Olive leaf extract-derived chitosan-metal nanocomposite: Green synthesis and dual antimicrobial-anticancer action.

In this study, we developed a novel nanocomposite by synthesizing zinc (ZnNPs), copper (CuNPs), and silver (AgNPs) nanoparticles using olive leaf extract and incorporating them into a chitosan polymer. This approach combines the biocompatibility of chitosan with the antimicrobial and anticancer properties of metal nanoparticles, enhanced by the phytochemical richness of olive leaf extract. The significance of our research lies in its potential to offer a biodegradable and stable alternative to conventional antibiotics and cancer treatments, particularly in combating multidrug-resistant bacteria and various cancer types. Comprehensive characterization through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) confirmed the successful synthesis of the nanocomposites, with an average size of ~22.6 nm. Phytochemical analysis highlighted the antioxidant-rich composition of both the olive leaf extract and the nanoparticles themselves. Functionally, the synthesized nanoparticles exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains, outperforming traditional antibiotics by inhibiting key resistance genes (ermC, tetX3-q, blaZ, and Ery-msrA). In anticancer assessments, the nanoparticles showed selective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with CuNPs and AgNPs showing particularly strong anticancer effects, while demonstrating minimal toxicity towards normal cells. ZnNPs were noted for their low cytotoxicity, highlighting the safety profile of these nanoparticles. Further, the nanoparticles induced apoptosis in cancer cells, as evidenced by the modulation of oncogenes (P21, P53, and BCL2), suggesting their therapeutic potential. The findings of our study underscore the versatile applications of these biogenic nanoparticles in developing safer and more effective antimicrobial and anticancer therapies.

Bimetallic nanoparticles supported on Ce-BTC for highly efficient and stable reduction of nitroarenes: Towards environmental sustainability.

The development of a catalyst with a consistent and clearly defined crystal structure is crucial for establishing an efficient catalytic performance system. This study focuses on catalyzing the reduction of nitroarenes to amino-derivatives in an aquatic environment at ambient temperature, employing metallic (Au) and bimetallic (Au-Pd or Au-Ag) nanoparticles loaded on a Ce-BTC metal-organic framework using a facile sol-immobilization approach. Diverse analytical instruments, comprising SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR, XPS, TGA, and N2 isotherm, have been utilized to characterize the synthesized catalysts. Among the catalysts that were fabricated, Au-Pd@Ce-BTC displayed the maximum catalytic efficacy, offering a rate constant (kapp) of 0.5841 min-1, conversion percentages reaching 99.7%, and a KAF of 116.8 min-1g-1. Moreover, it exhibited remarkable recyclability over five consecutive cycles. This catalyst offers the advantages of operating under ambient reaction conditions and exhibiting tolerance to a broad range of substrates containing various functional moieties. The mechanistic understanding of nitroarene reduction and the factors contributing to the superior activity of Au-Pd/Ce-BTC are explored through spectroscopic and porosity analyses. Spectroscopic measurements indicate that the elevated Auo and Pdo/Pd2+ ratio, increased surface area, and the synergistic collaboration of the bimetallic NPs are key factors contributing to the heightened activity of Au-Pd/Ce-BTC. These findings hold significant appeal from both an industrial and academic standpoint.

Basic Fuchsin Dye as the First Fluorophore for Optical Sensing of Morpholine in Fruits Crust and Urine Samples.

In this work, basic fuchsin (BF) dyestuff was presented as the first optical sensor used for the spectrofluorimetric assessment of morpholine (MOR) where BF exhibits morpholine-sensing behavior. The developed fluorimetric avenue is sensitive, facile, selective, and validated for assaying the sensitizing influence of MOR on the BF fluorescence in an aprotic dioxane solvent. Parameters like solvents, BF concentration, order, and time of addition that influence the fluorescence intensity of the probing system were addressed. Optimizing the analytical methodology revealed a linear fluorescence sensitization within the addition of MOR in the two concentration ranges of 5 × 10-9 to 1.0 × 10-7 mol L-1 and 2.0 × 10-7 to 3 × 10-6 mol L-1. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were estimated to be 2.0 × 10-9 mol L-1 (0.17 ng mL-1) and 6.66 × 10-9 mol L-1 (0.567 ng mL-1), respectively. High levels of accuracy and precision are achieved when assaying spiked MOR either in pure solutions or samples of fruit peel extract and human urine. Moreover, the green character and practicality/applicability of the method were evaluated by AGREE and BAGI metric tools. These merit outcomes provide insights into the development of fluorescent sensors for MOR detection using fluorescent dyes and meet the Food and Drug Administration's requirements for morpholine detection in real-life applications.

Virtual reality-based exercises' effects on pulmonary functions, cardiopulmonary capacity, functional performance, and quality of life in children with repaired congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

OBJECTIVE: The long-term consequences of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), which include altered lung functions and compromised cardiopulmonary capacity, impact functional performance and quality of life. This study investigates the effects of virtual reality-based exercise programs on pulmonary functions, cardiopulmonary capacity, functional performance, and quality of life in children with repaired CDH. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed. Fifty-two children with repaired CDH (aged 6-10 years) were enrolled and randomly allocated to virtual reality-based exercises plus traditional physical therapy (VR-EX group, n = 26) or traditional physical therapy alone (control group, n = 26). Interventions were conducted three times a week for 12 weeks. Pulmonary functions, cardiopulmonary capacity, functional performance, and quality of life were assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The VR-EX group demonstrated significantly enhanced post-treatment pulmonary functions and cardiopulmonary capacity compared to the control group after accounting for the pre-treatment values (p < 0.05). In addition, the values in functional performance and quality of life measures showed significantly larger improvements in the VR-EX group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with repaired CDH may benefit more from VR-based exercises when combined with traditional physical therapy than from traditional physical therapy alone regarding their pulmonary functions, cardiopulmonary capacity, functional performance, and quality of life.

Electrospun TiO2-GO/PAN-CA nanofiber mats: A novel material for remediation of organic contaminants and nitrophenol reduction.

The outstanding properties of nanofiber composites have made them a popular choice for various structural applications. Recently, there has been a growing interest in using electrospun nanofibers as reinforcement agents, which possess exceptional properties that can enhance the performance of these composites. Herein, TiO2-graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite incorporated into polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers were fabricated by an effortless electrospinning technique. The chemical and structural characteristics of the resulting electrospun TiO2-GO nanofibers were examined employing diverse techniques such as XRD, FTIR, XPS, TGA, mechanical properties, and FESEM. Remediation of organic contaminants and organic transformation reactions with electrospun TiO2-GO nanofibers were performed. The results indicated that the incorporation of TiO2-GO with various TiO2/GO ratios did not affect the molecular structure of PAN-CA. Still, they did significantly increase the mean fiber diameter (234-467 nm) and the mechanical properties of the nanofibers comprising UTS, elongation, Young's modulus, and toughness compared to PAN-CA. From various ratios of TiO2/GO (0.01TiO2/0.005GO and 0.005TiO2/0.01GO) in the electrospun NFs, the nanofiber containing a high content of TiO2 showed over 97% of the initial MB dyes were degraded after 120 min of visible light exposure and the same nanofibers also, achieved 96% nitrophenol conversion to aminophenol in just 10 min with activity factor kAF value of 47.7 g-1min-1. These findings illustrate the promise of TiO2-GO/PAN-CA nanofibers for use in various structural applications, particularly in the remediation of organic contaminants from water and organic transformation reactions.

Efficient Dual-Function Catalyst: Palladium-Copper Nanoparticles Immobilized on Co-Cr LDH for Seamless Aerobic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol and Nitrobenzene Reduction.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) present exciting possibilities across various industries, ranging from catalytic applications to water remediation. By immobilizing nanoparticles, LDHs' characteristics and functionality can be enhanced, allowing for synergetic interactions that further expand their potential uses. A simple chemical method was developed to produce well-dispersed Pd-Cu NPs on a Co-Cr LDH support using a combination of in situ coprecipitation/hydrothermal and sol-immobilization techniques. The Pd-Cu@Co-Cr LDH catalysts was obtained, showing its catalytic activity in promoting the aerobic oxidation of alcohols and enabling the reduction of nitro-compounds through NaBH4 mediation. The physicochemical properties of the prepared catalyst were comprehensively investigated utilizing a range of analytical techniques, comprising FTIR, XRD, XPS, TGA, nitrogen adsorption isotherm, FESEM, and HRTEM-EDX. The findings showed the significance of immobilizing the bimetallic Pd-Cu nanoparticles on the Co-Cr LDH via an exceptional performance in the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol (16% conversion, 99.9% selectivity to benzaldehyde) and the reduction of nitrobenzene (98.2% conversion, rate constant of 0.0921 min-1). The improved catalytic efficacy in benzyl alcohol oxidation and nitrobenzene reduction on the Pd-Cu@Co-Cr LDH catalyst is attributed to the uniform distribution and small size of the Pd-Cu NPs as active sites on the Co-Cr LDH surface. The prepared catalyst demonstrated exceptional stability during repeated runs. This study paves the way for multiple opportunities in tailoring, producing, and precisely controlling catalysts for various organic transformation reactions.

Microbiome analysis reveals potential for modulation of gut microbiota through polysaccharide-based prebiotic feeding in Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758).

Characterization and functional profiling of the gut microbiota are essential for guiding nutritional interventions in fish and achieving favorable host-microbe interactions. Thus, we conducted a 30 days study to explore and document the gut microbial community of O. niloticus, as well as to evaluate the effects of a polysaccharide-based prebiotics with 0.5% and 0.75% Aloe vera extract on the gut microbiome through genomic analysis. The V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA was amplified and sequenced using Illumina HiSeq 2500, resulting in 1,000,199 reads for operational taxonomic unit (OTU) identification. Out of 8,894 OTUs, 1,181 were selected for further analysis. Our results revealed that Planctomycetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Actinobacteria, and Fusobacteria were the dominant phyla in both control and treatment samples. Higher doses of prebiotics were found to improve Planctomycetes and Firmicutes while decreasing Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. We observed increasing trends in the abundance of Bacilli, Bacillaceae, and Bacillus bacteria at the class, family, and genus levels, respectively, in a dose-dependent manner. These findings were consistent with the conventional colony count data, which showed a higher prevalence of Bacillus in prebiotic-supplemented groups. Moreover, predicted functional analysis using PICRUSt indicated a dose-dependent upregulation in glycolysis V, superpathway of glycol metabolism and degradation, glucose and xylose degradation, glycolysis II, and sulfoglycolysis pathways. Most of the energy, protein, and amino acid synthesis pathways were upregulated only at lower doses of prebiotic treatment. Our findings suggest that the gut microbiome of O. niloticus can be optimized through nutritional interventions with plant-based polysaccharides for improved growth performance in commercial fish.

Efficient nitrophenol reduction with Noria-GO nanocomposite decorated with Pd-Cu nanoparticles.

We report a facile approach to synthesize Pd-Cu nanoparticles immobilized on a Noria-GO nanocomposite for efficient nitrophenol reduction. The unique architecture of the Noria and the hydrophilic nature of GO contribute to the improved performance and structure of the resulting nanocomposite. The simple sol-immobilization approach employed NaBH4 as a reductant and polyvinyl alcohol as a capping agent to evenly decorate small Pd-Cu nanoparticles with a diameter of 1.4 nm on the Noria-GO surface. The prepared Pd-Cu@Noria-GO nanocomposite was utilized as a nanocatalyst in converting of nitrophenol to aminophenol using NaBH4 solution. Our Pd-Cu@Noria-GO nanocomposite exhibited superior catalytic efficacy with large conversion percentages, Kapp, and KAF values of 95%, 0.225 min-1, and 225 min-1g-1, respectively. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy confirmed the oxidation state of the prepared nanoparticles, and TEM findings demonstrated the homogenous decoration of Pd-Cu NPs on the Noria-GO surface. Additionally, the durability of the Pd-Cu@Noria-GO nanocomposite shown its potential as a robust and promising material for remediating organic contaminants. Our results indicate that Pd-Cu@Noria-GO nanocomposite can be an effective and sustainable approach for mitigating the hazards associated with nitrophenols.

Optimizing the performance of Auy/Nix/TiO2NTs photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Water splitting using photoelectrochemical (PEC) techniques is thought to be a potential method for creating green hydrogen as a sustainable energy source. How to create extremely effective electrode materials is a pressing concern in this area. In this work, a series of Nix/TiO2 anodized nanotubes (NTs) and Auy/Nix/TiO2NTs photoanodes were prepared by electrodeposition via cyclic voltammetry and UV-photoreduction, respectively. The photoanodes were characterized by several structural, morphological, and optical techniques and their performance in PEC water-splitting for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under simulated solar light was investigated. The obtained results revealed the nanotubular structure of TiO2NTs was preserved after deposition of NiO and Au nanoparticles while the band gap energy was reduced allowing for effective utilization of solar light with lower charge recombination rate. The PEC performance was monitored and it was found that the photocurrent densities of Ni20/TiO2NTs and Au30/Ni20/TiO2NTs were 1.75-fold and 3.25-fold that of pristine TiO2NTs, respectively. It was confirmed that the performance of the photoanodes depends on the number of electrodeposition cycles and duration of photoreduction of gold salt solution. The observed enhanced OER activity of Au30/Ni20/TiO2NTs could be attributed to the synergism between the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of nanometric gold which increased solar light harvesting and the p-n heterojunction formed at the NiO/TiO2 interface which led to better charge separation and transportation suggesting its potential application as an efficient and stable photoanode in PEC water splitting for H2 production.

Chitosan Polymer Functionalized-Activated Carbon/Montmorillonite Composite for the Potential Removal of Lead Ions from Wastewater.

A simple approach for synthesizing a highly adsorbent composite was described for the uptake of heavy metal ions from wastewater. A simple approach for synthesizing a highly adsorbent composite was also described for the elimination of heavy metal ions from contaminated water. The nanocomposite was synthesized via a polymer grafting of chitosan on the activated carbon surface, followed by a stacking process with the layers of montmorillonite clay. The spectroscopic analyses were exploited to confirm the composite structure of the prepared materials. Various adsorption parameters, such as pH, initial concentration, and adsorption time, were assessed. The results showed that the adsorption capacity of the composite for Pb2+ ions increased as the pH increased until it reached pH 5.5. The maximum adsorption capacity was observed at an initial Pb2+ level of 20 mg/L and a contact time of 150 min. Kinetic models were evaluated, and the pseudo second-order model showed the best match. The adsorption isotherm data were processed by fitting the model with different isotherm behaviors, and the Langmuir isotherm was found to be the most suitable for the system. The maximum adsorption capacity for Pb2+ ion on the MMT/CS/AC composite was found to be 50 mg/g at pH 5.5. Furthermore, the composite maintained a high adsorption capability of 85% for five adsorption-desorption cycles. Overall, this composite is envisioned as an addition to the market of wastewater remediation technology due to its chemical structure, which provides influential functional groups for wastewater treatment.

Controllable Fabrication of Zn2+ Self-Doped TiO2 Tubular Nanocomposite for Highly Efficient Water Treatment.

Tailoring high-efficiency photocatalytic composites for various implementations is a major research topic. 1D TNTs-based nanomaterials show promise as a photocatalyst for the remediation of organic pigments in an aqueous solution. Despite this, TiO2 (TNTs) is only photoactive in the UV range due to its inherent restriction on absorption of light in the UV range. Herein, we provide a facile recipe to tailor the optical characteristics and photocatalytic activity of TNTs by incorporating Zn (II) ionic species via an ion-exchange approach in an aqueous solution. The inclusion of Zn (II) ions into the TNTs framework expands its absorption of light toward the visible light range, therefore TiO2 nanotubes shows the visible-light photo-performance. Activity performance on photocatalytic decontamination of RhB at ambient temperature demonstrates that Zn-TNTs offer considerable boosted catalytic performance compared with untreated tubular TiO2 during the illumination of visible light. RhB (10 mg L-1) degradation of around 95% was achieved at 120 min. Radical scavenger experiment demonstrated that when electron (e-) or holes (h+) scavengers are introduced to the photodegradation process, the assessment of decontamination efficacy decreased by 45% and 76%, respectively. This demonstrates a more efficient engagement of the photoexcited electrons over photogenerated holes in the photodegradation mechanism. Furthermore, there seems to be no significant decrease in the activity of the Zn-TNTs after five consecutive runs. As a result, the fabricated Zn-TNTs composite has a high economic potential in the energy and environmental domains.

Synergistic effect of gold nanoparticles anchored on conductive carbon black as an efficient electrochemical sensor for sensitive detection of anti-COVID-19 drug Favipiravir in absence and presence of co-administered drug Paracetamol.

Favipiravir (FVP) is introduced as a promising newly developed antiviral drug against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, the accurate determination of FVP is of great significance for quality assessment and clinical diagnosis. Herein, a novel electrochemical sensing platform for FVP based on gold nanoparticles anchored conductive carbon black (Au@CCB) modified graphite nanopowder flakes paste electrode (GNFPE) was constructed. Morphological and nanostructure properties of Au@CCB have been investigated by TEM, HRTEM, and EDX methods. The morphology and electrochemical properties of Au@CCB/GNFPE were characterized by SEM, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and EIS. The Au@CCB nanostructured modified GNFPE exhibited strong electro-catalytic ability towards the oxidation of FVP. The performance of the fabricated Au@CCB/GNFPE was examined by monitoring FVP concentrations in the absence and presence of co-administered drug paracetamol (PCT) by AdS-SWV. It was demonstrated that the proposed sensor exhibited superior sensitivity, stability, and anti-interference capability for the detection of FVP. The simultaneous determination of a binary mixture containing FVP and the co-administered drug PCT using Au@CCB/GNFPE sensor is reported for the first time. Under optimized conditions, the developed sensor exhibited sensitive voltammetric responses to FVP and PCT with low detection limits of 7.5 nM and 4.3 nM, respectively. The sensing electrode was successfully used to determine FVP and PCT simultaneously in spiked human plasma and pharmaceutical preparations, and the findings were satisfactory. Finally, the fabricated sensor exhibited high sensitivity for simultaneous detection of FVP and PCT in the presence of ascorbic acid in a real sample.

A Facile Approach of Fabricating Bifunctional Catalysts for Redox Applications by Uniformly Immobilized Metallic Nanoparticles on NiCr LDH.

This study discloses the development of NiCr LDH, Ag@NiCr LDH, and Pd@NiCr LDH bifunction catalysts using a hydrothermal coprecipitation method followed by sol immobilization of metallic nanoparticles. The structures and morphologies of the synthesized nanocomposites were analyzed using FTIR, XRD, XPS, BET, FESEM-EDX, and HRTEM. The catalytic effectiveness of the samples was evaluated by tracking the progression of NaBH4-mediated nitrobenzene (NB) reduction to aniline and CO oxidation using UV-visible spectrophotometry and an infrared gas analyzer, respectively. Pd@NiCr LDH displayed much higher performance for both reactions than the bare NiCr LDH. The catalyst Pd@NiCr LDH showed robust catalytic activity in both the oxidation of carbon monoxide (T50% (136.1 °C) and T100% (200.2 °C)) and NaBH4-mediated nitrobenzene reduction (98.7% conversion and 0.365 min-1 rate constant). The results disclose that the Ni2+@ Cr3+/Cr6+ @Pd° ion pairs inside the LDH act as a charge transfer center and hence significantly enhance the catalytic performance. As a result, this research offers the novel NiCr LDH catalyst as a bifunctional catalyst for air depollution control and the organic transformation process.

Synthesis and Characterization of New Lutidinium Ionic Liquid-Supported Vanadylsalicylaldoxime Complex for Catalytic Application in Epoxidation Reaction.

A new chelating task-specific ionic liquid (TSIL), lutidinium-based salicylaldoxime (LSOH), and its square pyramidal vanadyl(II) complex (VO(LSO)2 ) have been successfully synthesized and structurally characterized using elemental (CHN), spectral, and thermal analyses. The catalytic activity of the lutidinium-salicylaldoxime complex (VO(LSO)2 ) in the alkene epoxidation reactions was studied under various reaction conditions, such as solvent effect, alkene/oxidant molar ratio, pH, reaction temperature, reaction time, and the catalyst dose. The results demonstrated that the CHCl3 solvent, 1 : 3 of the cyclohexene/H2 O2 ratio, pH 8, temperature of 340 K, and catalyst dose of 0.012 mmol are assigned as the optimum conditions for achieving maximum catalytic activity for VO(LSO)2 . Moreover, the VO(LSO)2 complex has the potential for application in the effective and selective epoxidation of alkenes. Notably, under optimal VO(LSO)2 conditions, cyclic alkenes convert more efficiently to their corresponding epoxides than linear alkenes.

Bifunctional ratiometric sensor based on highly fluorescent nitrogen and sulfur biomass-derived carbon nanodots fabricated from manufactured dairy product as a precursor.

Novel biomass-derived carbon dots co-doped with nitrogen and sulfur were fabricated through facile and simple synthetic method from manufactured milk powder and methionine as precursors. The as-fabricated platform was used for ratiometric fluorescence sensing of Cu (II) and bisphosphonate drug risedronate sodium. The sensing platform is based on oxidation of o-phenylenediamine by Cu (II) to form 2, 3-diaminophenazine (oxidized product) with an emission peak at 557 nm. The resultant product quenched the fluorescence emission of as-fabricated carbon dots at 470 nm through Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and inner-filter effect (IFE). Upon addition of risedronate sodium, the formation of 2, 3-diaminophenazine was decreased as a result of Cu (II) chelation with risedronate sodium, recovering the fluorescence emission of carbon dots. The ratio of fluorescence at 470 nm and 557 nm was measured as a function of Cu (II) and risedronate sodium concentrations. The proposed sensing platform sensitively detected Cu (II) and risedronate sodium in the range of 0.01-55 µM and 5.02-883 µM with LODs (S/N = 3) of 0.003 µM and 1.48 µM, respectively. The sensing platform exhibited a good selectivity towards Cu (II) and risedronate sodium. The sensing system was used to determine Cu (II) and risedronate sodium in different sample matrices with recoveries % in the range of 99-103 % and 97.4-103.8 %, and RSDs % in the range of 1.5-3.0 % and 1.8-3.6 %, respectively.

Tailoring confined CdS quantum dots in polysulfone membrane for efficiently durable performance in solar-driven wastewater remediating systems.

In this work, CdS quantum dots (QDs) were successfully confined in polysulfone membrane (PSM) to develop a photoactive membrane under solar illumination that was suited in wastewater remediating system. The CdS@PSM membranes were prepared using the nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) approach. Optical measurements show the confinement of CdS quantum dots (QDs) in the PS matrix within the narrowest band gap (2.41 eV) at 5 wt% loading. PS has two strong emission peaks at 411 and 432 nm due to photoelectron-hole recombination on pure PSM's surface. Adding 1 wt% CdS QDs to PSM reduced the earlier peak and blue-shifted the latter, within the appearance of three emission peaks attributed to the near band-edge emission of confined CdS QDs. Overloading CdS reduced all emission peaks. Moreover, fluorimetric monitoring of •OH radicals indicates that PSM produces the least amount of photogenerated •OH radicals while CdS@PSM(5 wt%) achieved the highest productivity. Examining the developed membranes in detoxifying methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution of natural pH 8.1 showed weak adsorption in dark over 90 min of contact while switching to solar illumination significantly photodegrade MB where the degradation efficiency starts from 49% for pure PSM to 79% for CdS@PSM(5 wt%). Influence of pH was found crucial on photodegradation efficacy. Acidic pH 3 showed the weakest photodegradation efficacy, while the alkaline pH 12 was 18.88 times more effective. The used CdS@PSM (5 wt%) was successfully photo-renovated by soaking in 10 mL of NaOH solution under Solar illumination for 15 min to be used in 4 consecutive photodegradation cycles with insignificant decrease in efficacy. These findings are promising and could lead to a high-efficiency, sustainable photocatalytic suite.

Ficus-mediated green synthesis of manganese oxide nanoparticles for adsorptive removal of malachite green from surface water.

The extract of ficus leaves was used to prepare manganese (IV) oxide nanoparticles (MnO2 NPs) for the first time. Several different analytical techniques were used to characterize the prepared MnO2 NPs. MnO2 has spherical crystals that are ~ 7 nm on average in size and have 149.68 m2/g of surface area and 0.91 cm3/g of total pore volume. Malachite green (MG) dye was then taken out of the water by adsorption using MnO2 NPs. Optimization of various adsorption parameters resulted in 188.68-277.78 mg/g maximum adsorption capacities at 298-328 K tested temperatures and 99.6% removal of 50 mg/L MG within 90 min using MnO2 dose of 0.01 g at pH 10 and 298 K. The results were tested using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, intraparticle diffusion, Elovich, and Liquid film kinetic models as well as Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. The most likely models to describe the adsorption process at 298 K are pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2 = 0.997) with a rate constant of 4 × 10-4 g/(mg.min) and Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.973). Additionally, the positive values of enthalpy change (3.91-67.81 kJ/mol) and the negative values of Gibb's free energy (- 3.38 to - 19.7 kJ/mol) indicate that the process is endothermic, spontaneous, and thermodynamically feasible. MnO2 NPs sustained their adsorption efficiency at 90.4% after 5 sorption cycles. MnO2 appears to be more selective for MG in studies examining the adsorption of various cationic dyes. Lately, the biosynthesized MnO2 NPs can be utilized to remove MG from aqueous solutions effectively.

Fabrication of Novel Bentonite-Anthracite@Zetag (BT-An@Zetag) Composite for the Removal of Arsenic (V) from an Aqueous Solution.

The arsenic (As) pollution of water has been eliminated via intensive scientific efforts, with the purpose of giving safe drinking water to millions of people across the world. In this study, the adsorption of As(V) from a synthetic aqueous solution was verified using a Bentonite-Anthracite@Zetag (BT-An@Zetag) composite. The SEM, FT-IR, XRD, DSC, TGA, and SBET techniques were used to characterize the (BT-An@Zetag) composite. The adsorption of As(V) was explored using batch adsorption under varied operating scenarios. Five kinetic modelswere used to investigate kinetic data, whereas three isotherms had been used to fit empirical equilibrium data. According to the findings, the adsorption mechanism of As(V) was best described by the Freundlich isotherm with a maximum monolayer coverage of 38.6 mg/g showing pseudo-second-order mode. The estimated enthalpy (H°) indicates that the adsorption process is both chemical and endothermic.The calculated free energy (G°) indicates that the reaction is nonspontaneous. After four sequential adsorption cycles, the produced BT-An@Zetag composite demonstrated good reusability and a greater adsorption affinity for As(V) ions. Overall, the BT-An@Zetag composite is suited for removing arsenic from wastewater using adsorption as a cost-effective and efficient technique.

Selective Spectrofluorimetric Approach for the Assessment of Two Antipsychotic Drugs through Derivatization with O-Phthalaldehyde.

A facile and sensible spectrofluorimetric approach for the measurement of two antipsychotic medications, aripiperazole (ARP) and clozapine (CLZ), was devised and validated. The approach involves reacting the examined medicines with o-phthalaldehyde in the presence of ß-mercaptoethanol in a borate buffer of pH 9.0 and pH 10 for ARP and CLZ, respectively, to produce a robustly fluorescent compound that is detected at 450 nm following excitation at 340 nm. The experimental variables influencing the performance and product stability were thoroughly investigated and optimized. Under optimal conditions, the intensity of the fluorescence was linear during a concentration range of 0.1-0.5 µg/mL, with a limit of detection (0.0391 and 0.0400 µg/mL) and limit of quantitation (0.1035 and 0.1332 µg/mL), respectively, for ARP and CLZ. The suggested approach was successful in analyzing commercialized tablets. A statistical investigation of the results produced by the suggested and standard methods showed no remarkable variation in the precision and accuracy of the two approaches. A chemical mechanism using o-phthalaldehyde was proposed.

Valuation of rice straw residues: Production of silylated methylcellulose containing propylamine and propylethylenediamine for use as anticorrosion and antibacterial.

Green technology is a scientific movement seeking to eliminate industrial chemicals and replace them with natural products by valorizing natural resources or biological waste. In this work, we present the extraction of cellulose from rice straw and chemically modified water-dispersible cellulose (methylcellulose) by performing a methylation process. The methylcellulose is chemically bonded to N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine, and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane compounds to produce a cellulose-organosilane hybrid. The prepared compounds were studied with appropriate techniques such as 1H NMR, XRD, FTIR, TGA, Raman spectroscopy, FE-SEM, and AFM. The prepared materials were used as corrosion inhibitors of steel in 1 N H2SO4 for studies of potentiodynamic polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The materials were also studied as antibacterial agents. The results indicate the successful use of a modified extracted cellulose hybrid in the corrosion field and as an antibacterial agent. Quantum chemical assessments based on density functional theory (DFT) of the trimethoxysilyl propylamine and dimethoxymethylsilyl propylethylenediamine grafted methylcellulose were calculated. The results obtained showed the agreement of the theoretical data with the experimental data.