Optimization of Bioactive Phenolics Extraction and Cosmeceutical Activity of Eco-Friendly Polypropylene-Glycol–Lactic-Acid-Based Extracts of Olive Leaf

Olive leaf is a rich source of phenolic compounds with numerous activities related to skin health and appearance. In this study, a green extraction method was developed using eco-friendly solvents: polypropylene glycol (PPG), lactic acid (LA), and water. The optimal extraction conditions were established, including solvent, extraction time, technique (magnetic stirrer vs. ultrasound-assisted extraction), and herbal material/solvent ratio. The composition of the solvent mixture was optimized using a mixture design. The content of phenolic compounds, including oleuropein and verbascoside, was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometric methods. Using different extraction conditions, three extracts were prepared and their phytochemical compositions and antioxidant and skin-related bioactivities were investigated. The extracts were excellent inhibitors of elastase, collagenase, tyrosinase, and lipoxygenase. The best activity was shown by the extract richest in phenolics and prepared using magnetic-stirrer-assisted extraction for 20 min, with 0.8 g of herbal material extracted in 10 mL of PPG/LA/water mixture (28.6/63.6/7.8, w/w/w), closely followed by the extract prepared using the same extraction conditions but with 0.42 g of herbal material. The investigated PPG/LA/water mixtures contributed to the overall enzyme-inhibitory activity of the extracts. The prepared extracts were appropriate for direct use in cosmetic products, thus saving the time and energy consumption necessary for the evaporation of conventional solvents.

Development of Antifouling Polysulfone Membranes by Synergistic Modification with Two Different Additives in Casting Solution and Coagulation Bath: Synperonic F108 and Polyacrylic Acid

This study deals with the development of antifouling ultrafiltration membranes based on polysulfone (PSF) for wastewater treatment and the concentration and purification of hemicellulose and lignin in the pulp and paper industry. The efficient simple and reproducible technique of PSF membrane modification to increase antifouling performance by simultaneous addition of triblock copolymer polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol-polyethylene glycol (Synperonic F108, Mn =14 × 103 g mol−1) to the casting solution and addition of polyacrylic acid (PAA, Mn = 250 × 103 g mol−1) to the coagulation bath is proposed for the first time. The effect of the PAA concentration in the aqueous solution on the PSF/Synperonic F108 membrane structure, surface characteristics, performance, and antifouling stability was investigated. PAA concentrations were varied from 0.35 to 2.0 wt.%. Membrane composition, structure, and topology were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The addition of PAA into the coagulation bath was revealed to cause the formation of a thicker and denser selective layer with decreasing its pore size and porosity; according to the structural characterization, an interpolymer complex of the two additives was formed on the surface of the PSF membrane. Hydrophilicity of the membrane selective layer surface was shown to increase significantly. The selective layer surface charge was found to become more negative in comparison to the reference membrane. It was shown that PSF/Synperonic F108/PAA membranes are characterized by better antifouling performance in ultrafiltration of humic acid solution and thermomechanical pulp mill (ThMP) process water. Membrane modification with PAA results in higher ThMP process water flux, fouling recovery ratio, and hemicellulose and total lignin rejection compared to the reference PSF/Synperonic F108 membrane. This suggests the possibility of applying the developed membranes for hemicellulose concentration and purification.

The possibility of using DES based on polypropylene glycol 425 and tetrabuthylammonium bromide in the extraction processes of transition metals

Traditionally, the method of liquid extraction is used to extract metals from aqueous. This work is devoted to the combination of perspective alternative for hazardous solvents (aqueous two-phase systems based on water-soluble polymers) and the novel deep eutectic solvents in the non-ferrous metals extraction processes. In this work, the synthesis of deep eutectic solvent based on a water-soluble polymer (PPG-425) and tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) by stirring for 10 minutes at 80° C has been shown. The obtained results showed not only the possibility of using DES in the metal extraction process, but the selectivity to the Fe(III) and Zn(III), the distribution coefficients were 71.64 and 25.17 respectively. The metal concentrations were determined spectrophotometrically using 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol. This work shows the perspectives of using DESs in the metal extraction processes.

Extraction of pyridine using systems based on water-soluble polymers

In the process of using hydrocarbon fractions containing a large amount of nitrogenous compounds, nitrogen oxides are released into the atmospheric air, which have a negative impact on the environment and human health. The traditional cleaning method is treatment with a 25% sulfuric acid solution and subsequent hydrotreating. However, this process becomes disadvantageous due to its inability to achieve ultra-low concentrations of nitrogen-containing compounds (<10 ppm). Extraction using non-toxic and environmentally friendly water-soluble polymers is a promising alternative compared to traditional methods. This work presents the dependence of the interphase distribution of pyridine on the composition of extraction systems based on water-soluble polymers. According to the results of the study, it was found that polyethylene glycol-400, polypropylene glycol-425 and methyl ether of polyethylene glycol-350 exhibit effective extraction properties in relation to pyridine and extract it by 90.95%, 90.33% and 87.82% in one extraction stage, respectively. It was also found that the use of two-phase aqueous systems based on water-soluble polymers in the process of extracting pyridine is promising.

Extraction of Zn (II) ions in an polypropylene glycol 425 - sodium chloride - water aqueous two-phase system

Liquid-liquid extraction is one of the most used separation methods in chemical technology for recovery and separation of metal ions, other inorganic and organic substances. It is known that for extraction of Zn(II) the most frequently used extractants are D2EHPA, Aliquat 336, etc., diluted in an organic solvent. The use of these reagents does not meet the principles of “green” chemistry. Thus, in the present work, the extraction system based on polypropylene glycol 425 and sodium chloride for the extraction of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solutions is proposed. Equilibrium values of the distribution coefficient in the proposed aqueous two-phase system have been determined. Dependence of metal distribution coefficient on time of phase contact is obtained, time to reach equilibrium was 10 minutes. The isotherm of Zn(II) extraction obtained in the proposed system is a straight line, which indicates the independence of the distribution coefficient from the initial concentration of metal in the solution. The received experimental data can be used at the creation of “green” schemes of processing of Ni-MH batteries.

Liquid-liquid extraction of Pt(IV) from hydrochloric acid solutions using PPG 425 – NaCl – H2O system

Today, metal extraction from e-waste is beneficial from both an environmental and economic point of view. Natural resources of metals, especially platinum group metals, are limited. At the same time, the amount of waste containing many valuable elements continues to grow. In this work, we studied the extraction of Pt (IV) from hydrochloric acid solutions using polypropylene glycol 425 (PPG 425). In the course of the experimental work, the dependence of the platinum extraction degree on the influence of hydrochloric acid concentration and medium pH in the polypropylene glycol 425 - sodium chloride - water system have been established. The maximum recovery (distribution coefficient > 3,5) has been achieved in the presence of 2 M HCl in an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), which allows the use of the proposed system for the extraction of platinum from leaching solutions.

Application of ionic liquid based on Aliquat 336 and D2EHPA in the extraction of transition metals

To date, there are a number of methods for selective extraction of transition metal ions based on liquid-liquid extraction. One of the most interesting methods of metal ions extraction is liquid-liquid extraction with application of ionic liquids based on quaternary ammonium bases and organic acid residues, in particular, organophosphorus, diluted with organic solvent (toluene, xylene, kerosene, etc.). However, using of organic solvents does not correspond to the modern tendencies of harmful effects on the environment reducing. Thus, we propose to use Aliquat 336 and D2EHPA-based ionic liquid for extraction of transition metal ions in ecologically safe aqueous two-phase system based on polypropylene glycol 425 and sodium chloride. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate trioctylmethylammonium has been shown to yield more than 80% Fe(III) and Y(III) ions.

Synthesis and Catalytic Properties of New Polymeric Monometallic Composites Based on Copolymers of Polypropylene Glycol Maleate Phthalate with Acrylic Acid

Metal-polymer composites based on copolymers of polypropylene glycol maleate phthalate with acrylic acid and metallic nickel and silver were synthesized for the first time. The objects obtained were characterized by infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopies, thermogravimetry, a scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy, and atomic emission spectrometry. The catalytic activity of new metal-polymer composites that exhibited a rather high efficiency in the reactions of electrocatalytic hydrogenation of pyridine was studied. It is shown that nanoparticles of metals are evenly distributed in the volume of the polymer matrix; more than 80% of nanoparticles are in the range from 25 to 40 nm and have spherical and rhombic shapes. The reusability of the obtained composites is shown.

Discovery of Novel Cyclic Ethers with Synergistic Antiplasmodial Activity in Combination with Valinomycin

With drug resistance threatening our first line antimalarial treatments, novel chemotherapeutics need to be developed. Ionophores have garnered interest as novel antimalarials due to their theorized ability to target unique systems found in the Plasmodium-infected erythrocyte. In this study, during the bioassay-guided fractionation of the crude extract of Streptomyces strain PR3, a group of cyclodepsipeptides, including valinomycin, and a novel class of cyclic ethers were identified and elucidated. Further study revealed that the ethers were cyclic polypropylene glycol (cPPG) oligomers that had leached into the bacterial culture from an extraction resin. Molecular dynamics analysis suggests that these ethers are able to bind cations such as K+, NH4+ and Na+. Combination studies using the fixed ratio isobologram method revealed that the cPPGs synergistically improved the antiplasmodial activity of valinomycin and reduced its cytotoxicity in vitro. The IC50 of valinomycin against P. falciparum NF54 improved by 4–5-fold when valinomycin was combined with the cPPGs. Precisely, it was improved from 3.75 ± 0.77 ng/mL to 0.90 ± 0.2 ng/mL and 0.75 ± 0.08 ng/mL when dosed in the fixed ratios of 3:2 and 2:3 of valinomycin to cPPGs, respectively. Each fixed ratio combination displayed cytotoxicity (IC50) against the Chinese Hamster Ovary cell line of 57–65 µg/mL, which was lower than that of valinomycin (12.4 µg/mL). These results indicate that combinations with these novel ethers may be useful in repurposing valinomycin into a suitable and effective antimalarial.