Chitosan has natural abundance, unique bioactivity and attractive physicochemical properties. Recent years, the synthesis of chitosan-based metal nanomaterials has attracted increasing attention. The synthesis of metal nanoparticles utilizing biomolecular or organism offers a mild medium, and thus a greater degree of control over the nanoparticles produced, along with higher reproducibility. In particular, preparation of metal nanoparticles based on biomolecular or organism has its unique facility in integrating "minimum feature sizes" into labile biological components to an excellent synergy and bifunctional effect and consequently a more broad application. Herein, we review the new development of chitosan, chitosan-based synthesis of metal nanomaterials, and their application.
Catalysis ; Chitosan ; chemistry ; Metal Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Oxidation-Reduction

The poor mechanical property and vulnerability to bacterial infections are the main problems in clinic for dental restoration resins. Based on this problem, the purpose of this study is to synthesize silver-titanium dioxide (Ag-TiO₂) nanoparticles with good photocatalytic properties, and add them to the composite resin to improve the mechanical properties and photocatalytic antibacterial capability of the resin. The microstructure and chemical composition of Ag-TiO₂ nanoparticles and composite resins were characterized. The results indicated that Ag existed in both metallic and silver oxide state in the Ag-TiO₂, and Ag-TiO₂ nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the resins. The results of mechanical experiments suggested that the mechanical properties of the composite resin were significantly improved due to the incorporation of Ag-TiO₂ nanoparticles. The antibacterial results indicated that the Ag-TiO₂ nanoparticle-filled composite resins exhibited excellent antibacterial activities under 660 nm light irradiation for 10 min due to the photocatalysis, and the Ag-TiO₂ nanoparticle-filled composite resins could also exhibit excellent antibacterial activities after contact with bacteria for 24 h without light irradiation because of the release of Ag ions. In summary, this study provides a new antibacterial idea for the field of dental composite resins.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Composite Resins ; Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Nanoparticles ; Titanium/pharmacology*

The wide use of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles in research, medicine, industry, and other fields has raised concerns about their biosafety. It is therefore unavoidable to be discharged into the sewage treatment system. Due to the unique physical and chemical properties of ZnO NPs and CuO NPs, it may be toxic to the members of the microbial community and their growth and metabolism, which in turn affects the stable operation of sewage nitrogen removal. This study summarizes the toxicity mechanism of two typical metal oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs and CuO NPs) to nitrogen removal microorganisms in sewage treatment systems. Furthermore, the factors affecting the cytotoxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) are summarized. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis and support for the future mitigating and emergent treatment of the adverse effects of nanoparticles on sewage treatment systems.
Wastewater/toxicity* ; Sewage/chemistry* ; Zinc Oxide/chemistry* ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Nitrogen/metabolism* ; Water Purification

Ultrafine iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared in aqueous solution using chemical coprecipitation method. Adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on magnetic particles was studied in the presence of silane coupling KH550. Characterizations of magnetic particles were carried out by X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and vibrating-sample magnetometer. The experimental results showed that magnetic nanoparticles were well dispersed with a small decrease of the magnetic saturation after modification. Magnetic nanoparticles wrapped in KH550 were favorable to the adsorption of BSA while the capability of hydrophile increased consequently, which could be used for target carrier in biomedicine.
Animals ; Cattle ; Ferrosoferric Oxide ; chemistry ; Magnetics ; Metal Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; chemistry

Antibiotics are playing an increasingly important role in clinical antibacterial applications. However, their abuse has also brought toxic and side effects, drug-resistant pathogens, decreased immunity and other problems. New antibacterial schemes in clinic are urgently needed. In recent years, nano-metals and their oxides have attracted wide attention due to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Nano-silver, nano-copper, nano-zinc and their oxides are gradually applied in biomedical field. In this study, the classification and basic properties of nano-metallic materials such as conductivity, superplasticity, catalysis, and antibacterial activities were firstly introduced. Secondly, the common preparation techniques, including physical, chemical and biological methods, were summarized. Subsequently, four main antibacterial mechanisms, such as cell membrane, oxidative stress, DNA destruction and cell respiration reduction, were summarized. Finally, the effect of size, shape, concentration and surface chemical characteristics of nano-metals and their oxides on antibacterial effectiveness and the research status of biological safety such as cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and reproductive toxicity were reviewed. At present, although nano-metals and their oxides have been applied in medical antibacterial, cancer treatment and other clinical fields, some issues such as the development of green preparation technology, the understanding of antibacterial mechanism, the improvement of biosafety, and the expansion of application fields, require further exploration.
Oxides/chemistry* ; Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry* ; Zinc ; Copper

Based on Ag nanoparticles as the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active nanostructure, the SERS of uric acid was presented in the paper. The absorption spectroscopies of uric acid and the mixture of silver colloids and uric acid were measured. The possible enhancing mechanism of the uric acid on silver colloid was speculated. The characteristic SERS bands of uric acid were tentatively assigned. The influence of absorption time and different ion on the SERS of uric acid were also discussed. The SERS spectral intensity changes linearly with the uric acid concentration, which indicated that the SERS might provide a new kind of direct and fast detecting method for the detection of uric acid. The detection limit of uric acid in silver sol is found to be 1 mg/L.
Metal Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Silver ; chemistry ; Spectrum Analysis, Raman ; methods ; Surface Properties ; Uric Acid ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the photocatalytic degradation of gaseous ammonia in static state by using nano-TiO2 as photocatalyst supported on latex paint film under UV-irradiation.

METHODSExperiments were conducted to study the relationship between the initial concentration of ammonia and the degradation products competing to be adsorbed on catalyst surface. Degradation of ammonia and its products were detected by spectrophotometry and catalytic kinetic spectrophotometry, respectively.

RESULTSOn the one hand, TiO2 catalyst was excellent for degradation of ammonia, and the crystal phase of TiO2, anatase or rutile, had little effect on degradation of ammonia, but the conversion of ammonia grew with the increase of catalyst content. On the other hand, apparent rate constant and conversion of ammonia decreased with the increase of initial concentration of ammonia, and the photocatalytic degradation reaction followed a pseudo-first-order expression due to the evidence of linear correlation between -lnC/C0 vs. irradiation time t, but the relationship between initial concentration and the degradation products was not linear in low initial concentration.

CONCLUSIONWhether the photocatalytic degradation of ammonia in static state follows a first-order reaction depends on the initial ammonia concentration due to competition in adsorption between reactant and the degradation products.

Ammonia ; chemistry ; Catalysis ; Gases ; Kinetics ; Metal Nanoparticles ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Paint ; Photochemistry ; Titanium ; chemistry

8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is a sensitive and stable biomarker for evaluating DNA oxidative damage. A rapid and sensitive colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip was developed for 8-OHdG detection by a competitive method. The sample pad (glass cellulose film), bonding pad (glass cellulose film), nitrocellulose film and absorbent pad were pasted on the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) base plate to construct the test strip. Colloidal gold (AuNPs) was prepared by the reduction of chloroauric acid with sodium citrate. 8-OHdG antibody (Ab) was coated on the outer layer of AuNPs to form Ab@AuNPs as a probe. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 8-OHdG were conjugated with carbodiimide hydrochloride to prepare an artificial antigen, which was used as the coating antigen of detection line. Goat anti mouse polyclonal antibody IgG was used as the coating antibody of control line. The experimental parameters were optimized including the type of nitrocellulose membrane, the formula of loading solution, and the spraying amount of gold labeled antibody. The results showed that the appropriate nitrocellulose membrane was CN 95. The optimal loading solution included BSA (1%), Tween-20 (3%), sucrose (3%) and NaCl (0.9%). The optimal spraying amount of gold labeled antibody was 4 μL. 8-OHdG can be detected by the strip under visible light, and the level of 8-OHdG in urine can be preliminarily determined by comparing the color intensity of T line and C line. The 8-OHdG concentration in urine was further calculated by the gray value of T line and the threshold of detection was 2.55 μg/L. This colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip is simple, rapid and specific for detecting 8-OHdG in human urine to preliminarily evaluate the human status.
8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine ; Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Gold ; Gold Colloid/chemistry* ; Metal Nanoparticles ; Mice ; Sensitivity and Specificity

With its rapid development, the electrochemical biosensor has recently been widely used in gene diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and medical sciences. More and more attention has been focused on how to improve the sensitivity and selectivity of biosensor. In this review, the principle and composition of DNA electrochemical biosensor is simply introduced, the preparation of biological membrane, the application of indicator are specially emphasized, and the future prospect for the development in this field is given.
Animals ; Biosensing Techniques ; instrumentation ; Conductometry ; instrumentation ; DNA ; chemistry ; Electrochemical Techniques ; Electrodes ; Equipment Design ; Graphite ; chemistry ; Humans ; Metal Nanoparticles ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the specificity of the dual-functionalized nanoparticles probes (NPs) self-assembled with colloidal gold.

METHODS13-nm gold nanoparticles were prepared with citrate reduction of HAuCl(4). These gold nanoparticles were sequentially functionalized with the specific single-strand oligonucleotide of HA gene of influenza A virus (H1N1) and disulfide molecules of m/z at 693. The NPs solution showed the red formation. The magnetic microparticles (MPs) were modified with another specific single-strand oligonucleotide in HA gene of H1N1. The sandwich complexes (MP-Target-NPs) were formed by the target DNA with the MPs and the NPs. The color change in the solution was observed and the dehybridization product was detected by MALDI TOF MS. Moreover specificity of the probes was investigated with nano-water (as a blank control) and the different target DNAs including complementary DNA,non-complementary DNA and two DNAs of one base mismatch, respectively.

RESULTThe red formation and the positive signal in MS detection of reporter mass code 693 ([M+Na](+)) were observed,which indicated the formation of sandwich complexes formed only when the completely complementary target DNAs were presented in the solution. No color formation changes and no peak signal detected by MALDI TOF MS were observed,showing that none of target of interest (nano-pure water),non-complementary DNA and two DNAs of one base mismatch existed in the systems,which indicated no sandwich complexes formed between the target DNAs and the two probes.

CONCLUSIONConsidering the simple preparation procedure and high specificity,the dual-functionalized gold nanoparticle probes would be widely and increasingly used in nucleic acid analysis. In particular,it would have broad application prospects in early diagnosis of diseases,single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing and so on.

DNA Probes ; chemistry ; Gold Colloid ; chemistry ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; genetics ; Metal Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Oligonucleotides ; genetics ; Sensitivity and Specificity