Marcela Elisabeta Barbinta-Patrascu

Multifunctional soft hybrid bio-platforms based on nano-silver and natural compounds.

Novel nanohybrids consisting of nano-Ag, chitosan, lipids and phyto-compounds (chlorophyll a and curcumin) have been achieved through a simple bottom-up strategy, resulting in stable (ZP=-30.9mV) and spherical-shaped nano-entities with size <200nm (estimated by AFM analysis and DLS measurements). The formation of these biohybrids was monitored by absorption and emission spectroscopy, exploiting the spectral fingerprint of chlorophyll a. The bio-performances of these hybrid materials such as: high antioxidant activity (96.63%), strong biocidal properties against Escherichia coli ATCC 8738 (exhibiting an inhibition zone diameter of 32mm), hemocompatibility, in vitro cytotoxicity against HT-29 cancer cells and no toxicity to normal cells (in the biohybrid concentration range of 5.7-17%), make them promising candidates in bio-applications (antimicrobial and antioxidant coating, cancer treatment).

Nanobioarchitectures based on chlorophyll photopigment, artificial lipid bilayers and carbon nanotubes

Summary In the last decade, building biohybrid materials has gained considerable interest in the field of nanotechnology. This paper describes an original design for bionanoarchitectures with interesting properties and potential bioapplications. Multilamellar lipid vesicles (obtained by hydration of a dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine thin film) with and without cholesterol were labelled with a natural photopigment (chlorophyll a), which functioned as a sensor to detect modifications in the artificial lipid bilayers. These biomimetic membranes were used to build non-covalent structures with single-walled carbon nanotubes. Different biophysical methods were employed to characterize these biohybrids such as: UV–vis absorption and emission spectroscopy, zeta potential measurements, AFM and chemiluminescence techniques. The designed, carbon-based biohybrids exhibited good physical stability, good antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and could be used as biocoating materials. As compared to the cholesterol-free samples, the cholesterol-containing hybrid structures demonstrated better stability (i.e., their zeta potential reached the value of −36.4 mV), more pronounced oxygen radical scavenging ability (affording an antioxidant activity of 73.25%) and enhanced biocidal ability, offering inhibition zones of 12.4, 11.3 and 10.2 mm in diameter, against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis, respectively.

Effect of UV irradiation on biomimetic membranes labelled with bioporphyrins

ABSTRACT Two kinds of biomimetic membranes labelled with chlorophyll a and chlorophyllide a were obtained through hydration of a phosphatidylcholine thin film. These artificial membranes were subjected to UVC irradiation (253.7 nm) for different times and were characterized by spectral methods (Vis absorption and emission spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering). The stability of the samples was checked by zeta potential measurements. A photo-bleaching effect occurred depending on the exposure time. The two types of membranes exhibited different photo-responses. Both bioporphyrins proved to be excellent sensors for detection of changes occurred in artificial lipid bilayers, at molecular level.

Ecobiophysical Aspects on Nanosilver Biogenerated from Citrus reticulata Peels, as Potential Biopesticide for Controlling Pathogens and Wetland Plants in Aquatic Media

In recent years, a considerable interest was paid to ecological strategies in management of plant diseases and plant growth. Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) gained considerable interest as alternative to pesticides due to their interesting properties. Green synthesis of MNPs using plant extracts is very advantageous taking into account the fact that plants are easily available and eco-friendly and possess many phytocompounds that help in bioreduction of metal ions. In this research work, we phytosynthesized AgNPs from aqueous extract of Citrus reticulata peels, with high antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal potential. These “green” AgNPs were characterized by modern biophysical methods (absorption and FTIR spectroscopy, AFM, and zeta potential measurements). The nanobioimpact of Citrus-based AgNPs on four invasive wetland plants, Cattail (Typha latifolia), Flowering-rush (Butomus umbellatus), Duckweed (Lemna minor), and Water-pepper (Polygonum hydropiper), was studied by absorption spectroscopy, by monitoring the spectral signature of chlorophyll. The invasive plants exhibited different behavior under AgNP stress. Deep insights were obtained from experiments conducted on biomimetic membranes marked with chlorophyll a. Our results pointed out the potential use of Citrus-based AgNPs as alternative in controlling pathogens in aqueous media and in management of aquatic weeds growth.

Study of supported phospholipid bilayers by THz-TDS

Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is a new technique in studying the conformational state of molecules. Cell membranes are important structures in the interaction with extra cellular entities. Their principal building blocks are lipids, amphiphilic molecules that spontaneously self-assemble when in contact with water. In this work we report the use of THz-TDS in transmission mode to examine the behavior of supported phospholipid bilayers (SPBs) within the frequency range of 0.2 THz to 3 THz. SPBs were obtained by vesicle adsorption method involving the spread of a suspension (50-100 μl) of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) or multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) dissolved in PBS (phosphate buffer solution) on a support of silicon wafers. Both SUVs and MLVs were obtained from dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and lecithin by using the thin-film hydration method. Broadband THz pulses are generated and detected using photoconductive antennas optically excited by a femtosecond laser pulse emitted from a self-mode locked fiber laser at a wavelength of 780 nm with a pulse widths of 150 fs. THz-TDS was proven to be a useful method in studying SPBs and their hydration states. The absorption coefficient and refractive index of the samples were calculated from THz measurements data. The THz absorption spectra for different lipids in SPBs indicate specific absorption frequency lines. A difference in the magnitude of the refractive index was also observed due to the different structure of supported lipid bilayers. The THz spectrum of DPPC was obtained by using theoretical simulations and then the experimental and theoretical THz spectra were compared.