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Paclitaxel (PTX) and anastrozole (ANA) have been frequently applied in breast cancer treatment. PTX is well-known for its anti-proliferative effect meanwhile ANA has just been discovered to act as an estrogen receptor α (ERα) ligand. The combination therapy of PTX and ANA is expected to improve treating efficiency, as ANA would act as a ligand binding with the ERα gene expressed in breast cancer cells and thereafter PTX would inhibit the division and cause death to those cancer cells. In this study, liposome-based nanocarriers (LP) were developed for co-encapsulation of PTX and ANA to improve the efficacy of the combined drugs in an Estrogen receptor-responsive breast cancer study. PTX-ANA co-loaded LP was prepared using thin lipid film hydration method and was characterized for morphology, size, zeta potential, drug encapsulation and in vitro drug release. In addition, cell proliferation (WST assay) and IN Cell Analyzer were used for in vitro cytotoxicity studies on a human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Results showed that the prepared LP and PTX-ANA-LP had spherical vesicles, with a mean particle size of 170.1 ± 13.5 nm and 189.0 ± 22.1 nm, respectively. Controlled and sustained releases were achieved at 72 h for both of the loaded drugs. The in vitro cytotoxicity study found that the combined drugs showed higher toxicity than each single drug separately. These results suggested a new approach to breast cancer treatment, consisting of the combination therapy of PTX and ANA in liposomes based on ER response.

Sewage sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plant was a rich phosphorus resource. In this study, HCl, H2SO4, and HNO3 were investigated as leaching acids for extraction of phosphate from the sludge to recover this value nutrient by adsorption using layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanomaterial. Mg-Al LDH was synthesized by coprecipitation at room temperature and at a constant pH of 10 (±0.5) with Mg/Al molar ratio of 2.0. The material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and then was used to adsorb phosphate leaching from the sewage sludge. Adsorption experiments were carried out as a function of adsorbent dose, phosphate initial concentrations, and pH. The adsorption isotherm data fitted the Langmuir model perfectly. The high adsorption capacity of Mg-Al LDH and slowly released phosphate of the post-adsorption LDH suggested that this material was an excellent adsorbent for phosphate recovery and could be considered as a potential phosphate release fertilizer.

The current study aims to investigate the effect of calcium hydroxide on the geopolymer derived from an admixture of the natural mineral (kaolin) and industrial by-products (fly ash, red mud). The compressive strength and microstructure were studied using compressive strength tests, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, BET method, and scanning electron microscopy. For the investigated NaOH activator concentrations ranging from 4 M to 10 M, the compressive strength of the geopolymer first increases, then decreases with the increase of calcium hydroxide content. The optimal content of calcium hydroxide, which can give the highest compressive strength of the geopolymer prepared, is about 13% wt. of solid raw materials. The geopolymer materials produced at the 8 M NaOH activator have higher compressive strength than those prepared at 4 M, 6 M, and 10 M NaOH. There is a coexistence of geopolymerization gel and C-S-H/C-A-S-H gel in the materials prepared. Both porosity and the formation of N-A-S-H/C-S-H/C-A-S-H during the polymerization process are important for the mechanical properties of materials.

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