Recently, cellulose nanocrystals (CNs) have attracted wide attention owing to their superior properties compared to their bulk materials. For example, they represent an outstanding model for fabricating green metallic/metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs). In this study, two CNs (carboxylated CNs and sulfated CNs) extracted from agro-wastes of palm sheath fibers were used as templates for the facile and green synthesis of ZnO NPs by employing the sono-co-precipitation method. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized using TEM, EDX, UV–visible, DLS, FT-IR, and XRD analysis. As a result, the size and concentration of synthesized ZnO NPs were inversely proportional to one another and were affected by the CNs utilized and the reaction temperature used. Contagious diseases incited by multifarious toxigenic bacteria present severe threats to human health. The fabricated bio-nanocomposites were evaluated in terms of their antimicrobial efficacy by agar well diffusion method and broth microdilution assay, showing that CN–ZnO bio-nanocomposites were effective against the tested Gram-negative (Escherichia coliandSalmonella) and Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenesandStaphylococcus aureus) bacteria. The influence of the subinhibitory concentrations of these suspensions on the expression of the most critical virulence toxin genes of the tested strains was effective. Significant downregulation levels were observed through toxigenic operons to both fabricated CN–ZnO bio-nanocomposites with a fold change ranging from 0.004 to 0.510, revealing a decline in the capacity and virulence of microorganisms to pose infections. Therefore, these newly fabricated CNS–ZnO bio-nanocomposites could be employed rationally in food systems as a novel preservative to inhibit microbial growth and repress the synthesis of exotoxins.

Heavy metals, including lead, cause serious damage to human health and the surrounding environment. Natural biosorbents arise as environmentally friendly alternatives. In this study, two of the 41 isolates (8EF and 17OS) were the most efficient bacteria for growing on media supplemented with Pb²⁺ (1000 mg/L). At high concentrations up to 2000 mg/L, the pioneer isolate 17OS exhibited remarkable resistance to multiheavy metals. This isolate was identified as Paenibacillus dendritiformis 17OS and deposited in GenBank under accession number ON705726.1. Design-Expert was used to optimize Pb²⁺ metal removal by the tested bacteria. Results indicated that four of six variables were selected using a minimum-run resolution IV experimental design, with a significant affecting Pb²⁺ removal. Temperature and Pb²⁺ concentration were significant positive influences, whereas incubation period and agitation speed were significant negative ones. The tested strain modulated the four significant variables for maximum Pb²⁺ removal using Box–Behnken design. The sequential optimization method was beneficial in increasing biosorption by 4.29%. Dead biomass of P. dendritiformis 17OS was embedded with polyethersulfone to get a hydrophilic adsorptive membrane that can separate Pb²⁺ easily from aqueous solutions. SEM images and FT-IR analysis proved that the new biosorbent possesses a great structure and a lot of surface functional groups with a negative surface charge of − 9.1 mV. The removal rate of 200 mg/L Pb²⁺ from water reached 98% using 1.5 g/L of the immobilized biosorbent. The adsorption isotherm studies were displayed to determine the nature of the reaction. The adsorption process was related to Freundlich isotherm which describes the multilayer and heterogeneous adsorption of molecules to the adsorbent surface. In conclusion, dead bacterial cells were immobilized on a polyether sulfone giving it the characteristics of a novel adsorptive membrane for the bioremediation of lead from wastewater. Thus this study proposed a new generation of adsorptive membranes based on polyethersulfone and dead bacterial cells.

Cellulose is the most prevalent biomass and renewable energy source in nature. The hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass to glucose units is essential for the economic exploitation of this natural resource. Cellulase enzyme, which is largely generated by bacteria and fungus, is commonly used to degrade cellulose. Cellulases are used in a variety of industries, including bioethanol manufacturing, textiles, detergents, drugs, food, and paper. As part of our quest to find an efficient biocatalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass, we describe the amplification, cloning, and sequencing of cellulase (cel9z) from Bacillus licheniformis strain Z9, as well as the characterization of the resulting enzyme. Cellulase was partially purified from B. licheniformis strain Z9 using (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and Sephadex G-100 gel column chromatography with 356.5 U/mg specific activity, 2.1-purification fold, and 3.07 % yield. The nucleotide sequence of the cellulase gene was deposited to the GenBank, B. licheniformis strain Z9 cellulase (cel9z) gene, under accession number MK814929. This corresponds to 1453 nucleotides gene and encodes for a protein composed of 484 amino acids. Comparison of deduced amino acids sequence to other related cellulases showed that the enzyme cel9z can be classified as a glycoside hydrolase family 9. SDS-PAGE analysis of the purified enzyme revealed that the molecular mass was 54.5 kDa. The optimal enzyme activity was observed at pH 7.4 and 30 °C. The enzyme was found to be strongly inhibited by Mg2+ and Na+, whereas strongly activated by Fe3+, Cu2+, and Ca2+. B. licheniformis strain Z9 and its cellulase gene can be further utilized for recombinant production of cellulases for industrial application.

Bacterial cellulose (BC)-based dressings exhibit favorable hydrogel characteristics, including high biocompatibility, moisture regulation, and mechanical adaptability, making them suitable candidates for biomedical applications. In this study, an integrated approach was employed to develop multifunctional, bioactive bionanocomposites. A cellulose-producing bacterial strain, Limosilactobacillus fermentum 6BC (accession number OM978241.1), was isolated from spoiled grapes and identified through 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. The structural and chemical characteristics of the synthesized BC were analyzed using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). To enhance the biological functionality of BC, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were incorporated via a sono-coprecipitation method to produce ZnO-decorated BC (BCZO). The resulting BCZO was subsequently integrated into a hydroxypropyl ethyl cellulose (HPEC) matrix, forming a bionanoplatform designed for the immobilization of bioactive agents, specifically curcumin (Cc) and propolis extract (Pp). TEM was used to examine the nanoscale distribution of ZnO, while FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDS were employed to characterize the composite structure and confirm drug incorporation. The fabricated scaffolds were further subjected to comprehensive antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytocompatibility, and in vitro wound healing assessments to evaluate their biological performance. The antimicrobial assays demonstrated effective inhibition of L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, E. coli, Salmonella sp., and the fungus C. albicans. The bionanoplatforms also exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS assays (ascorbic acid as control). The cytocompatibility tests on human skin fibroblasts (HFB-4) showed excellent cell viability across all formulations. Among them, Cc/Pp50@BCZO/HPEC displayed the exciting antimicrobial and antioxidant performance, coupled with desirable cytocompatibility. Thus this study offers a systematic framework for engineering cellulose-based bioplatforms as bioactive materials for potential drug delivery and wound-healing applications.

Microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has garnered significant attention for its construction and geotechnical engineering applications. In this study, 24 bacterial isolates were obtained from various edges of Wadi El-Natron Lake, Egypt, and subsequently assessed for their capacity for calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) precipitation. Among these isolates, strain D16 exhibited the highest CaCO₃ precipitation, yielding 0.404 g/100 mL, alongside robust bacterial growth and a final pH of 9.09. Morphological and biochemical characterization revealed that the isolate was rod-shaped, Gram-positive, Catalase-positive, Urease-positive, and Spore-forming. The optimal growth conditions for the isolate included a pH of 8, with ideal Ca²⁺ and urea concentrations of 25 mM and 20 g/L, respectively, at an incubation temperature of 30 °C over seven days. Molecular identification confirmed the isolate as Bacillus tropicus strain D16, which has been recorded in GenBank under the accession number PQ817131. The precipitated CaCO₃ was quantified and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the N₂ desorption/adsorption isotherm (BET) method. The effect of calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CaCO₃-NPs, denoted as NC) on the properties of cement paste was investigated. Four composite pastes were prepared with varying dosages of CaCO₃-NPs: NC0.0, NC0.5, NC1.0, and NC1.5. These pastes were subjected to a series of tests, including compressive strength, bulk density, total porosity, and chemically combined water content, over a hydration period of up to 90 days. The results demonstrated that the addition of NC enhanced the compressive strength of the cement paste up to an optimal dosage content of 0.5%, beyond which the strength decreased due to nanoparticle agglomeration. These findings were further corroborated by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Thermal Thermogravimetric Analysis (DTG/TGA), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which provided microstructural and phase composition insights. Overall, the results indicate that the inclusion of an optimal dosage of CaCO₃-NPs can significantly improve the performance of cement composite pastes.