Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of chitosan molecular weight on size, size distribution, release rate, mucoadhesive properties and electrostatic bonding of alginate/chitosan microparticles containing prednisolone Methods: Three mucoadhesive alginate/chitosan microparticle formulations, f1, f2 and f3, were prepared using low, medium and high chitosan molecular weight (MW) chitosan, respectively, by directly spraying alginate solution into a solution of chitosan and calcium chloride at optimum conditions. Prednisolone was incorporated in the alginate solution prior to spraying. The microparticles were then evaluated for prednisolone content, size, release rate, and mucoadhesive properties using appropriate methods. The formation of electrostatic and hydrogen bonds between chitosan and alginate was assessed by differential scanning calorimetetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Results: The results indicate that high MW chitosan microparticles were significantly (p<0.05) smaller and more uniform in size, with better mucoadhesive properties and lower release rate than the other formulations. FTIR and DSC studies indicate that stronger hydrogen and electrostatic bonding in the formulation containing high MW chitosan than inthe other formulations Conclusion: The physicochemical properties of chitosan-alginate microparticles are dependent on the molecular weight of chitosan

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Methane decomposition has been extensively investigated using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, focused on the metal catalysts including Ni, Fe, Pd, and Cu within the controlled chamber to verify the effect of catalyst, plasma properties, and yield and selectivity of the products. Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography (GC) are employed to support the characterization of the components. This indicates that methane is strongly decomposed within the metal-assisted laser-induced plasma, leading to the subsequent recombination and the production of heavier hydrocarbons. The dominant species, including propane, ethane, and ethylene, have been identified examining different metallic catalysts. The dissociation rate, conversion ratio, selectivity, and yield of products are strongly dependent on the metal target and plasma characteristics.

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Production of barberry hydrogel beads containing suspended pulp was investigated based on reverse spherification method. Beads with different concentration of sodium alginate (0.5%, 0.8%, and 1% w/v) and calcium lactate (1%, 1.67%, and 2.2% w/v) were prepared. Total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity, membrane thickness, microstructure, hardness, and thermal properties of beads were evaluated at the time of production and after two months of storage. Textural studies indicated that an increase in sodium alginate concentration, improved hardness (from 67.2 to 207 g) of liquid hydrogel beads and reduced the destruction of antioxidants and total phenolic contents during storage. Calcium lactate concentrations had an adverse effect on hardness of hydrogels. Evaluation of micrographs confirmed a significant difference between the network structures of hydrogels containing various concentrations of calcium ions. TPC contents of the sample containing the highest concentration of sodium alginate were higher than beads containing 0.5% and 0.8% sodium alginate. Practical applications As a result of this paper, we will be able to fabricate a method to produce hydrogel beads filled with barberry syrup. This product can be easily consumed as a nutritional snack by people of different ages. This product will be interesting for children due to its unique mouthfeel as the liquor in the beads bursts into the mouth with teeth pressure. Protection of the nutritional properties of herbal extracts using reverse spherification method will be possible as a result of our developed method, which can be applied for different products in the future.