Bactericidal efficiency of UV-active TiO2 thin films on adhesion and viability of food-borne bacteria

Biofilms, containing pathogenic bacteria, represent a recurrent economic and safety problem in food industries, due to their high resistance to cleaning and sanitizing procedures. The development of photoactive surfaces with bactericidal property could facilitate the elimination of such microbial biofilms. One solution may be to deposit a photocatalyst top-layer (TiO2) on conventional materials used in food plants. Our aim is to study the photocatalytic activity of such layers on the adhesion and viability of different bacteria present on food plants, especially in pork meat factory: Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica and Pseudomonas fragi. Glass substrates were coated with TiO2 thin films by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering under various deposition conditions (deposition temperature T, oxygen partial pressure PO2). The characterization of the TiO2 thin layers was performed using spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. And photocatalytic activity under UVA illumination (365 nm) has been checked for all samples. Bactericidal activity has been demonstrated on the bacteria tested by enumeration of the adherent cells and in situ fluorescent labeling after three hours of contact with the thin film and a subsequent UVA illumination. Adherent bacteria with damaged bacterial cell wall were observed using a scanning electron microscopy; this can be associated with presence of oxidative stress due to the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 thin layer. The selected TiO2 coating presents a photocatalytic activity leading to an oxidative stress. This activity provides bactericidal properties against different strains from the meat industry. This thin layer could be optimized by modifying anionic composition (band-gap reduction) during coating in order to be active under solar light so it could be used to fight against biofilms

Metal-Substituted Microporous Aluminophosphates

This chapter aims to present the zeotypes aluminophosphates (AlPOs) as a complementary alternative to zeolites in the isomorphic incorporation of metal ions within all-inorganic microporous frameworks as well as to discuss didactically the catalytic consequences derived from the distinctive features of both frameworks. It does not intend to be a compilation of either all or the most significant publications involving metal-substituted microporous aluminophosphates. Families of AlPOs and zeolites, which include metal ion-substituted variants, are the dominant microporous materials. Both these systems are widely used as catalysts, in particular through aliovalent metal ions substitution. Here, some general description of the synthesis procedures and characterization techniques of the MeAPOs (metal-contained aluminophosphates) is given along with catalytic properties. Next, some illustrative examples of the catalytic possibilities of MeAPOs as catalysts in the transformation of the organic molecules are given. The oxidation of the hardly activated hydrocarbons has probably been the most successful use of AlPOs doped with the divalent transition metal ions Co2+, Mn2+, and Fe2+, whose incorporation in zeolites is disfavoured. The catalytic role of these MeAPOs is rationalized based on the knowledge acquired from a combination of the most advanced characterization techniques. Finally, the importance of the high specificity of the structure-directing agents employed in the preparation of MeAPOs is discussed taking N,N-methyldicyclohexylamine in the synthesis of AFI-structured materials as a driving force. It is shown how such a high specificity could be predicted and how it can open great possibilities in the control of parameters as critical in catalysis as crystal size, inter-and intracrystalline mesoporosity, acidity, redox properties, incorporation of a great variety of heteroatom ions or final environment of the metal site (surrounding it by either P or Al)

Inputs of solid-state NMR to evaluate and compare thermal reactivity of pine and beech woods under torrefaction conditions and modified atmosphere

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Microbiological conversions of solamargine

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In addition to membrane injury, an affinity for melanin might be involved in the high sensitivity of human melanoma cells to hederacolchiside A1

We previously reported that hederacolchiside A1 (Hcol A1), a new oleanene saponin isolated from Hedera colchica Koch (Araliaceae) exhibits a preferential cytotoxicity on a pigmented melanoma cell line. The present study confirms the high susceptibility of melanoma cell lines to this drug and shows concentrations producing a 50% decrease in cell content (IC50 values) inversely proportional to the melanin content of each cell line. At cytotoxic concentrations, Hcol A1 induces membrane-damaging effects within 6 h, cytoplasmic vacuolization within 24 h, and non-apoptotic cell death within 48 h. Using a new high-resolution magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance method, we have shown for the first time that this hederasaponin specifically interacts with melanin. The dissociation constant (2.7 mM) is comparable to those observed with drugs known to interact with melanin. Taking into consideration that the IC50 values were inversely proportional to the melanin in each cell line, our data suggest that, in addition to the delayed membrane injury induced by this drug, the ability of Hcol A1 to bind melanin could contribute to the higher toxicity of Hcol A1 in pigmented melanoma cells