Ecologically sustainable removal of pharmaceuticals: A mechanistic study of bismuth sulfide-graphene oxide/silver nanocomposite.

Bismuth sulfide nanoparticles (BiS NPs) were synthesized via the hydrothermal method, and reduced graphene oxide(rGO) and silver nanoparticles (Ag), which acted as substrates, have prepared using the chemical reduction method. The synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Commercially available paracetamol-500 mg (PAM) and aspirin-300 mg (ASP) were selected for photodegradation under visible light using the as-prepared composites in an aqueous solution. Photoluminescence spectroscopy was used to detect PAM and ASP using the photo-excited electron transfer (PET) process, and the limit of detection (LOD) has obtained for PAM(8.70 ppm) and ASP(4.43 ppm) with a sensitivity of 0.9954 and 0.8002, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to analyze the before and after degradation products and to confirm the disintegrated products such as -COOH and -CH- both before and after disintegration.. The experimental data were found to fit well with the Freundlich isotherm, suggesting that the as-prepared nanocomposites exhibited a heterogeneous nature for PAM (5119 mg/L), and the pseudo-first-order kinetic model suggests ASP (1030 mg/L) with R2 values of 0.9119 and 0.7075. The risk assessment analysis of PAM was 9.823 µg/L(RQ > 1) and that of ASP was 0.2106 µg/L(RQ < 1), indicating that PAM has a higher potential risk than ASP. The demographic data of the participants indicated that PAM was the most stockpiled medicine at home; this work also encompasses the action of a single PAM and ASP tablet toward the environment, if it is accidently disposed of improperly could create massive water/soil pollution; hence, the care/duty of each person should follow the proper disposal of medical waste because we cannot replace this environment.

Evaluating the detection efficacy of advanced bimetallic plasmonic nanoparticles for heavy metals, hazardous materials and pesticides of leachate in contaminated groundwater.

During the decomposition of trashes, leachate is created and leaching is gradually pollutes the surface and groundwater. Thus, the most severe ecological impact is the risk of ground water pollution because of collection of leachate from unlined insecure landfills. Due to the low biodegradable organic strength, irregular productivity and composition, the environmentally neglected landfill leachate treatment is challenging. This work was conducted on a synthetically effective bimetallic surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) nanosensor by gold/silver-bimetallic nanoparticles (Au/Ag-NPs), and used for the specific detection of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate in groundwater. The optical study of Au/Ag-NPs led to reflections from Ag cores and small Au shells. The structural studies represent the FCC structure of Au/Ag-NPs. The core-shell nanocrevice NPs with particle size of 23 nm played an important role with plasmonic behaviour enhances the electromagnetic excitation to achieve SERS detection and plasmonic photocatalysis. Thus, obtained results clearly show that Au was successfully added to Ag-NPs, and its existence can also be confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDAX). The prepared SERS based sensors have the potential to detect aromatic hydrocarbon, pesticides and heavy metals from environmentally ignored MSW landfill leachate. In general, the application of this new synergetic strategy of the photocatalytic degradation of leachate was irradiated by visible wavelength with the rate constant of 0.0036/min, 0.0047/min and 0.005/min by Ag-NPs, Au-NPs and Au/Ag-NPs respectively. Overall, this is the only study achieved efficiently with photocatalytic degradation and SERS detection of environmentally ignored real sample (leachate) to make pollutant free homeland aquifers.

Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of fluorine doped TiO2 nanoflakes synthesized using solid state reaction method.

Fluorine doped TiO2 were synthesized by solid state reaction method. Optical and structural properties of fluorine doped TiO2 were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-vis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopic techniques. The prepared fluorine doped TiO2 was smaller in size with respect to pure TiO2 and it is tetragonal in crystalline structure. Nanoflakes like structure of pure and fluorine doped TiO2 was confirmed from SEM image. Fluorine doped TiO2 shows smaller band gap, high strain and dislocation density when compared to pure TiO2. It also has higher photocatalytic activity with respect to pure TiO2.

Crystal growth and spectral studies of nonlinear optical gamma-glycine single crystal grown from phosphoric acid.

Single crystals of the organic nonlinear material gamma-glycine have been grown in the presence of phosphoric acid by slow-evaporation method. The crystal structure is confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction method. The thermal stability and decomposition of the sample have been studied by thermal analysis. The result shows that the transition temperature, i.e. transition from gamma- to alpha-glycine is enhanced from 165 degrees C to 191 degrees C. The modes of vibrations of different molecular groups present in glycine have been identified by spectral analyses. The transmittance spectrum of gamma-glycine crystal shows that the lower UV cut-off wavelength lies at 230nm. Second harmonic generation (SHG) conversion efficiency has been estimated as 125mV and the output power by the crystal was 1.3 times that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal. The dielectric and microhardness measurements have been carried out on the gamma-glycine crystal.

The effect of nitric acid (HNO3) on growth, spectral, thermal and dielectric properties of triglycine sulphate (TGS) crystal.

The effect of nitric acid (HNO(3)) addition on the growth of triglycine sulphate (TGS) crystal has been studied from the aqueous solution for various concentrations of nitric acid. Significant changes in the crystal size and morphology have been observed in all the grown samples. Single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction analyses confirm the structure and cell parameter values of pure and HNO(3) doped TGS crystals. FT-Raman and FTIR spectra confirm the characteristics absorption bands of pure and HNO(3) doped TGS crystals. The composition of TGS crystals have been confirmed by CHNS analysis. Physical properties such as thermal, dielectric and mechanical studies have been performed for the pure and HNO(3) doped TGS crystals. The dielectric constants of the crystals have been studied as a function of frequency. The results suggest that the HNO(3) is doped into TGS crystal and that the doping increases its dielectric constant.

Effect of KCl addition on crystal growth and spectral properties of glycine single crystals.

Glycine usually crystallizes as the metastable alpha-polymorph from pure aqueous solution. The polymorph, gamma-form of glycine can be crystallized only in presence of additive. In the present work, gamma-glycine has been crystallized by using potassium chloride (KCl) as additive at ambient temperature by solvent evaporation method. The form of crystallization is confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction method. Spectroscopic and thermal studies have been carried out for analyzing the presence of functional groups, thermal stability and decomposition of the sample. The results indicate that the KCl is doped into the gamma-glycine. The optical transparency of the gamma-glycine in the ultraviolet-visible region has been studied by recording the optical transmission spectrum. Second harmonic generation (SHG) conversion efficiency has been estimated as 120 mV and the output power by the crystal is less than that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystal.

Growth, spectral studies, thermal and dielectric aspects of L-lysine doped triglycine sulpho phosphate (TGSP) crystals.

Single crystals of ferroelectric material triglycine sulpho phosphate (TGSP) have been grown by slow evaporation method. The effect of L-lysine addition on the growth of TGSP crystal has been studied for various concentrations (5, 10 and 20 mol%). Unit cell parameters were determined from powder XRD analysis. Functional groups present in the grown crystal were confirmed from the vibrational frequencies of recorded FTIR and FT-Raman spectrum. The L-lysine doping into the crystal lattice has been qualitatively confirmed by spectral analysis. Thermogravimetric studies confirm that the lysine is incorporated into TGSP crystals. Dielectric studies reveal that the incorporation of lysine into TGSP enhances its dielectric strength.