The global rise of antimicrobial resistance has driven the search for novel antimicrobial strategies with higher effectiveness than common antibiotics. Among various solutions, polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) have gained widespread attention owing to their biocompatibility, functional versatility, and responsiveness to environmental stimuli. This review summarizes recent advances in the synthesis, functionalization, and antimicrobial applications of PDA NPs, highlighting their potential as smart nanomaterials. PDA NPs exhibit intrinsic antimicrobial activity, large drug delivery capabilities, and excellent photothermal properties. Moreover, they can potentially eradicate biofilms; can be synergistically combined with other entities such as metal ions, antimicrobial peptides, and Fenton-like catalysts; and can provide in vivo models of bacterial infection. Despite these advantages, the widespread use of PDA NPs is limited by low synthesis reproducibility, insufficient accurate characterization, and lack of comprehensive biocompatibility assessment. Resolving these challenges is essential for fully comprehending and using the potential of PDA-based antimicrobial platforms. This review aims to explain the current landscape of PDA-based nanoformulations and to inspire future research toward clinically viable PDA-based nanoformulations.

In this study, xTitan, a field-deployable, automated, and versatile nucleic acid extraction system was employed to characterize microbial communities in Re

As the global population increases, the petroleum industry is experiencing exponential increase in energy demands. However, the petroleum industry faces a myriad of problems concerning production, operation, sustainability, climate change and broader environmental implications. Traditionally, industry has relied on synthetic surfactants to address these challenges. However, owing to their toxicity, nonbiodegradability, and potential ecological leaching, the industry is increasingly shifting toward natural surfactants. Biosurfactants have numerous applications in the petroleum industry as enhanced oil recovery agents, emulsification and demulsification agents, anticorrosive agents, and biocides for sulfate-reducing bacteria. Biosurfactants are proven to be versatile, stable, and valuable biochemical tools capable of modernizing and mitigating challenges in the petroleum industry while promoting sustainability. To realize their potential, future applications and commercialization of biosurfactants require specific research and technological advancement that can increase their production. This review explores the challenges faced by the petroleum industry and the classification, properties, applications, market share, patents, and promising prospects of biosurfactants in various petroleum industry sectors.

Magnetic nanowires possess unique properties that have attracted the interest of different fields of research, including basic physics, biomedicine, and data storage. We demonstrate a fabrication method for iron (Fe) nanowires via electrochemical deposition into anodic alumina oxide (AAO) templates. The templates are fabricated by anodization of aluminum (Al) discs, and the pore length and diameter are controlled by changing the anodizing conditions. Pores with an average diameter of around 120 nm are created using oxalic acid as the electrolyte. Using this method, cylindrical nanowires are synthesized, which are released by dissolving the alumina using a selective chemical etchant.