The widespread use of plastic-based medical materials, such as bandages, syringes, and biomedical packaging, has led to serious health problems owing to their inappropriate disposal and non-biodegradability. This study focused on the fabrication and characterization of potato-starch-based films infused with amoxicillin-loaded CuONPs (AMX-CuONPs) for biomedical applications. CuONPs were synthesized using Bacopa monnieri leaf extract, which was functionalized with amoxicillin. The properties of the bio-nanocomposite films were characterized morphologically (SEM and EDX), mechanically (tensile strength and elongation at break), structurally (XRD and FTIR), and for biodegradability and antimicrobial activity. The AMX-CuONPs bio-nanocomposite film (AC-BF) exhibited a thickness of 0.69 mm, density of 1.33 g/cm3, tensile strength of 0.63 MPa, and the highest elongation break of 49%. XRD analysis revealed the amorphous nature of the film, while FTIR analysis revealed the functional groups such as C-H, O-H, C = O, C = C, and Cu-O, indicating AMX-CuONPs integration into the starch-based films. SEM analysis showed homogeneity and particles embedded on the surface of AC-BF. Furthermore, AC-BF showed rapid biodegradation within 35 days, whereas the maximum zone of inhibition was observed in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and non-AMR bacterial strains. These results suggest the potential of these materials for biomedical packaging, wound healing bandages, and patch applications.
Avani Thakkar, T. Darji, G. Priyadarshi et al.· Discover Materials· 0 citations
Endophytic bacteria play an important role in plant growth promotion and stress tolerance, offering sustainable alternatives to chemical inputs in agriculture. In this study, an endophytic bacterial strain P1 was isolated and identified as
Pseudomonas stutzeri
, a plant-associated bacterium exhibiting multiple plant growth–promoting traits (PGPTs). Biochemical (qualitative and quantitative) and
in vitro
analyses demonstrated nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, ammonia production, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, biofilm formation, and tolerance to abiotic stresses, including salinity and drought. Furthermore, the P1 strain displayed strong biocontrol activity against the fungal pathogen
Fusarium oxysporum
f. sp.
cumini,
indicating its potential to mitigate biotic stress. Whole-genome sequencing generated a high-quality complete genome of 4,758,235 bp. Functional annotation showed enrichment of metabolic pathways associated with plant-microbe interactions and environmental adaptation. Further analyses using KEGG and PGPT-pred data confirmed the presence of genes associated with direct and indirect PGPT, such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, biofilm formation, and stress tolerance. The genome also contained genes related to CAZymes, adhesion, and motility, highlighting a strong plant association, whereas the genome lacked major virulence factors and antimicrobial traits, supporting the non-pathogenic nature of the P1 strain. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of P1 as a promising bioinoculant candidate for sustainable agriculture in the potato sector.
Poonam Patel, K. Raval, Satyamitra Shekh et al.· Frontiers in Microbiology· 0 citations