Publications by authors named "Anicuta Stoica-Guzun"

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has earned a well-defined place among biopolymers due to its unique physicochemical properties. Unfortunately, native BC lacks antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. To address this limitation, many BC-based nanocomposites with antimicrobial properties have been developed, primarily for applications in the biomedical field, but also for use in food packaging.

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The aim of the present study was to obtain antimicrobial dressings from bacterial cellulose loaded with nutmeg and of fir needle essential oils. The attractive properties of BC, such as biocompatibility, good physicochemical and mechanical stability, and high water absorption, led to the choice of this material to be used as a support. Essential oils have been added to provide antimicrobial properties to these dressings.

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Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was applied to extract oil from blackberry (BB) seeds. The effect of UAE conditions on oil recovery and quality was investigated. Favorable experimental conditions (ultrasound intensity (UI), extraction temperature, and time) were investigated using response surface methodology (RSM).

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Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biopolymer whose properties have been intensively studied, especially for biomedical applications. Since BC has no antimicrobial activity, it is necessary to use bioactive substances for developing wound healing applications. Another drawback of BC is the loss if its water retention capacity after dehydration.

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Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a unique microbial biopolymer with a huge number of significant applications in the biomedical field, including bone tissue engineering. The present study proposes to obtain and characterize BC hybrid composites with calcium phosphate as biocompatible and bioactive membranes for bone tissue engineering. BC precursor membranes were obtained in static culture fermentation, and after purification, were oxidized to obtain 2,3-dialdehyde bacterial cellulose (DABC).

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The use of bacterial cellulose (BC) in skin wound treatment is very attractive due to its unique characteristics. These dressings' wet environment is an important feature that ensures efficient healing. In order to enhance the antimicrobial performances, bacterial-cellulose dressings were loaded with amoxicillin and bacitracin as antibacterial agents.

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The aim of this paper is to assess the properties of Mamaia (MM) grape pomace polyphenolic extract loaded onto pristine and functionalized MCM-41 mesoporous silica as potential ingredients for nutraceuticals or cosmetics. The chemical profile of hydroalcoholic polyphenolic extracts, prepared either by conventional extraction or microwave-assisted method, was analyzed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) analysis, while their radical scavenger activity (RSA) was evaluated using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assays. The extract-loaded materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, N adsorption-desorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis, as well as RSA (DPPH and ABTS assays).

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In this study bacterial cellulose-magnetite composites were synthesised for the removal of chromium(VI) from aqueous solutions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the bacterial cellulose-magnetite composites and to reveal the uniform dispersion of nanomagnetite in the BC matrix. Magnetic properties were also measured to confirm the magnetite immobilization on bacterial cellulose membrane.

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Composite films of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and bacterial cellulose (NaCMC-BC) cross-linked with citric acid (CA) were prepared by solution casting method. Ibuprofen sodium salt (IbuNa) has been used to study the mechanism of drug release from composite films. Surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and proved that the BC content influences the aspect of the films.

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Bacterial cellulose-silica hybrid composites were prepared starting from wet bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes using Stöber reaction. The structure and surface morphology of hybrid composites were examined by FTIR and SEM. The SEM pictures revealed that the silica particles are attached to BC fibrils and are well dispersed in the BC matrix.

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Mono and multilayer composite films of poly(vinyl alcohol)-chitosan-bacterial cellulose (PVA/chitosan/BC) have been prepared to achieve controlled release of ibuprofen sodium salt (IbuNa) as model drug. The composite films have been characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

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The effect of ultrasonic irradiation (40 kHz) on the calcium carbonate deposition on bacterial cellulose membranes was investigated using calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) and sodium carbonate (Na(2)CO(3)) as starting reactants. The composite materials containing bacterial cellulose-calcium carbonate were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and color measurements. The polymorphs of calcium carbonate that were deposited on bacterial cellulose membranes in the presence or in the absence of ultrasonic irradiation were calcite and vaterite.

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