Search results for "GOLD"
showing 10 items of 1320 documents
An Integrative Approach to Assess the Environmental Impacts of Gold Mining Contamination in the Amazon
2021
As the number of legal and illegal gold mining sites increases in the Andes–Amazonia region, integrative methods to evaluate the effects of mining pollution on freshwater ecosystems are of paramount importance. Here, we sampled water and sediments in 11 sites potentially affected by gold mining activities in the Napo province (Ecuador). The environmental impacts were evaluated using the following lines of evidence (LOEs): water physicochemical parameters, metal exposure concentrations, macroinvertebrate community response (AAMBI), and toxicity by conducting bioassays with Lactuca sativa and Daphnia magna. Dissolved oxygen and total suspended solids were under (130 mg/Ls) quality standards 6…
Gold nanoparticles grown on a hydrophobic and texturally tunable PDMS-like framework
2021
Mesoporous silicas are among the most suitable high-surface area solids to support small-sized metal clusters and nanoparticles. Unfortunately, the instability of silica in water constitutes a serious impediment for its widespread use and large implementation as a catalytic support for fine chemical synthesis and for biomass upgrading in the context of biorefineries. While end cupping silanols provides a way for delaying framework degradation, further investigations are needed to design more robust, water-resistant supports. Prompted by the success of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in surface coating and water-repellent technologies, we herein explore the transformation of triethoxysilyl-funct…
Bioinspired catechol-terminated self-assembled monolayers with enhanced adhesion properties
2013
The role of the catechol moiety in the adhesive properties of mussel proteins and related synthetic materials has been extensively studied in the last years but still remains elusive. Here, a simplified model approach is presented based on a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of upward-facing catechols thiol-bound to epitaxial gold substrates. The orientation of the catechol moieties is confirmed by spectroscopy, which also showed lack of significant amounts of interfering o-quinones. Local force-distance curves on the SAM measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows an average adhesion force of 45 nN, stronger than that of a reference polydopamine coating, along with higher reproducibility …
Gold nanostars coated with neutral and charged polyethylene glycols: A comparative study of in-vitro biocompatibility and of their interaction with S…
2015
Gold nanostars (GNS) have been coated with four different polyethylene glycols (PEGs) equipped with a -SH function for grafting on the gold surface. These PEGs have different chain lengths with average MW = 2000, 3000, 5000 and average number of -O-CH2-CH2 - units 44, 66, and 111, respectively. Two are neutral and two are terminated with -COOH and -NH2 functions, thus bearing negative and positive charges at physiological pH, thanks to the formation of carboxylate and ammonium groups. The negative charge of the GNS coated with PEG carboxylate has also been exploited to further coat the GNS with the PAH (polyallylamine hydrochloride) cationic polymer. Vitality tests have been carried out on …
Amphiphilic Copolymers Based on Poly[(hydroxyethyl)-d,l-aspartamide]: A Suitable Functional Coating for Biocompatible Gold Nanostars
2013
Novel amphiphilic copolymers have been synthesized based on a biocompatible poly(hydroxyethylaspartamide) (PHEA) backbone, bearing both anchoring groups for gold nanoparticles, such as thiols and disulfide, and conjugable moieties, such as amino groups, the latter as points suitable for appending further functional agents. The strategy was to functionalize α,β-poly[(N-2- hydroxyethyl)-d,l-aspartamide] (PHEA) with PEG2000-NH2 and with ethylenediamine (EDA) obtaining a partially pegylated copolymer with a large number of pendant primary amino groups. A fraction of the latter was conjugated with molecules bearing terminal thiol moieties such as 12-mercaptododecanoic acid (MDA) and disulfide gr…
Size- and coating-dependent uptake of polymer-coated gold nanoparticles in primary human dermal microvascular endothelial cells.
2012
A library-orientated approach is used to gain understanding of the interactions of well-defined nanoparticles with primary human endothelial cells, which are a key component of the vasculature. Fifteen sequentially modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) based on three different core sizes (18, 35, 65 nm) and five polymeric coatings were prepared. The synthetic methodology ensured homogeneity across each series of particles to allow sequential investigation of the chemical features on cellular interactions. The toxicity of these nanoparticles, their uptake behavior in primary human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs), and quantification of uptake were all investigated. The results o…
Hybrid Gold/Silica/Quantum-Dots supramolecular-nanostructures encapsulated in polymeric micelles as potential theranostic tool for targeted cancer th…
2018
Abstract Efficient theranostic tools are today more and more frequently represented by the nano-sized systems. In this paper, polymeric micelles were produced and exploited to encapsulate both an antitumor drug (Doxorubicin) and gold core–shell quantum dots nanoparticles (Au-SiO2/QDs). α,β-poly(N-hydroxyethyl)- dl -aspartamide (PHEA) was functionalized with lipoic acid (LA), polyethylenglycol (PEG), and folic acid (FA) pendant moieties to obtain a synthetic derivative (PHEA-LA-PEG-FA) able to self assemble in aqueous medium giving rise to the formation of polymeric micelles exposing on their surface both targeting groups (FA) and hydrophilic chains (PEG). The drug carrying ability of PHEA-L…
Ultra-small gold nanoclusters assembled on plasma polymer-modified zeolites: a multifunctional nanohybrid with anti-haemorrhagic and anti-inflammator…
2021
Refereed/Peer-reviewed Hemostatic agents are pivotal for managing clinical and traumatic bleeding during emergency and domestic circumstances. Herein, a novel functional hybrid nanocomposite material consisting of plasma polymer-modified zeolite 13X and ultra-small gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) was fabricated as an efficient hemostatic agent. The surface of zeolite 13X was functionalised with amine groups which served as binding sites for carboxylate terminated AuNCs. Protein corona studies revealed the enhanced adsorption of two proteins, namely, coagulation factors and plasminogen as a result of AuNCs immobilization on the zeolite surface. The immune response studies showed that the hybrid na…
Chimie de coordination du phosphore aux métaux du groupe 11 : progrès en catalyse de couplage C-N au Cu(I) et nouveaux complexes polyphosphines de l'…
2014
Nowadays, sustainable development encourages chemists to develop new economic and ecologic synthesis, because natural ressources are reducing. Most exploited ressources are gas and petroleum, but precious metals are also essential. This thesis is focusing on the enhancement of gold and copper complexes, obtained in our laboratory from phosphorous-based ligands. In the first part, we will develop a new system for the N-arylation of pyrazoles from a copper complexe coordinated by a new hybrid phosphinoalkene ligand. In the second part, coordination properties of gold to different ferrocenic polyphosphine will be studied. Several new innovative complexes will be isolated, and could be used in …
Antiproliferative Properties of a Few Auranofin-Related Gold(I) and Silver(I) Complexes in Leukemia Cells and their Interferences with the Ubiquitin …
2020
A group of triethylphosphine gold(I) and silver(I) complexes, structurally related to auranofin, were prepared and investigated as potential anticancer drug candidates. The antiproliferative properties of these metal compounds were assessed against two leukemia cell lines, i.e., CCRF-CEM and its multidrug-resistant counterpart, CEM/ADR5000. Interestingly, potent cytotoxic effects were disclosed for both series of compounds against leukemia cells, with IC50 values generally falling in the low-micromolar range, the gold derivatives being on the whole more effective than the silver analogues. Some initial structure-function relationships were drawn. Subsequently, the ability of the study compo…