Antimicrobial membranes based on polycaprolactone:pectin blends reinforced with zeolite faujasite for cloxacillin-controlled release.

Multifunctional membranes applied to biomedical materials become attractive to support the biological agents and increase their properties. In this study, biopolymeric fibers based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and pectin (PEC) were reinforced with faujasite zeolite (FAU) for cloxacillin antibiotic (CLX) loading. FAU with a high specific surface area (347 ± 8 m g), high crystallinity and particles with a diameter of up to 100 nm were produced under optimized synthesis conditions (100 °C/4 h).

Sustainable photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic norfloxacin using microfibrillated cellulose@ZnO nanocomposites.

Antibiotics from the fluoroquinolone class, such as norfloxacin (NOR), are emerging contaminants with significant environmental and human health impacts. Their safe degradation from water remains a global challenge due to their persistence, lack of biodegradability, and ability to induce resistant bacteria. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, this work reports the development of highly efficient photocatalytic degradation of NOR using environmentally friendly microfibrillated cellulose@ZnO (MFC@ZnO) photocatalysts.