Optical fiber coated Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanorods decorated with Palladium (Pd) for hydrogen sensing

A novel hydrogen (H-2) sensor was developed using acid-etched optical fiber coated with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods. The sensing performance was done by comparing the acid-etched fiber coated with ZnO nanorods with and without decorated Palladium (Pd). The conventional optical single-mode fiber (SMF) with a diameter of 125 mu m has been modified as a transducing platform by etching it to 11 mu m diameter using hydrofluoric acid (HF) to enhance the evanescent field of the light propagates in the fiber core. The etched fiber was coated with ZnO nanorods via hydrothermal process by using seeding and growth solution method. The sensing layer was characterized through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) to verify the properties of ZnO. Catalyst Palladium (Pd) was sputtered onto the ZnO nanorods to improve H-2 detection. The developed sensor operating temperature was found to be 150 degrees C that produces 6.36 dBm increase in response towards the 1% concentration of H-2 in synthetic air. It was then tested with different concentration of H-2. The sensor decorated with Pd has better performance in sensing compared to non-decorated Pd based on the output power versus time. The sensor best response and recovery times is 6 and 5 min respectively, for acid-etched optical fiber coated with ZnO nanorods decorated with Pd for 0.75% of H-2 concentrations at 150 degrees C. The results indicate the optical fiber sensor might improve the performance towards H-2 as oppose to the conventional electrical sensor

Nanostructured Lipid Carrier Co-Loaded with Docetaxel and Magnetic Nanoparticles: Physicochemical Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation

Lung cancer is currently the most prevalent cause of cancer mortality due to late diagnosis and lack of curative therapies. Docetaxel (Dtx) is clinically proven as effective, but poor aqueous solubility and non-selective cytotoxicity limit its therapeutic efficacy. In this work, a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP) and Dtx (Dtx-MNLC) was developed as a potential theranostic agent for lung cancer treatment. The amount of IONP and Dtx loaded into the Dtx-MNLC was quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography. Dtx-MNLC was then subjected to an assessment of physicochemical characteristics, in vitro drug release, and cytotoxicity. Dtx loading percentage was determined at 3.98 w/w, and 0.36 mg/mL IONP was loaded into the Dtx-MNLC. The formulation showed a biphasic drug release in a simulated cancer cell microenvironment, where 40 of Dtx was released for the first 6 h, and 80 cumulative release was achieved after 48 h. Dtx-MNLC exhibited higher cytotoxicity to A549 cells than MRC5 in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the toxicity of Dtx-MNLC to MRC5 was lower than the commercial formulation. In conclusion, Dtx-MNLC shows the efficacy to inhibit lung cancer cell growth, yet it reduced toxicity on healthy lung cells and is potentially capable as a theranostic agent for lung cancer treatment

Optical fiber coated Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanorods decorated with Palladium (Pd) for hydrogen sensing

A novel hydrogen (H2) sensor was developed using acid-etched optical fiber coated with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods. The sensing performance was done by comparing the acid-etched fiber coated with ZnO nanorods with and without decorated Palladium (Pd). The conventional optical single-mode fiber (SMF) with a diameter of 125 μm has been modified as a transducing platform by etching it to 11 μm diameter using hydrofluoric acid (HF) to enhance the evanescent field of the light propagates in the fiber core. The etched fiber was coated with ZnO nanorods via hydrothermal process by using seeding and growth solution method. The sensing layer was characterized through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) to verify the properties of ZnO. Catalyst Palladium (Pd) was sputtered onto the ZnO nanorods to improve H2 detection. The developed sensor operating temperature was found to be 150 °C that produces 6.36 dBm increase in response towards the 1% concentration of H2 in synthetic air. It was then tested with different concentration of H2. The sensor decorated with Pd has better performance in sensing compared to non-decorated Pd based on the output power versus time. The sensor best response and recovery times is 6 and 5 min respectively, for acid-etched optical fiber coated with ZnO nanorods decorated with Pd for 0.75% of H2 concentrations at 150 °C. The results indicate the optical fiber sensor might improve the performance towards H2 as oppose to the conventional electrical sensor

Incorporating energy generation process in environmental assessment of a biopharmaceutical process

Biopharmaceutical industries consistently applied Water for Injection (WFI) as a solvent during their production stage. Generally, water is considered as non-hazardous material, but in the pharmaceutical industries the involved treatments to produce WET typically consumes a large amount of energy. This energy usually comes from the use of utility steam as well as electricity to heat the water as part of the purification process. Consequently, generation of utility steam and electricity needed to produce WFI releases gas pollutants and directly affecting the environment. However, such potential environmental impact (PEI), which is associated to the demand of WFI in a biopharmaceutical process, is typically not included in the environmental assessment of the process as water is considered benign. Therefore, this work aims to estimate the PET value from WFT and pure steam generation using a simple algorithm which is modified from Waste Reduction (WAR) Algorithm. The PEI is estimated based on the gas pollutants emitted from the energy generation process, which is in this case, the electricity and utility steam. In order to determine the energy needed in WET and pure steam generation, their generation system was modelled and simulated in SuperPro Designer®. WFI is typically produced in Multiple Effect Distillation (MED) system or Vapour Compression Distillation (VCD) system and meanwhile pure steam is produced in pure steam generator (PSG). A hypothetical large-scale of monoclonal antibody (MAb) production is used as a case study to demonstrate the environmental impact assessment using WAR Algorithm inclusive of PET from WFI and pure steam demand during manufacturing process. From the case study, it can be concluded that the WET generation, regardless of using MED or VCD, occupied the largest percentage of energy consumption. The PET shows a major contribution to the total PET value, particularly in global warming potential. The hotspot based on the highest WET consumption is Protein A chromatography. This equipment is used in the downstream processing step to purify the target product. As biopharmaceutical process needs a large amount of WET in the process, therefore it is important to include PET from WFI as part of the environmental assessment. This result is essentially useful as a tool for decision-making in order to create a more sustainable process

Docetaxel-loaded magnetic nanostructured lipid carrier functionalized with fish oil-coated iron oxide nanoparticles intended for lung cancer treatment

Lung cancer is currently the most prevalent cause of cancer mortality due to late diagnosis and lack of curative therapies. Docetaxel (Dtx) is clinically proven to be effective, but poor aqueous solubility and non-selective cytotoxicity limit its therapeutic efficacy. Increasing the bioavailability of Dtx while potentially monitoring the therapeutic response via Magnetic Resonance Imaging is an appropriate strategy for effective drug delivery. In this work, a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP) and Dtx (Dtx- MNLC) was developed as a potential theranostic agent for lung cancer treatment. The IONP was synthesised from thermal decomposition of iron oxyhydroxide (Fe(O)OH) and functionalised with Menhaden fish oil (MFO). Its physicochemical properties, cytotoxicity, and potential as contrast agents were then evaluated. The NLC was optimised using Response Surface Methodology. The amount of IONP and Dtx loaded into the Dtx-MNLC was quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy and highperformance liquid chromatography. Dtx-MNLC was then subjected to assessment of physicochemical characteristics, in vitro drug release, and cytotoxicity. IONP having 10 nm size was synthesised at 60 minutes aging time and 400 rpm stirring rate. The MFO-coated IONP (MFO-IONP) showed excellent aqueous dispersibility and good negative contrast with transverse relaxation rate of 9.85 mM-1s-1. MFO-IONP exhibited dose-dependent toxicity with higher toxicity on human lung carcinoma cells (IC50= 41 μg/mL) than human lung fibroblast cells (IC50 = 494 μg/mL) within 72 hours exposure. The RSM model suggested the NLC formulated with 6% w/w lipid (MCT/ Precirol ATO 5) and 7.7% w/w emulsifier (TPGS/ Lipoid S75), with 20 minutes stirring time and 400 rpm stirring rate to achieve 187 nm particle size. Dtx loading percentage was determined at 3.98% w/w, and 0.36 mg/mL MFO-IONP was loaded into the Dtx- MNLC. The formulation showed a biphasic drug release in a simulated cancer cell environment, where 40% of Dtx was released for the first 6 hours, and 80% cumulative release was achieved after 48 hours. Dtx-MNLC exhibited higher cytotoxicity to A549 cells than MRC5 in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the toxicity of Dtx-MNLC to MRC5 was lower compared to the commercial formulation. In conclusion, Dtx-MNLC shows the efficacy to inhibit lung cancer cells growth, yet reduced toxicity on healthy lung cells and potentially capable as a theranostic agent for lung cancer treatment

One-pot synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles: effect of stirring rate and reaction time on its physical characteristics

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP) have tremendous potential in various applications due to their unique physical and magnetic properties. Controlling synthesis parameters is essential to obtain IONP with desired properties. The influence of stirring rate and reaction time during synthesis of IONP from thermal decomposition of FeOOH on the particle size, crystallinity, and magnetic properties of the IONP were investigated. IONP produced at different reaction times and stirring rates had similar spherical shapes with low polydispersity. Particle size was found to increase from 4.9 nm to 8.6 nm when reaction time increased from 15 to 60 min, with the highest saturation magnetization of 34.3 Am2/kg obtained at 60 min. Stirring rates of 400 and 500 rpm produced IONP with better crystallinity and saturation magnetization than 300 and 600 rpm. The properties of IONP can be tuned by selecting appropriate stirring rates and reaction times during synthesis to suit the intended applications