Autophagy aggravates multi-walled carbon nanotube-induced ferroptosis by suppressing PGC-1 dependent-mitochondrial biogenesis in lung epithelial cells.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) induced respiratory toxicity has become a growing concern, with ferroptosis emerging as a novel mechanism implicated in various respiratory diseases. However, whether ferroptosis is involved in MWCNT-elicited lung injury and the underlying molecular mechanisms warrant further exploration. In this study, we found that MWCNT-induced ferroptosis is autophagy-dependent, contributing to its cellular toxicity. Inhibiting of autophagy by pharmacological inhibitors 3-MA or ATG5 gene knockdown significantly attenuated MWCNT-induced ferroptosis, concomitant with rescued mitochondrial biogenesis. Rapamycin, the autophagy agonist, exacerbated the mitochondrial damage and MWCNT-induced ferroptosis. Moreover, lentivirus-mediated overexpression of PGC-1α inhibited ferroptosis, while inhibition of PGC-1α aggravated ferroptosis. In summary, our study unveils ferroptosis as a novel mechanism underlying MWCNT-induced respiratory toxicity, with autophagy promoting MWCNT-induced ferroptosis by hindering PGC-1α-dependent mitochondrial biogenesis.

Development of superhydrophobic and superoleophilic CNT and BNNT coated copper meshes for oil/water separation.

In this research, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method was used to synthesize boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) powder. This method involves heating multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and boric acid in the presence of ammonia gas up to 1000 °C. Then MWCNT and synthetic BNNT were coated on the copper mesh via dip-coating method separately to prepare nano-structured membranes for efficient oil/water separation. Various analyzes were performed to identify the synthetic BNNT properties (X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and prepared coated membranes (FESEM, atomic force microscopy (AFM), water contact angle (WCA), oil contact angle (OCA) and oil/water separation process). Water and oil contact angle analyzes showed the super-oleophilic properties of both membranes with the underwater OCA of about 128°. For the separation process, a dead-end filtration setup was used, and free oil water mixture and o/w emulsion were prepared. So, in the separation process water was retained and decalin passed through both prepared membranes. The flux of CNT coated membrane was about 458 L m2 h-1, while this amount was 1834 L m2 h-1 for BNNT coated membrane and 99% separation efficiency was achieved by both of them. This four-fold increase in flux is due to the fact that the inner diameter of boron nitride nanotubes synthesized is four times larger than the inner diameter of MWCNT.

Comprehensive investigation of isotherm, RSM, and ANN modeling of CO2 capture by multi-walled carbon nanotube.

Chemical vapor deposition was used to produce multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which were modified by Fe-Ni/AC catalysts to enhance CO2 adsorption. In this study, a new realm of possibilities and potential advancements in CO2 capture technology is unveiled through the unique combination of cutting-edge modeling techniques and utilization of the recently synthesized Fe-Ni/AC catalyst adsorbent. SEM, BET, and FTIR were used to analyze their structure and morphology. The surface area of MWCNT was found to be 240 m2/g, but after modification, it was reduced to 11 m2/g. The modified MWCNT showed increased adsorption capacity with higher pressure and lower temperature, due to the introduction of new adsorption sites and favorable interactions at lower temperatures. At 25 °C and 10 bar, it reached a maximum adsorption capacity of 424.08 mg/g. The optimal values of the pressure, time, and temperature parameters were achieved at 7 bar, 2646 S and 313 K. The Freundlich and Hill models had the highest correlation with the experimental data. The Second-Order and Fractional Order kinetic models fit the adsorption results well. The adsorption process was found to be exothermic and spontaneous. The modified MWCNT has the potential for efficient gas adsorption in fields like gas storage or separation. The regenerated M-MWCNT adsorbent demonstrated the ability to be reused multiple times for the CO2 adsorption process, as evidenced by the study. In this study, a feed-forward MLP artificial neural network model was created using a back-propagation training approach to predict CO2 adsorption. The most suitable and efficient MLP network structure, selected for optimization, consisted of two hidden layers with 25 and 10 neurons, respectively. This network was trained using the Levenberg-Marquardt backpropagation algorithm. An MLP artificial neural network model was created, with a minimum MSE performance of 0.0004247 and an R2 value of 0.99904, indicating its accuracy. The experiment also utilized the blank spreadsheet design within the framework of response surface methodology to predict CO2 adsorption. The proximity between the Predicted R2 value of 0.8899 and the Adjusted R2 value of 0.9016, with a difference of less than 0.2, indicates a high level of similarity. This suggests that the model is exceptionally reliable in its ability to predict future observations, highlighting its robustness.

Gesture Recognition Based on a Convolutional Neural Network-Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory Network for a Wearable Wrist Sensor with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Cotton Fabric Material.

Flexible pressure sensors play a crucial role in detecting human motion and facilitating human-computer interaction. In this paper, a type of flexible pressure sensor unit with high sensitivity (2.242 kPa-1), fast response time (80 ms), and remarkable stability (1000 cycles) is proposed and fabricated by the multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/cotton fabric (CF) material based on a dip-coating method. Six flexible pressure sensor units are integrated into a flexible wristband and made into a wearable and portable wrist sensor with favorable stability. Then, seven wrist gestures (Gesture Group #1), five letter gestures (Gesture Group #2), and eight sign language gestures (Gesture Group #3) are performed by wearing the wrist sensor, and the corresponding time sequence signals of the three gesture groups (#1, #2, and #3) from the wrist sensor are collected, respectively. To efficiently recognize different gestures from the three groups detected by the wrist sensor, a fusion network model combined with a convolutional neural network (CNN) and the bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) neural network, named CNN-BiLSTM, which has strong robustness and generalization ability, is constructed. The three types of Gesture Groups were recognized based on the CNN-BiLSTM model with accuracies of 99.40%, 95.00%, and 98.44%. Twenty gestures (merged by Group #1, #2, and #3) were recognized with an accuracy of 96.88% to validate the applicability of the wrist sensor based on this model for gesture recognition. The experimental results denote that the CNN-BiLSTM model has very efficient performance in recognizing different gestures collected from the flexible wrist sensor.

Bacterial cellulose/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite films for moist-electric energy harvesting.

Generation of renewable and clean electricity energy from ubiquitous moisture for the power supply of portable electronic devices has become one of the most promising energy collection methods. However, the modest electrical output and transient power supply characteristics of existing moist-electric generator (MEG) severely limit its commercial application, leading to an urgent demand of developing a MEG with high electrical output and continuous power generation capacity. In this work, it is demonstrated that a flexible bacterial cellulose (BC)/Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) double-layer (BM-dl) film prepared by vacuum filtration can maintain the moisture concentration difference in the film MEG. Unlike previous studies on cellulose based MEG, BM-dl film has a heterogeneous structure, resulting in a maximum output power density of 0.163 µW/cm2, an extreme voltage of 0.84 V, and current of 2.21 µA at RH = 90 %. BM-dl MEG can generate a voltage of 0.55 V continuously for 45 h in a natural environment (RH = 63-77 %, T = 26-27 °C), which is in a leading level among existing reported cellulose-based MEGs. In summary, this study provides new ideas for innovative design of MEG, which is highly competitive in terms of energy supply for the Internet of Things and wearable devices.

Covalent organic framework-based immunosensor to detect plasma Latexin reveals novel biomarker for coronary artery diseases.

It is a great challenge to develop an efficient and rapid method to detect of biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. In this research, a differential pulse voltammetry (DPV)-based ultrasensitive immunosensor for the detection of plasma Latexin (LXN) has been established. With the aim to increase the surface area of the bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE), multi-walled carbon nanotube-graphene oxide has been developed. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are dropped with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), secondary antibody and thionine (Thi-Ab2-Au-COFs) act as the signal probe with high electronic conductivity. Under the ideal conditions, the immunosensor displayed a broad linear response range from 0.01 ng mL-1 to 100 ng mL-1, with a detection limit of 50 pg mL-1 (S/N = 3). The immunosensor also demonstrates outstanding sensitivity, repeatability, and stability. Finally, we utilized the designed immunosensor to detect plasma LXN in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, and the data showed that plasma LXN was significantly increased in CAD patients with a good performance of ROCAUC (AUC 0.871, 95 % CI 0.725-1.0, p = 0.002), indicating plasma LXN is a potential biomarker of cardiovascular disease. This immunosensor is a promising strategy for screening CAD patients in clinical practice.

FeF3/(Acetylene Black and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube) Composite for Cathode Active Material of Thermal Battery through Formation of Conductive Network Channels.

Considerable research is being conducted on the use of FeF3 as a cathode replacement for FeS2 in thermal batteries. However, FeF3 alone is inefficient as a cathode active material because of its low electrical conductivity due to its wide bandgap (5.96 eV). Herein, acetylene black and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were combined with FeF3, and the ratio was optimized. When acetylene black and MWCNTs were added separately to FeF3, the electrical conductivity increased, but the mechanical strength decreased. When acetylene black and MWCNTs were both added to FeF3, the FeF3/M1AB4 sample (with 1 wt.% MWCNTs and 4% AB) afforded a discharge capacity of approximately 74% of the theoretical capacity (712 mAh/g) of FeF3. Considering the electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, this composition was confirmed to be the most suitable.

[Determination of 80 pesticide residues in milk using NH_2-MWNTs by liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry].

OBJECTIVE: A method for the determination of 80 pesticide residues in milk by liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(LC-QTof-MS) was developed. METHODS: The target compounds in milk were extracted with acetonitrile-methanol(9∶1, V/V) containing 1% acetic acid, and purified by aminated multi-walled carbon nanotubes(NH_2-MWNTs). The chromatographic column was Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C_(18 )(100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.7 µm). The 80 pesticides were detected by liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and quantified using an external standard method by matrix matched calibration curve. RESULTS: The purification method showed a good linearity(r~2≥ 0.99) over the concentration range from 5 to 100 µg/L for the 80 pesticides in this study. The limits of detection(LODs) and quantification(LOQs) of the 80 pesticides in milk ranged from 0.01 to 0.50 µg/L and 0.03 to 1.50 µg/L, respectively. The mean recoveries of the three spiked levels ranged from 71.5% to 116.9% with the relative standard deviation ranging from 1.2% to 18.1%, indicating that the accuracy and precision of the method were good. Among the milk samples, no residues of the 80 pesticides in this study were found after screening. CONCLUSION: The method has good linearity, good sensitivity, accuracy and precision and is suitable for the simultaneous and rapid determination of 80 pesticide residues in milk.

Difference in carcinogenicities of two different vapor grown carbon fibers with different physicochemical characteristics induced by intratracheal instillation in rats.

BACKGROUND: Carbon fibers are high aspect ratio structures with diameters on the submicron scale. Vapor grown carbon fibers are contained within multi-walled carbon tubes, with VGCF™-H commonly applied as a conductive additive in lithium-ion batteries. However, several multi-walled carbon fibers, including MWNT-7, have been reported to induce lung carcinogenicity in rats. This study investigated the carcinogenic potential of VGCF™-H fibers in F344 rats of both sexes with the vapor grown carbon fibers VGCF™-H and MWNT-7 over 2 years. The carbon fibers were administered to rats by intratracheal instillation at doses of 0, 0.016, 0.08, and 0.4 mg/kg (total doses of 0, 0.128, 0.64, and 3.2 mg/kg) once per week for eight weeks and the rats were observed for up to 2 years after the first instillation. RESULTS: Histopathological examination showed the induction of malignant mesothelioma on the pleural cavity with dose-dependent increases observed at 0, 0.128, 0.64, and 3.2 mg/kg in rats of both sexes that were exposed to MWNT-7. On the other hand, only two cases of pleural malignant mesothelioma were observed in the VGCF™-H groups; both rats that received 3.2 mg/kg in male. The animals in the MWNT-7 groups either died or became moribund earlier than those in the VGCF™-H groups, which is thought related to the development of malignant mesothelioma. The survival rates were higher in the VGCF™-H group, and more carbon fibers were observed in the pleural lavage fluid (PLF) of the MWNT-7 groups. These results suggest that malignant mesothelioma is related to the transfer of carbon fibers into the pleural cavity. CONCLUSIONS: The intratracheal instillation of MWNT-7 clearly led to carcinogenicity in both male and female rats at all doses. The equivocal evidence for carcinogenic potential that was observed in male rats exposed to VGCF™-H was not seen in the females. The differences in the carcinogenicities of the two types of carbon fibers are thought due to differences in the number of carbon fibers reaching the pleural cavity. The results indicate that the carcinogenic activity of VGCF™-H is lower than that of MWNT-7.

Determination of Aflatoxins in Milk by PS-MWCNT/OH Composite Nanofibers Solid-Phase Extraction Coupled with HPLC-FLD.

In this work, a sensitive analytical method based on packed-nanofiber solid-phase extraction (PFSPE), after derivatization with trichloroacetic acid and high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD), has been established for the determination of aflatoxins (AFs) in milk. Polystyrene polymeric multi-walled carbon nanotube (PS-MWCNT/OH) composite nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning and used to prepare homemade extraction columns. The extraction efficiency of the HPLC-FLD analysis method was sufficiently investigated and validated. After the implementation of optimal conditions, all of the analytes were separated efficiently and the components of the milk matrix did not disturb the determination. The obtained linear ranges of the calibration curves were 0.2-20 ng/mL for AFTB1 and AFTG2, 0.1-10 ng/mL for AFTB2, and 0.4-40 ng/mL for AFTG1. The recoveries ranged between 80.22% and 96.21%. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for the intra-day and inter-day results ranged from 2.81-6.43% to 3.42-7.75%, respectively. Generally, 11 mg of sorbent and 200 µL of elution solvent were used to directly extract all of the AFs from the milk matrix. Reported herein is the first utilization of PS-MWCNT/OH-PFSPE HPLC-FLD to simultaneously analyze the occurrence of aflatoxins in milk.

Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Array Modified Electrode with 3D Sensing Interface as Electrochemical DNA Biosensor for Multidrug-Resistant Gene Detection.

Drug resistance in cancer is associated with overexpression of the multidrug resistance (MDR1) gene, leading to the failure of cancer chemotherapy treatment. Therefore, the establishment of an effective method for the detection of the MDR1 gene is extremely crucial in cancer clinical therapy. Here, we report a novel DNA biosensor based on an aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) array modified electrode with 3D nanostructure for the determination of the MDR1 gene. The microstructure of the modified electrode was observed by an atomic force microscope (AFM), which demonstrated that the electrode interface was arranged in orderly needle-shaped protrusion arrays. The electrochemical properties of the biosensor were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Chronocoulometry (CC) was used for the quantitative detection of the MDR1 gene. Taking advantage of the good conductivity and large electrode area of the MWCNT arrays, this electrochemical DNA sensor achieved a dynamic range from 1.0 × 10-12 M to 1.0 × 10-8 M with a minimal detection limit of 6.4 × 10-13 M. In addition, this proposed DNA biosensor exhibited high sensitivity, selectivity, and stability, which may be useful for the trace analysis of the MDR1 gene in complex samples.

Densification Induced Decoupling of Electrical and Thermal Properties in Free-Standing MWCNT Films for Ultrahigh p- and n-Type Power Factors and Enhanced ZT.

Generating sufficient power from waste heat is one of the most important things for thermoelectric (TE) techniques in numerous practical applications. The output power density of an organic thermoelectric generator (OTEG) is proportional to the power factors (PFs) and the electrical conductivities of organic materials. However, it is still challenging to have high PFs over 1 mW m-1  K-2 in free-standing films together with high electrical conductivities over 1000 S cm-1 . Herein, densifying multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) films would increase their electrical conductivity dramatically up to over 10 000 S cm-1 with maintained high Seebeck coefficients >60 µV K-1 , thus leading to ultrahigh PFs of 7.25 and 4.34 mW m-1  K-2 for p- and n-type MWCNT films, respectively. In addition, it is interesting to notice that the electrical properties increase faster than the thermal conductivities, resulting in enhanced ZT of 3.6 times in MWCNT films. An OTEG made of compressed MWCNT films is fabricated to demonstrate the heat-to-electricity conversion ability, which exhibits a high areal output power of ∼12 times higher than that made of pristine MWCNT films. This work demonstrates an effective way to high-performance nanowire/nanoparticle-based TE materials such as printable TE materials comprised of nanowires/nanoparticles.

The in vitro immunomodulatory effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by multilayer analysis.

The study of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) induced immunotoxicity is crucial for determining hazards posed to human health. MWCNT exposure most commonly occurs via the airways, where macrophages are first line responders. Here we exploit an in vitro assay, measuring dose-dependent secretion of a wide panel of cytokines, as a measure of immunotoxicity following the non-lethal, multi-dose exposure (IC5, IC10 and IC20) to 7 MWCNTs with different intrinsic properties. We find that a tangled structure, and small aspect ratio are key properties predicting MWCNT induced immunotoxicity, mediated predominantly by IL1B cytokine secretion. To assess the mechanism of action giving rise to MWCNT immunotoxicity, transcriptomics analysis was linked to cytokine secretion in a multilayer model established through correlation analysis across exposure concentrations. This reinforced the finding that tangled MWCNTs have greater immunomodulatory potency, displaying enrichment of immune system, signal transduction and pattern recognition associated pathways. Together our results further elucidate how structure, length and aspect ratio, critical intrinsic properties of MWCNTs, are tied to immunotoxicity.

Identification of a Gene Signature Predicting (Nano)Particle-Induced Adverse Lung Outcome in Rats.

Nanoparticles are extensively used in industrial products or as food additives. However, despite their contribution to improving our quality of life, concerns have been raised regarding their potential impact on occupational and public health. To speed up research assessing nanoparticle-related hazards, this study was undertaken to identify early markers of harmful effects on the lungs. Female Sprague Dawley rats were either exposed to crystalline silica DQ-12 with instillation, or to titanium dioxide P25, carbon black Printex-90, or multi-walled carbon nanotube Mitsui-7 with nose-only inhalation. Tissues were collected at three post-exposure time points to assess short- and long-term effects. All particles induced lung inflammation. Histopathological and biochemical analyses revealed phospholipid accumulation, lipoproteinosis, and interstitial thickening with collagen deposition after exposure to DQ-12. Exposure to the highest dose of Printex-90 and Mitsui-7, but not P25, induced some phospholipid accumulation. Comparable histopathological changes were observed following exposure to P25, Printex-90, and Mitsui-7. Comparison of overall gene expression profiles identified 15 potential early markers of adverse lung outcomes induced by spherical particles. With Mitsui-7, a distinct gene expression signature was observed, suggesting that carbon nanotubes trigger different toxicity mechanisms to spherical particles.

CNT-FET for sensitive hydrogen peroxide biosensing via immobilized Cytochrome c.

H2O2 is an effective substance in the body which contributes to gene expression, insulin metabolism and determining cell shapes. However, a high concentration of H2O2 is harmful to the body and can cause various diseases such as colitis wounds, sepsis disease, lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage apoptosis in systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study, a Cyt c/cMWCNTs/FET was designed to real-time detect H2O2 via immobilized Cyt c on the cMWCNTs/FET surface. The performance of the Cyt c/cMWCNTs/FET biosensor was studied under various parameters such as cMWCNTs and Cyt c concentrations, as well as different pH values. When H2O2 was added to the reaction chamber of the Cyt c/cMWCNTs/FET, the output current of the Bio-FET was reduced, which was attributed to H2O2 detection. The linear response range of this Cyt c/cMWCNT/FET was 10.0 fM to 1.0 nM. The limit of detection and response time of this platform were determined to be 9.13 fM and around 1.0 s, respectively. Also, the operation of the Cyt c/cMWCNTs/FET in the presence of glucose, leucine, tyrosine and ascorbic acid as interfering substances was selective towards H2O2.

One-pot derivatization/extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for furfurals determination.

Furfurals (5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural and 5-methyl furfural) have potential toxic effects to humans. This study developed a simple and rapid one-pot derivatization/extraction procedure for effective sample preparation of furfurals in complex samples prior to instrument analysis. The sample solution was incubated with 1-pyrenebutyric hydrazide (PBH) and hydroxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH) in a vial for 3 min. During this process, the furfurals were effectively derivatized by PBH and the furfural-PBH derivatives were selectively captured by MWCNTs-OH simultaneously. The detection selectivity and accuracy were greatly improved for the following liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Quantifying furfurals was validated over the 0.5-500 ng/mL concentration range with satisfactory linearities (R2 >0.99), accuracies (84.7%-119.0%) and precisions (<9.0%). The limits of quantification of 0.30, 0.36 and 0.20 ng/mL for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural and 5-methyl furfural, respectively, were achieved. Finally, the validated method was successfully applied to determine furfurals concentrations in various samples.

Determination of optimum operating parameters of MWCNT-doped ethanol fueled HCCI engine for emission reduction.

Carbon based metallic additives were widely researched to improve combustion charecteristics of spark ignition and compression ignition engines. It was proven that carbon nanotube additive shortens ignition delay period and improves combustion characteristics especially in diesel engines. HCCI is a lean burn combustion mode which provides high thermal efficiency and simultaneously low NOx and soot emission. However it has drawbacks such as misfire at leaner mixtures and knocking at high loads. Carbon nanotube could be used to improve combustion for HCCI engines as well. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotube addition to ethanol and n-heptane blends on HCCI engine performance, combustion and emission by experimentally and statistically. During the experiments, the mixed fuels formed with %25 ethanol, %75 n-heptane and 100, 150 and 200 ppm MWCNT additives were used. The experiment of these mixed fuels was carried out at different lambda and engine speed values. Response Surface Method was implemented to determine optimal additive amount and operation parameters of the engine. The variable parameter values to be used in the experiments were created with the central composite design, and a total of 20 experiments were performed. According to the obtained results, IMEP, ITE, BSFC, MPRR, COVimep, SOC, CA50, CO and HC response parameter values were obtained. Response parameter values were entered into the RSM environment and optimization studies were carried out depending on the response parameters targets. Among the optimum variable parameter values, the MWCNT ratio was determined as 102.16 ppm, lambda 2.7 and engine speed 1124.439 rpm. Response parameter values after optimization were determined as IMEP 4.988 bar, ITE 45.988 %, BSFC 227.846 g/kWh, MPRR 2.544 bar/CA, COVimep 1.722 %, SOC 4.445 CA, CA50 7 CA, CO 0.073 % and HC 476.452 ppm.

Fe-Ni/MWCNTs Nano-Composites for Hexavalent Chromium Reduction in Aqueous Environment.

A novel Cr (VI) removal material was designed and produced comprising multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a support with a high specific surface area and the loaded Fe-Ni bimetallic particles as catalytic reducing agents. Such a design permits the composite particle to perform the adsorption, reduction, and immobilisation of Cr (VI) quickly and efficiently. Due to MWCNTs' physical adsorption, Cr (VI) in solution aggregates in the vicinity of the composite, and Fe rapidly reduces Cr (VI) to Cr (III) catalysed by Ni. The results demonstrated that the Fe-Ni/MWCNTs exhibits an adsorption capacity of 207 mg/g at pH = 6.4 for Cr (VI) and 256 mg/g at pH 4.8, which is about twice those reported for other materials under similar conditions. The formed Cr (III) is solidified to the surface by MWCNTs and remains stable for several months without secondary contamination. The reusability of the composites was proven by retaining at least 90% of the adsorption capacity for five instances of reutilization. Considering the facile synthesis process, low cost of raw material, and reusability of the formed Fe-Ni/MWCNTs, this work shows great potential for industrialisation.

Preparation and antifouling performance of low-pressure carbon nanotube membranes based on polydopamine biomimetic modification.

In order to investigate the antifouling performance of low-pressure carbon nanotube membranes based on polydopamine (PDA) biomimetic modification, layered multi-walled carbon nanotubes PDA membrane (layered MWCNTs-PDA) and PDA blended MWCNTs membrane (blended PDA/MWCNTs) were prepared. The MWCNTs membranes' antifouling performance and recoverability was significantly improved in filtrating BSA, HA and SA after PDA biomimetic modification, and the total fouling and irreversible fouling were all decreased. Compared with the blended PDA/MWCNTs membrane, the layered MWCNTs-PDA membrane had higher antifouling property as it further improved the electronegativity and hydrophilicity of membrane surface. In addition, denser surface pore size of the layered MWCNTs-PDA membrane can effectively reduce the fouling by trapping foulants on its surface. The combination of PDA biomimetic modification with MWCNTs membrane had a superior antifouling performance and rejection performance in processing NOM and artificial wastewater, and the majority of humic-like foulants could be excluded by the layered MWCNTs-PDA membrane. PDA biomimetic modification alleviated the adhesion of FITC-BSA on the MWCNTs membrane. The layered MWCNTs-PDA membrane especially alleviated the attachment of bacteria and processed excellent antimicrobial ability for bacteria.

Foliar application of Phenylalanine functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube improved the content of volatile compounds of basil grown in greenhouse.

Carbon nanotubes are among the elicitors that have different effects on plants. Basil as a useful and valuable plant has significant medicinal properties; The aim of this research is to study the effect of different concentrations of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes with phenylalanine and non-functionalized in concentrations of (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg.l-1) and activated carbon on total phenol and flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, the content of H2O2, reactive oxygen species detection, antioxidant enzyme activity, and the concentration of volatile compounds of basil in the greenhouse culture, in an experiment in the form of a completely randomized design with three replications, and in the faculty of sciences of Urmia university's laboratory. The highest content of total phenol, flavonoid, anthocyanin, antioxidant capacity and hydrogen peroxide content were observed in the 200 mg.l-1 functionalized carbon nanotube. The highest percentage of alpha-Copaene, trans-alpha-Bergamotene, alpha-Guaiene, Bicyclogermacrene, 1,10-di-epi-Cubenol and alpha-Eudesmol compounds at 150 mg.l-1 of functionalized carbon nanotube and the highest percentage of compounds 1,8-cineole and eugenol was observed at 100 mg.l-1 of functionalized carbon nanotube. The compounds of linalool, camphor and anethole also showed their highest amount in treatments of 200, 150 and 50 mg.l-1 of carbon nanotube, respectively. In general, the observations of this research indicated that the use of functionalized carbon nanotubes as a stimulant has increased the antioxidant capacity of basil and on the other hand, it has led to an improving in the content of secondary metabolites.