Joung-Sook Hong received the B.S. degree in chemical engineering from Jeju National University, Jeju, Korea, in 1995, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering from the Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, in 1997 and 2005, respectively. She was a Research Associate at the University of Queensland in 2006, a Research Assistant Professor at Korea University in 2007, a Senior Researcher at Research Center, Samsung Cheil Industry, in 2008-2009, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, in 2009 through 2015. She is currently a Research Professor in the Center for nano-structured polymer processing technology, Seoul National University. Her current interests include the dispersion of particles in a non-Newtonian fluid and emulsion, interfacial rheology, microfluidics, and nanocomposite.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is an aliphatic polyester that possesses various advantageous physical and thermal properties compared to other commercial biopolymers. It is thermally stable and biodegradable which promises a great processability for industrial applications while its brittleness limits usages. In this study, natural rubber was added to PLA to make up brittleness of PLA. Depending on the distribution of the rubber phase and the compatibility between rubber and PLA, the brittleness is able to be limitedly improved. On the other hand, organically modified clays were added in order to induce compatibilization and to enhance mechanical properties. Clays were introduced to PLA/NR blend with a weight fractions, 0-10 wt%. With a small amount of clays, the size of the dispersed Natural rubber phase was effectively decreased to sub-micronsize which seems compatibilize between the matrix PLA and the rubber phase. Then, the extendibility was improved (Figure1). Furthermore, the content of natural rubber was varied from 10 to 50% to observe the toughening effect. Mechanical properties including tensile strength and elongation breakage, rheological properties including storage and loss modulus as well as morphology were observed.

Ana Paula Testa Pezzin graduated in Chemistry, Master in Chemical Engineering and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the State University of Campinas. She did postdoctoral studies at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris / France. She has been a leader in the POLYMERIC MATERIALS GROUP since 2001, working in research lines: Polymeric biomaterials for medical and dental applications; Composites, biocomposites, nanocomposites and bionanocomposites; Modification of biopolymers for different applications and synthesis and characterization of biopolymers by microbial culture. Currently, she is a Professor and Researcher at the University of Joinville Region (UNIVILLE), being a level 2 productivity fellow at CNPq

Statement of the Problem: The use of biopolymers in the medical area is extremely interesting for tissue engineering because they provide a favorable environment for the growth and differentiation of cells[1]. Among the distinct applications, one of significant interest is related to the odontological area. In this area, a problem of major concern is the periodontal disease. It consists in an infectious process characterized by damages in the periodontal tissues induced by bacteria present in the gingival sulcus[2]. Common treatments involve the use guided tissue regeneration (GTR) by using bioabsorbable membranes[3], but the commercially available membranes does not contain nanostructured antibacterial agents, such as silver nanoparticles. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNp) were synthesized in an aqueous media and transferred to an organic solvent by using a fatty amine as a phase transfer agent. Such solvent was used in different amounts with fresh solvent to prepare functionalized PLLA membranes. The AgNp were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and transmition electron microscopy (TEM). Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used to quantify the amount of silver presented in the solvent used to produce the membranes. The membranes, functionalized with different concentrations of AgNp, were characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and standardized antibacterial assays (ASTM E-2180). The degradation behavior of the membranes in artificial saliva was also investigated. Conclusion & Significance: The results revealed a reduction of the thermal stability and an increase of the crystallinity of the membranes by increasing the silver nanoparticles content. Moreover, the membranes containing concentrations of AgNp greater than 13 μg / g PLLA showed excellent antibacterial activity against the Gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Such findings indicated that the produced antibacterial membranes have potential application in guided tissue regeneration treatments, such as in periodontal diseases.

Ana Paula Testa Pezzin graduated in Chemistry, Master in Chemical Engineering and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the State University of Campinas. She did postdoctoral studies at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris / France. She has been a leader in the POLYMERIC MATERIALS GROUP since 2001, working in research lines: Polymeric biomaterials for medical and dental applications; Composites, biocomposites, nanocomposites and bionanocomposites; Modification of biopolymers for different applications and synthesis and characterization of biopolymers by microbial culture. Currently, she is a Professor and Researcher at the University of Joinville Region (UNIVILLE), being a level 2 productivity fellow at CNPq

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is an extracellular insoluble polysaccharide produced by some strains of Gluconacetobacter. BNC is produced by Gluconacetobacter hansenii has specific physical and chemical properties that distinguish it from plant cellulose, such as high crystallinity, chemical purity, mechanical strength, biocompatibility which leads BNC to become a new industrial material. Althought, to produce BNC on a large scale, culture conditions must be optimized. Many different nutrients have been evaluating. In this work, to evaluate the effect of different culture media, carbon and nitrogen sources were studied, seeking to optimize CB production. Glucose, fructose, inulin, glycerol, lactose, sacarose, mannitol were verified as carbon source using corn steep liquor and a crude yeast extract known commercially as Prodex Lac®, as nitrogen source. After culturing, cells were transferred at a 20% inoculum rate to a 125 mL Erlenmeyer flask containing 20 g/L of the sugar to be investigated, 5 g/L Prodex Lac® (yeast autolysate, nitrogen source) or 5 g/L corn (corn steep liquor, nitrogen source). The cultivation was kept static at 30 ºC and sampling every 2 days for 12 days. After this period, the membranes formed were washed, dried and characterized (TGA, SEM and FTIR). The results revealed that regardless of the nitrogen source, it was observed that all carbon sources result in the formation of BNC and the best yields were found using fructose and mannitol. In the experiments that used fructose, the concentration of BNC was 2.484 g/L (corn steep liquor) and 4.222 g/L (Prodex Lac®). The good performance of Prodex Lac® can be justified considering it is a crude yeast extract, and the conventional medium for BC cultivation uses yeast extract and peptone as nitrogen sources. The obtained films presented variations in the thermal degradation profile, in comparison to the one reported in the literature. This fact resulted in possible impurities not completely removed with the purification method used. The FTIR analyzes did not differ from the literature, but also showed some bands that indicate impurities in the CB sample.

Jung Hyun Ahn currently on a master’s degree in mircorheology lab in Seoul National University since 2016. He is studying polymer melts and its blend, composite system with different types of filler. Also he is working on the effect of external field like electric field on polymer nanocomposites.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), as an aliphatic polyester chemically synthesized from bio-derived monomers, is biocompatible and biodegradable. Different from other biodegradable polyesters, it is thermally stable which promises a great processability for industrial applications. However, its brittleness limits its usage. it is usually toughened with more ductile elastomer like polyurethane, rubber. In this study, natural rubber (NR) was added to toughen PLA and also nanoparticles were mixed in order to improve mechanical properties. In this case, the blend composition of two polymers was widely changed. As the composition increases, the polymer blends show interpenetrating structure of two polymers, which is expected to bring a large change in properties compared to other morphology like droplet/matrix. Since polymers are usually immiscible with low interfacial adhesion, its system is often unstable. So several factors like nature of polymers (interfacial tension, viscosities, ratio of viscosities), their volume fraction, processing conditions must be in consideration. With a fixed composition of NR, different types of nanoparticles were introduced with a small amount of weight fraction to see their rheological and mechanical effect. With a small , PLA/NR system showed different morphological change under FE-SEM images and this was reflected on rheological and mechanical properties.

Li-Ming Yuan was born in Chongqing, China, 1961. He received his Ph.D. from Beijing Institute of Technology (1997, China) and then spent about two years (2002-2004) at the Nagoya University (Japan) as a postdoctoral fellow (JSPS) with Prof. Y. Okamoto. In 1998 he was promoted to professor in Yunnan Normal University of China. His current research interests focus on the enantioseparations by chromatography, polymeric membrane and extraction.

Since cellulose possesses multichiral carbon atoms in its molecular structure unit, an enantioselective membrane was prepared using cellulose as the membrane material. The flux and permselective properties of a membrane were studied using DL-propranolol racemate as the feed solution. In order to optimize the permselective properties of the cellulose membrane, the influences of different parameters such as operating pressure and feed concentration of racemates had been studied. The top surface and cross-section morphology of the resulting membrane were examined using scanning electron microscopy. An optical resolution of over 55% enantiomeric excess was achieved when the enantioselective membrane was prepared with 8.1wt% cellulose and 8.1wt% LiCl in the casting solution of N,N-dimethyl acetamide. This work indicates that the enantioselective cellulose membrane could soon become very attractive for industrial uses. The work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation (No. 21127012, 21675141) of China.

Juliana da Silva e Mascarenhas Guedes holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, a Master's Degree in Structural Engineering from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, a PhD in Earth Sciences from Universidade Fernando Pessoa, in Porto, Portugal. Currently, is a professor of Civil Engineering at Universidade FUMEC and post-graduate in Structural Engineering from Universidade FUMEC. She is an investigator at FP-ENAS, UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit, Porto. Has experience in the structural and sanitary area. Articles in papers in sanitation, environmental and structural área.

The most well-known destinations for lifeless bodies, used and defended by beliefs, religions and people, are graves and burial chambers. They are the forms of burial, which, in the majority, bring comfort to the families and people close to the deceased, for idealizing that they are religiously and socially intact to beloved beings. However, a large part of the population is unaware or not informed about the environmental problems that such burials bring to public health and the environment. After the burial, the body begins to go through physical, chemical and microbial processes. Necroslurry is a liquid resulting from the decomposition of corpses, which has a sound capacity to percolate soils and groundwater and therefore, contaminate both, soil and groundwater near the cemeteries, due to the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in its composition. The vulnerability of soils and aquifers, which can be classified as low, medium or high depending on where the burial occurred, medium or high permeability of the cemetery soil and the position either above or below ground level are some of the factors that Influence the way necroslurry may reach soils and groundwater. These impacts can cause disease and epidemics, as many cities use such groundwater as their water source and the soil is used produce food crop. Necroslurry is a greyish and brownish solution, mainly composed of cadaverine, an amine (C5H14N2) with a repulsive and nauseating odor, a putrefaction by-product, besides being formed by water, minerals and organic degradable substances, the medium density is equal to 1.23g / cm³, pH between 5 and 9, at 23 to 28 ° C, in its liquid state is more viscous than water, due to its polymerization and the chemical reactions that produce the polymers. Due to the fact that it is a polymerizable substance, the transportation of necroslurry in its liquid phase is aggravated. The ideal is to use a system that transforms the liquid necroslurry into gas, using burial and constructive methods proper for this phase, facilitating the transportation as well as preventing the contamination to the environment. This article will show how these polymers hamper processes of attempted contamination prevention. It will also show what happens to the polymers resulting from the chemical processes of decomposition of the human body, when they reach the soil and the water tables. Currently, in Brazil, there are already technologies that meet these needs, monitoring the treatment of gases by molecular dissociation. The use of modular structures made of carbon steel and materials, which are put to the performance of a leak test, ensuring that the passage of gases and liquids are prevented, thus creating a great capacity for sealing, has already been used in some cities Brazilians. This method is very effective and of low environmental impact, eliminating the difficulties of the necrochorume treatment and fully complying with CONAMA Resolution 335/2003

Hasoo Seong has completed his PhD from Seoul National University and postdoctoral studies from Purdue University. He is a senior research scientist in Bio & Drug Discovery Division of Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, an organization supported by South Korea Government. He has his expertise in the field of drug delivery system and biomaterials

As a theranostic MRI contrast agent with high relaxivity, USPIONP (ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle) was prepared and characterized. The USPIONP was composed of an IONP core, amphiphilic poly(aspartic acid) copolymer (P) shell and an anticancer drug, epirubicin (EPI). The polymer P, poly(2-hydroxyethyl aspartamide)-C16-mPEG, was synthesized using a ring-opening reaction of polysuccinimide. The polymer P-coated IONP (P-IONP) was prepared via synthesis of IONP and coating of P on the IONP by using co-precipitation method. The P-IONP was a USPIONP having a hydrodynamic diameter of about 40 nm. EPI-loaded USPIO (EPI-USPIO) had a hydrodynamic diameter of about 50 nm. Notably high T2 relaxivity of EPI-USPIO corresponded to MR contrast enhancement 2.7-fold compared with a commercial contrast agent. The relaxivity was proportional to EPI encapsulation efficiency of the EPI-USPIO. The encapsulated EPI was released from EPI-USPIONP in a sustained manner. USPIONP had no cytotoxicity against HeLa cells, whereas EPI-USPIONP showed cytotoxicity increasing in an EPI dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry revealed that cellular uptake of EPI from EPI-USPIONP was comparable to free EPI and confocal microscopy showed nuclear uptake of EPI from EPI-USPIONP. These results suggest that USPIONP is a promising theranostic platform whose MR contrast enhancement can be controlled by modulating encapsulation efficiency of the therapeutics.

Transport of hydrophobic drugs in the human body presents several complications, one of them is the low drug absorption due to low solubility of compounds. In order of enhance the biodistribution of drugs, recent investigations have propose the use of amphiphilic molecules, such as phospholipids, to synthesize nanoparticles or nanocapsules, given that phospholipids can self-assembly in micellar or liposomes structures. Thus, they are ideal candidates to function as carrier of hydrophobic drugs. In this work the authors performed molecular simulations of nanoliposomes at the mesoscopic scale. These nanostructures were constituted of lecithin chitosan and capsaicin. The stability of the compound and the efficiency of capsaicin encapsulation, as well as the internal and superficial distribution of capsaicin and chitosan molecules in the nanoliposome were analyzed. Characterization of the system was done through density maps in the xy plane and the potentials of mean force (PMF) for interactions between lecithin-chitosan, lecithin-capsaicin and the capsaicin-chitosan. The simulation results showed that chitosan is deposited over the surface of the nanoliposome. This was in agreement with many experimental results published in the scientific literature. It was also observed that in spite of the fact that the nanoliposome had a diameter of approximately of 18nm, it was stable throughout the simulation. The sizes obtained experimentally usually are among the 100nm and 200nm

Ahudrey Leal Quintero I am a Magister in Advanced Biotechnology, with experience in the implementation of research, innovation and development programs in technology-based entrepreneurship in areas such as; Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Biopolymers. I am currently a project manager Tecnoparque SENA Node Bogotá D.C. (Colombia) where the use of polysaccharide-rich agro-industry wastes has been used for the formulation of degradable agro-polymers in order to reduce the environmental impact generated by the polymers.

Colombia has a variety of fruits that are currently agroindustrialized generating organic residues composed of pectin, a polysaccharide found in the shell of fruits like Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) being 60%; pectin possesses properties to produce new biodegradable polymeric materials, but in the formulation must analyze characteristics like; the availability of raw material, barrier and mechanical properties affected by the type and concentration of plasticizers. The objective of this study was to standardize the extraction of high methoxyl pectin (HDM) and to identify the concentration and type of plasticizer to be used. The complete shell was used to obtain pectin HDM, with extraction assisted by ultrasound varying the frequency between 12 kHz and 20 kHz at 15 min and 30 min with pH of the solution at 2.5 and 3.0, as a variable response the interaction between factors for % esterification of pectin. The film formation was performed by the casting method by mixing at 150 rpm / 60 °C for 30 min the pectin solution and the plasticizers glycerin (G), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) at a concentration of 5, 10 and 15% and mixing G-PVA at 10-10%, 5-5% and 10-5% concentration, applying a selection matrix where water solubility and water vapor permeability interact. Applying ultrasound at 20 kHz for 15 min at pH 2.5 generated a pectin with 90% HDM. Regarding the barrier properties, the PVA treatment at 5% concentration presented 40% un solubilized mass and the 10% -10% G-PVA treatment with lower value to water vapor permeability. These results show that ultrasound promotes the release of polysaccharides thereby reducing exposure to high temperatures while maintaining HDM property in the extraction; the physical properties of the barrier are inversely proportional, the higher the concentration the less permeability to water vapor and the greater the solubility of the mass in water, compared with recalcitrant polymers, the further improvement of the barrier properties. Table 1. Barrier properties of plastic films