Supramolecular Composite Materials from Cellulose, Chitosan, and Cyclodextrin: Facile Preparation and Their Selective Inclusion Complex Formation with Endocrine Disruptors

We have successfully developed a simple one-step method of preparing high-performance supramolecular polysaccharide composites from cellulose (CEL), chitosan (CS), and (2,3,6-tri-O-acetyl)-α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrin (α-, β-, and γ-TCD). In this method, [BMIm+Cl–], an ionic liquid (IL), was used as a solvent to dissolve and prepare the composites. Because a majority (\u3e88%) of the IL used was recovered for reuse, the method is recyclable. XRD, FT-IR, NIR, and SEM were used to monitor the dissolution process and to confirm that the polysaccharides were regenerated without any chemical modifications. It was found that unique properties of each component including superior mechanical properties (from CEL), excellent adsorption for pollutants and toxins (from CS), and size/structure selectivity through inclusion complex formation (from TCDs) remain intact in the composites. Specifically, the results from kinetics and adsorption isotherms show that whereas CS-based composites can effectively adsorb the endocrine disruptors (polychlrophenols, bisphenol A), their adsorption is independent of the size and structure of the analytes. Conversely, the adsorption by γ-TCD-based composites exhibits a strong dependence on the size and structure of the analytes. For example, whereas all three TCD-based composites (i.e., α-, β-, and γ-TCD) can effectively adsorb 2-, 3-, and 4-chlorophenol, only the γ-TCD-based composite can adsorb analytes with bulky groups including 3,4-dichloro- and 2,4,5-trichlorophenol. Furthermore, the equilibrium sorption capacities for the analytes with bulky groups by the γ-TCD-based composite are much higher than those by CS-based composites. Together, these results indicate that the γ-TCD-based composite with its relatively larger cavity size can readily form inclusion complexes with analytes with bulky groups, and through inclusion complex formation, it can strongly adsorb many more analytes and has a size/structure selectivity compared to that of CS-based composites that can adsorb the analyte only by surface adsorption

Choosing the best model in the presence of zero trade: a fish product analysis

The purpose of the paper is to test the hypothesis that food safety (chemical) standards act as barriers to international seafood imports. We use zero-accounting gravity models to test the hypothesis that food safety (chemical) standards act as barriers to international seafood imports. The chemical standards on which we focus include chloramphenicol required performance limit, oxytetracycline maximum residue limit, fluoro-quinolones maximum residue limit, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) pesticide residue limit. The study focuses on the three most important seafood markets: the European Union’s 15 members, Japan, and North America

Cellulose, Chitosan, and Keratin Composite Materials. Controlled Drug Release

A method was developed in which cellulose (CEL) and/or chitosan (CS) were added to keratin (KER) to enable [CEL/CS+KER] composites to have better mechanical strength and wider utilization. Butylmethylimmidazolium chloride ([BMIm+Cl–]), an ionic liquid, was used as the sole solvent, and because the [BMIm+Cl–] used was recovered, the method is green and recyclable. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results confirm that KER, CS, and CEL remain chemically intact in the composites. Tensile strength results expectedly show that adding CEL or CS into KER substantially increases the mechanical strength of the composites. We found that CEL, CS, and KER can encapsulate drugs such as ciprofloxacin (CPX) and then release the drug either as a single or as two- or three-component composites. Interestingly, release rates of CPX by CEL and CS either as a single or as [CEL+CS] composite are faster and independent of concentration of CS and CEL. Conversely, the release rate by KER is much slower, and when incorporated into CEL, CS, or CEL+CS, it substantially slows the rate as well. Furthermore, the reducing rate was found to correlate with the concentration of KER in the composites. KER, a protein, is known to have secondary structure, whereas CEL and CS exist only in random form. This makes KER structurally denser than CEL and CS; hence, KER releases the drug slower than CEL and CS. The results clearly indicate that drug release can be controlled and adjusted at any rate by judiciously selecting the concentration of KER in the composites. Furthermore, the fact that the [CEL+CS+KER] composite has combined properties of its components, namely, superior mechanical strength (CEL), hemostasis and bactericide (CS), and controlled drug release (KER), indicates that this novel composite can be used in ways which hitherto were not possible, e.g., as a high-performance bandage to treat chronic and ulcerous wounds