaterials. Through modification of their biosynthesis using Pseudomonas oleovorans, we have manipulated the material properties of these biopolyesters and produced a natural-synthetic hybrid copolymer of polyhydroxyoctanoate-block-diethylene glycol (PHO-b-DEG). A mixture of PHO and PHO-DEG were solvent cast from analytical grade chloroform and analysed using small-angle neutron scattering. A scattering pattern, easily distinguished above the background, was displayed by the films with a diffraction ring at q∼0.12 A -1 . This narrow ring of intensity is suggestive of a highly ordered system. Analysis of the diffraction pattern supported this concept and showed a d-spacing of approximately 50 A. In addition, conformation of the hybrid polymer chains can be manipulated to support their self-assembly into ordered microporous films

Optimization of critical factors to enhance polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) synthesis by mixed culture using Taguchi design of experimental methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkata Mohan, S; Venkateswar Reddy, M

2013-01-01

Optimizing different factors is crucial for enhancement of mixed culture bioplastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)) production. Design of experimental (DOE) methodology using Taguchi orthogonal array (OA) was applied to evaluate the influence and specific function of eight important factors (iron, glucose concentration, VFA concentration, VFA composition, nitrogen concentration, phosphorous concentration, pH, and microenvironment) on the bioplastics production. Three levels of factor (2(1) × 3(7)) variation were considered with symbolic arrays of experimental matrix [L(18)-18 experimental trails]. All the factors were assigned with three levels except iron concentration (2(1)). Among all the factors, microenvironment influenced bioplastics production substantially (contributing 81%), followed by pH (11%) and glucose concentration (2.5%). Validation experiments were performed with the obtained optimum conditions which resulted in improved PHA production. Good substrate degradation (as COD) of 68% was registered during PHA production. Dehydrogenase and phosphatase enzymatic activities were monitored during process operation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 982.552 - PHA denial or termination of assistance for family.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... family has committed fraud, bribery, or any other corrupt or criminal act in connection with any Federal... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false PHA denial or termination of... terminate assistance for a participant under the programs because of the family's action or failure to act...

Mechanical properties of weakly segregated block copolymers : 1. Synergism on tensile properties of poly(styrene-b-n-butylmethacrylate) diblock copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weidisch, R.; Michler, G.H.; Fischer, H.; Arnold, M.; Hofmann, S.; Stamm, M.

1999-01-01

Mechanical properties of poly(styrene-b-n-butylmethacrylate) diblock copolymers, PS-b-PBMA, with different lengths of the polystyrene block were investigated. The copolymers display a composition range where the tensile strength of the block copolymers exceeds the values of the corresponding

Oil recovery with vinyl sulfonic acid-acrylamide copolymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norton, C.J.; Falk, D.O.

1973-12-18

An aqueous polymer flood containing sulfomethylated alkali metal vinyl sulfonate-acrylamide copolymers was proposed for use in secondary or tertiary enhanced oil recovery. The sulfonate groups on the copolymers sustain the viscosity of the flood in the presence of brine and lime. Injection of the copolymer solution into a waterflooded Berea core, produced 30.5 percent of the residual oil. It is preferred that the copolymers are partially hydrolyzed.

Biodegradability of plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokiwa, Yutaka; Calabia, Buenaventurada P; Ugwu, Charles U; Aiba, Seiichi

2009-08-26

Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.). In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed.

Graphene oxide stabilized by PLA-PEG copolymers for the controlled delivery of paclitaxel.

Science.gov (United States)

Angelopoulou, A; Voulgari, E; Diamanti, E K; Gournis, D; Avgoustakis, K

2015-06-01

-loaded composites exhibited cytotoxicity against A549 cancer cells which increased with incubation time, in conjunction with the increasing with time uptake of composites by the cancer cells. Graphene oxide aqueous dispersions were effectively stabilized by water-dispersible, biocompatible and biodegradable PLA-PEG copolymers. The graphene oxide/PLA-PEG composites exhibited satisfactory paclitaxel loading capacity and sustained in vitro drug release. The paclitaxel-loaded composites could enter the A549 cancer cells and exert cytotoxicity. The results justify further investigation of the suitability of PLA-PEG stabilized graphene oxide for the controlled delivery of paclitaxel. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodegradability of Plastics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yutaka Tokiwa

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.. In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed.

PHA665752, a small-molecule inhibitor of c-Met, inhibits hepatocyte growth factor-stimulated migration and proliferation of c-Met-positive neuroblastoma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crosswell, Hal E; Dasgupta, Anindya; Alvarado, Carlos S; Watt, Tanya; Christensen, James G; De, Pradip; Durden, Donald L; Findley, Harry W

2009-01-01

c-Met is a tyrosine kinase receptor for hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF), and both c-Met and its ligand are expressed in a variety of tissues. C-Met/HGF/SF signaling is essential for normal embryogenesis, organogenesis, and tissue regeneration. Abnormal c-Met/HGF/SF signaling has been demonstrated in different tumors and linked to aggressive and metastatic tumor phenotypes. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated inhibition of c-Met/HGF/SF signaling by the small-molecule inhibitor PHA665752. This study investigated c-Met and HGF expression in two neuroblastoma (NBL) cell lines and tumor tissue from patients with NBL, as well as the effects of PHA665752 on growth and motility of NBL cell lines. The effect of the tumor suppressor protein PTEN on migration and proliferation of tumor cells treated with PHA665752 was also evaluated. Expression of c-Met and HGF in NBL cell lines SH-EP and SH-SY5Y and primary tumor tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR. The effect of PHA665752 on c-Met/HGF signaling involved in NBL cell proliferation and migration was evaluated in c-Met-positive cells and c-Met-transfected cells. The transwell chemotaxis assay and the MTT assay were used to measure migration and proliferation/cell-survival of tumor cells, respectively. The PPAR-γ agonist rosiglitazone was used to assess the effect of PTEN on PHA665752-induced inhibition of NBL cell proliferation/cell-survival and migration High c-Met expression was detected in SH-EP cells and primary tumors from patients with advanced-stage disease. C-Met/HGF signaling induced both migration and proliferation of SH-EP cells. Migration and proliferation/cell-survival were inhibited by PHA665752 in a dose-dependent manner. We also found that induced overexpression of PTEN following treatment with rosiglitazone significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect of PHA665752 on NBL-cell migration and proliferation. c-Met is highly expressed in most tumors from

Anaerobic biodegradability of macropollutants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Angelidaki, Irini

2002-01-01

A variety of test procedures for determination of anaerobic biodegradability has been reported. This paper reviews the methods developed for determination of anaerobic biodegradability of macro-pollutants. Anaerobic biodegradability of micro-pollutants is not included. Furthermore, factors...

Biodegradation and bioremediation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albrechtsen, H.-J.

1996-01-01

Anmeldelse af Alexander,M.: Biodegradation and bioremediation. Academic Press, Sandiego, USA, 1994......Anmeldelse af Alexander,M.: Biodegradation and bioremediation. Academic Press, Sandiego, USA, 1994...

A new player in the biorefineries field: phasin PhaP enhances tolerance to solvents and boosts ethanol and 1,3-propanediol synthesis in Escherichia coli

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mezzina, Mariela P.; Álvarez, Daniela; Egoburo, Diego

2017-01-01

The microbial production of biofuels and other added-value chemicals is often limited by the intrinsic toxicity of these compounds. Phasin PhaP from the soil bacterium Azotobacter sp. strain FA8 is a polyhydroxyalkanoate granule-associated protein that protects recombinant Escherichia coli against...... as a strategy to increase tolerance to several biotechnologically relevant chemicals. PhaP was observed to enhance bacterial fitness in the presence of biofuels, such as ethanol and butanol, and to other chemicals, such as 1,3-propanediol. The effect of PhaP was also studied in a groELS mutant strain, in which...... and chemicals production.Importance. This work has both basic and applied aspects. Our results demonstrate that a phasin with chaperone-like properties can increase bacterial tolerance to several biochemicals, providing further evidence of the diverse properties of these proteins. Additionally, both the Pha...

21 CFR 177.1320 - Ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymers. 177.1320... Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces § 177.1320 Ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymers. Ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymers may be safely used to produce packaging materials, containers...

Sulfomethylated graft copolymers of xanthan gum and polyacrylamide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cottrell, I.W.; Empey, R.A.; Racciato, J.S.

1978-08-08

A water-soluble anionic graft copolymer of xanthan gum and polyacrylamide is described in which at least part of the amide function of the acrylamide portion of the copolymer is sulfomethylated and the xanthan gum portion of the copolymer is unreacted with formaldehyde. The copolymer is sulfomethylated by reaction with formaldehyde and sodium metabisulfite. The formaldehyde does not cause any appreciable cross-linking between hydroxyl groups of the xanthan moieties. The sulfomethylation of the acrylamido group takes place at temperatures from 35 to 70 C. The pH is 10 or higher, typically from 12 to 13. The degree of anionic character may be varied by adjusting the molar ratio of formaldehyde and sodium metabisulfite with respect to the copolymer. 10 claims.

Block Copolymers: Synthesis and Applications in Nanotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Lou, Qin

This study is focused on the synthesis and study of (block) copolymers using reversible deactivation radical polymerizations (RDRPs), including atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. In particular, two primary areas of study are undertaken: (1) a proof-of-concept application of lithographic block copolymers, and (2) the mechanistic study of the deposition of titania into block copolymer templates for the production of well-ordered titania nanostructures. Block copolymers have the ability to undergo microphase separation, with an average size of each microphase ranging from tens to hundreds of nanometers. As such, block copolymers have been widely considered for nanotechnological applications over the past two decades. The development of materials for various nanotechnologies has become an increasingly studied area as improvements in many applications, such as those found in the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries are constantly being sought. Significant growth in developments of new synthetic methods ( i.e. RDRPs) has allowed the production of block copolymers with molecular (and sometimes atomic) definition. In turn, this has greatly expanded the use of block copolymers in nanotechnology. Herein, we describe the synthesis of statistical and block copolymers of 193 nm photolithography methacrylate and acrylate resist monomers with norbornyl and adamantyl moieties using RAFT polymerization.. For these resist (block) copolymers, the phase separation behaviors were examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). End groups were removed from the polymers to avoid complications during the photolithography since RAFT end groups absorb visible light. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-block-polystyrene) (PGMA-b-PS) was synthesize by ATRP and demonstrated that this block copolymer acts as both a lithographic UV (365 nm) photoresist and a self-assembly material. The PGMA segments can undergo cationic

21 CFR 177.1310 - Ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers. 177.1310 Section... Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces § 177.1310 Ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers. The ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers identified in paragraph (a) of this section may be safely...

21 CFR 177.1312 - Ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymers. 177.1312... Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces § 177.1312 Ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymers. The ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymers identified in paragraph (a) of this section may be safely...

21 CFR 177.1350 - Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers. 177.1350 Section... Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces § 177.1350 Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers. Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers may be safely used as articles or components of articles...

21 CFR 177.1950 - Vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymers. 177.1950... Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces § 177.1950 Vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymers. The vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymers identified in paragraph (a) of this section may be safely...

Antimicrobial activity of poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gratzl, Günther, E-mail: guenther.gratzl@jku.at [Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Paulik, Christian [Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Hild, Sabine [Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute of Polymer Science, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Guggenbichler, Josef P.; Lackner, Maximilian [AMiSTec GmbH and Co. KG, Leitweg 13, 6345 Kössen, Tirol (Austria)

2014-05-01

The increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has developed into a major health problem. In particular, biofilms are the main reason for hospital-acquired infections and diseases. Once formed, biofilms are difficult to remove as they have specific defense mechanisms against antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial surfaces must therefore kill or repel bacteria before they can settle to form a biofilm. In this study, we describe that poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) containing diblock copolymers can kill bacteria and prevent from biofilm formation. The PAA diblock copolymers with poly(styrene) and poly(methyl methacrylate) were synthesized via anionic polymerization of tert-butyl acrylate with styrene or methyl methacrylate and subsequent acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the tert-butyl ester. The copolymers were characterized via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, and acid–base titrations. Copolymer films with a variety of acrylic acid contents were produced by solvent casting, characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and tested for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antimicrobial activity of the acidic diblock copolymers increased with increasing acrylic acid content, independent of the copolymer-partner, the chain length and the nanostructure. - Highlights: • Acrylic acid diblock copolymers are antimicrobially active. • The antimicrobial activity depends on the acrylic acid content in the copolymer. • No salts, metals or other antimicrobial agents are needed.

Antimicrobial activity of poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gratzl, Günther; Paulik, Christian; Hild, Sabine; Guggenbichler, Josef P.; Lackner, Maximilian

2014-01-01

The increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has developed into a major health problem. In particular, biofilms are the main reason for hospital-acquired infections and diseases. Once formed, biofilms are difficult to remove as they have specific defense mechanisms against antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial surfaces must therefore kill or repel bacteria before they can settle to form a biofilm. In this study, we describe that poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) containing diblock copolymers can kill bacteria and prevent from biofilm formation. The PAA diblock copolymers with poly(styrene) and poly(methyl methacrylate) were synthesized via anionic polymerization of tert-butyl acrylate with styrene or methyl methacrylate and subsequent acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the tert-butyl ester. The copolymers were characterized via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, and acid–base titrations. Copolymer films with a variety of acrylic acid contents were produced by solvent casting, characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and tested for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antimicrobial activity of the acidic diblock copolymers increased with increasing acrylic acid content, independent of the copolymer-partner, the chain length and the nanostructure. - Highlights: • Acrylic acid diblock copolymers are antimicrobially active. • The antimicrobial activity depends on the acrylic acid content in the copolymer. • No salts, metals or other antimicrobial agents are needed

Manufacturing of biodegradable polyurethane scaffolds based on polycaprolactone using a phase separation method: physical properties and in vitro assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asefnejad A

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Azadeh Asefnejad1, Mohammad Taghi Khorasani2, Aliasghar Behnamghader3, Babak Farsadzadeh1, Shahin Bonakdar4 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; 2Iran Polymers and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran; 3Materials and Energy Research Center, Tehran, Iran; 4National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran Background: Biodegradable polyurethanes have found widespread use in soft tissue engineering due to their suitable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Methods: In this study, polyurethane samples were synthesized from polycaprolactone, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and a copolymer of 1,4-butanediol as a chain extender. Polyurethane scaffolds were fabricated by a combination of liquid–liquid phase separation and salt leaching techniques. The effect of the NCO:OH ratio on porosity content and pore morphology was investigated. Results: Scanning electron micrographs demonstrated that the scaffolds had a regular distribution of interconnected pores, with pore diameters of 50–300 µm, and porosities of 64%–83%. It was observed that, by increasing the NCO:OH ratio, the average pore size, compressive strength, and compressive modulus increased. L929 fibroblast and chondrocytes were cultured on the scaffolds, and all samples exhibited suitable cell attachment and growth, with a high level of biocompatibility. Conclusion: These biodegradable polyurethane scaffolds demonstrate potential for soft tissue engineering applications. Keywords: polyurethane, tissue engineering, biodegradable, fibroblast cells

Copolymers at the solid - liquid interface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijmans, C.M.

1994-01-01

Copolymers consisting of both adsorbing and nonadsorbing segments can show an adsorption behaviour which is very different from that of homopolymers. We have mainly investigated the adsorption of AB diblock copolymers, which have one adsorbing block (anchor) and one nonadsorbing block

A New Player in the Biorefineries Field: Phasin PhaP Enhances Tolerance to Solvents and Boosts Ethanol and 1,3-Propanediol Synthesis in Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Mezzina, Mariela P; Álvarez, Daniela S; Egoburo, Diego E; Díaz Peña, Rocío; Nikel, Pablo I; Pettinari, M Julia

2017-07-15

The microbial production of biofuels and other added-value chemicals is often limited by the intrinsic toxicity of these compounds. The phasin PhaP from the soil bacterium Azotobacter sp. strain FA8 is a polyhydroxyalkanoate granule-associated protein that protects recombinant Escherichia coli against several kinds of stress. PhaP enhances growth and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) synthesis in polymer-producing recombinant strains and reduces the formation of inclusion bodies during overproduction of heterologous proteins. In this work, the heterologous expression of this phasin in E. coli was used as a strategy to increase tolerance to several biotechnologically relevant chemicals. PhaP was observed to enhance bacterial fitness in the presence of biofuels, such as ethanol and butanol, and other chemicals, such as 1,3-propanediol. The effect of PhaP was also studied in a groELS mutant strain, in which both GroELS and PhaP were observed to exert a beneficial effect that varied depending on the chemical tested. Lastly, the potential of PhaP and GroEL to enhance the accumulation of ethanol or 1,3-propanediol was analyzed in recombinant E. coli Strains that overexpressed either groEL or phaP had increased growth, reflected in a higher final biomass and product titer than the control strain. Taken together, these results add a novel application to the already multifaceted phasin protein group, suggesting that expression of these proteins or other chaperones can be used to improve the production of biofuels and other chemicals. IMPORTANCE This work has both basic and applied aspects. Our results demonstrate that a phasin with chaperone-like properties can increase bacterial tolerance to several biochemicals, providing further evidence of the diverse properties of these proteins. Additionally, both the PhaP phasin and the well-known chaperone GroEL were used to increase the biosynthesis of the biotechnologically relevant compounds ethanol and 1,3-propanediol in recombinant E

Synthesis and characterization of waterborne polyurethane acrylate copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sultan, Misbah; Bhatti, Haq Nawaz; Zuber, Mohammad; Barikani, Mehdi

2013-01-01

Polyurethane acrylate copolymers were synthesized by emulsion polymerization process. To reduce the environmental hazards, organic solvents were replaced by eco-friendly aqueous system. Concentration of polyurethane and acrylate monomer was varied to investigate the effect of chemical composition on performance properties of copolymers. FTIR spectroscopy was used as a key tool to record the chemical synthesis route. The synthesized copolymer emulsions were characterized by evaluating their particle size, viscosity, dry weight content, chemical and water resistance. Thermal decomposition was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Scanning electron microscope was used to visualize the morphological structure of copolymers. The experimental results indicate better polyurethane acrylate compatibility till the ratio of 30/70. However, these copolymers exhibited synergistic effects between the two polymers and revealed a remarkable improvement in numerous coating properties

Synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate from palm oil and some new applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sudesh, Kumar; Bhubalan, Kesaven; Chuah, Jo-Ann; Kek, Yik-Kang; Kamilah, Hanisah; Sridewi, Nanthini; Lee, Yan-Fen

2011-03-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a potential substitute for some petrochemical-based plastics. This biodegradable plastic is derived from microbial fermentation using various carbon substrates. Since carbon source has been identified as one of the major cost-absorbing factors in PHA production, cheap and renewable substrates are currently being investigated as substitutes for existing sugar-based feedstock. Plant oils have been found to result in high-yield PHA production. Malaysia, being the world's second largest producer of palm oil, is able to ensure continuous supply of palm oil products for sustainable PHA production. The biosynthesis and characterization of various types of PHA using palm oil products have been described in detail in this review. Besides, by-products and waste stream from palm oil industry have also demonstrated promising results as carbon sources for PHA biosynthesis. Some new applications in cosmetic and wastewater treatment show the diversity of PHA usage. With proper management practices and efficient milling processes, it may be possible to supply enough palm oil-based raw materials for human consumption and other biotechnological applications such as production of PHA in a sustainable manner.

Sustainable multistage process for enhanced productivity of bioplastics from waste remediation through aerobic dynamic feeding strategy: Process integration for up-scaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Amulya, K; Jukuri, Srinivas; Venkata Mohan, S

2015-01-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production was evaluated in a multistage operation using food waste as a renewable feedstock. The first step involved the production of bio-hydrogen (bio-H2) via acidogenic fermentation. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) rich effluent from bio-H2 reactor was subsequently used for PHA production, which was carried out in two stages, Stage II (culture enrichment) and Stage III (PHA production). PHA-storing microorganisms were enriched in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), operated at two different cycle lengths (CL-24; CL-12). Higher polymer recovery as well as VFA removal was achieved in CL-12 operation both in Stage II (16.3% dry cell weight (DCW); VFA removal, 84%) and Stage III (23.7% DCW; VFA removal, 88%). The PHA obtained was a co-polymer [P(3HB-co-3HV)] of PHB and PHV. The results obtained indicate that this integrated multistage process offers new opportunities to further leverage large scale PHA production with simultaneous waste remediation in the framework of biorefinery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design of 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering testing a tough polylactide-based graft copolymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorati, R.; Colonna, C.; Tomasi, C.; Genta, I.; Bruni, G.; Conti, B.

2014-01-01

as biodegradable biomaterial for TE. • The tough PLA graft copolymer resulted to being suitable for the preparation of 2D film and 3D scaffold. • The tough LMP-3055 polymer resulted to being a suitable substrate for cell seeding and proliferation

Design of 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering testing a tough polylactide-based graft copolymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorati, R., E-mail: rossella.dorati@unipv.it [Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Center for Tissue Engineering (CIT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Colonna, C. [Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Center for Tissue Engineering (CIT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Tomasi, C. [C.S.G.I., Department of Chemistry, Division of Physical Chemistry, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 16 I, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Genta, I. [Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Center for Tissue Engineering (CIT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Bruni, G. [C.S.G.I., Department of Chemistry, Division of Physical Chemistry, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 16 I, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Conti, B. [Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Center for Tissue Engineering (CIT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy)

2014-01-01

as biodegradable biomaterial for TE. • The tough PLA graft copolymer resulted to being suitable for the preparation of 2D film and 3D scaffold. • The tough LMP-3055 polymer resulted to being a suitable substrate for cell seeding and proliferation.

The influence of chain stretching on the phase behavior of multiblock copolymer and comb copolymer melts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Angerman, HJ; ten Brinke, G

The subject of this paper is inspired by microphase-separated copolymer melts in which a small-scale structure is present inside one of the phases of a large-scale structure. Such a situation can arise in a diblock copolymer melt, if one of the blocks of the diblock is in itself a multiblock

Polyketones as alternating copolymers of carbon monoxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belov, Gennady P; Novikova, Elena V

2004-01-01

Characteristic features of the catalytic synthesis of alternating copolymers of carbon monoxide with various olefins, dienes, styrene and its derivatives are considered. The diversity of catalyst systems used for the copolymerisation of carbon monoxide is demonstrated and their influence on the structure and the molecular mass of the resulting copolymers is analysed. The data on the structure and physicochemical and mechanical properties of this new generation of functional copolymers are generalised and described systematically for the first time.

21 CFR 177.2470 - Polyoxymethylene copolymer.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Components of Articles Intended for Repeated Use § 177.2470 Polyoxymethylene copolymer. Polyoxymethylene copolymer identified in this section may be safely used as an article or component of articles intended for... are available from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-200), Food and Drug...

Pha-induced T-cell cytotoxity. Mechanism and application in haemodialysis and renal transplant patients.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huges-Wirawan, Gladys Ratna Widhi Indrati

1978-01-01

This thesis describes a method to measure PHA-incluced cytotoxicity of human lymphocytes (nonspecific T-cell cytotoxicity), using 3H-thymidine prelabelled target cells (HeLa cells). The method has some advantages over the widely used 51Cr-release assay. Its application in two clinical conditions is

PHA production by mixed cultures: a way to valorize wastes from pulp industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Queirós, Diogo; Rossetti, Simona; Serafim, Luísa S

2014-04-01

In this work, hardwood spent sulfite liquor (HSSL), a complex feedstock originating from the pulp industry, was tested for the first time as a substrate for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production by a mixed microbial culture (MMC) under aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) conditions. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) fed with HSSL was operated for 67days and the selected MMC reached a maximum PHA content of 67.6%. The MMC demonstrated a differential utilization of the carbon sources present in HSSL. Acetic acid was fully consumed, while xylose and lignosulphonates were partially consumed (30% and 14%, respectively). The selected culture was characterized by Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH). Bacteria belonging to the three main classes were identified: Alpha- (72.7±4.0%), Beta- (11.1±0.37%) and Gammaproteobacteria (10.3±0.3%). Within Alphaproteobacteria, a small amount of Paracoccus (4.2±0.51%) and Defluvicoccus related to Tetrad Forming Organisms (9.0±0.28%) were detected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticles based on novel amphiphilic polyaspartamide copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craparo, Emanuela Fabiola; Teresi, Girolamo; Ognibene, Maria Chiara; Casaletto, Maria Pia; Bondi, Maria Luisa; Cavallaro, Gennara

2010-01-01

In this article, the synthesis of two amphiphilic polyaspartamide copolymers, useful to obtain polymeric nanoparticles without using surfactants or stabilizing agents, is described. These copolymers were obtained starting from α,β-poly-(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-dl-aspartamide (PHEA) by following a novel synthetic strategy. In particular, PHEA and its pegylated derivative (PHEA-PEG 2000 ) were functionalized with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) through 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) activation to obtain PHEA-PLA and PHEA-PEG 2000 -PLA graft copolymers, respectively. These copolymers were properly purified and characterized by 1 H-NMR, FT-IR, and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) analyses, which confirmed that derivatization reactions occurred. Nanoparticles were obtained from PHEA-PLA and PHEA-PEG 2000 -PLA graft copolymers by using the high pressure homogenization-solvent evaporation method, avoiding the use of surfactants or stabilizing agents. Polymeric nanoparticles were characterized by dimensional analysis, before and after freeze-drying process, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Zeta potential measurements and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis demonstrated the presence of PEG and/or PHEA onto the PHEA-PEG 2000 -PLA and PHEA-PLA nanoparticle surface, respectively.

Amphiphilic copolymers for fouling-release coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Noguer, Albert Camós; Olsen, Stefan Møller; Hvilsted, Søren

of the coatings [9,10,11]. This work shows the effect of an amphiphilic copolymer that induces hydrophilicity on the surface of the silicone-based fouling release coatings. The behaviour of these copolymers within the coating upon immersion and the interaction of these surface-active additives with other...

Poly(ferrocenylsilane)-block-Polylactide Block Copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roerdink, M.; van Zanten, Thomas S.; Hempenius, Mark A.; Zhong, Zhiyuan; Feijen, Jan; Vancso, Gyula J.

2007-01-01

A PFS/PLA block copolymer was studied to probe the effect of strong surface interactions on pattern formation in PFS block copolymer thin films. Successful synthesis of PFS-b-PLA was demonstrated. Thin films of these polymers show phase separation to form PFS microdomains in a PLA matrix, and

Low in vitro response to PPD and PHA in lymphocytes from BCG-induced pleurisy in guinea pigs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widstroem, O.; Nilsson, B.S.

1982-01-01

In order to study any correlation between functional properties of lymphocytes in BCG-induced pleural exudation and the development of the pleurisy a previously described experimental model was used. This model with a duration of effusion of more than 17 days has characteristic stages. From the third day and onwards there are lymphocytes in sufficient amount for in vitro cultures. Proliferation of lymphocytes from the fluid was measured as uptake of 14 C-thymidine. The response of the lymphocytes to PPD tuberculin and to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was studied, and their spontaneous activity was measured. Comparisons were made with lymphocytes from regional lymph nodes. Pleural lymphocytes sampled on the third post-induction day did not respond to PPD or PHA stimulation. In later stages, pleural lymphocytes were stimulated by PPD to approximately the same degree as the lymph node lymphocytes. The response to PHA was weak at all stages of pleurisy, though in later stages there were some cases with high values. Variations in activation ability, related to disease staging, were demonstrated. However, low activities, and variability of the responces, without concomitant variations in disease, speak against a connection between the course of disease and functional status of the lymphocytes as measured in this study. (authors)

Amphiphilic block copolymers for biomedical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zupancich, John Andrew

Amphiphilic block copolymer self-assembly provides a versatile means to prepare nanoscale objects in solution. Control over aggregate shape is granted through manipulation of amphiphile composition and the synthesis of well-defined polymers offers the potential to produce micelles with geometries optimized for specific applications. Currently, polymer micelles are being investigated as vehicles for the delivery of therapeutics and attempts to increase efficacy has motivated efforts to incorporate bioactive ligands and stimuli-responsive character into these structures. This thesis reports the synthesis and self-assembly of biocompatible, degradable polymeric amphiphiles. Spherical, cylindrical, and bilayered vesicle structures were generated spontaneously by the direct dispersion of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(gamma-methyl-ε-caprolactone) block copolymers in water and solutions were characterized with cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The dependence of micelle structure on diblock copolymer composition was examined through the systematic variation of the hydrophobic block molecular weight. A continuous evolution of morphology was observed with coexistence of aggregate structures occurring in windows of composition intermediate to that of pure spheres, cylinders and vesicles. A number of heterobifunctional poly(ethylene oxide) polymers were synthesized for the preparation of ligand-functionalized amphiphilic diblock copolymers. The effect of ligand conjugation on block copolymer self-assembly and micelle morphology was also examined. An RGD-containing peptide sequence was efficiently conjugated to a set of well characterized poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(butadiene) copolymers. The reported aggregate morphologies of peptide-functionalized polymeric amphiphiles deviated from canonical structures and the micelle clustering, cylinder fragmentation, network formation, and multilayer vesicle generation documented with cryo-TEM was attributed to

Biodegradable congress 2012; Bioschmierstoff-Kongress 2012

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-11-01

Within the Guelzower expert discussions at 5th and 6th June, 2012 in Oberhausen (Federal Republic of Germany) the following lectures were held: (1) Promotion of biodegradable lubricants by means of research and development as well as public relations (Steffen Daebeler); (2) Biodegradable lubricants - An overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the engaged product groups (Hubertus Murrenhoff); (3) Standardization of biodegradable lubricants - CEN/DIN standard committees - state of the art (Rolf Luther); (4) Market research for the utilization of biodegradable lubricants and means of proof of sustainability (Norbert Schmitz); (5) Fields of application for high performance lubricants and requirements upon the products (Gunther Kraft); (6) Investigations of biodegradable lubricants in rolling bearings and gears (Christoph Hentschke); (7) Biodegradable lubricants in central lubrication systems Development of gears and bearings of offshore wind power installations (Reiner Wagner); (8) Investigations towards environmental compatibility of biodegradable lubricants used in offshore wind power installations (Tolf Schneider); (9) Development of glycerine based lubricants for the industrial metalworking (Harald Draeger); (10) Investigations and utilization of biodegradable oils as electroinsulation oils in transformers (Stefan Tenbohlen); (11) Operational behaviour of lubricant oils in vegetable oil operation and Biodiesel operation (Horst Hamdorf); (12) Lubrication effect of lubricating oil of the third generation (Stefan Heitzig); (13) Actual market development from the view of a producer of biodegradable lubricants (Frank Lewen); (14) Utilization of biodegradable lubricants in forestry harvesters (Guenther Weise); (15) New biodegradable lubricants based on high oleic sunflower oil (Otto Botz); (16) Integrated fluid concept - optimized technology and service package for users of biodegradable lubricants (Juergen Baer); (17) Utilization of a bio oil sensor to control

Research Update: Triblock copolymers as templates to synthesize inorganic nanoporous materials

OpenAIRE

Yunqi Li; Bishnu Prasad Bastakoti; Yusuke Yamauchi

2016-01-01

This review focuses on the application of triblock copolymers as designed templates to synthesize nanoporous materials with various compositions. Asymmetric triblock copolymers have several advantages compared with symmetric triblock copolymers and diblock copolymers, because the presence of three distinct domains can provide more functional features to direct the resultant nanoporous materials. Here we clearly describe significant contributions of asymmetric triblock copolymers, especially p...

Micellization and Dynamics of a Block Copolymer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvidt, Søren

2006-01-01

and copolymer mixtures, and evidence in favor of a multi-equilibria unimer-micelle model will be presented. Results obtained by liquid chromatographic methods will be shown and it will be demonstrated that commercial EPE copolymers are inhomogeneous at several levels and many of their unusual properties reflect...... ratios and temperature. The micellization process with increasing temperature has been followed by a number of techniques including differential scanning calorimetry, liquid chromatography, and surface tension measurements. Different micellization models have been tested for purified copolymers...

Acrylonitrile-methyl Methacrylate Copolymer Films Containing Microencapsulated n-Octadecane

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LI Jun; HAN Na; ZHANG Xing-xiang

2006-01-01

Acrylonitrile-methyl methacrylate copolymer was synthesized in aqueous solution by Redox. The copolymer was mixed with 10 - 40 wt% of microencapsulated n-octadecane (MicroPCMs) in water. Copolymer films containing MicroPCMs were cast at room temperature in N, N-Dimethylformamide solution. The copolymer of acrylonitrile-methyl methacrylate and the copolymer films containing MicroPCMs were characterized by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TG), X-ray Diffrac tion (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), etc.The microcapsules in the films are evenly distributed in the copolymer matrix. The heat-absorbing temperatures and heat-evolving temperatures of the films are almost the same as that of the MicroPCMs, respectively, and fluctuate in a slight range. In addition, the enthalpy efficiency of MicroPCMs rises with the contents of MicroPCMs increasing.The crystallinity of the film increases with the contents of MicroPCMs increasing.

Optimization of Water/Oil/Surfactant System for Preparation of Medium-Chain-Length Poly-3-Hydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHA)-Incorporated Nanoparticles via Nanoemulsion Templating Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishak, K A; Annuar, M Suffian M; Ahmad, N

2017-12-01

Polymeric nanoparticles gain a widespread interest in food and pharmaceutical industries as delivery systems that encapsulate, protect, and release lipophilic compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, carotenoids, carvedilol, cyclosporine, and ketoprofen. In this study, medium-chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA)-incorporated nanoparticle was developed via facile organic solvent-free nanoemulsion templating technique. The water content (W/surfactant-to-oil (S/O)), S/O, and Cremophor EL-to-Span 80 (Cremo/Sp80) ratios were first optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain nanoemulsion template prior to incorporation of mcl-PHA. Their effects on nanoemulsion formation were investigated. The mcl-PHA-incorporated nanoparticle system showed a good preservation capability of β-carotene and extended storage stability.

Functional Nanoporous Polymers from Block Copolymer Precursors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Fengxiao

Abstract Self-assembly of block copolymers provides well-defined morphologies with characteristic length scales in the nanometer range. Nanoporous polymers prepared by selective removal of one block from self-assembled block copolymers offer great technological promise due to their many potential...... functionalities remains a great challenge due to the limitation of available polymer synthesis and the nanoscale confinement of the porous cavities. The main topic of this thesis is to develop methods for fabrication of functional nanoporous polymers from block copolymer precursors. A method has been developed......, where living anionic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) are combined to synthesize a polydimethylsiloxane-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polystyrene (PDMS-b-PtBA-b-PS) triblock copolymer precursor. By using either anhydrous hydrogen fluoride or trifluoroacetic acid, PtBA block...

Morphological studies on block copolymer modified PA 6 blends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poindl, M., E-mail: marcus.poindl@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de, E-mail: christian.bonten@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de; Bonten, C., E-mail: marcus.poindl@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de, E-mail: christian.bonten@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de [Institut für Kunststofftechnik, University of Stuttgart (Germany)

2014-05-15

Recent studies show that compounding polyamide 6 (PA 6) with a PA 6 polyether block copolymers made by reaction injection molding (RIM) or continuous anionic polymerization in a reactive extrusion process (REX) result in blends with high impact strength and high stiffness compared to conventional rubber blends. In this paper, different high impact PA 6 blends were prepared using a twin screw extruder. The different impact modifiers were an ethylene propylene copolymer, a PA PA 6 polyether block copolymer made by reaction injection molding and one made by reactive extrusion. To ensure good particle matrix bonding, the ethylene propylene copolymer was grafted with maleic anhydride (EPR-g-MA). Due to the molecular structure of the two block copolymers, a coupling agent was not necessary. The block copolymers are semi-crystalline and partially cross-linked in contrast to commonly used amorphous rubbers which are usually uncured. The combination of different analysis methods like atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) gave a detailed view in the structure of the blends. Due to the partial cross-linking, the particles of the block copolymers in the blends are not spherical like the ones of ethylene propylene copolymer. The differences in molecular structure, miscibility and grafting of the impact modifiers result in different mechanical properties and different blend morphologies.

Synthesis of Hydrophilic and Amphiphilic Acryl Sucrose Monomers and Their Copolymerisation with Styrene, Methylmethacrylate and α- and β-Pinenes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Teresa Barros

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Herein, we report the synthesis of monomethacryloyl sucrose esters, and their successful free radical homo- and co-polymerisation with styrene, methylmethacrylate, α- and β-pinene. The chemical, physical, structural and surface chemical properties of these polymers, containing a hydrophobic olefin backbone and hydrophilic sugar moieties as side chains, have been investigated. Biodegradation tests of the copolymer samples by a microbial fungal culture (Aspergillus niger method showed good biodegradability. The chemical structure and surface chemistry of the synthesized homo- and co-polymers demonstrate their potential technological relevance as amphiphilic and biodegradable polymers.

Photo-Induced Micellization of Block Copolymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoshi Kuwayama

2010-11-01

Full Text Available We found novel photo-induced micellizations through photolysis, photoelectron transfer, and photo-Claisen rearrangement. The photolysis-induced micellization was attained using poly(4-tert-butoxystyrene-block-polystyrene diblock copolymer (PBSt-b-PSt. BSt-b-PSt showed no self-assembly in dichloromethane and existed as isolated copolymers. Dynamic light scattering demonstrated that the copolymer produced spherical micelles in this solvent due to irradiation with a high-pressure mercury lamp in the presence of photo-acid generators, such as bis(alkylphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate, diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate, and triphenylsulfonium triflate. The 1H NMR analysis confirmed that PBSt-b-PSt was converted into poly(4-vinylphenol-block-PSt by the irradiation, resulting in self-assembly into micelles. The irradiation in the presence of the photo-acid generator also induced the micellization of poly(4-pyridinemethoxymethylstyrene-block-polystyrene diblock copolymer (PPySt-b-PSt. Micellization occurred by electron transfer from the pyridine to the photo-acid generator in their excited states and provided monodispersed spherical micelles with cores of PPySt blocks. Further, the photo-Claisen rearrangement caused the micellization of poly(4-allyloxystyrene-block-polystyrene diblock copolymer (PASt-b-PSt. Micellization was promoted in cyclohexane at room temperature without a catalyst. During micellization, the elimination of the allyl groups competitively occurred along with the photorearrangement of the 4-allyloxystyrene units into the 3-allyl-4-hydroxystyrene units.

Fast & scalable pattern transfer via block copolymer nanolithography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Tao; Wang, Zhongli; Schulte, Lars

2015-01-01

A fully scalable and efficient pattern transfer process based on block copolymer (BCP) self-assembling directly on various substrates is demonstrated. PS-rich and PDMS-rich poly(styrene-b-dimethylsiloxane) (PS-b-PDMS) copolymers are used to give monolayer sphere morphology after spin-casting of s......A fully scalable and efficient pattern transfer process based on block copolymer (BCP) self-assembling directly on various substrates is demonstrated. PS-rich and PDMS-rich poly(styrene-b-dimethylsiloxane) (PS-b-PDMS) copolymers are used to give monolayer sphere morphology after spin...... on long range lateral order, including fabrication of substrates for catalysis, solar cells, sensors, ultrafiltration membranes and templating of semiconductors or metals....

Effect of three porcelain etchants type (HF-APF-PHA on porcelain- composite shear bond strength

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kermanshah H.

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Statement of Problem: Porcelain restorations are susceptible to fracture and a common method for repairing is the use of silane and composite on etched porcelain. Although HF is very effective in porcelain etching but has detrimental effects on tissues. Purpose: In this study, the effect of APF and PHA was compared with HF in porcelain etching. Also the role of silane, unfilled resin and dentin bonding in bond strength of composite- porcelain was evaluated. Methods and Materials: In this experimental in-vitro study, one-hundred twenty porcelain square blocks (552 mm were prepared and bonding surfaces of each sandblasted. Samples were divided into three groups. The first group (n=40 were etched with buffered HF 9.5% (Ultradent for 1 min., the second group (n=40 were etched with Iranian APF 1.23% (Kimia for 10 minutes and the third group (n=40 were etched with Iranian PHA 37% (Kimia for 1 min. Ultradent silane was applied on the surfaces of half of cases in each group. On the surfaces of half of silane-treated samples unfilled resin was applied and dentin bonding was used on the surfaces of the remaining. Samples without silane were treated in a similar manner. Composite cylinder with 4mm diameter and 2 mm height was bonded to porcelain. Specimens were stored in 37°C distilled water for 24 hours and subjected to 500 cycles. Shear bond strength was measured with an Instron machine and type of fracture was evaluated using a stereomicroscope. Results were analyzed using 3 way ANOVA, Kaplan- Maier and Tukey HSD tests. Results: Findings showed that PHA and APF roughened the porcelain surface without creating retentive micro undercuts but HF etches porcelain and creates retentive microundercuts. Ultradent silane had no significant effect on bond strength of porcelain- composite. Unfilled resin with Ultradent silane compared with dentin bonding with the same silane is more effective in bond strength of composite- porcelain. Conclusion: Based on

Synthesis and Anchoring of Antineoplastic Ferrocene and Phthalocyanine Derivatives on Water-Soluble Polymeric Drug Carriers Derived from Lysine and Aspartic Acid

OpenAIRE

Maree, M. David; Neuse, Eberhard W.; Erasmus, Elizabeth; Swarts, Jannie C.

2007-01-01

The general synthetic strategy towards water-soluble biodegradable drug carriers and the properties that they must have are discussed. The syntheses of water-soluble biodegradable copolymers of lysine and aspartic acid as potential drug-delivering devices, having amine-functionalised side chains are then described. Covalent anchoring of carboxylic acid derivatives of the antineoplastic ferrocene and photodynamically active phthalocyanine moieties to the amine-containing drug carrier copolymer...

Morphology and electrical properties of electrochemically synthesized pyrrole–formyl pyrrole copolymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gholami, Mehrdad, E-mail: mehrdad897@um.edu.my [Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Department of Chemistry, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 465, Marvdasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nia, Pooria Moozarm, E-mail: pooriamn@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Alias, Yatimah, E-mail: yatimah70@um.edu.my [Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia)

2015-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The (Py–co-FPy) copolymer was synthesized electrochemically. • This copolymer has 1.6 times higher surface coverage compared to polypyrrole. • This copolymer showed 2.5 times lower resistance compared to polypyrrole. • The conjugated structure between Py and FPy causes enhancement of conductivity. • This conducting copolymer has a strong potential to be used in various applications. - Abstract: A direct electrochemical copolymerization of pyrrole–formyl pyrrole (Py–co-FPy) was carried out by oxidative copolymerization of formyl pyrrole and pyrrole in LiClO{sub 4} aqueous solution through galvanostatic method. The (Py–co-FPy) copolymer was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy-filtering transmission electron microscope (EFTEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The FESEM images showed that the synthesized copolymer had a hollow whelk-like helixes structure, which justifies the enhancement of charge transportation through the copolymer film. Cyclic voltammetry studies revealed that the electrocatalytic activity of synthesized copolymer has improved and the surface coverage in copolymer enhanced 1.6 times compared to polypyrrole alone. Besides, (Py–co-FPy) copolymer showed 2.5 times lower electrochemical charge transfer resistance (R{sub ct}) value in impedance spectroscopy. Therefore, this copolymer has a strong potential to be used in several applications such as sensor applications.

ANAEROBIC BIODEGRADATION OF A BIODEGRADABLE MATERIAL UNDER ANAEROBIC - THERMOPHILIC DIGESTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RICARDO CAMACHO-MUÑOZ

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper dertermined the anaerobic biodegradation of a polymer obtained by extrusion process of native cassava starch, polylactic acid and polycaprolactone. Initially a thermophilic - methanogenic inoculum was prepared from urban solid waste. The gas final methane concentration and medium’s pH reached values of 59,6% and 7,89 respectively. The assay assembly was carried out according ASTM D5511 standard. The biodegradation percent of used materials after 15 day of digestion were: 77,49%, 61,27%, 0,31% for cellulose, sample and polyethylene respectively. Due cellulose showed biodegradation levels higher than 70% it’s deduced that the inoculum conditions were appropriate. A biodegradation level of 61,27%, 59,35% of methane concentration in sample’s evolved gas and a medium’s finale pH of 7,71 in sample’s vessels, reveal the extruded polymer´s capacity to be anaerobically degraded under thermophilic- high solid concentration conditions.

Stimulating effects of vitamin A on PHA- and LPS-activated lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Fengju; Su Liaoyuan

1993-03-01

A method of 3 H-TdR incorporation in lymphocytes activated by PHA was applied. The incubation with vitamin A at a concentration of 5 μg/ml for 16 hours was followed by the incorporation, the counts per minute (cpm) of radioactivity in lymphocytes increased significantly. When the concentration was greater than 25 μg/ml or the incubation at concentration of 10 μg/ml for 72 hours, the incorporation value of 3 H-TdR was remarkably decreased. The lymphocytes irradiated by 60 Co gamma rays at different doses were incubated in vitro with vitamin A of 5 μg/ml concentration for 16 hours, the cpm from 3 H-TdR incorporation in DNA was higher than that in control group with no vitamin A. Tests on 10 cancer patients showed that after one course of treatment with radiotherapy (75 ∼ 184 Gy), the incorporation value of 3 H-TdR was decreased significantly. After adding more 5 μg/ml concentration of vitamin A, the incorporation value of 3 H-TdR was remarkably greater than in the control group. These results indicated that vitamin A at adequate level is able to enhance the effect of transformation of PHA-activated lymphocytes, but the incorporation in LPS-activated B lymphocytes enhanced by vitamin A was not observed

New eco-friendly random copolyesters based on poly(propylene cyclohexanedicarboxylate: Structure-properties relationships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Genovese

2015-11-01

Full Text Available A series of novel random copolymers of poly(propylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate (PPCE containing neo -pentyl glycol sub-unit (P(PCExNCEy were synthesized and characterized in terms of molecular and solid-state properties. In addition, biodegradability studies in compost have been conducted. The copolymers displayed a high and similar thermal stability with respect to PPCE. At room temperature, all the copolymers appeared as semicrystalline materials: the main effect of copolymerization was a lowering of crystallinity degree (χc and a decrease of the melting temperature compared to the parent homopolymer. In particular, Wide Angle X-Ray diffraction (WAXD measurements indicated that P(PCExNCEy copolymers are characterized by cocrystallization, PNCE counits cocrystallizing in PPCE crystalline phase. Final properties and biodegradation rate of the materials under study were strictly dependent on copolymer composition and χc. As a matter of fact, the elastic modulus and the elongation at break decreased and increased, respectively, as neopentyl glycol cyclohexanedicarboxylate (NCE unit content was increased. The presence of a rigid-amorphous phase was evidenced by means of Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA analysis in all the samples under investigation. Lastly, the biodegradation rate of P(PCExNCEy copolymers was found to slightly increase with the increasing of NCE molar content.

External validation of structure-biodegradation relationship (SBR) models for predicting the biodegradability of xenobiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Devillers, J; Pandard, P; Richard, B

2013-01-01

Biodegradation is an important mechanism for eliminating xenobiotics by biotransforming them into simple organic and inorganic products. Faced with the ever growing number of chemicals available on the market, structure-biodegradation relationship (SBR) and quantitative structure-biodegradation relationship (QSBR) models are increasingly used as surrogates of the biodegradation tests. Such models have great potential for a quick and cheap estimation of the biodegradation potential of chemicals. The Estimation Programs Interface (EPI) Suite™ includes different models for predicting the potential aerobic biodegradability of organic substances. They are based on different endpoints, methodologies and/or statistical approaches. Among them, Biowin 5 and 6 appeared the most robust, being derived from the largest biodegradation database with results obtained only from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) test. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive performances of these two models from a set of 356 chemicals extracted from notification dossiers including compatible biodegradation data. Another set of molecules with no more than four carbon atoms and substituted by various heteroatoms and/or functional groups was also embodied in the validation exercise. Comparisons were made with the predictions obtained with START (Structural Alerts for Reactivity in Toxtree). Biowin 5 and Biowin 6 gave satisfactorily prediction results except for the prediction of readily degradable chemicals. A consensus model built with Biowin 1 allowed the diminution of this tendency.

Improved detergent-based recovery of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs).

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yung-Hun; Brigham, Christopher; Willis, Laura; Rha, ChoKyun; Sinskey, Anthony

2011-05-01

Extracting polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymer from bacterial cells often involves harsh conditions, including use of environmentally harmful solvents. We evaluated different detergents under various conditions to extract PHA from Ralstonia eutropha and Escherichia coli cells. Most detergents tested recovered highly pure PHA polymer from cells in amounts that depended on the percentage of polymer present in the cell. Detergents such as linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (LAS-99) produced a high yield of high purity polymer, and less detergent was needed compared to the amount of SDS to produce comparable yields. LAS-99 also has the advantage of being biodegradable and environmentally safe. Chemical extraction of PHA with detergents could potentially minimize or eliminate the need to use harsh organic solvents, thus making industrial PHA production a cleaner technology process. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

21 CFR 177.1340 - Ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer resins.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer resins. 177.1340... Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces § 177.1340 Ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer resins. Ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer resins may be safely used as articles or components of...

POLYCAPROLACTONE-POLY (ETHYLENE GLYCOL) BLOCK COPOLYMER Ⅲ DRUG RELEASE BEHAVIOR

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

BEI Jianzhong; WANG Zhifeng; WANG Shenguo

1995-01-01

The drug release behavior of degradable polymer - polycaprolactone-poly (ethylene glycol)block copolymer(PCE) in vitro was investigated by using 5-Fluoro-uracil (5-Fu) as a model drug under a condition of pH 7.4 at 37℃. It is found that the release rate of 5-Fu from PCE increased with increasing polyether content of the copolymer. The results show that the increasing polyether content of the copolymer caused increasing hydrophilicity and decreasing crystallinity of the PCE copolymer. Thus, the drug release behavior and the degradable property of the PCE can be controlled by adjusting the composition of the copolymer.

Biodegradation of selected offshore chemicals

OpenAIRE

Wennberg, Aina C.; Petersen, Karina

2017-01-01

A review of biodegradation data for specific oil field chemicals and chemical groups were performed in order to evaluate if the current categorisation of these were appropriate based on the biodegradation properties. Data were compiled from databases like ECHA and MITI and from the literature. For compounds with limited or inconclusive test data, biodegradation was also estimated by the BIOWIN models, and the EAWAG-BBD pathway prediction system was used to predict plausible biodegradation pat...

The rheology, degradation, processing, and characterization of renewable resource polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Conrad, Jason David

Renewable resource polymers have become an increasingly popular alternative to conventional fossil fuel based polymers over the past couple decades. The push by the government as well as both industrial and consumer markets to go "green" has provided the drive for companies to research and develop new materials that are more environmentally friendly and which are derived from renewable materials. Two polymers that are currently being produced commercially are poly-lactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers, both of which can be derived from renewable feedstocks and have shown to exhibit similar properties to conventional materials such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET. PLA and PHA are being used in many applications including food packaging, disposable cups, grocery bags, and biomedical applications. In this work, we report on the rheological properties of blends of PLA and PHA copolymers. The specific materials used in the study include Natureworks RTM 7000D grade PLA and PHA copolymers of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate). Blends ranging from 10 to 50 percent PHA by weight are also examined. Shear and extensional experiments are performed to characterize the flow behavior of the materials in different flow fields. Transient experiments are performed to study the shear rheology over time in order to determine how the viscoelastic properties change under typical processing conditions and understand the thermal degradation behavior of the materials. For the blends, it is determined that increasing the PHA concentration in the blend results in a decrease in viscosity and increase in degradation. Models are fit to the viscosity of the blends using the pure material viscosities in order to be able to predict the behavior at a given blend composition. We also investigate the processability of these materials into films and examine the resultant properties of the cast films. The mechanical and thermal properties of the

Comparative study on the biodegradation and biocompatibility of silicate bioceramic coatings on biodegradable magnesium alloy as biodegradable biomaterial

Science.gov (United States)

Razavi, M.; Fathi, M. H.; Savabi, O.; Razavi, S. M.; Hashemibeni, B.; Yazdimamaghani, M.; Vashaee, D.; Tayebi, L.

2014-03-01

Many clinical cases as well as in vivo and in vitro assessments have demonstrated that magnesium alloys possess good biocompatibility. Unfortunately, magnesium and its alloys degrade too quickly in physiological media. In order to improve the biodegradation resistance and biocompatibility of a biodegradable magnesium alloy, we have prepared three types of coating include diopside (CaMgSi2O6), akermanite (Ca2MgSi2O6) and bredigite (Ca7MgSi4O16) coating on AZ91 magnesium alloy through a micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. In this research, the biodegradation and biocompatibility behavior of samples were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro analysis was performed by cytocompatibility and MTT-assay and the in vivo test was conducted on the implantation of samples in the greater trochanter of adult rabbits. The results showed that diopside coating has the best bone regeneration and bredigite has the best biodegradation resistance compared to others.

Use Of Biodegradation Ratios In Monitoring Trend Of Biostimulated Biodegradation In Crude Oil Polluted Soils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Okorondu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This study deals with biodegradation experiment on soil contaminated with crude oil. The soil sample sets A BC D E F G were amended with inorganic fertilizer to enhance microbial growth and hydrocarbon degradation moisture content of some of the sets were as well varied. Biodegradation ratios nC17Pr nC18Ph and nC17nC18PrPh were used to monitor biodegradation of soil sets A BC D E F G for a period of 180. The soil samples were each contaminated with the same amount of crude oil and exposed to specific substrate treatment regarding the amount of nutrients and water content over the same period of time. The trend in biodegradation of the different soil sample sets shows that biodegradation ratio nC17nC18PrPh was more reflective of and explains the biodegradation trend in all the sample sets throughout the period of the experiment hence a better parameter ratio for monitoring trend of biostimulated biodegradation. The order of preference of the biodegradation ratios is expressed as nC18Ph nC17Pr nC17nC18 PrPh. This can be a relevant support tool when designing bioremediation plan on field.

The effect of in vitro irradiation on the responses of human lymphocytes to PHA, PPD and allogeneic cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herva, E.; Kiviniitty, K.; Oulu Univ.

1975-01-01

The effect of X-ray, cobalt and 45 MeV electron irradiation on the responses of lymphocytes to PHA, PPD and allogeneic cells was studied using a semimicro lymphocyte culture technique. The responses to PPD and allogeneic cells were found to be more sensitive to irradiation than the response to PHA, even when the time factor was taken into account, i.e. the effect of irradiation was measured on the same day irrespective the type os stimulation. At the doses used, 500, 3,000 and 6,000 rd, there was no difference between the effects of the three types of radiation used. The possible explanations for the findings are discussed. (orig.) [de

Nanostructured Polysulfone-Based Block Copolymer Membranes

KAUST Repository

Xie, Yihui

2016-05-01

The aim of this work is to fabricate nanostructured membranes from polysulfone-based block copolymers through self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation. Block copolymers containing polysulfone are novel materials for this purpose providing better mechanical and thermal stability to membranes than polystyrene-based copolymers, which have been exclusively used now. Firstly, we synthesized a triblock copolymer, poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polsulfone-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) through polycondensation and reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization. The obtained membrane has a highly porous interconnected skin layer composed of elongated micelles with a flower-like arrangement, on top of the graded finger-like macrovoids. Membrane surface hydrolysis was carried out in a combination with metal complexation to obtain metal-chelated membranes. The copper-containing membrane showed improved antibacterial capability. Secondly, a poly(acrylic acid)-b-polysulfone-b-poly(acrylic acid) triblock copolymer obtained by hydrolyzing poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polsulfone-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) formed a thin film with cylindrical poly(acrylic acid) microdomains in polysulfone matrix through thermal annealing. A phase inversion membrane was prepared from the same polymer via self-assembly and chelation-assisted non-solvent induced phase separation. The spherical micelles pre-formed in a selective solvent mixture packed into an ordered lattice in aid of metal-poly(acrylic acid) complexation. The space between micelles was filled with poly(acrylic acid)-metal complexes acting as potential water channels. The silver0 nanoparticle-decorated membrane was obtained by surface reduction, having three distinct layers with different particle sizes. Other amphiphilic copolymers containing polysulfone and water-soluble segments such as poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) were also synthesized through coupling reaction and copper0-mediated

Phthalates biodegradation in the environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Da-Wei; Zhang, Tong; Fang, Herbert H P; He, Jianzhong

2008-08-01

Phthalates are synthesized in massive amounts to produce various plastics and have become widespread in environments following their release as a result of extensive usage and production. This has been of an environmental concern because phthalates are hepatotoxic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic by nature. Numerous studies indicated that phthalates can be degraded by bacteria and fungi under aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic conditions. This paper gives a review on the biodegradation of phthalates and includes the following aspects: (1) the relationship between the chemical structure of phthalates and their biodegradability, (2) the biodegradation of phthalates by pure/mixed cultures, (3) the biodegradation of phthalates under various environments, and (4) the biodegradation pathways of phthalates.

Research Update: Triblock copolymers as templates to synthesize inorganic nanoporous materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunqi Li

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This review focuses on the application of triblock copolymers as designed templates to synthesize nanoporous materials with various compositions. Asymmetric triblock copolymers have several advantages compared with symmetric triblock copolymers and diblock copolymers, because the presence of three distinct domains can provide more functional features to direct the resultant nanoporous materials. Here we clearly describe significant contributions of asymmetric triblock copolymers, especially polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine-block-poly(ethylene oxide (abbreviated as PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO.

A review of plastic waste biodegradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Ying; Yanful, Ernest K; Bassi, Amarjeet S

2005-01-01

With more and more plastics being employed in human lives and increasing pressure being placed on capacities available for plastic waste disposal, the need for biodegradable plastics and biodegradation of plastic wastes has assumed increasing importance in the last few years. This review looks at the technological advancement made in the development of more easily biodegradable plastics and the biodegradation of conventional plastics by microorganisms. Additives, such as pro-oxidants and starch, are applied in synthetic materials to modify and make plastics biodegradable. Recent research has shown that thermoplastics derived from polyolefins, traditionally considered resistant to biodegradation in ambient environment, are biodegraded following photo-degradation and chemical degradation. Thermoset plastics, such as aliphatic polyester and polyester polyurethane, are easily attacked by microorganisms directly because of the potential hydrolytic cleavage of ester or urethane bonds in their structures. Some microorganisms have been isolated to utilize polyurethane as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen source. Aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters have active commercial applications because of their good mechanical properties and biodegradability. Reviewing published and ongoing studies on plastic biodegradation, this paper attempts to make conclusions on potentially viable methods to reduce impacts of plastic waste on the environment.

Amphiphilic brushes from metallo-supramolecular block copolymers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guillet, P.; Fustin, C.A.; Wouters, D.; Höppener, S.; Schubert, U.S.; Gohy, J.M.W.

2009-01-01

A novel strategy to control the formation of amphiphilic brushes from metallo-supramol. block copolymers is described. The investigated copolymer consists of a polystyrene block linked to a poly(ethylene oxide) one via a charged bis-terpyridine ruthenium(ii) complex (PS-[Ru]-PEO). The initial

24 CFR 982.631 - Homeownership option: Home inspections, contract of sale, and PHA disapproval of seller.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Special Housing Types Homeownership Option § 982.631 Homeownership... PHA may not commence monthly homeownership assistance payments or provide a downpayment assistance... may not commence monthly homeownership assistance payments, or provide a downpayment assistance grant...

Iodinated glycidyl methacrylate copolymer as a radiopaque material for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawlee, S; Jayabalan, M

2013-07-01

Polymeric biomaterial was synthesized by copolymerizing 50:50 mol% of monomers, glycidyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate. Iodine atoms were then grafted to the epoxide groups of glycidyl methacrylate units, rendering the copolymer radiopaque. The percentage weight of iodine in the present copolymer was found to be as high as 23%. The iodinated copolymer showed higher glass transition temperature and thermal stability in comparison with unmodified polymer. Radiographic analysis showed that the copolymer possessed excellent radiopacity. The iodinated copolymer was cytocompatible to L929 mouse fibroblast cells. The in vivo toxicological evaluation by intracutaneous reactivity test of the copolymer extracts has revealed that the material was nontoxic. Subcutaneous implantation of iodinated copolymer in rats has shown that the material was well tolerated. Upon explantation and histological examination, no hemorrhage, infection or necrosis was observed. The samples were found to be surrounded by a vascularized capsule consisting of connective tissue cells. The results indicate that the iodinated copolymer is biocompatible and may have suitable applications as implantable materials.

Production and optimization of polyhydroxyalkanoates from non-edible Calophyllum inophyllum oil using Cupriavidus necator.

Science.gov (United States)

Arumugam, A; Senthamizhan, S G; Ponnusami, V; Sudalai, S

2018-06-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biodegradable polymers found in the cellular masses of a wide range of bacterial species and the demand for PHA is steadily growing. In this work we have produced PHA from a low-cost substrate, Calophyllum inophyllum oil, using Cupriavidus necator. Effects of various process parameters such as Oil concentration, Nitrogen source and inoculum size on the production of PHA were studied using Response Surface Methodology. A quadratic equation was used in the model to fit the experimental data. It was found that the model could satisfactorily predict the PHA yield (R 2 =99.17%). Linear, quadratic and interaction terms used in the model were found to be statistically significant. Maximum PHA yield of 10.6gL -1 was obtained under the optimized conditions of oil concentration - 17.5%, inoculum concentration - 50mL/L and nitrogen content - 1.125gL -1 , respectively. The product obtained was characterized using FTIR and NMR to confirm that it was PHA. The results demonstrate that C. inophyllum oil, a non-edible oil, can be potentially used as a low-cost substrate for the production of PHA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Loss of Ceramide Synthases Elicits a PHA-4/FoxA-, SKN-1-, and Autophagy-Dependent Lifespan Extension in C. elegans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Mai-Britt Mosbech; Færgeman, Nils J.; Ejsing, Christer S.

2011-01-01

, these lipid species are recognized as bioactive signalling molecules involved in regulation of cell growth, differentiation, senescence, and apoptosis, and thus a delicate equilibrium between the levels of these interconvertible lipid species underlies the balance between cell survival and death. The C....... elegans genome comprises three ceramide synthase genes; hyl-1, hyl-2, and lagr-1. Here we show that functional loss of HYL-1 and LAGR-1 depletes 43:1;3 sphingolipids and extends lifespan in a PHA-4-, SKN-1-, and ATG-12-dependent manner. The transcription factors PHA-4 and SKN-1 as well as ATG-12, which...

Controlling block copolymer phase behavior using ionic surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ray, D.; Aswal, V. K. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India E-mail: debes.phys@gmail.com (India)

2016-05-23

The phase behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide-poly(ethylene oxide) PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer [P85 (EO{sub 26}PO{sub 39}EO{sub 26})] in presence of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in aqueous solution as a function of temperature has been studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The measurements have been carried out for fixed concentrations (1 wt%) of block copolymer and surfactants. Each of the individual components (block copolymer and surfactant) and the nanoparticle–surfactant mixed system have been examined at varying temperature. The block copolymer P85 forms spherical micelles at room temperature whereas shows sphere-to-rod like micelle transition at higher temperatures. On the other hand, SDS surfactant forms ellipsoidal micelles over a wide temperature range. Interestingly, it is found that phase behavior of mixed micellar system (P85 + SDS) as a function of temperature is drastically different from that of P85, giving the control over the temperature-dependent phase behavior of block copolymers.

Preparation and Characterization of Facilitated Transport Membranes Composed of Chitosan-Styrene and Chitosan-Acrylonitrile Copolymers Modified by Methylimidazolium Based Ionic Liquids for CO2 Separation from CH4 and N2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ksenia V. Otvagina

2016-06-01

Full Text Available CO2 separation was found to be facilitated by transport membranes based on novel chitosan (CS–poly(styrene (PS and chitosan (CS–poly(acrylonitrile (PAN copolymer matrices doped with methylimidazolium based ionic liquids: [bmim][BF4], [bmim][PF6], and [bmim][Tf2N] (IL. CS plays the role of biodegradable film former and selectivity promoter. Copolymers were prepared implementing the latest achievements in radical copolymerization with chosen monomers, which enabled the achievement of outstanding mechanical strength values for the CS-based membranes (75–104 MPa for CS-PAN and 69–75 MPa for CS-PS. Ionic liquid (IL doping affected the surface and mechanical properties of the membranes as well as the gas separation properties. The highest CO2 permeability 400 Barrers belongs to CS-b-PS/[bmim][BF4]. The highest selectivity α (CO2/N2 = 15.5 was achieved for CS-b-PAN/[bmim][BF4]. The operational temperature of the membranes is under 220 °C.

Acoustic Droplet Vaporization, Cavitation, and Therapeutic Properties of Copolymer-Stabilized Perfluorocarbon Nanoemulsions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Kweon-Ho; Christensen, Douglas A.; Rapoport, Natalya; Kennedy, Anne M.

2009-01-01

Acoustic and therapeutic properties of Doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions have been investigated in a mouse model of ovarian cancer. The nanoemulsions were stabilized by two biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymers that differed in the structure of the hydrophobic block. Acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) and cavitation parameters were measured as a function of ultrasound frequency, pressure, duty cycles, and temperature. The optimal parameters that induced ADV and inertial cavitation of the formed microbubbles were used in vivo in the experiments on the ultrasound-mediated chemotherapy of ovarian cancer. A combination tumor treatment by intravenous injections of drug-loaded perfluoropentane nanoemulsions and tumor-directed 1-MHz ultrasound resulted in a dramatic decrease of ovarian or breast carcinoma tumor volume and sometimes complete tumor resolution. However, tumors often recurred three to six weeks after the treatment indicating that some cancer cells survived the treatment. The recurrent tumors proved more aggressive and resistant to the repeated therapy than initial tumors suggesting selection for the resistant cells during the first treatment.

Studies in reactive extrusion processing of biodegradable polymeric materials

Science.gov (United States)

Balakrishnan, Sunder

Various reaction chemistries such as Polymerization, Polymer cross-linking and Reactive grafting were investigated in twin-screw extruders. Poly (1,4-dioxan-2-one) (PPDX) was manufactured in melt by the continuous polymerization of 1,4-dioxan-2-one (PDX) monomer in a twin-screw extruder using Aluminum tri-sec butoxide (ATSB) initiator. Good and accurate control over molecular weight was obtained by controlling the ratio of monomer to initiator. A screw configuration consisting of only conveying elements was used for the polymerization. The polymerization reaction was characterized by a monomer-polymer dynamic equilibrium, above the melting temperature of the polymer, limiting the equilibrium conversion to 78-percent. Near complete (˜100-percent) conversion was obtained on co-polymerizing PDX monomer with a few mol-percent (around 8-percent) Caprolactone (CL) monomer in a twin-screw extruder using ATSB initiator. The co-polymers exhibited improved thermal stability with reduction in glass transition temperature. The extruder was modeled as an Axial Dispersed Plug Flow Reactor for the polymerization of CL monomer using Residence Time Distribution (RTD) Analysis. The model provided a good fit to the experimental RTD and conversion data. Aliphatic and aliphatic-aromatic co-polyesters, namely Polycaprolactone (PCL) and Poly butylenes (adipate-co-terephthalate) (Ecoflex) were cross-linked in a twin-screw extruder using radical initiator to form micro-gel reinforced biodegradable polyesters. Cross-linked Ecoflex was further extrusion blended with talc to form blends suitable to be blown into films. A screw configuration consisting of conveying and kneading elements was found to be effective in dispersion of the talc particles (5--10 microns) in the polyester matrix. While the rates of crystallization increased for the talc filled polyester blends, overall crystallinity reduced. Mechanical, tear and puncture properties of films made using the talc filled polyester blends

78 FR 20032 - Styrene-Ethylene-Propylene Block Copolymer; Tolerance Exemption

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-03

...-Ethylene-Propylene Block Copolymer; Tolerance Exemption AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA... for residues of styrene-ethylene-propylene block copolymer (CAS Reg. No. 108388-87-0) when used as an...-ethylene-propylene block copolymer on food or feed commodities. DATES: This regulation is effective April 3...

External validation of EPIWIN biodegradation models.

Science.gov (United States)

Posthumus, R; Traas, T P; Peijnenburg, W J G M; Hulzebos, E M

2005-01-01

The BIOWIN biodegradation models were evaluated for their suitability for regulatory purposes. BIOWIN includes the linear and non-linear BIODEG and MITI models for estimating the probability of rapid aerobic biodegradation and an expert survey model for primary and ultimate biodegradation estimation. Experimental biodegradation data for 110 newly notified substances were compared with the estimations of the different models. The models were applied separately and in combinations to determine which model(s) showed the best performance. The results of this study were compared with the results of other validation studies and other biodegradation models. The BIOWIN models predict not-readily biodegradable substances with high accuracy in contrast to ready biodegradability. In view of the high environmental concern of persistent chemicals and in view of the large number of not-readily biodegradable chemicals compared to the readily ones, a model is preferred that gives a minimum of false positives without a corresponding high percentage false negatives. A combination of the BIOWIN models (BIOWIN2 or BIOWIN6) showed the highest predictive value for not-readily biodegradability. However, the highest score for overall predictivity with lowest percentage false predictions was achieved by applying BIOWIN3 (pass level 2.75) and BIOWIN6.

Polyethylene-Based Tadpole Copolymers

KAUST Repository

Alkayal, Nazeeha

2017-02-15

Novel well-defined polyethylene-based tadpole copolymers ((c-PE)-b-PS, PE: polyethylene, PS: polystyrene) with ring PE head and linear PS tail are synthesized by combining polyhomologation, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and Glaser coupling reaction. The -OH groups of the 3-miktoarm star copolymers (PE-OH)-b-PS, synthesized by polyhomologation and ATRP, are transformed to alkyne groups by esterification with propiolic acid, followed by Glaser cyclization and removal of the unreacted linear with Merrifield\\'s resin-azide. The characterization results of intermediates and final products by high-temperature size exclusion chromatography, H NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry confirm the tadpole topology.

Polyamide copolymers having 2,5-furan dicarboxamide units

Science.gov (United States)

Chisholm, Bret Ja; Samanta, Satyabrata

2017-09-19

Polyamide copolymers, and methods of making and using polyamide copolymers, having 2,5-furan dicarboxamide units are disclosed herein. Such polymers can be useful for engineering thermoplastics having advantageous physical and/or chemical properties.

Dynamic photoinduced realignment processes in photoresponsive block copolymer films: effects of the chain length and block copolymer architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Sano, Masami; Shan, Feng; Hara, Mitsuo; Nagano, Shusaku; Shinohara, Yuya; Amemiya, Yoshiyuki; Seki, Takahiro

2015-08-07

A series of block copolymers composed of an amorphous poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) block connected with an azobenzene (Az)-containing liquid crystalline (PAz) block were synthesized by changing the chain length and polymer architecture. With these block copolymer films, the dynamic realignment process of microphase separated (MPS) cylinder arrays of PBMA in the PAz matrix induced by irradiation with linearly polarized light was studied by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and time-resolved grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GI-SAXS) measurements using a synchrotron beam. Unexpectedly, the change in the chain length hardly affected the realignment rate. In contrast, the architecture of the AB-type diblock or the ABA-type triblock essentially altered the realignment feature. The strongly cooperative motion with an induction period before realignment was characteristic only for the diblock copolymer series, and the LPL-induced alignment change immediately started for triblock copolymers and the PAz homopolymer. Additionally, a marked acceleration in the photoinduced dynamic motions was unveiled in comparison with a thermal randomization process.

21 CFR 177.1020 - Acrylonitrile/butadiene/sty-rene co-polymer.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Acrylonitrile/butadiene/sty-rene co-polymer. 177... SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION (CONTINUED) INDIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES: POLYMERS Substances.../butadiene/sty-rene co-polymer. Acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer identified in this section may be...

Biodegradation of lubricant oil

African Journals Online (AJOL)

M

2012-09-25

Sep 25, 2012 ... lubricating oil, showed high biodegradation efficiency for different used lubricating oils. Capability of ..... amount after biodegradation showed no difference in the .... products polluted sites in Elele, Rivers State, Ngeria.

Renewable Pentablock Copolymers Containing Bulky Natural Rosin for Tough Bioplastics

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Md Anisur; Ganewatta, Mitra S.; Lokupitiya, Hasala N.; Liang, Yuan; Stefik, Morgan; Tang, Chuanbing

Renewable polymers have received significant attention due to environmental concerns on petrochemical counterparts. One of the most abundant natural biomass is resin acids. However, most polymers derived from resin acids are low molecular weight and brittle because of the high chain entanglement molecular weight resulted from the bulky hydrophenanthrene pendant group. It is well established that the brittleness can be overcome by synthesizing multi-block copolymers with low entanglement molecular weight components. We investigated the effects of chain architecture and microdomain orientation on mechanical properties of both tri and pentablock copolymers. We synthesized rosin-containing A-B-A-B-A type pentablock and A-B-A type triblock copolymers to improve their mechanical properties. Pentablock copolymers showed higher strength and better toughness as compared to triblock copolymers, both superior to homopolymers. The greater toughness of pentablock copolymers is due to the presence of the rosin based midblock chains that act as bridging chains between two polynorbornene blocks.

Biodegradable block poly(ester-urethane)s based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ou, Wenfeng; Qiu, Handi; Chen, Zhifei; Xu, Kaitian

2011-04-01

A series of block poly(ester-urethane)s (abbreviated as PU3/4HB) based on biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P3/4HB) segments were synthesized by a facile way of melting polymerization using 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as the coupling agent and stannous octanoate (Sn(Oct)(2)) as catalyst, with different 4HB contents and segment lengths. The chemical structure, molecular weight and distribution were systematically characterized by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The thermal property was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The hydrophilicity was investigated by static contact angle of deionized water and CH(2)I(2). DSC curves revealed that the PU3/4HB polyurethanes have their T(g) from -25.6 °C to -4.3 °C, and crystallinity from 2.5% to 25.3%, being almost amorphous to semi-crystalline. The obtained PU3/4HBs are hydrophobic (water contact angle 77.4°-95.9°), and their surface free energy (SFE) were studied. The morphology of platelets adhered on the polyurethane film observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that platelets were activated on the PU3/4HB films which would lead to blood coagulation. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay revealed that the PU3/4HBs displayed higher platelet adhesion property than raw materials and biodegradable polymer polylactic acid (PLA) and would be potential hemostatic materials. Crystallinity degree, hydrophobicity, surface free energy and urethane linkage content play important roles in affecting the LDH activity and hence the platelet adhesion. CCK-8 assay showed that the PU3/4HB is non-toxic and well for cell growth and proliferation of mouse fibroblast L929. It showed that the hydrophobicity is an important factor for cell growth while 3HB content of the PU3/4HB is important for the cell proliferation. Through changing the

Ion Transport in Nanostructured Block Copolymer/Ionic Liquid Membranes

OpenAIRE

Hoarfrost, Megan Lane

2012-01-01

Incorporating an ionic liquid into one block copolymer microphase provides a platform for combining the outstanding electrochemical properties of ionic liquids with a number of favorable attributes provided by block copolymers. In particular, block copolymers thermodynamically self-assemble into well-ordered nanostructures, which can be engineered to provide a durable mechanical scaffold and template the ionic liquid into continuous ion-conducting nanochannels. Understanding how the additio...

Utilization of cellulosic waste from tequila bagasse and production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastics by Saccharophagus degradans.

Science.gov (United States)

Alva Munoz, Luis Esteban; Riley, Mark R

2008-08-01

Utilization of wastes from agriculture is becoming increasingly important due to concerns of environmental impact. The goals of this work were to evaluate the ability of an unusual organism, Saccharophagus degradans (ATCC 43961), to degrade the major components of plant cell walls and to evaluate the ability of S. degradans to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs, also known as bioplastics). S. degradans can readily attach to cellulosic fibers, degrade the cellulose, and utilize this as the primary carbon source. The growth of S. degradans was assessed in minimal media (MM) containing glucose, cellobiose, avicel, and bagasse with all able to support growth. Cells were able to attach to avicel and bagasse fibers; however, growth on these insoluble fibers was much slower and led to a lower maximal biomass production than observed with simple sugars. Lignin in MM alone did not support growth, but did support growth upon addition of glucose, although with an increased adaptation phase. When culture conditions were switched to a nitrogen depleted status, PHA production commences and extends for at least 48 h. At early stationary phase, stained inclusion bodies were visible and two chronologically increasing infrared light absorbance peaks at 1,725 and 1,741 cm(-1) confirmed the presence of PHAs. This work demonstrates for what we believe to be the first time, that a single organism can degrade insoluble cellulose and under similar conditions can produce and accumulate PHA. Additional work is necessary to more fully characterize these capabilities and to optimize the PHA production and purification. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Poly(ortho-phenylenediamine-co-aniline) based copolymer with improved capacitance

Science.gov (United States)

Olmedo-Martínez, Jorge L.; Farías-Mancilla, Bárbara I.; Vega-Rios, Alejandro; Zaragoza-Contreras, E. Armando

2017-10-01

A poly(ortho-phenylenediamine-co-aniline) copolymer is synthesized via the oxidative route, using a 1:1 M ratio of aniline to ortho-phenylenediamine (oPDA) and ammonium persulfate as the oxidizing agent. Infrared spectroscopy indicates that the copolymer contains the functional groups typically present in polyaniline and poly(ortho-phenylenediamine); whereas UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy shows that the copolymer adopts a phenazine-type structure. Cyclic voltammetry evidences the copolymer synthesis, as a redox peak at -65 mV, different from those exhibited by polyaniline (160 mV and 600 mV) or poly(o-phenylenediamine) (-240 mV) is observed. Finally, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the charge/discharge test provide support to propose the copolymer application in electrodes for supercapacitors.

Bactericidal and Hemocompatible Coating via the Mixed-Charged Copolymer.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Xiao-Li; Hu, Mi; Qin, Zhi-Hui; Wang, Jing; Chen, Xia-Chao; Lei, Wen-Xi; Ye, Wan-Ying; Jin, Qiao; Ren, Ke-Feng; Ji, Jian

2018-03-28

Cationic antibacterial coating based on quaternary ammonium compounds, with an efficient and broad spectrum bactericidal property, has been widely used in various fields. However, the high density of positive charges tends to induce weak hemocompatibility, which hinders the application of the cationic antibacterial coating in blood-contacting devices and implants. It has been reported that a negatively charged surface can reduce blood coagulation, showing improved hemocompatibility. Here, we describe a strategy to combine the cationic and anionic groups by using mixed-charged copolymers. The copolymers of poly (quaternized vinyl pyridine- co- n-butyl methacrylate- co-methacrylate acid) [P(QVP- co- nBMA- co-MAA)] were synthesized through free radical copolymerization. The cationic group of QVP, the anionic group of MAA, and the hydrophobic group of nBMA were designed to provide bactericidal capability, hemocompatibility, and coating stability, respectively. Our findings show that the hydrophilicity of the copolymer coating increased, and its zeta potential decreased from positive charge to negative charge with the increase of the anionic/cationic ratio. Meanwhile, the bactericidal property of the copolymer coating was kept around a similar level compared with the pure quaternary ammonium copolymer coating. Furthermore, the coagulation time, platelet adhesion, and hemolysis tests revealed that the hemocompatibility of the copolymer coating improved with the addition of the anionic group. The mixed-charged copolymer combined both bactericidal property and hemocompatibility and has a promising potential in blood-contacting antibacterial devices and implants.

SYNTHESIS OF STYRENE-METHYL METHACRYLATE BLOCK COPOLYMER BY POLYAZOAMIDE AS INITIATOR

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Zhongyi; WEI Jeqing

1996-01-01

Polyazoamide(PAA) was used as initiator to prepare block copolymer P(MMA-b-St) by free radical polymerization. The fraction of block copolymer was about 50%. The structure of the block-copolymer was characterized by IR and the results of 1H-NMR and GPC showed that the content of the block and the molecular weight (-Mw) of the prepolymer and block copolymer could be controlled by varying the mol ratio of styrene/PAA and MMA/prepolymer. DSC and TEM results revealed that the block copolymer has two separated glass transition temperatures and phase separation within the domain structure.

Backbone-hydrazone-containing biodegradable copolymeric micelles for anticancer drug delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Jing; Luan, Shujuan; Qin, Benkai; Wang, Yingying; Wang, Kai; Qi, Peilan; Song, Shiyong, E-mail: pharmsong@henu.edu.cn [Henan University, Institute of Pharmacy (China)

2016-11-15

Well-defined biodegradable, pH-sensitive amphiphilic block polymers, poly(ethylene glycol)-Hyd-poly(lactic acid) (mPEG-Hyd-PLA) which have acid-cleavable linkages in their backbones, were synthesized via ring-opening polymerization initiated from hydrazone-containing macroinitiators. Introducing a hydrazone bond onto the backbone of an amphiphilic copolymer will find a broad-spectrum encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy showed that the diblock copolymers self-assembled into stable micelles with average diameters of 100 nm. The mean diameters and size distribution of the hydrazone-containing micelles changed obviously in mildly acidic pH (multiple peaks from 1 to 202 nm appeared under a pH 4.0 condition) than in neutral, while there were no changes in the case of non-sensitive ones. Doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX) were loaded with drug loading content ranging from 2.4 to 3.5 %, respectively. Interestingly, the anticancer drugs released from mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles could also be promoted by the increased acidity. An in vitro cytotoxicity study showed that the DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles have significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells compared with the non-sensitive poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(lactic acid) (mPEG-PLA) micelles. Confocal microscopy observation indicated that more DOX were delivered into the nuclei of cells following 6 or 12 h incubation with DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles. In vivo studies on H22-bearing Swiss mice demonstrated the superior anticancer activity of DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles over free DOX and DOX-loaded mPEG-PLA micelles. These hydrazone-containing pH-responsive degradable micelles provide a useful strategy for antitumor drug delivery.

Backbone-hydrazone-containing biodegradable copolymeric micelles for anticancer drug delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Jing; Luan, Shujuan; Qin, Benkai; Wang, Yingying; Wang, Kai; Qi, Peilan; Song, Shiyong

2016-01-01

Well-defined biodegradable, pH-sensitive amphiphilic block polymers, poly(ethylene glycol)-Hyd-poly(lactic acid) (mPEG-Hyd-PLA) which have acid-cleavable linkages in their backbones, were synthesized via ring-opening polymerization initiated from hydrazone-containing macroinitiators. Introducing a hydrazone bond onto the backbone of an amphiphilic copolymer will find a broad-spectrum encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy showed that the diblock copolymers self-assembled into stable micelles with average diameters of 100 nm. The mean diameters and size distribution of the hydrazone-containing micelles changed obviously in mildly acidic pH (multiple peaks from 1 to 202 nm appeared under a pH 4.0 condition) than in neutral, while there were no changes in the case of non-sensitive ones. Doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX) were loaded with drug loading content ranging from 2.4 to 3.5 %, respectively. Interestingly, the anticancer drugs released from mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles could also be promoted by the increased acidity. An in vitro cytotoxicity study showed that the DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles have significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells compared with the non-sensitive poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(lactic acid) (mPEG-PLA) micelles. Confocal microscopy observation indicated that more DOX were delivered into the nuclei of cells following 6 or 12 h incubation with DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles. In vivo studies on H22-bearing Swiss mice demonstrated the superior anticancer activity of DOX-loaded mPEG-Hyd-PLA micelles over free DOX and DOX-loaded mPEG-PLA micelles. These hydrazone-containing pH-responsive degradable micelles provide a useful strategy for antitumor drug delivery.

Microtome Sliced Block Copolymers and Nanoporous Polymers as Masks for Nanolithography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shvets, Violetta; Schulte, Lars; Ndoni, Sokol

2014-01-01

Introduction. Block copolymers self-assembling properties are commonly used for creation of very fine nanostructures [1]. Goal of our project is to test new methods of the block-copolymer lithography mask preparation: macroscopic pieces of block-copolymers or nanoporous polymers with cross...... PDMS can be chemically etched from the PB matrix by tetrabutylammonium fluoride in tetrahydrofuran and macroscopic nanoporous PB piece is obtained. Both block-copolymer piece and nanoporous polymer piece were sliced with cryomicrotome perpendicular to the axis of cylinder alignment and flakes...... of etching patterns appear only under the certain parts of thick flakes and are not continuous. Although flakes from block copolymer are thinner and more uniform in thickness than flakes from nanoporous polymer, quality of patterns under nanoporous flakes appeared to be better than under block copolymer...

21 CFR 177.1570 - Poly-1-butene resins and butene/ethylene copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Poly-1-butene resins and butene/ethylene copolymers... resins and butene/ethylene copolymers. The poly-1-butene resins and butene/ethylene copolymers identified... the catalytic polymerization of 1-butene liquid monomer. Butene/ethylene copolymers are produced by...

Co-polymer Films for Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Margaret A. (Inventor); Jewell, April D. (Inventor); Taylor, Charles (Inventor); Yen, Shiao-Pin S. (Inventor); Kisor, Adam (Inventor); Manatt, Kenneth S. (Inventor); Blanco, Mario (Inventor); Goddard, William A. (Inventor); Homer, Margie L. (Inventor); Shevade, Abhijit V. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Embodiments include a sensor comprising a co-polymer, the co-polymer comprising a first monomer and a second monomer. For some embodiments, the first monomer is poly-4-vinyl pyridine, and the second monomer is poly-4-vinyl pyridinium propylamine chloride. For some embodiments, the first monomer is polystyrene and the second monomer is poly-2-vinyl pyridinium propylamine chloride. For some embodiments, the first monomer is poly-4-vinyl pyridine, and the second monomer is poly-4-vinyl pyridinium benzylamine chloride. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Generation of Microcellular Biodegradable Polycaprolactone Foams in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xu Qun; Ren Xian-wen; Chang Yu-ning; Yu Long; Wang Jing-wu

2004-01-01

Present now the application of microcellular polymeric materials in biomedical field is growing rapidly, as that of guided tissue regeneration and cell transplantation. As far as guided tissue regeneration is concerned, porous implants are used as size selective membrane to promote the growth of a special tissue in a healing site. Ideally, the implant should be inherently biocompatible,have well-defined cell size and be resorbable with appropriate biodegradation rates.Poly(a-caprolactone) (PCL) is a kind of materials suit for the demands above. PCL is biocompatible and biodegradable aliphatic polyester which is nontoxic for living organisms and bioresorbable after a period of implantation. Because of its unique combination of biocompatibility, permeability and biodegradability, PCL and some of its copolymer with lactides and glycolide have been widely applied in medicine as artificial skin, artificial bone and containers for sustained drug release.Goel and Beckman have reported a new method to generate microcellular poly(methy l methacrylate) foams in which the samples are saturated with CO2 under a series of supercritical (SC)conditions, and then the system is rapidly depressurized to atmospheric pressure at constant temperature. Unlike traditional methods, it reduces glass-transition temperature (Tg) of the mixture to below the experimental temperature rather than directly heat the system above Tg. In this process of nucleation, no phase separation occurs as well as no phase boundary meets, so the cellular structure of the foam can be retained better.In this work, we have generated PCL foams by using supercritical CO2. Because of the low glass transition temperature (Tg = -60 ℃) of PCL far below the ice point, the experimental temperature in our study is much higher than Tg, which is different from the studies by others before. A series of variable factors on the foam structure as saturation temperature, saturation pressure, saturation time and depressurization

21 CFR 177.1360 - Ethylene-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Ethylene-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymers... for Use as Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces § 177.1360 Ethylene-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymers. Ethylene-vinyl acetate-vinyl alcohol copolymers (CAS Reg. No. 26221-27-2...

HPMA and HEMA copolymer bead interactions with eukaryotic cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina D. Vianna-Soares

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Two different hydrophilic acrylate beads were prepared via aqueous suspension polymerization. Beads produced of a hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA and ethyleneglycol methacrylate (EDMA copolymer were obtained using a polyvinyl alcohol suspending medium. Copolymers of 2hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA, methyl methacrylate (MMA and ethyleneglycol methacrylate (EDMA beads were obtained using magnesium hydroxide as the suspending agent. Following characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, nitrogen sorption analysis (NSA and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP, the beads were cultured with monkey fibroblasts (COS7 to evaluate their ability to support cell growth, attachment and adhesion. Cell growth behavior onto small HPMA/EDMA copolymer beads and large HEMA/MMA/EDMA copolymer beads is evaluated regarding their hidrophilicity/hidrophobicity and surface roughness.

Functionalization of Block Copolymer Vesicle Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wolfgang Meier

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In dilute aqueous solutions certain amphiphilic block copolymers self-assemble into vesicles that enclose a small pool of water with a membrane. Such polymersomes have promising applications ranging from targeted drug-delivery devices, to biosensors, and nanoreactors. Interactions between block copolymer membranes and their surroundings are important factors that determine their potential biomedical applications. Such interactions are influenced predominantly by the membrane surface. We review methods to functionalize block copolymer vesicle surfaces by chemical means with ligands such as antibodies, adhesion moieties, enzymes, carbohydrates and fluorophores. Furthermore, surface-functionalization can be achieved by self-assembly of polymers that carry ligands at their chain ends or in their hydrophilic blocks. While this review focuses on the strategies to functionalize vesicle surfaces, the applications realized by, and envisioned for, such functional polymersomes are also highlighted.

Sorption of Aromatic Compounds with Copolymer Sorbent Materials Containing β-Cyclodextrin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee D. Wilson

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Urethane copolymer sorbent materials that incorporate β-cyclodextrin (CD have been prepared and their sorption properties with chlorinated aromatic compounds (i.e., pentachlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid have been evaluated. The sorption properties of granular activated carbon (GAC were similarly compared in aqueous solution at variable pH conditions. The sorbents displayed variable BET surface areas as follows: MDI-X copolymers (< 101 m2/g, CDI-X copolymers (< 101 m2/g, and granular activated carbon (GAC ~103 m2/g. The sorption capacities for the copolymers sorbents are listed in descending order, as follows: GAC > CDI-3 copolymer ≈ MDI-3 copolymer. The sorption capacity for the aromatic adsorbates with each sorbent are listed in descending order, as follows: 2,4-dichlorophenol > 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid > pentachlorophenol. In general, the differences in the sorption properties of the copolymer sorbents with the chlorinated organics were related to the following factors: (i surface area of the sorbent; (ii CD content and accessibility; and (iii and the chemical nature of the sorbent material.

Self-assembled Block Copolymer Membranes with Bioinspired Artificial Channels

KAUST Repository

Sutisna, Burhannudin

2018-04-01

Nature is an excellent design that inspires scientists to develop smart systems. In the realm of separation technology, biological membranes have been an ideal model for synthetic membranes due to their ultrahigh permeability, sharp selectivity, and stimuliresponse. In this research, fabrications of bioinspired membranes from block copolymers were studied. Membranes with isoporous morphology were mainly prepared using selfassembly and non-solvent induced phase separation (SNIPS). An effective method that can dramatically shorten the path for designing new isoporous membranes from block copolymers via SNIPS was first proposed by predetermining a trend line computed from the solvent properties, interactions and copolymer block sizes of previously-obtained successful systems. Application of the method to new copolymer systems and fundamental studies on the block copolymer self-assembly were performed. Furthermore, the manufacture of bioinspired membranes was explored using (1) poly(styrene-b-4-hydroxystyrene-b-styrene) (PS-b-PHS-b-PS), (2) poly(styrene-bbutadiene- b-styrene) (PS-b-PB-b-PS) and (3) poly(styrene-b-γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PSb- PBLG) copolymers via SNIPS. The structure formation was investigated using smallangle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and time-resolved grazing-Incidence SAXS. The PS-b- PHS-b-PS membranes showed preferential transport for proteins, presumably due to the hydrogen bond interactions within the channels, electrostatic attraction, and suitable pore dimension. Well-defined nanochannels with pore sizes of around 4 nm based on PS-b- PB-b-PS copolymers could serve as an excellent platform to fabricate bioinspired channels due to the modifiable butadiene blocks. Photolytic addition of thioglycolic acid was demonstrated without sacrificing the self-assembled morphology, which led to a five-fold increase in water permeance compared to that of the unmodified. Membranes with a unique feather-like structure and a lamellar morphology for dialysis and

Boron nitride nanotube reinforced polylactide-polycaprolactone copolymer composite: mechanical properties and cytocompatibility with osteoblasts and macrophages in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Lahiri, Debrupa; Rouzaud, Francois; Richard, Tanisha; Keshri, Anup K; Bakshi, Srinivasa R; Kos, Lidia; Agarwal, Arvind

2010-09-01

Biodegradable polylactide-polycaprolactone copolymer (PLC) has been reinforced with 0, 2 and 5wt.% boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) for orthopedic scaffold application. Elastic modulus of the PLC-5wt.% BNNT composite, evaluated through nanoindentation technique, shows a 1370% increase. The same amount of BNNT addition to PLC enhances the tensile strength by 109%, without any adverse effect on the ductility up to 240% elongation. Interactions of the osteoblasts and macrophages with bare BNNTs prove them to be non-cytotoxic. PLC-BNNT composites displayed increased osteoblast cell viability as compared to the PLC matrix. The addition of BNNTs also resulted in an increase in the expression levels of the Runx2 gene, the main regulator of osteoblast differentiation. These results indicate that BNNT is a potential reinforcement for composites for orthopedic applications. 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Process of irradiating an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer to produce low melt index copolymers, and products of said process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potts, J.E.

1976-01-01

Application of ionizing radiation in a dose between 0.5 and 1.5 megareps to copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate lowers the melt index and increases the toughness and flexibility of the copolymers without substantially decreasing solubility or thermoplasticity. The increased toughness and flexibility carries over into blends with wax or polyethylene. (author)

The comparison of radiosensitivity of human lymphocytes stimulated with PHA Con A and PWM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng Yongzhi; Su Liaoyuan

1989-11-01

The transformation, DNA strand breaks and its repair ability in human peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with PHA, Con A and PWM were respectively assessed following exposure to 60 Co gamma rays by 3 H-thymidine uptake and hydroxylapatite chromatography. It was showed the transformation of lymphocytes stimulated with PHA, Con A and PWM were suppressed by gamma rays and the dose-effect curves were biphase within the range of 0∼8 Gy. The lymphocytes stimulated with PWM was the most resistant to gamma rays. The extent of DNA strand breaks in lymphocytes induced by gamma rays was linearly related to the dose within the range of 0∼30 Gy and was identical in three kinds of lymphocytes. After post-irradiation incubation of 37 deg C, the DNA strand breaks could be repaired incompletely and after maxium repair the strand breaks were observed again. The repair ratio of strand breaks in the lymphocytes stimulated with PWM was the highest in the cells with three mitogens. The results showed that the difference of radiation effect on the transformation is probably related to the repair ability of DNA strand breaks

Polyether based segmented copolymers with uniform aramid units

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Niesten, M.C.E.J.

2000-01-01

Segmented copolymers with short, glassy or crystalline hard segments and long, amorphous soft segments (multi-block copolymers) are thermoplastic elastomers (TPE’s). The hard segments form physical crosslinks for the amorphous (rubbery) soft segments. As a result, this type of materials combines

Synthesis and Characterization of Stimuli Responsive Block Copolymers, Self-Assembly Behavior and Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Determan, Michael Duane [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2005-12-17

The central theme of this thesis work is to develop new block copolymer materials for biomedical applications. While there are many reports of stimuli-responsive amphiphilic [19-21] and crosslinked hydrogel materials [22], the development of an in situ gel forming, pH responsive pentablock copolymer is a novel contribution to the field, Figure 1.1 is a sketch of an ABCBA pentablock copolymer. The A blocks are cationic tertiary amine methacrylates blocked to a central Pluronic F127 triblock copolymer. In addition to the prerequisite synthetic and macromolecular characterization of these new materials, the self-assembled supramolecular structures formed by the pentablock were experimentally evaluated. This synthesis and characterization process serves to elucidate the important structure property relationships of these novel materials, The pH and temperature responsive behavior of the pentablock copolymer were explored especially with consideration towards injectable drug delivery applications. Future synthesis work will focus on enhancing and tuning the cell specific targeting of DNA/pentablock copolymer polyplexes. The specific goals of this research are: (1) Develop a synthetic route for gel forming pentablock block copolymers with pH and temperature sensitive properties. Synthesis of these novel copolymers is accomplished with ATRP, yielding low polydispersity and control of the block copolymer architecture. Well defined macromolecular characteristics are required to tailor the phase behavior of these materials. (2) Characterize relationship between the size and shape of pentablock copolymer micelles and gel structure and the pH and temperature of the copolymer solutions with SAXS, SANS and CryoTEM. (3) Evaluate the temperature and pH induced phase separation and macroscopic self-assembly phenomenon of the pentablock copolymer. (4) Utilize the knowledge gained from first three goals to design and formulate drug delivery formulations based on the multi

Inhomogeneity of block copolymers at the interface of an immiscible polymer blend

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Ji Ho; Kim, YongJoo; Lee, Won Bo

2018-04-01

We present the effects of structure and stiffness of block copolymers on the interfacial properties of an immiscible homopolymer blend. Diblock and two-arm grafted copolymers with variation in stiffness are modeled using coarse-grained molecular dynamics to compare the compatibilization efficiency, i.e., reduction of interfacial tension. Overall, grafted copolymers are located more compactly at the interface and show better compatibilization efficiency than diblock copolymers. In addition, an increase in the stiffness for one of the blocks of the diblock copolymers causes unusual inhomogeneous interfacial coverage due to bundle formation. However, an increase in the stiffness for one of blocks of the grafted copolymers prevents the bundle formation due to the branched chain. As a result, homogeneous interfacial coverage of homopolymer blends is realized with significant reduction of interfacial tension which makes grafted copolymer a better candidate for the compatibilizer of immiscible homopolymer blend.

Anhydric maleic functionalization and polyethylene glycol grafting of lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate copolymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Díaz, A.; Valle, L.; Franco, L. del [Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Sarasua, J.R. [Department of Mining-Metallurgy Engineering and Materials Science, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao (Spain); Estrany, F. [Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Puiggalí, J., E-mail: Jordi.Puiggali@upc.es [Department of Mining-Metallurgy Engineering and Materials Science, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao (Spain)

2014-09-01

Lactide and trimethylene carbonate copolymers were successfully grafted with polyethylene glycol via previous functionalization with maleic anhydride and using N,N′-diisopropylcarbodiimide as condensing agent. Maleinization led to moderate polymer degradation. Specifically, the weight average molecular weight decreased from 36,200 to 30,200 g/mol for the copolymer having 20 mol% of trimethylene carbonate units. Copolymers were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and X-ray diffraction. Morphology of spherulites and lamellar crystals was evaluated with optical and atomic force microscopies, respectively. The studied copolymers were able to crystallize despite the randomness caused by the trimethylene carbonate units and the lateral groups. Contact angle measurements indicated that PEG grafted copolymers were more hydrophilic than parent copolymers. This feature justified that enzymatic degradation in lipase medium and proliferation of both epithelial-like and fibroblast-like cells were enhanced. Grafted copolymers were appropriate to prepare regular drug loaded microspheres by the oil-in-water emulsion method. Triclosan release from loaded microspheres was evaluated in two media. - Highlights: • Pegylated copolymers of lactide and trimethylene carbonate have been synthesized. • Grafting with polyethylene glycol was able via maleic anhydride functionalization. • Drug-loaded microspheres could be prepared from new pegylated copolymers. • Hydrophilicity of lactide/trimethylene carbonate copolymers increased by pegylation. • New pegylated copolymers supported cell adhesion and proliferation.

Histological evaluation of different biodegradable and non-biodegradable membranes implanted subcutaneously in rats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhao, S; Pinholt, E M; Madsen, J E

2000-01-01

Different types of biodegradable membranes have become available for guided tissue regeneration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate histologically three different biodegradable membranes (Bio-Gide, Resolut and Vicryl) and one non-biodegradable membrane (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene/e-PTFE...... that e-PTFE was well tolerated and encapsulated by a fibrous connective tissue capsule. There was capsule formation around Resolut and Vicryl and around Bio-Gide in the early phase there was a wide inflammatory zone already. e-PTFE and Vicryl were stable materials while Resolut and Bio-Gide fragmented...

Surface morphology of PS-PDMS diblock copolymer films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, T.H.; Tougaard, S.; Larsen, N.B.

2001-01-01

Spin coated thin films (∼400 Å) of poly(styrene)–poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PS–PDMS) diblock copolymers have been investigated using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. Surface segregation of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) blocks was studied for five diblock copolymers which ra...

Safety testing of GM-rice expressing PHA-E lectin using a new animal test design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Morten; Schrøder, Malene; Wilcks, Andrea

2007-01-01

The 90-day animal study is the core study for the safety assessment of genetically modified foods in the SAFOTEST project. The model compound tested in the 90-day study was a rice variety expressing the kidney bean Phaseolus vulgaris lectin agglutinin E-form (PHA-E lectin). Female Wistar rats were...... safety testing of genetically modified foods....

Reactivity Ratios for Organotin Copolymer Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed H. El-Newehy

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Di(tri-n-butyltin itaconate (DTBTI and monoethyl tributyltin fumarate (METBTF were synthesized as organotin monomers. The organotin monomers were copolymerized with styrene (ST and methyl methacrylate (MMA via a free radical polymerization technique. The overall conversion was kept low (£15% wt/wt for all studied samples and the copolymer composition was determined from tin analysis. The synthesized monomers and copolymers were characterized by elemental analysis, 1H- and 13C-NMR, and FTIR spectroscopy.

Biodegradable modified Phba systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aniscenko, L.; Dzenis, M.; Erkske, D.; Tupureina, V.; Savenkova, L.; Muizniece - Braslava, S.

2004-01-01

Compositions as well as production technology of ecologically sound biodegradable multicomponent polymer systems were developed. Our objective was to design some bio plastic based composites with required mechanical properties and biodegradability intended for use as biodegradable packaging. Significant characteristics required for food packaging such as barrier properties (water and oxygen permeability) and influence of γ-radiation on the structure and changes of main characteristics of some modified PHB matrices was evaluated. It was found that barrier properties were plasticizers chemical nature and sterilization with γ-radiation dependent and were comparable with corresponding values of typical polymeric packaging films. Low γ-radiation levels (25 kGy) can be recommended as an effective sterilization method of PHB based packaging materials. Purposely designed bio plastic packaging may provide an alternative to traditional synthetic packaging materials without reducing the comfort of the end-user due to specific qualities of PHB - biodegradability, Biocompatibility and hydrophobic nature

SANS and SAXS study of block copolymer/homopolymer mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Hirokazu; Tanaka, Hideaki; Hashimoto, Takeji; Han, C.C.

1991-01-01

The lateral and vertical components of the radius of gyration for a single block copolymer chain and those of a single homopolymer chain in the lamellar microdomain space formed by a mixture of diblock copolymers and homopolymers were investigated by means of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and the microdomain structures by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The homopolymers whose molecular weights are much smaller than that of the corresponding chains of the block copolymers were used so that the homopolymers were uniformly solubilized in the corresponding microdomains. The SANS result suggests that the homopolymer chains in the microdomain space as well as the block copolymer chains are more compressed in the direction parallel to the interface and more stretched in the direction perpendicular to the interface than the corresponding unperturbed polymer chains with the same molecular weight. On increasing the volume fraction of the homopolymers the thickness of the lamellar microdomains increases. The block copolymer chains were found to undergo an isochoric affine deformation on addition of the homopolymers or with the change of the thickness of the lamellar microdomains. (orig.)

Slip-spring model of entangled rod-coil block copolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Muzhou; Likhtman, Alexei E.; Olsen, Bradley D.

2015-03-01

Understanding the dynamics of rod-coil block copolymers is important for optimal design of functional nanostructured materials for organic electronics and biomaterials. Recently, we proposed a reptation theory of entangled rod-coil block copolymers, predicting the relaxation mechanisms of activated reptation and arm retraction that slow rod-coil dynamics relative to coil and rod homopolymers, respectively. In this work, we introduce a coarse-grained slip-spring model of rod-coil block copolymers to further explore these mechanisms. First, parameters of the coarse-grained model are tuned to match previous molecular dynamics simulation results for coils, rods, and block copolymers. For activated reptation, rod-coil copolymers are shown to disfavor configurations where the rod occupies curved portions of the entanglement tube of randomly varying curvature created by the coil ends. The effect of these barriers on diffusion is quantitatively captured by considering one-dimensional motion along an entanglement tube with a rough free energy potential. Finally, we analyze the crossover between the two mechanisms. The resulting dynamics from both mechanisms acting in combination is faster than from each one individually.

Synthesis, and Characterization, and Evaluation of Cellular Effects of the FOL-PEG-g-PEI-GAL Nanoparticles as a Potential Non-Viral Vector for Gene Delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghiamkazemi, S.; Amanzadeh, A.; Dinarvand, R.; Rafiee-Tehrani, M.; Amini, M.; Ghiamkazemi, S.; Dinarvand, R.; Rafiee-Tehrani, M.; Ghiamkazemi, S.; Rafiee-Tehrani, M.; Amanzadeh, A.; Rafiee-Tehrani, M.

2010-01-01

In this manuscript, we synthesized the potential non viral vector for gene delivery with proper transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity. Polyethylenimine (PEI) is a well-known cationic polymer which has high positive surface charge for condensing plasmid DNA. However; it is highly cytotoxic in many cell lines because of the high surface charge, non-biodegradability and non-biocompatibility. To enhance PEI biodegradability, the graft copolymer PEG-g-PEI was synthesized. To target cancer liver cells, two targeting ligands folic acid and galactose (lactobionic acid) which are over expressed on human hepatocyte carcinoma were attached to graft copolymer and FOL-PEG-g-PEI-GAL copolymer was synthesized. Composition of this grafted copolymer was characterized using 1H-NMR and FTIR spectra. The molecular weight and zeta potential of this copolymer was compared to PEI. The particle size and zeta potential of FOL-PEG-g-PEI-GAL/DNA complexes at various N/P ratio were measured using dynamic light scattering (DLS). Cytotoxicity of the copolymer was also studied in cultured HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cell line. The FOL-PEG-g-PEI-GAL/DNA complexes at various N/P ratios exhibited no cytotoxicity in HepG2 cell line compared to PEI 25K as a control. The novel copolymer showed enhanced biodegradability in physiological conditions in compared with PEI and targeted cultured HepG2 cells. More importantly, significant transfection efficiency was exhibited in cancer liver cells. Together, our results showed that FOL-PEG-g-PEI-GAL nanoparticles could be considered as a useful non-viral vector for targeted gene delivery.

Sorption of Aromatic Compounds with Copolymer Sorbent Materials Containing β-Cyclodextrin.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Lee D; Mohamed, Mohamed H; Berhaut, Christopher L

2011-08-29

Urethane copolymer sorbent materials that incorporate β-cyclodextrin (CD) have been prepared and their sorption properties with chlorinated aromatic compounds (i.e., pentachlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid) have been evaluated. The sorption properties of granular activated carbon (GAC) were similarly compared in aqueous solution at variable pH conditions. The sorbents displayed variable BET surface areas as follows: MDI-X copolymers (granular activated carbon (GAC ~10³ m²/g). The sorption capacities for the copolymers sorbents are listed in descending order, as follows: GAC > CDI-3 copolymer ≈ MDI-3 copolymer. The sorption capacity for the aromatic adsorbates with each sorbent are listed in descending order, as follows: 2,4-dichlorophenol > 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid > pentachlorophenol. In general, the differences in the sorption properties of the copolymer sorbents with the chlorinated organics were related to the following factors: (i) surface area of the sorbent; (ii) CD content and accessibility; and (iii) and the chemical nature of the sorbent material.

Diblock Copolymer/Layered Silicate Nanocomposite Thin Film Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Limary, Ratchana; Green, Peter

2000-03-01

The stability of thin film symmetric diblock copolymers blended with layered silicate nanocomposites were examined using a combination of optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Two cases were examined PS-b-PMMA (polystyrene-b-polymethylacrylate) blended with montmorillonite stoichiometrically loaded with alkyl ammonium ions, OLS(S), and PS-b-PMMA blended with montmorillonite loaded with excess alkyl ammonium ions, OLS(E). XRD spectra show an increase in the gallery spacing of the OLSs, indicating that the copolymer chains have intercalated the layered silicates. AFM images reveal a distinct difference between the two nanocomposite thin films: regions in the vicinity of OLS(S) aggregates were depleted of material, while in the vicinity of OLS(E) aggregates, dewetting of the substrate occurred. We show that the stability of the copolymer/OLS nanocomposite films is determined by the enthalpic driving force associated with intercalation of the copolymer chains into the galleries of the modified OLS layers and by the substrate/organic modifier interactions.

Influence of Chirality in Ordered Block Copolymer Phases

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Ishan; Grason, Gregory

2015-03-01

Block copolymers are known to assemble into rich spectrum of ordered phases, with many complex phases driven by asymmetry in copolymer architecture. Despite decades of study, the influence of intrinsic chirality on equilibrium mesophase assembly of block copolymers is not well understood and largely unexplored. Self-consistent field theory has played a major role in prediction of physical properties of polymeric systems. Only recently, a polar orientational self-consistent field (oSCF) approach was adopted to model chiral BCP having a thermodynamic preference for cholesteric ordering in chiral segments. We implement oSCF theory for chiral nematic copolymers, where segment orientations are characterized by quadrupolar chiral interactions, and focus our study on the thermodynamic stability of bi-continuous network morphologies, and the transfer of molecular chirality to mesoscale chirality of networks. Unique photonic properties observed in butterfly wings have been attributed to presence of chiral single-gyroid networks, this has made it an attractive target for chiral metamaterial design.

Block copolymer-nanoparticle hybrid self-assembly

KAUST Repository

Hoheisel, Tobias N.; Hur, Kahyun; Wiesner, Ulrich B.

2015-01-01

© 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Polymer-inorganic hybrid materials provide exciting opportunities as they may display favorable properties from both constituents that are desired in applications including catalysis and energy conversion and storage. For the preparation of hybrid materials with well-defined morphologies, block copolymer-directed nanoparticle hybrids present a particularly promising approach. As will be described in this review, once the fundamental characteristics for successful nanostructure formation at or close to the thermodynamic equilibrium of these nanocomposites are identified, the approach can be generalized to various materials classes. In addition to the discussion of recent materials developments based on the use of AB diblock copolymers as well as ABC triblock terpolymers, this review will therefore emphasize progress in the fundamental understanding of the underlying formation mechanisms of such hybrid materials. To this end, critical experiments for, as well as theoretical progress in the description of these nanostructured block copolymer-based hybrid materials will be discussed. Rather than providing a comprehensive overview, the review will emphasize work by the Wiesner group at Cornell University, US, on block copolymer-directed nanoparticle assemblies as well as their use in first potential application areas. The results provide powerful design criteria for wet-chemical synthesis methodologies for the generation of functional nanomaterials for applications ranging from microelectronics to catalysis to energy conversion and storage.

Position transitions of polymer-grafted nanoparticles in diblock-copolymer nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Self-assembly of block copolymer/nanoparticle blends has promising applications in the design and fabrication of novel functional nanomaterials. Precise control of the spatial positions of nanoparticles within block copolymer-based nanomaterials is crucial to achieve some special physical properties and functions. Here, we employ the self-consistent field method to theoretically investigate the self-assembly of polymer grafted-nanoparticles in a diblock copolymer. It is found that by varying the size and selectivity of nanoparticles, one can not only produce various self-assembled nanostructures but also modulate the spatial positions of the nanoparticles, either at the copolymer interfaces or in the center of one copolymer phase, within the nanostructures. A denser grafted polymer brush plays a role of shielding effect on nanoparticles and can position them into the center of one copolymer phase. The nanostructural transition we observed is dictated by the competition between entropy and enthalpy. On the basis of a number of simulations, two phase diagrams of self-assembled nanostructures are constructed. This study may be helpful for optimal design of advanced materials with desired nanostructures and enhanced performance.

Melt-processable, radiation cross-linkable E--CTFE copolymer compositions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, A.B.; Schaffhauser, R.J.

1976-01-01

Melt-processable, radiation cross-linkable ethylene/chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer compositions are provided which contain about 0.1 to 5 percent by weight of the copolymer of a radiation cross-linking promoter, about 0.01 to 5 percent by weight of an anti-oxidant and about 0.1 to 30 precent by weight of an acid scavenger. Such compositions do not give off odors when irradiated to cross-link the copolymer and do not develop bubbles after irradiation. 15 claims, no drawings

Unusual poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) biosynthesis behavior of Pseudomonas putida Bet001 and Delftia tsuruhatensis Bet002 isolated from palm oil mill effluent.

Science.gov (United States)

Razaif-Mazinah, Mohd Rafais Mohd; Anis, Siti Nor Syairah; Harun, Hazwani Izzati; Rashid, Khairunnisa Abdul; Annuar, Mohamad Suffian Mohamad

2017-03-01

Pseudomonas putida Bet001 and Delftia tsuruhatensis Bet002, isolated from palm oil mill effluent, accumulated poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) when grown on aliphatic fatty acids, sugars, and glycerol. The substrates were supplied at 20:1 C/N mole ratio. Among C-even n-alkanoic acids, myristic acid gave the highest PHA content 26 and 28 wt% in P. putida and D. tsuruhatensis, respectively. Among C-odd n-alkanoic acids, undecanoic gave the highest PHA content at 40 wt% in P. putida and 46 wt% in D. tsuruhatensis on pentadecanoic acid. Sugar and glycerol gave <10 wt% of PHA content for both bacteria. Interestingly, D. tsuruhatensis accumulated both short- and medium-chain length PHA when supplied with n-alkanoic acids ranging from octanoic to lauric, sucrose, and glycerol with 3-hydroxybutyrate as the major monomer unit. In P. putida, the major hydroxyalkanoates unit was 3-hydroxyoctanoate and 3-hydroxydecanoate when grown on C-even acids. Conversely, 3-hydroxyheptanoate, 3-hydrxoynonanoate, and 3-hydroxyundecanoate were accumulated with C-odd acids. Weight-averaged molecular weight (M w ) was in the range of 53-81 kDa and 107-415 kDa for P. putida and D. tsuruhatensis, respectively. Calorimetric analyses indicated that both bacteria synthesized semicrystalline polymer with good thermal stability with degradation temperature (T d ) ranging from 178 to 282 °C. © 2016 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Patchy micelles based on coassembly of block copolymer chains and block copolymer brushes on silica particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Shuzhe; Li, Zhan-Wei; Zhao, Hanying

2015-04-14

Patchy particles are a type of colloidal particles with one or more well-defined patches on the surfaces. The patchy particles with multiple compositions and functionalities have found wide applications from the fundamental studies to practical uses. In this research patchy micelles with thiol groups in the patches were prepared based on coassembly of free block copolymer chains and block copolymer brushes on silica particles. Thiol-terminated and cyanoisopropyl-capped polystyrene-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) block copolymers (PS-b-PNIPAM-SH and PS-b-PNIPAM-CIP) were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and chemical modifications. Pyridyl disulfide-functionalized silica particles (SiO2-SS-Py) were prepared by four-step surface chemical reactions. PS-b-PNIPAM brushes on silica particles were prepared by thiol-disulfide exchange reaction between PS-b-PNIPAM-SH and SiO2-SS-Py. Surface micelles on silica particles were prepared by coassembly of PS-b-PNIPAM-CIP and block copolymer brushes. Upon cleavage of the surface micelles from silica particles, patchy micelles with thiol groups in the patches were obtained. Dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta-potential measurements demonstrate the preparation of patchy micelles. Gold nanoparticles can be anchored onto the patchy micelles through S-Au bonds, and asymmetric hybrid structures are formed. The thiol groups can be oxidized to disulfides, which results in directional assembly of the patchy micelles. The self-assembly behavior of the patchy micelles was studied experimentally and by computer simulation.

Current knowledge on biodegradable microspheres in drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Prajapati, Vipul D; Jani, Girish K; Kapadia, Jinita R

2015-08-01

Biodegradable microspheres have gained popularity for delivering a wide variety of molecules via various routes. These types of products have been prepared using various natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers through suitable techniques for desired delivery of various challenging molecules. Selection of biodegradable polymers and technique play a key role in desired drug delivery. This review describes an overview of the fundamental knowledge and status of biodegradable microspheres in effective delivery of various molecules via desired routes with consideration of outlines of various compendial and non-compendial biodegradable polymers, formulation techniques and release mechanism of microspheres, patents and commercial biodegradable microspheres. There are various advantages of using biodegradable polymers including promise of development with different types of molecules. Biocompatibility, low dosage and reduced side effects are some reasons why usage biodegradable microspheres have gained in popularity. Selection of biodegradable polymers and formulation techniques to create microspheres is the biggest challenge in research. In the near future, biodegradable microspheres will become the eco-friendly product for drug delivery of various genes, hormones, proteins and peptides at specific site of body for desired periods of time.

Controlling sub-microdomain structure in microphase-ordered block copolymers and their nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Bowman, Michelle Kathleen

Block copolymers exhibit a wealth of morphologies that continue to find ubiquitous use in a diverse variety of mature and emergent (nano)technologies, such as photonic crystals, integrated circuits, pharmaceutical encapsulents, fuel cells and separation membranes. While numerous studies have explored the effects of molecular confinement on such copolymers, relatively few have examined the sub-microdomain structure that develops upon modification of copolymer molecular architecture or physical incorporation of nanoscale objects. This work will address two relevant topics in this vein: (i) bidisperse brushes formed by single block copolymer molecules and (ii) copolymer nanocomposites formed by addition of molecular or nanoscale additives. In the first case, an isomorphic series of asymmetric poly(styrene-b -isoprene-b-styrene) (S1IS2) triblock copolymers of systematically varied chain length has been synthesized from a parent SI diblock copolymer. Small-angle x-ray scattering, coupled with dynamic rheology and self-consistent field theory (SCFT), reveals that the progressively grown S2 block initially resides in the I-rich matrix and effectively reduces the copolymer incompatibility until a critical length is reached. At this length, the S2 block co-locates with the S1 block so that the two blocks generate a bidisperse brush (insofar as the S1 and S2 lengths differ). This single-molecule analog to binary block copolymer blends affords unique opportunities for materials design at sub-microdomain length scales and provides insight into the transition from diblock to triblock copolymer (and thermoplastic elastomeric nature). In the second case, I explore the distribution of molecular and nanoscale additives in microphase-ordered block copolymers and demonstrate via SCFT that an interfacial excess, which depends strongly on additive concentration, selectivity and relative size, develops. These predictions are in agreement with experimental findings. Moreover, using a

Responsive Copolymers for Enhanced Petroleum Recovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCormick, C.; Hester, R.

2001-02-27

The objectives of this work was to: synthesize responsive copolymer systems; characterize molecular structure and solution behavior; measure rheological properties of aqueous fluids in fixed geometry flow profiles; and to tailor final polymer compositions for in situ rheology control under simulated conditions. This report focuses on the synthesis and characterization of novel stimuli responsive copolymers, the investigation of dilute polymer solutions in extensional flow and the design of a rheometer capable of measuring very dilute aqueous polymer solutions at low torque.

Recovery and characterization of poly(3-Hydroxybutyric acid ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Darshan

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biodegradable polyesters accumulated intracellularly as energy resources by .... 20 min and filtered through Whatman No.1 filter paper and ... heating rate of 20°C air/min from ambient to a final temperature of.

Mechanical behaviour׳s evolution of a PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA triblock copolymer during hydrolytic degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Breche, Q; Chagnon, G; Machado, G; Girard, E; Nottelet, B; Garric, X; Favier, D

2016-07-01

PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA is a biodegradable triblock copolymer that presents both the mechanical properties of PLA and the hydrophilicity of PEG. In this paper, physical and mechanical properties of PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA are studied during in vitro degradation. The degradation process leads to a mass loss, a decrease of number average molecular weight and an increase of dispersity index. Mechanical experiments are made in a specific experimental set-up designed to create an environment close to in vivo conditions. The viscoelastic behaviour of the material is studied during the degradation. Finally, the mechanical behaviour is modelled with a linear viscoelastic model. A degradation variable is defined and included in the model to describe the hydrolytic degradation. This variable is linked to physical parameters of the macromolecular polymer network. The model allows us to describe weak deformations but become less accurate for larger deformations. The abilities and limits of the model are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacillus subtilis as potential producer for polyhydroxyalkanoates.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mamtesh; Patel, Sanjay Ks; Kalia, Vipin C

2009-07-20

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polymers produced by microbes to overcome environmental stress. Commercial production of PHAs is limited by the high cost of production compared to conventional plastics. Another hindrance is the brittle nature and low strength of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), the most widely studied PHA. The needs are to produce PHAs, which have better elastomeric properties suitable for biomedical applications, preferably from inexpensive renewable sources to reduce cost. Certain unique properties of Bacillus subtilis such as lack of the toxic lipo-polysaccharides, expression of self-lysing genes on completion of PHA biosynthetic process - for easy and timely recovery, usage of biowastes as feed enable it to compete as potential candidate for commercial production of PHA.

Recent Advances and Challenges towards Sustainable Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kourmentza, Constantina; Plácido, Jersson; Venetsaneas, Nikolaos

2017-01-01

Sustainable biofuels, biomaterials, and fine chemicals production is a critical matter that research teams around the globe are focusing on nowadays. Polyhydroxyalkanoates represent one of the biomaterials of the future due to their physicochemical properties, biodegradability, and biocompatibility...

How Does Poly(hydroxyalkanoate) Affect Methane Production from the Anaerobic Digestion of Waste-Activated Sludge?

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dongbo; Zhao, Jianwei; Zeng, Guangming; Chen, Yinguang; Bond, Philip L; Li, Xiaoming

2015-10-20

Recent studies demonstrate that, besides being used for production of biodegradable plastics, poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) that is accumulated in heterotrophic microorganisms during wastewater treatment has another novel application direction, i.e., being utilized for enhancing methane yield during the anaerobic digestion of waste-activated sludge (WAS). To date, however, the underlying mechanism of how PHA affects methane production remains largely unknown, and this limits optimization and application of the strategy. This study therefore aims to fill this knowledge gap. Experimental results showed that with the increase of sludge PHA levels from 21 to 184 mg/g of volatile suspended solids (VSS) the methane yield linearly increased from 168.0 to 246.1 mL/g of VSS (R(2) = 0.9834). Compared with protein and carbohydrate (the main components of a cell), PHA exhibited a higher biochemical methane potential on a unit VSS basis. It was also found that the increased PHA not only enhanced cell disruption of PHA cells but also benefited the soluble protein conversion of both PHA- and non-PHA cells. Moreover, the reactor fed with higher PHA sludge showed greater sludge hydrolysis and acidification than those fed with the lower PHA sludges. Further investigations using fluorescence in situ hybridization and enzyme analysis revealed that the increased PHA enhanced the abundance of methanogenic Archaea and increased the activities of protease, acetate kinase, and coenzyme F420, which were consistent with the observed methane yield. This work provides insights into PHA-involved WAS digestion systems and may have important implications for future operation of wastewater treatment plants.

Phase behavior of model ABC triblock copolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Joon

The phase behavior of poly(isoprene-b-styrene- b-ethylene oxide) (ISO), a model ABC triblock copolymer has been studied. This class of materials exhibit self-assembly, forming a large array of ordered morphologies at length scales of 5-100 nm. The formation of stable three-dimensionally continuous network morphologies is of special interest in this study. Since these nanostructures considerably impact the material properties, fundamental knowledge for designing ABC systems have high technological importance for realizing applications in the areas of nanofabrication, nanoporous media, separation membranes, drug delivery and high surface area catalysts. A comprehensive framework was developed to describe the phase behavior of the ISO triblock copolymers at weak to intermediate segregation strengths spanning a wide range of composition. Phases were characterized through a combination of characterization techniques, including small angle x-ray scattering, dynamic mechanical spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and birefringence measurements. Combined with previous investigations on ISO, six different stable ordered state symmetries have been identified: lamellae (LAM), Fddd orthorhombic network (O70), double gyroid (Q230), alternating gyroid (Q214), hexagonal (HEX), and body-centered cubic (BCC). The phase map was found to be somewhat asymmetric around the fI = fO isopleth. This work provides a guide for theoretical studies and gives insight into the intricate effects of various parameters on the self-assembly of ABC triblock copolymers. Experimental SAXS data evaluated with a simple scattering intensity model show that local mixing varies continuously across the phase map between states of two- and three-domain segregation. Strategies of blending homopolymers with ISO triblock copolymer were employed for studying the swelling properties of a lamellar state. Results demonstrate that lamellar domains swell or shrink depending upon the type of homopolymer that

Non-immunogenic, hydrophilic/cationic block copolymers and uses thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Scales, Charles W.; Huang, Faqing; McCormick, Charles L.

2010-05-18

The present invention provides novel non-immunogenic, hydrophilic/cationic block copolymers comprising a neutral-hydrophilic polymer and a cationic polymer, wherein both polymers have well-defined chain-end functionality. A representative example of such a block copolymer comprises poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide) (PHPMA) and poly(N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]methacrylamide) (PDMAPMA). Also provided is a synthesis method thereof in aqueous media via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Further provided are uses of these block copolymers as drug delivery vehicles and protection agents.

Biochemical interpretation of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) for biodegradation of N-heterocycles: a complementary approach to predict biodegradability.

Science.gov (United States)

Philipp, Bodo; Hoff, Malte; Germa, Florence; Schink, Bernhard; Beimborn, Dieter; Mersch-Sundermann, Volker

2007-02-15

Prediction of the biodegradability of organic compounds is an ecologically desirable and economically feasible tool for estimating the environmental fate of chemicals. We combined quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) with the systematic collection of biochemical knowledge to establish rules for the prediction of aerobic biodegradation of N-heterocycles. Validated biodegradation data of 194 N-heterocyclic compounds were analyzed using the MULTICASE-method which delivered two QSAR models based on 17 activating (OSAR 1) and on 16 inactivating molecular fragments (GSAR 2), which were statistically significantly linked to efficient or poor biodegradability, respectively. The percentages of correct classifications were over 99% for both models, and cross-validation resulted in 67.9% (GSAR 1) and 70.4% (OSAR 2) correct predictions. Biochemical interpretation of the activating and inactivating characteristics of the molecular fragments delivered plausible mechanistic interpretations and enabled us to establish the following biodegradation rules: (1) Target sites for amidohydrolases and for cytochrome P450 monooxygenases enhance biodegradation of nonaromatic N-heterocycles. (2) Target sites for molybdenum hydroxylases enhance biodegradation of aromatic N-heterocycles. (3) Target sites for hydratation by an urocanase-like mechanism enhance biodegradation of imidazoles. Our complementary approach represents a feasible strategy for generating concrete rules for the prediction of biodegradability of organic compounds.

Survival and PHA-stimulation of #betta#-irradiated human peripheral blood T lymphocyte subpopulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwartz, J.L.; Darr, D.C.; Daulden, M.E.

1983-01-01

Human peripheral blood T lymphocyte subpopulations were identified and isolated on the basis of their ability to bind IgG (T-G), IgM (T-M), or neither immunoglobulin class (T-null). Lymphocytes were exposed to 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5 or 5.0 Gy of 60 Co #betta#-rays either as a T-cell suspension or as separated T cell subsets. Survival curves, determined 5 days after irradiation, revealed that each subset has radiosensitive and radioresistant portions, and that the T-G cell is the most sensitive subset. Mitotic indices of 48-h cultures showed that the response of unirradiated T lymphocytes to PHA varied greatly among the subsets, the highest indices being obtained for the T-M and the lowest for the T-G cells. With the possible exception of the T-G cells, the subsets are realtively resistant to mitotic effects of #betta#-rays. T-G cells suppress the PHA-induced mitotic response of the other T lymphocyte subsets, and this suppressor effect is radiosensitive, being abolished by 1.0 Gy. It is concluded that lymphocytes exposed to >= 1 Gy of #betta#-rays will have very few dividing B lymphocytes or T-G cells. This together with radiation-induced loss of T-G suppressor action means that the predominant lymphocyte types in mitosis after >=1 Gy are the radioresistant T-M and T-null cells. (orig.)

76 FR 20698 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment; Public Housing Agency (PHA) 5-Year...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-13

... comprehensive guide to PHA policies, programs, operations, and strategies for meeting local housing needs and... low, very low-income, and extremely low-income families and its strategy for addressing those needs.... Members of the Affected Public: Local, Regional and State Body Corporate Politic Public Housing Agencies...

Block copolymer morphologies confined by square-shaped particle: Hard and soft confinement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qiyi; Yang Wenyan; Hu Kaiyan

2016-01-01

The self-assembly of diblock copolymers confined around one square-shaped particle is studied systematically within two-dimensional self-consistent field theory (SCFT). In this model, we assume that the thin block copolymer film is confined in the vicinity of a square-shaped particle by a homopolymer melt, which is equivalent to the poor solvents. Multiple sequences of square-shaped particle-induced copolymer aggregates with different shapes and self-assembled internal morphologies are predicted as functions of the particle size, the structural portion of the copolymer, and the volume fraction of the copolymer. A rich variety of aggregates are found with complex internal self-assembled morphologies including complex structures of the vesicle, with one or several inverted micelle surrounded by the outer monolayer with the particle confined in the core. These results demonstrate that the assemblies of diblock copolymers formed around the square-shaped particle in poor solvents are of immediate interest to the assembly of copolymer and the morphology of biomembrane in the confined environment, as well as to the transitions of vesicles to micelles. (paper)

Topology and Shape Control for Assemblies of Block Copolymer Blends in Solution

KAUST Repository

Moreno Chaparro, Nicolas; Nunes, Suzana Pereira; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Calo, Victor M.

2015-01-01

We study binary blends of asymmetric diblock copolymers (AB/AC) in selective solvents with a mesoscale model. We investigate the morphological transitions induced by the concentration of the AC block copolymer and the difference in molecular weight between the AB and AC copolymers, when segments B and C exhibit hydrogen-bonding interactions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work modeling mixtures of block copolymers with large differences in molecular weight. The coassembly mechanism localizes the AC molecules at the interface of A and B domains and induces the swelling of the B-rich domains. The coil size of the large molecular weight block copolymer depends only on the concentration of the short block copolymer (AC or AB), regardless of the B–C interactions. However, the B–C interactions control the morphological transitions that occur in these blends.

Topology and Shape Control for Assemblies of Block Copolymer Blends in Solution

KAUST Repository

Moreno Chaparro, Nicolas

2015-10-27

We study binary blends of asymmetric diblock copolymers (AB/AC) in selective solvents with a mesoscale model. We investigate the morphological transitions induced by the concentration of the AC block copolymer and the difference in molecular weight between the AB and AC copolymers, when segments B and C exhibit hydrogen-bonding interactions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work modeling mixtures of block copolymers with large differences in molecular weight. The coassembly mechanism localizes the AC molecules at the interface of A and B domains and induces the swelling of the B-rich domains. The coil size of the large molecular weight block copolymer depends only on the concentration of the short block copolymer (AC or AB), regardless of the B–C interactions. However, the B–C interactions control the morphological transitions that occur in these blends.

Research of the biodegradability of degradable/biodegradable plastic material in various types of environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dana Adamcová

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Research was carried out in order to assess biodegradability of degradable/biodegradable materials made of HDPE and mixed with totally degradable plastic additive (TDPA additive or made of polyethylene (PE with the addition of pro-oxidant additive (d2w additive, advertised as 100% degradable or certifi ed as compostable within various types of environments. Research conditions were: (i controlled composting environment – laboratory-scale, (ii real composting conditions – domestic compost bin, (iii real composting conditions – industrial composting plant and (iv landfill conditions. The results demonstrate that the materials made of HDPE and mixed with totally degradable plastic additive (TDPA additive or made of polyethylene (PE with the addition of pro-oxidant additive (d2w additive or advertised as 100% degradable did not biodegrade in any of the above-described conditions and remained completely intact at the end of the tests. Biodegradation of the certified compostable plastic bags proceeded very well in laboratory-scale conditions and in real composting conditions – industrial composting plant, however, these materials did not biodegrade in real composting conditions – domestic compost bin and landfill conditions.

Physical properties of metallocenes propene-higher α-olefins copolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lovisi, Humberto; Santa Maria, Luiz Claudio de; Coutinho, Fernanda M.B.

2001-01-01

In this work, new copolymers of propene/1-hexene (PHC) and propene/1-octene (POC) were synthesized by using a highly iso specific metallocenes catalyst system based on rac-Me 2 Si(2-ethyl,4-phenyl,1-indenyl) 2 ZrCl 2 , in the homogeneous and heterogeneous forms, methylaluminoxane (MAO) activated. An investigation about the copolymerization of propene with 1-hexene and 1-octene using this catalyst system illustrates the potential for the tailoring of propene/higher α-olefin copolymers with controlled thermal and mechanical properties by varying the comonomer concentration in the polymerization feed. Both catalyst systems showed high activity and produced random copolymers with very low or no detectable crystallinity. It was observed that properties such as enthalpy of crystallization (ΔHc), crystallization temperature (Tc), melting temperature (Tm), glass transition temperature (Tg) and elastic modulus (E') decreased in a linear pattern with increasing comonomer content in the copolymer. The effect of the short chain branch length was also investigated and it was observed that, compared to 1-hexene, much less 1-octene was necessary to disrupt the crystalline structure and impart rubbery behaviour to the copolymers. (author)

Biodegradation of bioplastics in natural environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Emadian, S Mehdi; Onay, Turgut T; Demirel, Burak

2017-01-01

The extensive production of conventional plastics and their use in different commercial applications poses a significant threat to both the fossil fuels sources and the environment. Alternatives called bioplastics evolved during development of renewable resources. Utilizing renewable resources like agricultural wastes (instead of petroleum sources) and their biodegradability in different environments enabled these polymers to be more easily acceptable than the conventional plastics. The biodegradability of bioplastics is highly affected by their physical and chemical structure. On the other hand, the environment in which they are located, plays a crucial role in their biodegradation. This review highlights the recent findings attributed to the biodegradation of bioplastics in various environments, environmental conditions, degree of biodegradation, including the identified bioplastic-degrading microorganisms from different microbial communities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incorporation of fluconazole in copolymer PMMA-g-PEG derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silveira, B.M.; Santos, V.M.R. dos; Novack, K.M.; Lopes, S.A.

2014-01-01

The graft copolymer PMMA-g-PEG went through chemical transformations in its chain through acetylation, halogenation, methylation and esterification followed by hydrolysis reactions. Subsequently, the copolymer PMMA-g-PEG derivatives passed through the process of emulsification and incorporation of the drug fluconazole. Derivatives copolymers were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after incorporation in order to evaluate their effectiveness. The efficiency of incorporation was observed and it was also verified that the complexity of polymer chain influence in the incorporated fluconazole content. (author)

Degradation of microbial polyesters.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokiwa, Yutaka; Calabia, Buenaventurada P

2004-08-01

Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), one of the largest groups of thermoplastic polyesters are receiving much attention as biodegradable substitutes for non-degradable plastics. Poly(D-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is the most ubiquitous and most intensively studied PHA. Microorganisms degrading these polyesters are widely distributed in various environments. Although various PHB-degrading microorganisms and PHB depolymerases have been studied and characterized, there are still many groups of microorganisms and enzymes with varying properties awaiting various applications. Distributions of PHB-degrading microorganisms, factors affecting the biodegradability of PHB, and microbial and enzymatic degradation of PHB are discussed in this review. We also propose an application of a new isolated, thermophilic PHB-degrading microorganism, Streptomyces strain MG, for producing pure monomers of PHA and useful chemicals, including D-3-hydroxycarboxylic acids such as D-3-hydroxybutyric acid, by enzymatic degradation of PHB.

Polyethylene-Based Tadpole Copolymers

KAUST Repository

Alkayal, Nazeeha; Zhang, Zhen; Bilalis, Panayiotis; Gnanou, Yves; Hadjichristidis, Nikolaos

2017-01-01

Novel well-defined polyethylene-based tadpole copolymers ((c-PE)-b-PS, PE: polyethylene, PS: polystyrene) with ring PE head and linear PS tail are synthesized by combining polyhomologation, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and Glaser

Morphologies of precise polyethylene-based acid copolymers and ionomers

Science.gov (United States)

Buitrago, C. Francisco

Acid copolymers and ionomers are polymers that contain a small fraction of covalently bound acidic or ionic groups, respectively. For the specific case of polyethylene (PE), acid and ionic pendants enhance many of the physical properties such as toughness, adhesion and rheological properties. These improved properties result from microphase separated aggregates of the polar pendants in the non-polar PE matrix. Despite the widespread industrial use of these materials, rigorous chemical structure---morphology---property relationships remain elusive due to the inevitable structural heterogeneities in the historically-available acid copolymers and ionomers. Recently, precise acid copolymers and ionomers were successfully synthesized by acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization. These precise materials are linear, high molecular weight PEs with pendant acid or ionic functional groups separated by a precisely controlled number of carbon atoms. The morphologies of nine precise acid copolymers and eleven precise ionomers were investigated by X-ray scattering, solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). For comparison, the morphologies of linear PEs with pseudo-random placement of the pendant groups were also studied. Previous studies of precise copolymers with acrylic acid (AA) found that the microstructural precision produces a new morphology in which PE crystals drive the acid aggregates into layers perpendicular to the chain axes and presumably at the interface between crystalline and amorphous phases. In this dissertation, a second new morphology for acid copolymers is identified in which the aggregates arrange on cubic lattices. The fist report of a cubic morphology was observed at room and elevated temperatures for a copolymer functionalized with two phosphonic acid (PA) groups on every 21st carbon atom. The cubic lattice has been identified as face-centered cubic (FCC). Overall, three morphology types have been

Biodegradation of flax fiber reinforced poly lactic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Woven and nonwoven flax fiber reinforced poly lactic acid (PLA biocomposites were prepared with amphiphilic additives as accelerator for biodegradation. The prepared composites were buried in farmland soil for biodegradability studies. Loss in weight of the biodegraded composite samples was determined at different time intervals. The surface morphology of the biodegraded composites was studied with scanning electron microscope (SEM. Results indicated that in presence of mandelic acid, the composites showed accelerated biodegradation with 20–25% loss in weight after 50–60 days. On the other hand, in presence of dicumyl peroxide (as additive, biodegradation of the composites was relatively slow as confirmed by only 5–10% loss in weight even after 80–90 days. This was further confirmed by surface morphology of the biodegraded composites. We have attempted to show that depending on the end uses, we can add different amphiphilic additives for delayed or accelerated biodegradability. This work gives us the idea of biodegradation of materials from natural fiber reinforced PLA composites when discarded carelessly in the environment instead of proper waste disposal site.

Block coordination copolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Kyoung Moo; Wong-Foy, Antek G; Matzger, Adam J; Benin, Annabelle I; Willis, Richard R

2012-11-13

The present invention provides compositions of crystalline coordination copolymers wherein multiple organic molecules are assembled to produce porous framework materials with layered or core-shell structures. These materials are synthesized by sequential growth techniques such as the seed growth technique. In addition, the invention provides a simple procedure for controlling functionality.

Stability of Collagen Scaffold Implants for Animals with Iatrogenic Articular Cartilage Defects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Jančář

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Synthesis and characterization of biodegradable hydrogels based on collagen modified by addition of synthetic biodegradable copolymer intended for preparation of porous scaffolds for mesenchymal stem cells used for possible implantation to animals with articular surface defects was investigated. The synthetic biodegradable tri-block copolymer used was the block copolymer of polyethylene glycol (PEG, polylactic acid (PLA, polyglycolic acid (PGA (PEG-PLGA endcapped with itaconic acid (ITA. The water-soluble carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccimide system (EDC-NHS was chosen as the cross-linking agent used to control the rate of hydrogel resorption. Dependence of the physical properties of the prepared hydrogels on the concentration of the EDC-NHS cross-linker, reaction time and concentration of PEG-PLGA-ITA copolymer was examined. Swelling behaviour, thermal stability, surface morphology and degradation rate were also characterized. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that increase in concentration of the cross-linking agent, as well as prolonged cross-linking time and increased amount of synthetic copolymer lead to enhanced thermal stability of the gels together with a reduced swelling ratio and degradation rate in saline. The resorption rate of these gels used in preparation of cartilage scaffolds can be controlled over a wide time interval by varying the collagen/(PEG-PLGA-ITA blend composition or the conditions of the cross-linking reaction.

Biodegradable micromechanical sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keller, Stephan Sylvest; Greve, Anders; Schmid, Silvan

of mechanical and thermal properties of polymers. For example, measurements of the resonance frequency of cantilevers were used to characterize thin polymer coatings in various environmental conditions [2]. Also, the influence of humidity on the Young’s modulus of SU-8 was evaluated [3]. However, introduction...... (NIL). Second, we used spray-coating to deposit thin biodegradable films on microcantilevers. Both approaches allowed the determination of the Young’s modulus of the biopolymer. Furthermore, biodegradation by enzymes was investigated....

Leflunomide biodegradable microspheres intended for intra-articular administration: Development, anti-inflammatory activity and histopathological studies.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Setouhy, Doaa Ahmed; Abdelmalak, Nevine Shawky; Anis, Shady E; Louis, Dina

2015-11-30

Leflunomide, the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug was formulated as microspheres for prolonged drug release in the form of intraarticular injection. Eight formulations were developed using three biodegradable PDLG polymers (lactide/glycolide copolymer) and polycaprolactone (PLC) at two drug:polymer ratios (1:2 and 1:4). Solvent evaporation method was employed using polyvinyl alcohol or hydropxypropyl methylcellulose as stabilizers. Formulations were assessed for encapsulation efficiency, yield, particle size, release pattern and SEM. F6 (PDLG 5010), with appropriate particle size and prolonged drug release, was chosen for in-vivo studies using arthritis induced rats, which were intrarticularly injected with F6 or took oral Avara(®). Nuclear factor-kappa B measurements and histopathologic studies were conducted. There was significant reduction of inflammation caused by both F6 and oral Avara(®). Histopathologic studies showed minimal infiltration by chronic inflammatory cells and no angiogenesis in F6 compared to Avara(®). Results also revealed biocompatibility of the polymer used. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systemic approaches to biodegradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Trigo, Almudena; Valencia, Alfonso; Cases, Ildefonso

2009-01-01

Biodegradation, the ability of microorganisms to remove complex chemicals from the environment, is a multifaceted process in which many biotic and abiotic factors are implicated. The recent accumulation of knowledge about the biochemistry and genetics of the biodegradation process, and its categorization and formalization in structured databases, has recently opened the door to systems biology approaches, where the interactions of the involved parts are the main subject of study, and the system is analysed as a whole. The global analysis of the biodegradation metabolic network is beginning to produce knowledge about its structure, behaviour and evolution, such as its free-scale structure or its intrinsic robustness. Moreover, these approaches are also developing into useful tools such as predictors for compounds' degradability or the assisted design of artificial pathways. However, it is the environmental application of high-throughput technologies from the genomics, metagenomics, proteomics and metabolomics that harbours the most promising opportunities to understand the biodegradation process, and at the same time poses tremendous challenges from the data management and data mining point of view.

Molecular and Supramolecular Changes in Polybutylene Succinate (PBS and Polybutylene Succinate Adipate (PBSA Copolymer during Degradation in Various Environmental Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michał Puchalski

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the influence of the various degradation conditions, on the molecular and supramolecular structure of polybutylene succinate (PBS and polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA copolymer during degradation is described. The experiment was carried out by the use of injection molded samples and normalized conditions of biodegradation in soil, composting and artificial weathering. Materials were studied by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC coupled with multiangle laser light scattering (MALLS detection and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD. Additionally, the physical and mechanical properties of the samples were determined. The performed experiments clearly show difference impacts of the selected degradation conditions on the macroscopic, supramolecular and molecular parameters of the studied aliphatic polyesters. The structural changes in PBS and PBSA explain the observed changes in the physical and mechanical properties of the obtained injection molded samples.

About morphology in ethylene-propylene(-diene) copolymers-based latexes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tillier, D.L.; Meuldijk, J.; Hoehne, G.W.H.; Frederik, P.M.; Regev, O.; Koning, C.E.

2005-01-01

Coatings and engineering plastics often require high impact strength. This property can be achieved with tougheners. For the present paper, core-shell impact modifiers were synthesized using ethylene–propylene copolymers (EPM), ethylene–propylene-diene copolymers (EPDM) or a mixture of both types

Adsorption of charged diblock copolymers : effect on colloidal stability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Israels, R.

1994-01-01

In this thesis we present Scheutjens-Fleer (SF) calculations on the adsorption of diblock copolymers. More specifically, we restrict ourselves to adsorption at uncharged surfaces, while the specific type of block copolymers we consider have one uncharged adsorbing "anchor" block and one

Comb-like temperature-responsive polyhydroxyalkanoate-graft-poly(2-dimethylamino-ethylmethacrylate) for controllable protein adsorption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yao, Hui; Wei, Daixu; Che, Xuemei

2016-01-01

%. Graft copolymer PHA-g-PDMAEMA showed enhanced thermal stability, biocompatibility and controllable hydrophilicity compared with non-grafted P(3HDD-co-3H9D). The grafted material presented an obvious tendency of increasing protein adsorptions over the lower critical solution temperature (LCST 47.5 °C...... controllable protein adsorption for biomedical usages....

Monte Carlo simulations of the phase separation of a copolymer blend in a thin film

KAUST Repository

Wang, Zhexiao

2014-12-11

Monte Carlo simulations were carried out to study the phase separation of a copolymer blend comprising an alternating copolymer and/or block copolymer in a thin film, and a phase diagram was constructed with a series of composed recipes. The effects of composition and segregation strength on phase separation were discussed in detail. The chain conformation of the block copolymer and alternating copolymer were investigated with changes of the segregation strength. Our simulations revealed that the segment distribution along the copolymer chain and the segregation strength between coarse-grained beads are two important parameters controlling phase separation and chain conformation in thin films of a copolymer blend. A well-controlled phase separation in the copolymer blend can be used to fabricate novel nanostructures.

Biodegradation performance of environmentally-friendly insulating oil

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jun; He, Yan; Cai, Shengwei; Chen, Cheng; Wen, Gang; Wang, Feipeng; Fan, Fan; Wan, Chunxiang; Wu, Liya; Liu, Ruitong

2018-02-01

In this paper, biodegradation performance of rapeseed insulating oil (RDB) and FR3 insulating oil (FR3) was studied by means of ready biodegradation method which was performed with Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 301B. For comparison, the biodegradation behaviour of 25# mineral insulating oil was also characterized with the same method. The testing results shown that the biodegradation degree of rapeseed insulating oil, FR3 insulating oil and 25# mineral insulating oil was 95.8%, 98.9% and 38.4% respectively. Following the “new chemical risk assessment guidelines” (HJ/T 154 - 2004), which illustrates the methods used to identify and assess the process safety hazards inherent. The guidelines can draw that the two vegetable insulating oils, i.e. rapeseed insulating oil and FR3 insulating oil are easily biodegradable. Therefore, the both can be classified as environmentally-friendly insulating oil. As expected, 25# mineral insulating oil is hardly biodegradable. The main reason is that 25# mineral insulating oil consists of isoalkanes, cyclanes and a few arenes, which has few unsaturated bonds. Biodegradation of rapeseed insulating oil and FR3 insulating oil also remain some difference. Biodegradation mechanism of vegetable insulating oil was revealed from the perspective of hydrolysis kinetics.

Mechanically compliant electrodes and dielectric elastomers from PEG-PDMS copolymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

A Razak, Aliff Hisyam; Madsen, Frederikke Bahrt; Skov, Anne Ladegaard

2016-01-01

Soft conducting elastomers have been prepared from polydimethylsiloxane-polyethyleneglycol (PDMS-PEG) copolymer and surfactant-stabilized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The copolymer was chain-extended with PDMS of molecular weight 17.2 kg mol-1 in order to obtain a crosslinkable PDMS...... showed high conductivity combined with inherent softness. The high conductivity and softness, PDMS-PEG copolymers with incorporated MWCNTs hold great promises as compliant and highly stretchable electrodes for stretchable devices such as electro-mechanical transducers....

A Study on Copolymer Systems of Styrene with Diethanolamine Side Group and Methyl Methacrylate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aslisah Acikses

2018-01-01

Full Text Available 4-Diethanolaminomethyl styrene (DEAMSt monomer was prepared by the modification of 4-chloromethyl styrene with diethanolamine. The copolymers in different combinations (0.11, 0.19, and 0.30 by mole of DEAMSt and methyl methacrylate (MMA were prepared by free radical polymerization method at 60°C in the presence of 1,4-dioxane and AIBN as initiator. The structures of DEAMSt and DEAMSt-MMA copolymer were characterized by FT-IR and 1H-NMR. The glass transition temperature (Tg of the copolymers was measured by DSC. Thermal decomposition behavior of the copolymers was investigated by TGA. The average molecular weights of the copolymers were determined by GPC. The dye uptaking properties of the copolymers were investigated using bromocresol green. Then, the dielectric constant, dielectric loss factor, and conductivity of copolymers were investigated as a function of temperature and frequency. The activation energies (Ea of the copolymers were determined by impedance analyzer.

Responsive copolymers for enhanced petroleum recovery. Second annual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCormick, C.; Hester, R.

1995-05-01

The authors describe second year efforts in synthesis, characterization, and rheology to develop polymers with significantly improved efficiency in mobility control and conformance. These advanced polymer systems would maintain high viscosities or behave as virtual gels under low shear conditions and at elevated electrolyte concentrations. At high fluid shear rates, associates would deaggregate yielding low viscosity solutions, reducing problems of shear degradation or face plugging during injection. Polymeric surfactants were also developed with potential for use in higher salt, higher temperature reservoirs for mobilization of entrapped oil. Chapters include: Ampholytic terpolymers of acrylamide with sodium 3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanetrimethylammonium chloride; Hydrophilic sulfobetaine copolymers of acrylamide and 3-(2-acrylamido-methylpropane-dimethylammonio)-1-propanesulfonate; Copolymerization of maleic anhydride and N-vinylformamide; Reactivity ratio of N-vinylformamide with acrylamide, sodium acrylate, and n-butyl acrylate; Effect of the distribution of the hydrophobic cationic monomer dimethyldodecyl(2-acrylamidoethyl)ammonium bromide on the solution behavior of associating acrylamide copolymers; Effect of surfactants on the solution properties of amphipathic copolymers of acrylamide and N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecyl-N-(2-acrylamidoethyl)ammonium bromide; Associative interactions and photophysical behavior of amphiphilic terpolymers prepared by modification of maleic anhydride/ethyl vinyl ether copolymers; Copolymer compositions of high-molecular-weight functional acrylamido water-soluble polymers using direct-polarization magic-angle spinning {sup 13}C NMR; Use of factorial experimental design in static and dynamic light scattering characterization of water soluble polymers; and Porous medium elongational rheometer studies of NaAMB/AM copolymer solutions.

Preparation and icephobic properties of polymethyltrifluoropropylsiloxane–polyacrylate block copolymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xiaohui; Zhao, Yunhui [School of Materials Science and Engineering, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Li, Hui [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong Key Laboratory of Fluorine Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Materials, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022 (China); Yuan, Xiaoyan, E-mail: xyuan28@yahoo.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

2014-10-15

Highlights: • PMTFPS–b-polyacrylate copolymers in five different compositions were synthesized. • Enrichment of PMTFPS amounts at the surface made high F/Si value. • Icing delay time was related to the surface roughness. • Ice shear strength was decreased by the synergistic effect of silicone and fluorine. - Abstract: Five polymethyltrifluoropropylsiloxane (PMTFPS)–polyacrylate block copolymers (PMTFPS–b-polyacrylate) were synthesized by free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate and hydroxyethyl methacrylate using PMTFPS macroazoinitiator (PMTFPS-MAI) in range of 10–50 mass percentages. The morphology, surface chemical composition and wettability of the prepared copolymer films were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement. Delayed icing time and ice shear strength of the films were also detected for the icephobic purpose. The surface morphologies of the copolymers were different from those of the bulk because of the migration of the PMTFPS segments to the air interface during the film formation. Maximal delayed icing time (186 s at −15 °C) and reduction of the ice shear strength (301 ± 10 kPa) which was significantly lower than that of polyacrylates (804 ± 37 kPa) were achieved when the content of PMTFPS-MAI was 20 wt%. The icephobicity of the copolymers was attributed primarily to the enrichment of PMTFPS on the film surface and synergistic effect of both silicone and fluorine. Thus, the results show that the PMTFPS–b-polyacrylate copolymer can be used as icephobic coating materials potentially.

Realization of an integrated VDF/TrFE copolymer-on-silicon pyroelectric sensor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Setiadi, D.; Setiadi, D.; Regtien, Paulus P.L.; Sarro, P.M.

1995-01-01

An integrated pyroelectric sensor based on a vinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene (VDF/TrFE) copolymer is presented. A silicon substrate that contains FET readout electronics is coated with the VDF/TrFE copolymer film using a spin-coating technique. On-chip poling of the copolymer has been applied

Rheological Behavior of Entangled Polystyrene-Polyhedral Oligosilsesquioxane (POSS) Copolymer

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Wu, Jian; Mather, Patrick T; Haddad, Timothy S; Kim, Gyeong-Man

2006-01-01

...: random copolymers of polystyrene (PS) and styryl-based polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (POSS), R7(Si8O12)(C6H4CH=CH2), with R = isobutyl (iBu). A series of styrene-styryl POSS random copolymers with 0, 6, 15, 30, 50 wt...

Radiation crosslinked block copolymer blends with improved impact resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saunders, F.L.; Pelletier, R.R.

1976-01-01

Polymer blends having high impact resistance after mechanical working are produced by blending together a non-elastomeric monovinylidene aromatic polymer such as polystyrene with an elastomeric copolymer, such as a block copolymer of styrene and butadiene, in the form of crosslinked, colloidal size particles

Block copolymer battery separator