One-pot RAFT and fast polymersomes assembly: a ‘beeline’ from monomers to drug-loaded nanovectors

Rapid and simple routes to functional polymersomes are increasingly needed to expand their clinical or industrial applications. Here we describe a novel strategy where polymersomes are prepared through an in-line process in just a few hours, starting from simple acrylate or acrylamide monomers. Using Perrier's protocol, well-defined amphiphilic diblock copolymers formed from PEG acrylate (mPEGA480), 2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl-3-chloro-4-hydroxybenzoate (ACH) or 2-(3-chloro-4-hydroxybenzamido)ethyl acrylate (CHB), have been synthesised by RAFT polymerisation in one-pot, pushing the monomer conversion for each block close to completion (≥94%). The reaction mixture, consisting of green biocompatible solvents (ethanol/water) have then been directly utilised to generate well-defined polymersomes, by simple cannulation into water or in a more automated process, by using a bespoke microfluidic device. Terbinafine and cyanocobalamine were used to demonstrate the suitability of the process to incorporate model hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs, respectively. Vesicles size and morphology were characterised by DLS, TEM, and AFM. In this work we show that materials and experimental conditions can be chosen to allow facile and rapid generation drug-loaded polymersomes, through a suitable in-line process, directly from acrylate or acrylamide monomer building blocks

Implementation of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) to a production line of beet sugar, molasses and pulp: A case study

White sugar, molasses and pulp constitute three products which are important for human and animal health. Sugar is either directly consumed or is used as the main component for confectionery purposes. Molasses and pulp are most frequently used as animal feeds and eventually contained contaminations find their way to humans when the latter consume meat. Therefore, it is of great importance to ensure the standard quality and safe production of sugar and its coproducts. Implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) constitutes a crucial step in this direction. Identification of critical control points made possible the control of all parameters which could eventually result in deterioration of the final product. Application of the HACCP system shows that this production line can be adequately controlled, especially when HACCP is implemented within the framework of a quality control system such as ISO 9001/2