| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Fontes-Candia, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
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Maximizing the oil content in polysaccharide-based emulsion gels for the development of tissue mimicking phantoms
- 2021
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Ingår i: Carbohydrate Polymers. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0144-8617 .- 1879-1344. ; 256
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Formulations based on agar and κ-carrageenan were investigated for the production of emulsion gels applicable as tissue mimicking phantoms. The effects of the polysaccharide matrix, the oil content and the presence of surfactants on the micro-/nanostructure, rheology, and mechanical and dielectric properties were investigated. Results showed a high capacity of the agar to stabilize oil droplets, producing gels with smaller (10−21 μm) and more uniform oil droplets. The addition of surfactants allowed increasing the oil content and reduced the gel strength and stiffness down to 57 % and 34 %, respectively. The permittivity and conductivity of the gels were reduced by increasing the oil content, especially in the agar gels (18.8 and 0.05 S/m, respectively), producing materials with dielectric properties similar to those of low-water content tissues. These results evidence the suitability of these polysaccharides to design a variety of tissue mimicking phantoms with a broad range of mechanical and dielectric properties.
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| 3. |
- Bojorges, Hylenne, et al.
(författare)
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Structural and functional properties of alginate obtained by means of high hydrostatic pressure-assisted extraction
- 2023
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Ingår i: Carbohydrate Polymers. - : Elsevier BV. - 0144-8617 .- 1879-1344. ; 299
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The effects of the high hydrostatic pressure (HPP) pre-treatment on the alginate extraction were seen to greatly depend on the recalcitrant nature of two algae species. Alginates were deeply characterized in terms of composition, structure (HPAEC-PAD, FTIR, NMR, SEC-MALS), functional and technological properties.The pre-treatment significantly increased the alginate yield in the less recalcitrant A. nodosum (AHP) also favoring the extraction of sulphated fucoidan/fucan structures and polyphenols. Although the molecular weight was significantly lower in AHP samples, neither the M/G ratio nor the M and G sequences were modified. In contrast, a lower increase in alginate extraction yield was observed for the more recalcitrant S. latissima after the HPP pre-treatment (SHP), but it significantly affected the M/G values of the resulting extract. The gelling properties of the alginate extracts were also explored by external gelation in CaCl2 solutions. The mechanical strength and nanostructure of the hydrogel beads prepared were determined using compression tests, synchro-tron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). Interestingly, the application of HPP significantly improved the gel strength of SHP, in agreement with the lower M/G values and the stiffer rod-like conformation obtained for these samples.
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| 4. |
- Martínez-Sanz, Marta, et al.
(författare)
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Composition and rheological properties of microalgae suspensions : Impact of ultrasound processing
- 2020
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Ingår i: Algal Research. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 2211-9264. ; 49
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study the rheological properties of aqueous suspensions of three microalgae species, Nannochloropsis gaditana, Scenedesmus almeriensis and Spirulina platensis, were investigated as a function of solids content, and related to their composition and microstructure. In addition, the impact of ultrasound processing on their structuring ability was also studied. The less rigid character of the Spirulina platensis cell walls (with very low carbohydrate contents) and the presence of extracellular components promoted cell-cell interactions, yielding suspensions which showed a shear thinning behaviour at lower concentrations than Nannochloropsis gaditana and Scenedesmus almeriensis. It is noteworthy that the three species showed different viscoelastic properties at 25 wt.% total solids. Spirulina platensis suspensions showed a more elastic behaviour and lower frequency dependence, characteristic of weak gels, whilst Nannochloropsis gaditana and Scenedesmus almeriensis behaved more like viscous liquids. The ultrasound treatment did not affect the cell wall integrity, but it promoted the release of intracellular components (some of which could have been partially degraded) and disrupted physical interparticle interactions in Nannochloropsis gaditana and Scenedesmus almeriensis. This has an impact on the rheological properties, increasing the viscosity of Nannochloropsis gaditana suspensions, whilst the viscosity of Scenedesmus almeriensis suspensions was reduced. The outcomes of this work give insights into the exploitation of these microalgae species in soft materials for food, pharma and other technological applications.
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| 5. |
- Fontes-Candia, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
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Rheological and structural characterization of carrageenan emulsion gels
- 2020
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Ingår i: Algal Research. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 2211-9264. ; 47
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Carrageenan emulsion gels containing sunflower oil were prepared using three different commercial carrageenan grades (κ-C, ι-C and λ-C). The effect of the carrageenan and salt content, as well as the oil:water ratio, on the emulsion gel strength was evaluated through a response surface methodology. Moreover, the rheological properties and the micro- and nanostructure from the stronger emulsion gel formulations were investigated and compared to their analogous hydrogel formulations. Interestingly, emulsion gels formed stronger and more thermally stable networks than the hydrogels, being this effect more evident in ι-C and λ-C. The results indicate that this was mainly due to a polysaccharide concentration effect, as no evidence of interactions between the carrageenan and the oil phase was found. Consequently, the rheological behaviour of the emulsion gels was mostly determined by the type of carrageenan. The association of carrageenan molecular chains was favoured in κ-C and λ-C (due to the presence of κ-carrageenan in the latter) and promoted by the addition of KCl. In contrast, a lower degree of chain association, mostly driven by ionic cross-linking, took place in ι-C. These results evidence the relevance of the gelation mechanism on the properties of emulsion gels and provide the basis for the design of these systems for targeted applications within the food industry.
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| 6. |
- Fontes-Candia, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
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Understanding nanostructural differences in hydrogels from commercial carrageenans: Combined small angle X-ray scattering and rheological studies
- 2020
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Ingår i: Algal Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-9264. ; 47, s. 101882-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hydrogels from commercial carrageenans (κ-C, ι-C, λ↑-C (high viscosity) and λ↓-C (low viscosity)) were prepared with and without the addition of salts (KCl and CaCl2). FT-IR and 1H NMR characterization evidenced that while the κ-C and ι-C grades were relatively pure carrageenans, the two λ-C grades were λ-, κ-, θ- and μ-carrageenan hybrids. The effect of carrageenan and salt concentration on the hydrogel strength were evaluated through a response surface design and a detailed structural characterization was carried out by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheology. The low amount of sulphate substitution in κ-C enabled intramolecular association, giving rise to strong hydrogels, even in the absence of salts. On the other hand, ι-C, λ↑-C and λ↓-C produced much weaker hydrogels and required the addition of salts to induce intramolecular association by ionic cross-linking. SAXS results suggested the formation of similar structures of double helices in κ-C and ι-C with the addition of salts; however, distinct network structures were attained. In the case of κ-C, a Gauss-Lorentz gel model was suitable to describe the hydrogel structure and the addition of K+ promoted the formation of more ordered and densely packed structures. On the other hand, larger but weaker aggregates, with marked periodicity, were observed in ι-C, with Ca2+ inducing the formation of more densely packed networks. The complex composition of the λ-C grades gave rise to more heterogeneous branched network structures, properly described by a correlation length model, where the gelation mechanism was mostly governed by the κ-carrageenan component.
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| 7. |
- Malafronte, Loredana, 1986, et al.
(författare)
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Macroalgae suspensions prepared by physical treatments: Effect of polysaccharide composition and microstructure on the rheological properties
- 2021
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Ingår i: Food Hydrocolloids. - : Elsevier BV. - 0268-005X .- 1873-7137. ; 120
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The use of macroalgae in food products is growing due to their techno-functionality and nutritional properties. In this context, an increased understanding of the rheological properties which are relevant for manufacturing and texture is needed. Here we investigated the impact of thermal and mechanical treatments, including high pressure homogenisation (HPH), on the polysaccharide composition, microstructure, and rheological properties of brown algae Laminaria digitata suspensions (5 wt %). Monosaccharide analysis and immunolabeling of alginate in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy, revealed a sequential release of different polysaccharides as result of the applied shear. Results showed that thermal treatment (70 °C 1 h) and mild shear lead to suspensions of clusters of cells and release of fucoidan and laminarin into the liquid phase, conferring shear thinning properties to the suspensions. High pressure homogenisation was able to completely break the macroalgae cells, reducing particle size and releasing other soluble polysaccharides, in particular alginate, conferring gel properties (G'>G'') to the suspensions. This study contributes to the knowledge of how to design sustainable, innovative and nutritious liquid/semiliquid food products containing macroalgae biomass.
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| 8. |
- Martinez-Sanz, Elena, et al.
(författare)
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Minimally invasive mandibular bone augmentation using injectable hydrogels
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1932-6254. ; 6:S3, s. s15-s23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels are proven biocompatible materials and excellent carriers of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) that have been successfully tested for bone generation in vivo. Different formulations, with or without nanohydroxyapatite, have shown promise for craniofacial applications. In this study, 28 rats were used to investigate whether it is possible to achieve mandibular bone augmentation upon injection of novel hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels containing nanohydroxyapatite and different concentrations of BMP-2 (0, 5 and 150ÎŒg/ml). The biomaterials were injected subperiosteally through fine needles into the innate mandibular diastema, imitating a clinical procedure for resorbed mandibles. No incisions, flaps or sutures were necessary. After 8weeks the mandibles were evaluated by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), micro-computed tomography (ÎŒCT), histology, immunohistochemistry and fluorochrome labelling. As a result, engineered bone was observed in all treated mandibles, with a statistically significant increase in mandibular bone volume correlated with the amount of BMP-2 loaded in the hydrogel formula. We therefore demonstrated that minimally invasive mandibular bone augmentation is possible upon injection in rats, when using the appropriate injectable scaffolds. This represents an attractive clinical alternative for oral implantology patients.
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| 9. |
- Martinez-Sanz, Marta, et al.
(författare)
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Advanced structural characterisation of agar-based hydrogels : Rheological and small angle scattering studies
- 2020
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Ingår i: Carbohydrate Polymers. - : Elsevier BV. - 0144-8617 .- 1879-1344. ; 236
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Agar-based extracts from Gelidium sesquipedale were generated by heat and combined heat-sonication, with and without the application of alkali pre-treatment. Pre-treatment yielded extracts with greater agar contents; however, it produced partial degradation of the agar, reducing its molecular weight. Sonication produced extracts with lower agar contents and decreased molecular weights. A gelation mechanism is proposed based on the rheological and small angle scattering characterization of the extracts. The formation of strong hydrogels upon cooling was caused by the association of agarose chains into double helices and bundles, the sizes of which depended on the agar purity and molecular weight. These different arrangements at the molecular scale consequently affected the mechanical performance of the obtained hydrogels. Heating of the hydrogels produced a gradual disruption of the bundles; weaker or smaller bundles were formed upon subsequent cooling, suggesting that the process was not completely reversible.
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| 10. |
- Martínez-Sanz, Marta, et al.
(författare)
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Alternative protocols for the production of more sustainable agar-based extracts from Gelidium sesquipedale
- 2021
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Ingår i: Algal Research. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 2211-9264. ; 55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Agar-based extracts from Gelidium sesquipedale were obtained by applying a conventional hot water treatment and alternative ultrasound- and microwave-assisted methods, with and without the application of an alkaline pre-treatment. The alkaline pre-treatment produced refined extracts with higher purity; however, extraction yields increased from 2–5% to 7–19% by omitting this step. In particular, the ultrasound-assisted extraction allowed reducing 4-fold the extraction time, while keeping constant or even increasing the yield (up to 19% for the 1 h extraction) with respect to the conventional protocol. Interestingly, the presence of proteins and polyphenols conferred the semi-refined extracts a relatively high antioxidant capacity (19–24 μmol TE/g extract). The refined extract produced by the standard protocol formed the strongest hydrogels (>1000 g/cm2). On the other hand, the semi-refined extracts produced by the alternative protocols formed slightly stronger hydrogels (337–438 g/cm2) than the refined counterparts (224–311 g/cm2), due to their greater molecular weights of the former ones. LCA assessment showed lower global warming potential for the semi-refined extracts, especially the ultrasound-assisted extraction, hence highlighting the potential of this method to produce more sustainable agar-based extracts for food-related applications.
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| 11. |
- Martinez-Sanz, Marta, et al.
(författare)
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Development of bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers reinforced EVOH composites by electrospinning
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Applied Polymer Science. - : Wiley. - 0021-8995 .- 1097-4628. ; 124:2, s. 1398-1408
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the current study, hybrid electrospun ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) fibers reinforced with bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers (BCNW) were developed and characterized. Additionally, electrospinning was suggested as a method for the incorporation of well-dispersed BCNW into an EVOH matrix by melt compounding. With the aim of maximizing the BCNW's loading in the electrospun fibers, an optimized method was applied for generating fibers from solutions containing up to 40 wt % BCNW. As demonstrated by FTIR spectroscopy, it was possible to incorporate BCNW concentrations up to similar to 24 wt %, although a complete incorporation of the nanofiller into the fibers was only achieved with solutions containing up to 20 wt % of the filler, DSC analyses suggested that the incorporation of the nanofiller reduced the crystallinity of the as-obtained EVOH fibers and produced an increase in the glass transition temperature of these during the second heating run. Thermogravimetric analyses showed that even though EVOH protects the nanowhiskers from thermal degradation, the electrospun hybrid fibers present a relatively lower thermal stability than the pure EVOH fibers. FTIR analyses of the samples subjected to different thermal treatments confirmed that the stiffening effect observed by DSC only occurs after melting of the EVOH phase and is cooperative with a partial acid chemical development in the BCNW, which promotes strong chemical interactions between the polymeric matrix and the nanofiller. Finally, the hybrid electrospun fibers were incorporated into pure EVOH by melt compounding to produce composite films. This methodology showed higher stability and dispersion of the BCNW than direct addition of the freeze-dried nanofiller to EVOH.
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| 12. |
- Martinez-Sanz, Marta, et al.
(författare)
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Development of electrospun EVOH fibres reinforced with bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers. Part I : Characterization and method optimization
- 2011
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Ingår i: Cellulose. - DORDRECHT : SPRINGER. - 0969-0239 .- 1572-882X. ; 18:2, s. 335-347
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the present study, hybrid electrospun EVOH fibres reinforced with bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers (BCNW) were developed and characterized. The nanowhiskers, obtained by sulphuric acid digestion of native bacterial cellulose mats generated by Gluconacetobacter xylinum, were morphologically characterized by SEM and optical microscopy with polarized light and revealed a highly crystalline structure of nanofibrils aggregates. XRD analyses suggested a crystalline structure corresponding to the cellulose I allomorph. It was also confirmed by means of FT-IR spectroscopy that amorphous regions were preferentially digested by the acid treatment, whereas TGA analyses showed a decrease in the thermal stability of the nanowhiskers most likely due to incorporation of sulphate groups and the inherent acidity remaining in the filler even after extensive washing cycles. A method was developed for improving the incorporation of BCNW within the EVOH electrospun fibres, consisting on the addition of the BCNW in the form of a centrifuged precipitate, versus the most conventionally employed freeze-dried nanowhiskers. DSC analyses showed a significant increase in the glass transition temperature of the composites during the second heating run, which may be related to the acidic character of the nanofiller. Finally, sonication was seen to enhance interfacial interaction but to reduce the incorporation of the filler in the matrix in the case of the centrifuged material.
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| 13. |
- Martínez-Sanz, Marta, et al.
(författare)
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Nano-/microstructure of extruded Spirulina/starch foams in relation to their textural properties
- 2020
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Ingår i: Food Hydrocolloids. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 0268-005X .- 1873-7137. ; 103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This work reports on an in-depth characterization of the nano- and microstructure of extruded starch foams loaded with the microalga Spirulina (1, 5 and 10 wt%), as well as the implications of Spirulina incorporation on the textural properties of the foams. Due to the gelatinization process occurring during extrusion, the crystalline and lamellar structures originally present in the starch granule were disrupted, resulting in very amorphous foams. Moreover, the crystalline structure of the fatty acids present in the raw microalga was lost during processing. The presence of Spirulina intracellular components induced the formation of more thermally-stable V-type crystallites through complexation with amylose, hence producing slightly more crystalline foams (XC~5–9%) than the pure extruded starch (XC ~3%). This affected the microstructure of the hybrid foams, which showed more densely packed and well-connected porous structures. Microstructural changes had an impact on the texture of the foams, which became harder with greater Spirulina loadings. The foams underwent very limited re-crystallization upon storage, which was further reduced by the presence of Spirulina. Interestingly, the free fatty acids from Spirulina re-crystallized and the resistant starch content in the 10% Spirulina foam increased, which could potentially be interesting from a nutritional perspective. These results show the potential of extrusion cooking to produce healthier snack foods and highlight the suitability of advanced characterization tools such as neutron tomography and small angle X-ray scattering to investigate food structure.
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| 14. |
- Rudovica, Vita, et al.
(författare)
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Valorization of Marine Waste : Use of Industrial By-Products and Beach Wrack Towards the Production of High Added-Value Products
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Marine Science. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-7745. ; 8
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biomass is defined as organic matter from living organisms represented in all kingdoms. It is recognized to be an excellent source of proteins, polysaccharides and lipids and, as such, embodies a tailored feedstock for new products and processes to apply in green industries. The industrial processes focused on the valorization of terrestrial biomass are well established, but marine sources still represent an untapped resource. Oceans and seas occupy over 70% of the Earth's surface and are used intensively in worldwide economies through the fishery industry, as logistical routes, for mining ores and exploitation of fossil fuels, among others. All these activities produce waste. The other source of unused biomass derives from the beach wrack or washed-ashore organic material, especially in highly eutrophicated marine ecosystems. The development of high-added-value products from these side streams has been given priority in recent years due to the detection of a broad range of biopolymers, multiple nutrients and functional compounds that could find applications for human consumption or use in livestock/pet food, pharmaceutical and other industries. This review comprises a broad thematic approach in marine waste valorization, addressing the main achievements in marine biotechnology for advancing the circular economy, ranging from bioremediation applications for pollution treatment to energy and valorization for biomedical applications. It also includes a broad overview of the valorization of side streams in three selected case study areas: Norway, Scotland, and the Baltic Sea.
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| 15. |
- Varghese, Oommen P., et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis of Guanidinium-Modified Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel
- 2010
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Ingår i: Macromolecular rapid communications. - : Wiley. - 1022-1336 .- 1521-3927. ; 31:13, s. 1175-1180
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this report, a new guanidinylating reagent is presented, which was developed without any protection/deprotection strategy and was successfully employed for linking to hyaluronan in aqueous solution. The dually functionalised HA biopolymer bearing guanidinium and hydrazide groups was synthesised to form hydrogel in Ho less than a minute when mixed with aldehyde-modified HA. This hydrogel exhibited higher storage modulus with enhanced stability in PBS when compared to the non-guanidine-containing gel. The gel shift assay showed that this biopolymer formed a stable complex with DNA as well as efficient gene transfection to cells that express HA-receptor CD44. The toxicity studies of this polymer with fibroblast cells revealed that the cells were almost 80% viable after 4 d of incubation at high HA concentration (2.5 x 10(-3) m).
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Vilaplana, Francisco, et al.
(författare)
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Emission pattern of semi-volatile organic compounds from recycled styrenic polymers using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Chromatography A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0021-9673 .- 1873-3778. ; 1217:3, s. 359-367
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The emission of low molecular weight compounds from recycled high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) has been investigated using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Four released target analytes (styrene, benzaldehyde, acetophenone, and 2-phenylpropanal) were selected for the optimisation of the HS-SPME sampling procedure, by analysing operating parameters such as type of SPME fibre (polarity and operating mechanism), particle size, extraction temperature and time. 26 different compounds were identified to be released at different temperatures from recycled HIPS, including residues of polymerisation, oxidated derivates of styrene, and additives. The type of SPME fibre employed in the sampling procedure affected the detection of emitted components. An adsorptive fibre such as carbowax/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS fibre) offered good selectivity for both non-polar and polar volatile compounds at lower temperatures: higher temperatures result ill interferences from less-volatile released compounds. An absorptive fibre as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fibre is Suitable for the detection of less-volatile non-polar molecules at higher temperatures. The nature and relative amount of the emitted compounds increased with higher exposure temperature and smaller polymeric particle size. HS-SPME proves to be a suitable technique for screening the emission of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from polymeric materials; reliable quantification of the content of target analytes in recycled HIPS is however difficult due to the complex mass-transfer processes involved, matrix effects, and the difficulties in equilibrating the analytical system.
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