Zein nanoparticles impregnated with eugenol and garlic essential oils for treating fish pathogens.

Abstract: The supply of food derived from aquaculture has increased significantly in recent years. The aim of this industrial sector is to produce sustainable products to meet the needs of consumers, providing food security and nutritional benefits. The development of aquaculture has faced challenges including disease outbreaks that can cause substantial economic losses. These diseases can be controlled using chemicals such as antibiotics. However, the indiscriminate use of these substances can have major negative impacts on human health and the environment with the additional risk of the emergence of resistant organisms. The present manuscript describes the use of phytotherapy in association with nanotechnology in order to obtain a more effective and less harmful system for the control of bacterial diseases in fish. Zein nanoparticles associated with eugenol and garlic essential oil were prepared through antisolvent precipitation and characterized. Zein nanoparticles are promising carrier systems as zein proteins are biodegradable and biocompatible and, in this way, good candidates for encapsulation of active ingredients. The system presented good physicochemical properties with an average particle diameter of approximately 150 nm, a polydispersity index lower than 0.2, and a zeta potential of approximately 30 mV. High encapsulation efficiency was obtained for the active compounds with values higher than 90%, and the compounds were protected against degradation during storage (90 days). The nanoparticle formulations containing the botanical compounds also showed less toxicity in the tests performed with a biomarker (Artemia salina). In addition, the systems showed bactericidal activity against the important fish pathogenic bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila, Edwardsiella tarda, and Streptococcus iniaein vitro. The present study opens new perspectives for the use of botanical compounds in combination with nanotechnology to treat fish diseases caused by bacteria, contributing to a more sustainable fish chain production

Sericin from Bombyx mori cocoons. Part I: extraction and physicochemical-biological characterization for biopharmaceutical applications

In the present research effort, production of crude sericin extracts from Bombyx mori silk cocoons was attempted using two different approaches. Sericin was extracted from cocoons by high-temperature autoclaving followed either by lyophilization or freezing-thawing precipitation, to obtain a crude sericin powder. The physico-chemical and biological characteristics of the crude sericin extracts were evaluated in detail, via FTIR, XRD, XRF, XRT, UVvis scanning, TGA and DSC, protein quantification, antimicrobial activity, free radical scavenging activity, cytotoxic activity, potential for inducing chromosomal aberrations via Allium cepa assays, and genotoxicity via Comet analyses. The molecular weight distribution of the crude sericin extracts was also investigated, via sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDSPAGE), and the results duly compared to standard sericin. The results gathered clearly suggest that the crude sericin extracts had both obvious radical scavenging effects with the 2.2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) assay, and antibacterial activity, further suggesting that this protein might be a valuable addition for either food and biopharmaceutical applications.Project funding by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP, São Paulo, Brazil; Refs. No. 2016/08884-3 (Project PneumoPhageColor) and 2016/12234-4 (Project TransAppIL)), is hereby gratefully acknowledged. Funding by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP Ref. No. 2016/16641-3) in the form of a M.Sc. fellowship granted to Liliam Harada is hereby gratefully acknowledged. Funding by the University of Sorocaba (UNISO, Sorocaba, Brazil) for Laura Favaro is hereby gratefully acknowledged. This work also received support from CNPq, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development − Brazil, in the form of Research Productivity (PQ) fellowships granted to Victor M. Balcão (Ref. No. 306113/2014-7) and Renata Lima (Ref. No. 303967/2015-3).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Interactions of Nanoenabled Agrochemicals with Soil Microbiome

International audienceSoil is a dynamic, physically, spatially and temporally heterogeneous but well-organized, three-dimensional porous matrix mixing mineral and organic matter and living organisms. Among them, soil microbiota constitute a reservoir in which plants select a specific microbiome, contributing to their growth and their health. Microbes in soil also contribute to many ecosystemic services in agrosystems, as the recycling of major nutrients in the soil ecosystem (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur…). Nanoagrochemicals are active substances based on nanotechnologies and nanoformulations to improve the characteristics and properties of active molecules as pesticides for agronomy purposes, e.g., biocides, herbicides but also nutrients. Nanotechnologies have burst into agronomy with a potential for innovation in order to improve the efficiency of pesticides, nutrients, their delivery and thus contribute to the reduction of inputs in agriculture. However, the impact of these nanopesticides on the soil microbiota as non-target organism remains underestimated up to now. The chapter review the approaches and trends in the evaluation of nanopesticides implications on soil microbiota, focusing on copper-and silver-based nanoparticles as pesticides or on formulation or nanocarriers of conventional pesticides. By confronting the current knowledge and comparing methodologies, the potential and the pitfalls to overcome are discussed, together with future directions