Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) starch is a promising biopolymer for film applications; however, the effects of extraction protocols on the composition and functionality of recovered starch-rich fractions and the properties of starch-based films remain insufficiently characterized. This study evaluated how conventional, ultrasound-assisted, and ohmic heating-assisted extraction protocols influence the recovery, composition, and functional properties of taro starch fractions and the resulting starch-based films. The starch-rich fraction obtained by conventional extraction (CNS) provided the highest starch recovery (41.53%), whereas those obtained by ultrasound-assisted (UNS) and ohmic heating-assisted (ONS) extraction yielded 31.21% and 31.61%, respectively. The UNS showed the highest total phenolic content and DPPH radical-scavenging activity. The ONS had the highest whiteness index and swelling power, whereas the UNS showed the highest transmittance and lowest cloudiness. The extraction protocol also affected film properties. The film produced from the UNS (UNSF) had the lowest water vapor permeability (2.18 g·mm·m−2·h−1·kPa−1) and the highest transmittance (54.99%), whereas the film produced from the ONS (ONSF) showed the highest water solubility (53.85%) and moisture content. The films exhibited distinct structural, optical, barrier, solubility, and thermal characteristics depending on the extraction protocol. Overall, the findings indicate that the applied extraction protocols yielded starch fractions with distinct functional profiles, reflected in the properties of the resulting starch-based films.
The bulk radical copolymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam (VCL) and N-vinylimidazole (VI) initiated by 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was investigated. The composition of the resulting amphiphilic copolymers is always enriched in VI units and is independent of the initiator concentration in the range from 0.001 to 0.1 mol L−1. The reactivity ratios calculated at an AIBN concentration of 0.005 mol L−1 (rVI = 5.33 ± 0.58 and rVCL = 0.21 ± 0.01) are practically identical to those previously obtained at 0.01 mol L−1. The independence of the copolymer composition from the initiator concentration is due to the self-assembly of amphiphilic macromolecules formed during copolymerization.
This study investigates composition-microstructure-rheology-performance relationships in Carbopol-based emulgels and bigels containing different oils. Optical microscopy revealed polydisperse droplets in liquid paraffin, isopropyl myristate, and almond oil formulations, whereas cetyl alcohol systems exhibited larger, irregular birefringent particles with Maltese cross-like patterns. All formulations showed shear-thinning behavior and predominantly elastic responses (G′ > G″). Cetyl alcohol-based emulgels exhibited higher elastic moduli and viscosity than those containing other oils. Increasing Carbopol concentration from 0.5% to 1% enhanced elasticity and viscosity, while reducing viscosity losses during heating from 10 to 40 °C from 35 to 40% to 11–26%. Bigels containing 20% and 30% oleogel exhibited elastic moduli approximately 20% and 80% higher than the hydrogel, respectively, suggesting possible synergistic mechanical reinforcement. Correlation analysis revealed relationships between rheological parameters, drug release, and spreadability. Viscosities above approximately 150 Pa·s were associated with reduced drug release, while moderate viscosity favored a balance between structural integrity, spreadability, and release performance. The absence of visible changes after 12 months of storage was consistent with temperature-ramp rheology results, suggesting potential use as a preliminary screening tool for formulation stability. Overall, oil phase selection, phase structuring, and Carbopol concentration enable tailoring stable and functional emulgel and bigel formulations for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications.
Bleeding remains a leading cause of death in trauma and surgery, which drives the search for effective local hemostatic materials. Chitosan is a promising candidate because of its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and intrinsic hemostatic activity, yet chitosan hydrogels remain poorly characterized in terms of hemocompatibility. This study assessed the hemocompatibility and hemostatic activity of chitosan hydrogels with varying degrees of crosslinking and their complexes with ficin. Hydrogels were synthesized using 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether and characterized by ζ-potential measurements. Hemocompatibility was evaluated through hemolysis, hemoglobin spectroscopy, erythrocyte cytoarchitecture, and lymphocyte viability assays. Ficin was immobilized by adsorption and covalent binding, and hemostatic properties were assessed via swelling and kinetic blood coagulation. The hydrogels showed a statistically significant inverse dose-dependent hemolytic effect, attributed to their low colloidal stability. In contrast, hemoglobin spectra, erythrocyte cytoarchitecture, and lymphocyte viability showed no statistically significant changes. Adsorption immobilization provided higher protein loading and proteolytic activity than covalent binding. Ficin-containing compositions significantly accelerated blood coagulation compared with pristine hydrogels. These findings confirm the potential of the developed hydrogels and their ficin complexes as hemocompatible hemostatic materials.
Aquaculture wastewater supplies nutrients for seaweed cultivation, but its suitability for producing functional polysaccharides remains uncertain. This critical review examines the evidence connecting wastewater composition, nutrient assimilation, polysaccharide production, macromolecular architecture, and agricultural performance. Studies of wastewater-grown seaweeds were compared with controlled cultivation, extraction, and agricultural application studies, with attention to nitrogen and phosphorus availability, C:N balance, salinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon. Evidence indicates that nutrient enrichment can improve biomass production without corresponding increases in polysaccharide yield. Measurements linking wastewater chemistry to molecular weight distribution, monosaccharide composition, sulfation, and polymer conformation remain scarce. Differences among species, growth conditions, and nutrient exposure regimes complicate comparisons across studies. Extraction and purification can alter polymer characteristics, limiting the attribution of observed differences to cultivation conditions. Reported agricultural responses may depend on polymer structure and formulation. However, the independent effects of molecular weight and other structural descriptors remain poorly established experimentally. Contaminant transfer from wastewater to purified products and subsequent exposure of soil and crops are inadequately characterized. Future research should combine matched wastewater and conventional cultivation controls, standardized extraction, polymer characterization, contaminant mass balances, and dose–response bioassays. Integrated economic and environmental assessment is also required before product safety, functional equivalence, and practical feasibility can be established.
