Nanoemulsions: A Review on the Conceptualization of Treatment for Psoriasis Using a ‘Green’ Surfactant with Low-Energy Emulsification Method

Psoriasis is a skin disease that is not lethal and does not spread through bodily contact. However, this seemingly harmless condition can lead to a loss of confidence and social stigmatization due to a persons’ flawed appearance. The conventional methods of psoriasis treatment include taking in systemic drugs to inhibit immunoresponses within the body or applying topical drugs onto the surface of the skin to inhibit cell proliferation. Topical methods are favored as they pose lesser side effects compared to the systemic methods. However, the side effects from systemic drugs and low bioavailability of topical drugs are the limitations to the treatment. The use of nanotechnology in this field has enhanced drug loading capacity and reduced dosage size. In this review, biosurfactants were introduced as a ‘greener’ alternative to their synthetic counterparts. Glycolipid biosurfactants are specifically suited for anti-psoriatic application due to their characteristic skin-enhancing qualities. The selection of a suitable oil phase can also contribute to the anti-psoriatic effect as some oils have skin-healing properties. The review covers the pathogenic pathway of psoriasis, conventional treatments, and prospective ingredients to be used as components in the nanoemulsion formulation. Furthermore, an insight into the state-of-the-art methods used in formulating nanoemulsions and their progression to low-energy methods are also elaborated in detail.

The Role of Microbial Products in Green Enhanced Oil Recovery: Acetone and Butanone

Green enhanced oil recovery is an oil recovery process involving the injection of specific environmentally friendly fluids (liquid chemicals and gases) that effectively displace oil due to their ability to alter the properties of enhanced oil recovery. In the microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) process, microbes produce products such as surfactants, polymers, ketones, alcohols, and gases. These products reduce interfacial tension and capillary force, increase viscosity and mobility, alter wettability, and boost oil production. The influence of ketones in green surfactant-polymer (SP) formulations is not yet well understood and requires further analysis. The work aims to examine acetone and butanone’s effectiveness in green SP formulations used in a sandstone reservoir. The manuscript consists of both laboratory experiments and simulations. The two microbial ketones examined in this work are acetone and butanone. A spinning drop tensiometer was utilized to determine the interfacial tension (IFT) values for the selected formulations. Viscosity and shear rate across a wide range of temperatures were measured via a Discovery hybrid rheometer. Two core flood experiments were then conducted using sandstone cores at reservoir temperature and pressure. The two formulations selected were an acetone and SP blend and a butanone and SP mixture. These were chosen based on their IFT reduction and viscosity enhancement capabilities for core flooding, both important in assessing a sandstone core’s oil recovery potential. In the first formulation, acetone was mixed with alkyl polyglucoside (APG), a non-ionic green surfactant, and the biopolymer Xanthan gum (XG). This formulation produced 32% tertiary oil in the sandstone core. In addition, the acetone and SP formulation was effective at recovering residual oil from the core. In the second formulation, butanone was blended with APG and XG; the formulation recovered about 25% residual oil from the sandstone core. A modified Eclipse simulator was utilized to simulate the acetone and SP core-flood experiment and examine the effects of surfactant adsorption on oil recovery. The simulated oil recovery curve matched well with the laboratory values. In the sensitivity analysis, it was found that oil recovery decreased as the adsorption values increased.

Selective Removal of Toxic Ions from Water/Wastewater: Using a Novel Surfactant

Pollution of drinking water by toxic heavy-metal ions is a matter of concern worldwide. These ions occur naturally, and also from environmental spills, radioactive wastes and other industrial waste. Arsenic and lead are typical examples. A novel green surfactant, purpose designed, and environmentally friendly is shown to be extremely effective and specific for heavy metal ion removal. This is a considerable step forward on previous technologies. Surfactants have been used universally to remove organic and inorganic contaminants from water. But little selectivity has been achieved. After usage, the residual surfactants are discharged into surface waters or sewage systems. This causes environmental pollution. In this review, three surfactants from different classes (novel green surfactant, synthetic chemical surfactant and biosurfactant) are compared in terms of their efficiency in flotation, removal of different heavy-metal ions, biodegradability, and toxicity level, including their advantages and disadvantages.