Showing papers by "Nikhil R. Jana published in 2023"

BaTiO3 Nanorod-Conjugated Silica Gel for Ultrasonic Water Purification via Piezocatalytic Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species

Abstract: Piezoelectric nanomaterials offer a green and environmentally friendly approach for water purification where ultrasound or water/air flow can be used for degradation of toxic organics and bacterial disinfection. The principle involves the generation of reactive oxygen species at the piezoelectric nanoparticle surface via external pressure-induced transient local charge generation followed by electrochemical reaction that initiates the oxidative degradation processes. However, coupling of a highly piezoelectric material with an appropriate water purification platform is little explored. Here, we have designed a highly piezoelectric material-based composite and coupled with a commercially available ultrasound platform for water purification application. In particular, the piezoelectric BaTiO3 nanorod is chemically conjugated with silica gel and used for ultrasound-based degradation of toxic chemicals and destruction of cells. The designed materials and methods can be used as a promising alternative approach for water purification application.

Rapid Mitochondria Targeting by Arginine-Terminated, Sub-10 nm Nanoprobe via Direct Cell Membrane Penetration.

Abstract: Although mitochondria have been identified as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of various diseases, inefficient drug targeting to mitochondria is a major limitation for related therapeutic applications. In the current approach, drug loaded nanoscale carriers are used for mitochondria targeting via endocytic uptake. However, these approaches show poor therapeutic performance due to inefficient drug delivery to mitochondria. Here, we report a designed nanoprobe that can enter the cell via a nonendocytic approach and label mitochondria within 1 h. The designed nanoprobe is <10 nm in size and terminated with arginine/guanidinium that offers direct membrane penetration followed by mitochondria targeting. We found five specific criteria that need to be adjusted in a nanoscale material for mitochondria targeting via the nonendocytic approach. They include <10 nm size, functionalization with arginine/guanidinium, cationic surface charge, colloidal stability, and low cytotoxicity. The proposed design can be adapted for mitochondria delivery of drugs for efficient therapeutic performance.