Development of mucoadhesive hydrogels based on polyacrylic acid grafted cellulose nanocrystals for local cisplatin delivery.

To fabricate a mucoadhesive hydrogel with superior properties for local delivery of cisplatin (CDDP) to colorectal cancer, a hardcore bottle-brush polymer (HCBBP) was developed through grafting of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) at 6, 9 and 12 CNC:PAA w/w ratios. The developed materials were characterized by acid-base titrations, FT-IR, electron microscopy, muco-rheological behaviour in the presence of mucin, in vitro drug release and anticancer activity against human HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells. The results showed CNC-g-PAA9 to have superior rheological behavior in the presence of mucin compared to CNC and other gels under study indicating beneficial mucoadhesive characteristics.

Sorption of 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) on lignin.

The present study describes the use of two commercially available lignins, namely, alkali and organosolv lignin, for the removal of 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN), a chemical widely used by the military and the dye industry, from water. Sorption of DNAN on both lignins reached equilibrium within 10 hr and followed pseudo second-order kinetics with sorption being faster with alkali than with organosolv lignin, i.e.

Preparation of lignopolyols from wheat straw soda lignin.

Wheat straw soda lignin was modified and characterized by several qualitative and quantitative methods such as (31)P NMR spectroscopy to evaluate its potential as a substitute for polyols in view of polyurethane applications. Chemical modification of the lignin was achieved with propylene oxide to form lignopolyol derivatives. This was performed by a two-step reaction of lignin with maleic anhydride followed by propylene oxide and by direct oxyalkylation under acidic and alkaline conditions.