Tissue deterioration and post-injury infections are the primary cause of skin diseases. Tissue engineering has developed various synthetic and natural polymers to generate bioactive scaffolds that can closely replicate the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). Decellularized tissues have emerged as a potential solution for reconstructing cutaneous lesions due to their ability to preserve the intricate protein structure and provide essential functional domains for cellular differentiation. In this study, we selected bovine pericardium and subjected it to diverse decellularization methods to optimize ECM preservation. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/chitosan (CS) infused with two clinically important antibiotics (colistin and meropenem) was directly electrospun onto the decellularized bovine pericardium (DBPS) to endow the dual-layer scaffold (DBPS-Abs) an antibacterial property. Both DBPS-Abs and DBPS demonstrated a consistent 3D microstructure with interlinked pore networks, minimal degradation, and robust mechanical stability. The DBPS-Abs group exhibited a potent antibacterial effect against standard and clinical strains of Escherichia coli. Moreover, implanting the constructs into full-thickness skin wounds in mice confirmed enhanced wound regeneration in cases treated with DBPS-Abs compared to other groups, observed over a 7- and 21-day post-implantation period. These findings highlight DBPS-Abs as a superior antibacterial wound dressing, requiring further clinical evaluations.
The generation of municipal solid waste is projected to increase from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. In 2020, the direct global cost of managing this waste was approximately USD 252 billion. When considering additional hidden costs-such as those arising from pollution, adverse health effects, and climate change due to inadequate waste disposal-the total cost escalates to USD 361 billion. Without significant improvements in waste management practices, this figure could nearly double by 2050, reaching an estimated USD 640.3 billion annually. Among municipal solid waste, biowaste accounts for roughly 44 % of the global municipal solid waste, translating to about 840 million tonnes annually. They are widely accessible and economical, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional treatment materials. Transforming biomass waste into carbon-based materials (e.g., bioaerogels) is a sustainable practice that reduces waste and repurposes it for environmental remediation. This approach not only decreases the volume of waste directed to landfills and mitigates harmful greenhouse gas emissions from decomposition but also aligns with the principles of a circular economy. Furthermore, it supports sustainable development goals by addressing issues such as water scarcity and pollution while promoting waste valorization and resource efficiency. The unique properties of bioaerogels-including their porosity, multi-layered structure, and chemical adaptability-make them highly effective for the remediation of different water pollutants from aquatic bodies. This review article comprehensively delves into multifaceted wastewater remediation strategies -based bioaerogels such as coagulation and flocculation, advanced oxidation processes, membrane filtration, catalytic processes, water disinfection, Oil-water separation, biodegradation, and adsorption. Additionally, it examines different mechanisms of interaction such as surface adsorption, electrostatic interaction, van der Waals forces, ion exchange, surface precipitation, complexation, pore-filling, hydrophobic interactions, and π-π stacking. Moreover, it conducts an integrated techno-economic evaluation to assess their feasibility in wastewater treatment. By valorizing biomass waste, a closed-loop system can be established, where waste is transformed into valuable bioaerogels. This approach not only addresses challenges related to effluent pollution but also generates economic, environmental, and social benefits. Ultimately, the review underscores the transformative potential of bioaerogels in wastewater treatment, emphasizing their crucial role in supporting long-term environmental goals and advancing the principles of resource circularity.
Although hydrogels have attracted increasing attention in the stretchable devices, the low adhesion properties and poor environmental adaptation still seriously restrict their development and application. Herein, we focused on the interaction between polymer networks with disperse media and their resultant influence on gel performance, and constructed self-adhesive and environment-tolerant gelatin/polyacrylamide supramolecular-polymer double-network (Gelatin/PAM SP-DN) eutectogels using multiple supramolecular interactions between natural macromolecule and well-designed deep eutectic solvent (DES). The dual networks of Gelatin/PAM SP-DN eutectogels produced significant supramolecular forces with DES, including hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction, contributing to enhance the energy dissipation capacity. Additionally, the Gelatin-PAM SP-DN eutectogels were more prone to generate strong bonding force to various substrates, showcasing both in-situ and ex-situ adhesion performance, and even being used for wet and underwater adhesion. The eutectogels revealed excellent environmental tolerance to maintain excellent mechanical flexibility, conductivity and adhesion at high and low temperatures, ensuring the constructed sensor to sensitively and reliably perceive strain, pressure and human motions over a wide temperature range. Also, the eutectogel demonstrated great potential as a temperature sensor. This work opens up a new horizon in the design of multifunctional and environment-tolerant natural macromolecule-based gel materials for flexible electronics, human-machine interaction and health diagnosis.
The use of residues from petroleum and crop industries is a feasible and sustainable alternative approach for the production of xanthan gum (XG). This study aimed to evaluate the biosynthesis of XG and the resulting final product obtained using Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis 1182 in a medium containing produced water (PW) and cassava processing residues. The combined use of PW and cassava crop residues was beneficial for XG production, achieving a product yield of 6.80 g L-1. The micrographs of recovered XG revealed the presence of elongated fiber-like microstructures rather than large agglomerates. The X-ray diffraction profiles of recovered xanthan comprised well-defined peaks rather than an amorphous halo. The thermogravimetry profiles revealed the presence of approximately 60 % of remaining solids in recovered xanthan, in contrast to 30 % in the commercial sample. All the samples demonstrated a pseudoplastic behavior; however, the consistency indices of the recovered samples were approximately 50-times lower than those of commercial XG. The emulsification indices of the recovered XG were > 50 % and comparable to those of commercial xanthan. In this study, for the first time, we obtained a complex XG-metal structure possessing a high emulsification capacity and low viscosity.