Izabela Michalak

Wroclaw University of Science and Technology | WUT · Faculty of Chemistry

Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies are one of the major trends in the world of new technological solutions. They are often considered to be one of the fundamental building blocks of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The use of computer-aided design (CAD) to create three-dimensional models with complex geometries without material waste takes t...

In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were biosynthesized with the use of an extract derived from seaweed (Sargassum sp.) and used as a sorbent for the removal of Cr(III) ions from wastewater. The biosorption properties of the seaweed itself as well as of the post-extraction residue were investigated for comparison. ZnO NPs were charact...

Hydrogels are three-dimensional cross-linked polymeric networks capable of a large amount of fluid retention in their structure. Hydrogel outputs manufactured using additive manufacturing technologies are exposed to water loss, which may change their original shape and dimensions. Therefore, the possibility of retaining water is important in such a...

Seas and oceans have been explored for the last 70 years in search of new compounds that can support the battle against cancer. Marine polysaccharides can act as nanomaterials for medical applications and marine-derived bioactive compounds can be applied for the biosynthesis of metallic and nonmetallic nanoparticles. Nanooncology can be used in num...

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has affected many countries throughout the world. As urgency is a necessity, most efforts have focused on identifying small molecule drugs that can be repurposed for use as anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Although several drug candi...

In recent years, there has been an increased interest in products of natural origin. The extraction procedure of bioactive compounds from plant matrices is a crucial step in the development of useful new bioproducts for everyday life. The utilisation of analyses enabling the rapid identification of the presence of a given group of compounds can be...

Microalgae and cyanobacteria include procaryotic and eucaryotic photosynthetic micro-organisms that produce biomass rich in biomolecules with a high value. Some examples of these biomolecules are proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, pigments, antioxidants, and vitamins. Currently, microalgae are also considered a good source of biofuel feedstock. The m...

I am pleased to announce a new Special Issue entitled "Industrial Biotechnology Applications in Medicine, Agroindustry, Aquaculture, Biofuel, and Environmental Areas". Meanwhile, I would like to invite you to contribute an article with a special discount (paper submittion before January 30, 2023 20% discount if paper is accepted for publication) to...

Hydrożele na bazie alginianu sodu są̨ na przełomie ostatnich lat jednym z częściej wybieranych materiałów w zastosowaniach medycznych. Cechują się właściwościami bioaktywnymi, zdolnością̨ do degradacji, nie są toksyczne. Ponadto, materiał ten wykazuje cechy hydrożelu inteligentnego, czyli mającego możliwość zmiany właściwości pod wpływem parametrów...

The advancement of Aquatic Biotechnology has encouraged the use of experimental procedures to improve aquatic animal production. One of the experimental techniques is the protein recombination technique used for this purpose. Recombinant DNA technology is a useful and valuable tool for producing large amounts of protein from different fish species....

The application of high doses of mineral feed additives in the form of inorganic salts increases the growth performance of animals, but at the same, due to their low bioavailability, can contaminate the environment. Therefore, there is a need to find a replacement of administering high doses of minerals with an equally effective alternative. The ap...

The objective of this study was to investigate the response of Japanese and Polish soybean varieties to algal extract in terms of yield and other agronomic traits. A field experiment was conducted in 2019 at Pawlowice Experimental Station near Wroclaw city (Poland) to study the effect of a foliar spray of the algal extract prepared from freshwater...

Natural antioxidants applied as feed additives can improve not only animals’ health and overall performance but also increase their resistance to environmental stress such as heat stress, bad housing conditions, diseases, etc. Marine organisms such as seaweeds – red, brown, and green macroalgae contain a plethora of biologically active substances,...

The application of additive manufacturing (AM) technology in biomedicine offers many advantages due to the possibility of personalization and precision in shape accurate reproduction or dose of drug selection. AM technique enables the use of a wide variety of biocompatible materials, which can be applied even in the form of hydrogel. However, the u...

Cancer is a multistage process that can be treated by numerous modalities including systemic treatment. About half of the molecules that have been approved in the last few decades count for plant derivatives. This review presents the application of tree/shrub-derived biologically active compounds as anticancer agents. Different parts of trees/shrub...

The underexploited biomass of red seaweed Solieria chordalis (C.Agardh) J.Agardh 1842 represents a potential source for biotechnological development. Extracts obtained from S. chordalis by enzyme-assisted extraction using Protamex® and Neutrase® were evaluated as potential biostimulants of plant growth. Additionally, this alga, as well as post-extr...

According to the literature, significant advances in the development of nanotechnology for agriculture have taken place over the last decade. So far, according to the Web of Science database (July 15, 2020), 1936 publications on “nanotechnology” and “agriculture” have been published so far. The agricultural application of nanotechnology is mainly c...

All crop production can be susceptible to a variety of diseases, insects, and weeds. Some of them can damage plants, reduce their yield, while others can attack vegetables, fruit, ornamental plants leaving them unattractive and unmarketable. In the present chapter we focused on the novel trends in crop bioprotection which include biochemical pestic...

Nowadays, livestock farmers are looking for solutions that will improve animal growth and performance, as well as the quality of animal-derived products. One of them is the use of feed additives that typically include antibiotics, antioxidants, acidifiers, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, binders, enzymes. The application of seaweeds as novel and s...

The current cultivation practices mainly use fertilizing products in order to increase crop yield and to improve soil structure and quality. However, short- and long-term negative impacts on the environment of some fertilizing products of mineral origin have already been described. Thus, the challenge is to search for a new generation of sustainabl...

Industrial effluents containing heavy metal ions constitute a crucial problem. These metal ions can be toxic and pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. Among many methods of removing metal ions from wastewater, biosorption is an attractive and eco-friendly option. Biosorbents used in this process are cheap, readily available, an...

The present study investigated the influence of the quail diet polluted with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and its detoxification by using clay as a feed additive on the growth performance and some blood biochemical components of growing Japanese quail with reference to sex. A total number of 120 Japanese quail chicks (1 week old), was randomly divided into...

The aim of this study was to propose a complete approach for macroalgae biomass valorization into products useful for sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. In the first stage, the effects of macroalgal extracts and ZnO NPs (zinc oxide nanoparticles) on the germination and growth of radish were examined. Macroalgal extract was produc...

The present study examines the separate and synergistic effects of macroalgal extract and static magnetic field (SMF) on the germination of soybean seeds (Glycine max (L.) Merrill), cv. Abelina, seedling growth, chlorophyll, and carotenoids content in leaves. Algal extract was produced from freshwater green macroalga (Cladophora glomerata) using ul...

In the present study, three natural materials – aluminosilicate, microalga Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis and grass hay were examined in terms of sorption properties. Materials enriched with Cr(III), Mn(II) and Mg(II) ions were tested independently using two analytical techniques – ICP-OES and SEM-EDX. Preliminary sorption experiments were condu...

In the present study, brown seaweed - Fucus vesiculosus was used as a raw material for the preparation of bio-products for sustainable agriculture. Biosorption was applied to produce fertilizer additives with microelements. F. vesiculosus was enriched with Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions. Biostimulants of plant growth were obtained by seaweed extraction wit...

Plants due to the high content of various bioactive compounds are the main raw material for production of valuable, and useful bio-products (e.g., food, cosmetics, medicines, biostimulants, biopesticides, and feed). Different plant parts, for instance: seeds, fruits, flowers, stems, leaves, and roots can be used for their manufacture. Nowadays, the...

The modern agricultural sector faces the challenge of addressing the needs of the fast-growing global population. This process should be both high-yielding and sustainable, without creating risks for the environment and human health. Therefore, natural products are gaining attention in the production of safe and nutritious food. In a systematic eff...

Bioactive peptides (BPs) are specific protein fragments formed by amino acids joined by covalent bonds known as amide or peptide bonds that exert various beneficial effects on human bodies and ultimately influence health, reckoning on their structural properties and aminoalkanoic acid composition and sequences. These peptides can be obtained from p...

Chromium removal from aqueous solutions has gained attention due to its hazardous impact on life organisms. In the present study, sorption processes were performed to examine the opportunity to apply biochar derived from waste tomato leaves and stems for Cr(III) ion removal. Biochars were produced through pyrolysis in a wide range of temperature (2...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, previously 2019-nCoV) is suspected of having originated in 2019 in China from a coronavirus infected bat of the genus Rhinolophus. Following the initial emergence, possibly facilitated by a mammalian bridge host, SARS-CoV-2 is currently transmitted across the globe via efficient human-to-...

Cancer is a significant public health problem worldwide, therefore it is important to find appropriate treatment methods. In addition to surgical treatment, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, drugs are increasingly employed. Drugs and their delivery systems have a significant role in the treatment of cancer, hydrogels find wide application there. Hydr...

Two different aquatic biomass sources—freshwater hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum L.) and macroalga (Cladophora glomerata L.)—were used to produce biochars, which were investigated as Cr(III) ion sorbents. Wide range of pyrolysis temperatures from 250 to 800 °C was examined. Resultant biochars were characterized in detail by means of proximate anal...

Nutraceuticals and functional foods are gaining more attention amongst consumers interested in nutritious food. The consumption of foodstuffs with a high content of phytochemicals has been proven to provide various health benefits. The application of biostimulants is a potential strategy to fortify cultivated plants with beneficial bioactive compou...

Antibiotics use in poultry as a growth promoter leads to the propagation of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and incorporation of drug residues in foods; therefore, it has been restricted in different countries. There is a global trend to limit the use of antibiotics in the animal products. Prevention of the antibiotics use in the poultry diets...

As carrot seeds are notoriously slow to germinate and are often irregular in breaking dormancy, new methods of stimulation are still sought. This study examines for the first time the effect of an algal extract and static magnetic field (SMF) and their synergistic effect on carrot seeds germination. The algal extract, produced from a freshwater mac...

Sustaining the vital functions of cells outside the organism requires strictly defined parameters. In order to ensure their optimal growth and development, it is necessary to provide a range of nutrients and regulators. Hydrogels are excellent materials for 3D in vitro cell cultures. Their ability to retain large amounts of liquid, as well as their...

This study includes information about the most common freshwater and marine species from the genus Cladophora such as classification, taxonomy and morphology, ecology, occurrence and distribution, population and community structure, harvesting and culture conditions, chemical composition, and utilization. Habitat requirements and development optima...

Most of the world’s seaweed-derived extracts used for their biostimulatory/bioeffector properties for plants (i.e., abiotic and biotic stress reduction) are manufactured from brown algae, generally harvested from wild populations, or collected as storm-cast (e.g., Ascophyllum, Durvillaea, Ecklonia, Laminaria/Saccharina, Sargassum, etc.). Extracts o...

A plethora of papers and book chapters have been published wherein the effects of biostimulants on plant growth and development, resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, crop yield and food quality were examined. Natural biostimulants are known to stimulate yield and quality, photochemical efficiency and to protect the photosynthetic pigments. In t...

Alginate is a polysaccharide naturally occurring in brown seaweeds cell walls. Unique properties such as ease of gelation, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity of alginates make them widely employed in a variety of industries. Mentioned here properties and versatility of alginate resulted in approval by U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Admin...

Nutraceuticals have gained immense importance in poultry science in the recent past considering the nutritional and beneficial health effects of their constituents and the various adverse effects of different pharmaceuticals already used in poultry diet like antibiotics and other drugs. Besides providing nutritional requirements to birds, nutraceut...

Hydrogels are cross-linked polymeric structures, which consist of up to approximately 90% water, the remainder is polymer chain. Retention of large volumes of water in the intermolecular space is related to the presence of hydrophilic functional groups in the network. The unique hydrogels properties, such as porosity, and biological and mechanical...

The use of higher plants for the production of plant growth biostimulants is receiving increased attention among scientists, farmers, investors, consumers and regulators. The aim of the present study was to examine the possibility of converting plants commonly occurring in Europe (St. John's wort, giant goldenrod, common dandelion, red clover, nett...

Bioactive compounds of natural origin are gaining increasing popularity. High biological activity and bioavailability, beneficial effects on health and safety of use are some of their most desirable features. Low production and processing costs render them even more attractive. Microorganisms have been used in the food, medicinal, cosmetic and ener...

Extracts of algae and their products are the components of cosmetics or cosmeceuticals. The active ingredients extracted from algal biomass can be used in three ways: as additives; as stabilization and preservation of the product; and as the compounds that fulfil a real cosmetic function and activity. The most frequently used extracts in cosmetic f...

Poultry production is an important area of the agricultural economy. Nowadays, there is an interest in novel sources of feed additives that will improve production performance and poultry health. As an easily available and renewable biomass rich in biologically active compounds, seaweeds can meet this demand. Different forms of seaweeds–seaweed pow...

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - Coronavirus-2 of the family Coronaviridae, appeared in China in December 2019. This disease was declared as posing Public Health International Emergency by World Health Organization on January 30, 2020, attained the status of a very high-risk category on...

In this literature review, the current state-of-art of coatings for orthodontic archwires' increasing antimicrobial and relevant mechanical properties, such as surface topography, friction or corrosion resistance, has been presented. There is a growing request for orthodontic appliances, therefore, most researchers focus on innovative functional co...

Chronic osteomyelitis, a bone infectious disease, is characterized by dysregulation of bone homeostasis, which results in excessive bone resorption. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which is a gram‐negative endotoxin was shown to inhibit osteoblast differentiation and to induce apoptosis and osteoclasts formation in vitro. While effective therapy against b...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has spread over 210 countries and territories beyond China shortly. On February 29, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) denoted it in a high-risk category, and on March 11, 2020, this virus was designated pandemic, after its declaration being a Public Health International Emergency on January 30, 2020. Wor...

In the present study, the effect of macroalga Enteromorpha sp. enriched with Zn(II) and Cu(II) ions on daily amounts of feces and urine excreted by growing pigs, apparent fecal nutrient digestibility and daily nitrogen balance and retention, meat quality and the slaughter value of carcasses was examined. The duration of feeding experiments was 87 d...

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is a highly contagious upper respiratory tract disease of chicken caused by a Gallid herpesvirus I (GaHV-1) belonging to the genus Iltovirus, and subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae within Herpesviridae family. The disease is characterized by conjunctivitis, sinusitis, oculo-nasal discharge, respiratory distress, bloody...

Abstract: Although around the globe numerous studies have been conducted on the nutritional composition of blueberry/bilberry and its effect on human health, very little is known about the fruit in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the first report regarding the physical and chemical characteristics of the cultivated highbush blueberry and bilberry h...

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Spirulina platensis, formulation containing microalgal extract, post-extraction residue, and formulation without algal extract (containing only emulsifier) on the content of FAs in the eggs of laying hens. The experiment was conducted on 90 laying hens (ISA Brown) as a completely randomized design....

This research presents the possibility of using innovative botanical extracts as biostimulants of plant growth to improve plant nutritional value, growth, and development. It is important to increase agricultural production but this process should be carried out in a sustainable way, without causing risks for both the environment and consumers. For...

This paper presents the current state-of-the art of additive manufacturing (AM) applications in the biomedical field, especially in tissue engineering. Multiple advantages of additive manufacturing allow to precise three-dimensional objects fabrication with complex structure using various materials. Depending on the purpose of the manufactured part...

Poland, a Central European country with a Baltic Sea coastline of 634 km, has no tradition of nearshore cultivation of seaweeds or utilization of this biomass. The Baltic is known for its eutrophication. Numerous attempts are being made to combat this phenomenon as well as to find applications for the beach-cast and free-floating macroalgae, which...

Background: Chondrogenesis represents a highly dynamic cellular process that leads to the establishment of various types of cartilage. However, when stress-related injuries occur, a rapid and efficient regeneration of the tissues is necessary to maintain cartilage integrity. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to exhibit high capacity for self...

Seaweeds have received huge interest in recent years given their promising potentialities. Their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, hypolipemic, and anticoagulant effects are among the most renowned and studied bioactivities so far, and these effects have been increasingly associated with their content and richness in both primary and secon...

In the present work, dry plant biomass that is commonly used in horses feeding: alfalfa, chopped grass pellets and chopped grass was used as a biosorbent of microelement ions: Cr(III), Zn(II), Cu(II) and Mn(II). Biosorption process was used to potentially enhance supplementation of minerals in horses diet. In order to characterize the biosorption p...

In this paper, the current state-of-art of extraction of alginates and the determination of their physico-chemical properties as well as their overall applications focussing on biomedical purposes has been presented. The quality and quantity of the alginate obtained with a variable yield prepared from brown seaweeds as a result of many factors, suc...

Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis was tested for biosorption properties. Preliminary experiments concerning biosorption kinetics were performed on Cr(III) ions. Equilibrium of biosorption was tested for Cr(III), Mn(II) and Mg(II) ions, since these elements are crucial for animals with metabolic disorders. In our study, Spirulina was proposed as a f...