Effect of boramidic acid modified carbon nanotubes on neurological, morphological and physiological responses of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae.

This study aimed to determine the potential toxicological effects of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), their modifications with ethylenediamine (ED) and boric acid (BA) on aquatic organisms. Specifically, the research focused on the morphological, physiological, and histopathological-immuno-histochemical responses in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae, via applying different concentrations of CNTs, CNT-ED, and CNT-ED-BA (Control, 5, 10, and 20 mg/L). The results indicated that 20 mg/L CNT nanoparticles were toxic to zebrafish larvae, with mortality rates increasing with CNT and CNT-ED concentrations, reaching 36.7 % at the highest CNT concentration. The highest dose caused considerable degeneration, necrosis, DNA damage, and apoptosis, as evidenced by histopathological and immunohistochemical tests. In contrast, despite their high concentration, CNT-ED-BA nanoparticles exhibited low toxicity. Behavioral studies revealed that CNT and CNT-ED nanoparticles had a more significant impact on sensory-motor functions compared to CNT-ED-BA nanoparticles. These findings suggest that modifying the nanosurface with boric acid, resulting in boramidic acid, can reduce the toxicity induced by CNT and CNT-ED.

Decolorization of methylene blue by silver/reduced graphene oxide-ethylene diamine nanomaterial: synthesis, characterization, and optimization.

In this study, ethylene diamine-coated reduced graphene oxide-supported silver composite (Ag/rGO-ED) was synthesized and used as an efficient catalyst for the decolorization of methylene blue (MB) in the presence of NaBH4. The morphology of the obtained material was elucidated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The influences of four parameters (MB concentration (mg/L), NaBH4 amount (mM), catalyst amount (g/L), and contact time (s)) on the decolorization process were appraised and optimized via response surface methodology (RSM). For the decolorization of MB, the optimum solutions were obtained as Co of 32.49 mg/L, NaBH4 amount of 152.89 mM, catalyst amount of 0.83 g/L, and 101.39 s contact time with MB decolorization efficiency of 97.73%. MB, a pollutant in wastewater, was decolorized rapidly by Ag/rGO-ED with an efficiency of approximately 97%. The exploration of kinetics and thermodynamics was another major emphasis of the work. The activation energy (Ea) and rate constant (k) for the decolorization of MB were obtained as 37.9 kJ/mol and 0.0135 s-1, respectively. The obtained results show that the catalyst, a new composite material in the literature, is promising for decolorization of wastewater.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Effects of Silver-Copper Nanoparticles Obtained by Green Synthesis Against Streptococcus mutans.

Introduction: Oral diseases affect billions worldwide, with dental caries being a significant concern. Silver-copper nanoparticles (Ag-Cu NPs) synthesized from pitaya plant extract offer a potential solution due to their antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of Ag-Cu NPs on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), a major contributor to dental caries. METHODOLOGY: Ag-Cu NPs were synthesized using a green chemical method and characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), ultraviolet-visible (U-vis) spectrophotometer, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against S. mutans was determined using the broth microdilution method, while the antibiofilm effect was assessed by the crystal violet method. RESULTS: The synthesized Ag-Cu NPs demonstrated antimicrobial activity with an MIC of 128 µg/ml, significantly inhibiting S. mutans biofilm formation by up to 94% at a concentration of 256 µg/ml. Characterization studies confirmed the successful synthesis of Ag-Cu NPs with spherical morphology. CONCLUSIONS:  These findings highlight the potential of Ag-Cu NPs as a novel approach for combating dental caries by targeting S. mutans biofilms. Further research is warranted to explore their safety and efficacy in clinical settings.