Cyanide removal from aqueous environment by resting cells and PTFE immobilized cells of Sphingobacterium spp.

Microbial detoxification of cyanide offered an inexpensive, safe, and viable alternative to physiochemical processes for the treatment of cyanide in industrial effluents or contaminated sites. This study involved isolation of novel strain with high resistance against cyanide toxicity and able to degrade the cyanide radical. The strain was isolated from rocky area and identified as Sphingobacterium multivorium using 16S ribosomal RNA. Resting pregrown cells were used in simple reaction mixture to avoid the complication associated with the media. One-gram fresh weight of this bacteria was able to remove 98.5% from 1.5 g/L cyanide which is a unique result. Factor affecting the biochemical process such as pH, temperature, agitation, glucose concentration was examined. The optimum conditions were, pH 6-7, 30-40°C, and 100-150 rpm shaking speed and 0.25% glucose. Furthermore, the cells were used after immobilization in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polymer. The PTFE is very safe carrier and the cells withstand the entrapment process and were able to remove 92% (1 g/L cyanide). The immobilized cells were used for six successive cycles with about 50% removal efficiency. The storage life extended to 14 days. No previous work studied the cyanide removal by Sphingobacterium spp. The strain showed good applicable characters.

Bioprospection of Antiviral and Antitumor Compounds from Some Marine Algae from Egyptian Shores.

BACKGROUND: The marine algae are considered a diverse source of bioactive compounds. Many active compounds have been isolated from algae and show good biological activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aim of this study is to detect the antiviral and anticancer activities in some extracts of marine algae. Extraction, purification and identification of some marine algae common in Egypt were conducted. Extraction of Ulva lactuca, Sargassum dentifolium, and Cystoseiara myrica was conducted. A sequence of extractions, including extraction by ethanol, boiling water, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide were carried out. The obtained extracts were evaluated for their antitumour and antiviral activities against liver tumour cells, brain tumour cell lines, measles virus, mumps virus and hepatitis B virus (HBV). The extracts of the best activities were subjected for purification by size exclusion chromatography and anion exchange chromatography for ethanolic extracts or precipitation by cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) then by size exclusion chromatography and anion exchange chromatography for aqueous extracts. Separation by GLS/MS was performed. The structures of the active compounds have been identified through different chemical analyses, including sugar analysis, configurational analysis, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), infrared spectroscopy (IR), Gas-Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GLC-MS) and 1H,13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at ZV. RESULTS: The active compounds from the water extracts have been identified mainly as polysaccharides and sulphated polysaccharides. The antitumour and the antiviral activities of ethanolic extracts are attributable to compound identified as Ethyl Palmitate. These natural compounds did not show cytotoxic effect. CONCLUSION: These outputs could be preliminary for further biological studies aiming to therapeutic application.

Convenient synthesis and antimicrobial activity of new 3-substituted 5-(benzofuran-2-yl)-pyrazole derivatives.

The reaction of ethyl 4-(benzofuran-2-yl)-2,4-dioxobutanoate 2 with two moles of hydrazine hydrate afforded 5-(benzofuran-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carbohydrazide 4a, while its reaction with equimolar amount of phenylhydrazine gave ester 3b which then converted to 5-(benzofuran-2-yl)-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carbohydrazide 4b. Various new compounds such as imides 5 and 6, acyl hydrazones 7 and 8, bi-pyrazoles 9-12, and 1,3-thiazole derivatives 14 and 15 were prepared from carbohydrazide derivatives 4a, b. The new compounds are tested for their antimicrobial activity. Compounds 2, 5, 7, and 8 showed antifungal activities against C. albicans. Also, compounds 2, 6, 8, and 15 showed antibacterial activities.

Drinking water quality and public health in Southwestern Saudi Arabia: The need for a national monitoring program.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim was to investigate the bacteriological quality of drinking water, and explore the factors involved in the knowledge of the public about the quality of drinking water in Najran region, Saudi Arabia. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 160 water samples were collected. Total coliforms, fecal coliform, and fecal streptococci were counted using Most Probable Number method. The bacterial genes lacZ and uidA specific to total coliforms and Escherichia coli, respectively, were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. An interview was conducted with 1200 residents using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Total coliforms were detected in 8 (20%) of 40 samples from wells, 13 (32.5%) of 40 samples from tankers, and 55 (68.8%) of 80 samples from roof tanks. Twenty (25%) and 8 (10%) samples from roof tanks were positive for E. coli and Streptococcus faecalis, respectively. Of the 1200 residents participating in the study, 10%, 45.5%, and 44.5% claimed that they depended on municipal water, bottled water, and well water, respectively. The majority (95.5%) reported the use of roof water tanks as a source of water supply in their homes. Most people (80%) believed that drinking water transmitted diseases. However, only 25% of them participated in educational programs on the effect of polluted water on health. CONCLUSIONS: Our results could help health authorities consider a proper regular monitoring program and a sustainable continuous assessment of the quality of well water. In addition, this study highlights the importance of the awareness and educational programs for residents on the effect of polluted water on public health.

Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of 1-(benzofuran-2-yl)-4-nitro-3-arylbutan-1-ones and 3-(benzofuran-2-yl)-4,5-dihydro-5-aryl-1-[4-(aryl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]-1H-pyrazoles.

2-Acetylbenzofuran 1 on treatment with substituted aldehydes affords the corresponding chalcones 2a-c. Treatment of the chalcones with nitromethane under Michael addition condition furnished the corresponding Michael adducts 3a-c. Cyclocondensation of the chalcones 2a and 2b with thiosemicarbazide under basic refluxing conditions gave 3-(benzofuran-2-yl)-5-(4-aryl)-4,5-dihydropyrazole-1-carbothioamides 4a,b. The pyrazolines 7a-d were synthesized by treating 4a,b with phenacyl bromides in refluxing ethanol. All the synthesized compounds were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities at 100 microg concentration. Some of our compounds showed excellent antimicrobial activities than control drugs.