Nanoscience & Nanotechnology-Asia - Volume 11, Issue 3, 2021

Nanobionics involves the improvement of plant or plant productivity using nanomaterials. Growth of a plant from a seed encompasses various factors that are directly or indirectly dependent upon the imbibition of micro- and macro-nutrients and vital elements from the soil. Since most of the nutrition is physiologically unavailable to the plants, it leads to mineral deficiencies in the plant and mineral toxicity in the soil. Either way, it is not a favorable situation for the microcosm. The new era of nanotechnology offers a potential solution to the availability of the nutrients to the plants due to its unique chemical and physical properties of nanoparticles. The positive and negative impact of these nanoparticles on seed quality and plant growth varies according to the specific properties of nanoparticles. The present review is an attempt to summarize the impact of nanobionics in agriculture.

Nanoparticles and modified nanoparticles are used in biological and medical sciences as liposomes, polymeric micelles, block ionomer complexes, dendrimers, inorganic and organic nanoparticles. Nanoparticles and surface-modified nanoparticles show good stability and water solubility and can be used efficiently as drug delivery carriers. This paper summarizes the advancement in nanoparticles/surface-modified nanoparticles and patents based on them.

This review paper encompasses a study of metal-oxide and their composite based gas sensors used for the detection of ammonia (NH3) gas. Metal-oxide has come into view as an encouraging choice in the gas sensor industry. This review paper focuses on the ammonia sensing principle of the metal oxides. It also includes various approaches adopted for increasing the gas sensitivity of metal-oxide sensors. Increasing the sensitivity of the ammonia gas sensor includes size effects and doping by metal or other metal oxides, which will change the microstructure and morphology of the metal oxides. Different parameters that affect the performances like sensitivity, stability and selectivity of gas sensors are discussed in this paper. Performances of the most operated metal oxides with strengths and limitations in ammonia gas sensing applications are reviewed. The challenges for the development of high sensitive and selective ammonia gas sensors are also discussed.

Iron Oxide nanoparticles, by the help of legitimate surface science, have been broadly utilized tentatively in many living organism applications, for example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug delivery, repair of tissue, immunobiology, hyperthermia, detoxification of natural liquids, to differentiate improvement between low and high contrast tissues, in cell partition and so on. Moreover, these applications need exceptional non-toxic and biocompatible surface covering of the attractive particles to permit a targetable conveyance with molecular restriction in a particular territory. The general size of the colloid can be estimated ordinarily of the surface covering and the resulting spatial course of action adjacent to the nanoparticles, and it additionally assumes a critical job in bio-kinetics and bio-distribution of nanoparticles in the body. The kinds of surface coatings, for this sort of nanoparticles, rely upon the kind of application and ought to be picked by remembering a specific application, regardless of whether it is gone for aggravation reaction or anti-cancer agents. In this paper, the manufactured science, liquid adjustment, and surface change of Iron Oxide nanoparticles, just as their utilization for biomedical applications, are examined.

Background: Dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin disease that is affecting up to 25% of children and 1%-3% of adults worldwide. The paucity of the exact cure for dermatitis and untoward side effects of topical immunosuppressive steroids, has resulted in a great need for making use of complementary medicine to treat dermatitis. Objective: The present research work involved the development of Berberine chloride dihydrate (BCD) enthused nanovesicles i.e. ethosomes for the management of dermatitis. Methods: Ethosomes were prepared by a slight modification of cold process using varying concentrations of SPC (1-3%) and ethanol (10-40%) Optimized batch BCD 12 was further added to Carbopol 934P for gel formation. GEL BCD 12 was subjected to “anti-bacterial, dermatitis, and skin irritation study. Results: The vesicles were in size range 142.42-398.31 nm, while the polydispersity index (PDI) ranges from 0.114-1.56, and for zeta potential, it was from-18.8 to -39.4. Entrapment efficiency was from 46.05-88.79%. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed the penetration depth of rhodamine enthused ethosome across rat skin up to 110 μm, which was significantly higher than rhodamine solution (10 μm). In the anti-bacterial study, BCD loaded ethosomal gel (EG) showed maximum zone of inhibition of 18.5 mm against E. coli, 14.5 mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and 23.0 mm against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) induced mice dermatitis model histopathology study showed marked decrease in the amount of inflammatory cell nucleus in mice treated with BCD loaded ethosomal gel followed by 56% and 50% increase in ear swelling and ear mass respectively in morphology study. The conventional marketed formulation showed a nominal decrease in epidermal thickness, a 66.67% increase in ear thickness, and 63.64% increase in ear mass. Further Primary irritation index was less than 0.4 indicating negligible irritation in all the groups. Conclusion: It can be concluded that ethosomal gel is not only an efficient carrier for BCD but also proves its potential for the management of dermatitis.

Introduction: Ongoing amelioration of semiconductor nano-crystal in chemical sensing applications has led the Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) as the most appropriate candidate for chemical sensing. A PCF based sensor model has been proposed in this paper. Objective: The aim of this model is to detect formalin at a high level of sensitivity. Methods: This sensor model has been designed and simulated in COMSOL multiphysics to analyze the sensing performance based on the optical parameters such as relative sensitivity, confinement loss, and effective material loss. Formalin solution is placed into the core, and then the simulation is performed in the THz regime ranging from 1 to 2 THz to carry out the optical properties. Simulation data collected from COMSOL are used in Matlab to carry out the graphical representation of the optical parameters. Results: Simulation results demonstrate that the sensor model inherits high relative sensitivity of approximately 77.71% at 1.8 THz. In addition to that, the proposed sensor exhibits zero confinement loss above 1.3 THz and very low effective material loss in the THz regime for the optimum model. Conclusion: All the optical parameters maintain standard and desirable values in the THz regime. Besides, the flexible fabrication of the proposed model is feasible using existing fabrication methods. Simulation results validate the high performance of this proposed model in formalin detection.

Background: Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) films were synthesized by sol gel technique. The growth of films on ITO, Si\SiO2\Ti\Au, Si\Au and Si\SiO2\Ti\Al substrates discussed. In this study, Zirconium nitrate, lead acetate, and Ti (IV) isoproxide used as raw materials. Besides, acetic acid used as a solvent and 2-methoxy ethanol used as a stabilizer for Ti structure. Along with this, PZT films have perovskite structure, thin-film perovskite structure with high dielectric properties and hysteresis loop have been investigated. Methods: The effects of the type’s substrate on dielectric properties the ferroelectric properties were investigated and compared PZT film which deposited in different substrates. The films annealed at 600°C to complete crystalline films. XRD shows tetragonal PZT films have a strong perovskite structure with [100] prefer plane orientation. SEM and cross-section technique used to study for PZT surface films. Results: The dielectric constant at room temperature was different values depending on the types of substrate. The dielectric properties of the PZT films measured at 1 kHz were 120-400 dielectric constant and dielectric loss 0.02-0.08 at room temperature and 1 kHz. Conclusion: The largest remnant polarization (Pr) and coercive field (Ec) are obtained for PZT film deposited on Si\SiO2\Ti\Au substrate, equal to 26.6 mC/cm² and 38.3 kV/cm, as compared to 16.3 mC/cm² and 32.2 kV/cm2 for PZT film deposited on ITO substrate.

Background: In this study ceramic crude petroleum filter was prepared from Iraqi White Kaolin with ratio (70%) and Alumina (Al2O3) with ratio (30%), with natural additives Palm Frond with ratios (5, 10, 15, 25, 35 and 45)% in different partical size to produce pores, formed by dry pressing then fairing at 1100(°C). The filters are harmless and environmentally friendly materials. Some assessments were carried out, such as (apparent porosity ratio, water absorption ratio, and apparent density). From the test results obtained the apparent porosity was 60.7%, water absorption was 89.3% and an apparent density of 0.68% with a 45% ratio of fine (P.F). Methods: Size and distribution of pores were characterized by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The crude petroleum treated with filters evaluated by tests such as (API Gravity, Sulfur Content, Asphaltenes Content, and Metallic Content). Results: The result of API Gravity before immersion crude petroleum filter balls was 24.70 and after immersion crude petroleum filter balls for 7 days for 30% (P.F) increase to 31.0 and reach to 32.5 after immersion for 14 days. Sulfur Content before immersion crude petroleum filter balls was 3.76 and after immersion crude petroleum filter balls for 7 days for 30% (P.F) decrease down to 3.1 and reach to 2.6 after immersion for 14 days. Conclusion: So Asphaltenes content before immersion crude petroleum filter balls was 6.68 and after immersion crude petroleum filter balls for 7 days 30 % (P.F) decreased down to 2 and reach to 1.6 after immersion for 14 days, metallic contact such as Vanadium and Nickel before immersion crude petroleum filter balls respectively was 86 ppm, 32 ppm while after immersion crude petroleum filter balls for 7 days they become 53.26 ppm and 15.35 ppm and for 14 days they reached to 47.52 ppm and 11.43 ppm respectively.

Aim: The aim of the study was to develop nanoparticles consisting of etoricoxib with ethanolic extract of ginger rhizome (GE) and basil leaves (BE) and evaluate against human skin cancer cells (melanoma, SK-MEL-2). Nanoparticles were further incorporated into gel and ointment and characterized. Methods: Concentration of extract was varied while etoricoxib remained constant in nanoparticles. Nanoparticles were incorporated into gel and ointment, prepared by using tamarind seed polysaccharide and aloe vera gel, respectively. Results: All the batches of nanoparticles were evaluated for particle size and were found from 924 nm (N1) to 1084 nm (N9). The loading efficiency of etoricoxib varied form 66.8 ± 0.05% (N4) to 85.1 ± 0.04% (N9), for GE 60.3 ± 0.04% (N4) to 72.1 ± 0.05% (N9), for BE 59.5 ± 0.04% (N8) to 80.5 ± 0.03% (N9). The consistency of ointment and gel was found smooth. The pH of the nanoparticles incorporated ointment was observed 6.2 ± 0.023 (O6) to 6.2 ± 0.089 (O4), viscosity was found as 0.70 ± 0.098 (O3) to 1.130 ± 0.092 (O1) gm/cm³, and spreadability in the range of 58.3 ± 0.062 (O2) to 66.2 ± 0.098 (O5)%. The pH of nanoparticles incorporated gel was observed 6.2 ± 0.019 (G2) to 6.2 ± 0.098 (G7), viscosity was found as 0.847 ± 0.030 (G7) to 1.130 ± 0.065 gm/cm³ (G9), with spreadability in the range of 62.5 ± 0.045% (G5) to 70.51±0.056% (G4). In vitro cytotoxic studies showed that nanoparticles incorporated gel formulation (G1) was able to control cell growth (SK-MEL-2). Conclusion: It can be concluded that etoricoxib and herbal components consisting of formulations were able to control the growth of human skin cancer cells.

Background: In order to improve the solubility and carrying capacity of anticancer drugs to the targeted cells, a potential nanoformulation is needed. Objective: Viscoelastic wormlike micelles (WLM) have been reported in the present study. Methods: The elongated and flexible aggregates of amphiphiles were formed due to the selforganization when the amphiphile concentration was fixed at its CMC and the sodium salicylate concentration was varied for the optimization. Results: The stable structure, higher density, higher viscosity and potent cell killing effect at lower concentration of the drug was observed at 480 μM concentration of sodium salicylate. The doxorubicin release profile showed a clear sustained release after 20 h, and 82% of the drug has been released after 72 h. Conclusion: Therefore, the designed WLMs can be used as efficient drug delivery vehicles for the treatment of cancer.

Background: Nano-formulations of various drugs and natural compounds are becoming popular day by day. A number of cosmetic, medicinal and herbal products are formulated using nano-carriers. However, one of the concerns using these carriers is the alteration in morphology of cell by using such particles or droplets. Methods: In the present work, Giemsa staining was used to study the morphological changes on mammalian Neuro-2a cell line upon treatment with prepared capsaicin loaded nanoemulsion (Caps-NE), baclofen loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (Bcf-PLGA-NPs) and lamotrigine loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (Ltg-PLGA-NPs). Caps-NE, Bcf- PLGA-NPs and Ltg-PLGA-NPs, along with their respective aqueous drug counterparts, were examined for visible morphological changes at their corresponding reported maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and 10xCmax values. Results: Microscopic images showed that drug loaded nanoemulsion/nanoparticles showed comparable cell viability and exhibited lesser cytotoxicity than the available aqueous drug forms at both the concentrations. Conclusion: The prepared formulations can be used as potentially safer option as compared to their aqueous counterparts.