Efficient Visible-Light Photocatalysis and Antibacterial Activity of TiO2-Fe3C-Fe-Fe3O4/Graphitic Carbon Composites Fabricated by Catalytic Graphitization of Sucrose Using Natural Ilmenite.

Dyes in wastewater are a serious problem that needs to be resolved. Adsorption coupled photocatalysis is an innovative technique used to remove dyes from contaminated water. Novel composites of TiO2-Fe3C-Fe-Fe3O4 dispersed on graphitic carbon were fabricated using natural ilmenite sand as the source of iron and titanium, and sucrose as the carbon source, which were available at no cost. Synthesized composites were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and diffuse reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy (DRS). Arrangement of nanoribbons of graphitic carbon with respect to the nanomaterials was observed in TEM images, revealing the occurrence of catalytic graphitization. Variations in the intensity ratio (I D/I G), L a and L D, calculated from data obtained from Raman spectroscopy suggested that the level of graphitization increased with an increased loading of the catalysts. SEM images show the immobilization of nanoplate microballs and nanoparticles on the graphitic carbon matrix. The catalyst surface consists of Fe3+ and Ti4+ as the metal species, with V, Mn, and Zr being the main impurities. According to DRS spectra, the synthesized composites absorb light in the visible region efficiently. Fabricated composites effectively adsorb methylene blue via π-π interactions, with the absorption capacities ranging from 21.18 to 45.87 mg/g. They were effective in photodegrading methylene blue under sunlight, where the rate constants varied in the 0.003-0.007 min-1 range. Photogenerated electrons produced by photocatalysts captured by graphitic carbon produce O2 •- radicals, while holes generate OH• radicals, which effectively degrade methylene blue molecules. TiO2-Fe3C-Fe-Fe3O4/graphitic carbon composites inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli (69%) and Staphylococcus aureus (92%) under visible light. Synthesized novel composites using natural materials comprise an ecofriendly, cost-effective solution to remove dyes, and they were effective in inhibiting the growth of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

Fabrication of TiO2 Spheres and a Visible Light Active α-Fe2O3/TiO2-Rutile/TiO2-Anatase Heterogeneous Photocatalyst from Natural Ilmenite.

High-purity (98.8%, TiO2) rutile nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using ilmenite sand as the initial titanium source. This novel synthesis method was cost-effective and straightforward due to the absence of the traditional gravity, magnetic, electrostatic separation, ball milling, and smelting processes. Synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles were 99% pure. Also, highly corrosive environmentally hazardous acid leachate generated during the leaching process of ilmenite sand was effectively converted into a highly efficient visible light active photocatalyst. The prepared photocatalyst system consists of anatase-TiO2/rutile-TiO2/Fe2O3 (TF-800), rutile-TiO2/Fe2TiO5 (TFTO-800), and anatase-TiO2/Fe3O4 (TF-450) nanocomposites, respectively. The pseudo-second-order adsorption rate of the TF-800 ternary nanocomposite was 0.126 g mg-1 min-1 in dark conditions, and a 0.044 min-1 visible light initial photodegradation rate was exhibited. The TFTO-800 binary nanocomposite adsorbed methylene blue (MB) following pseudo-second-order adsorption (0.224 g mg-1 min-1) in the dark, and the rate constant for photodegradation of MB in visible light was 0.006 min-1. The prepared TF-450 nanocomposite did not display excellent adsorptive and photocatalytic performances throughout the experiment period. The synthesized TF-800 and TFTO-800 were able to degrade 93.1 and 49.8% of a 100 mL, 10 ppm MB dye solution within 180 min, respectively.

K2 Mn3 [FeII (CN)6 ]2 NPs with High T1 -Relaxivity Attributable to Water Coordination on the Mn(II) Center for Gastrointestinal Tract MR Imaging.

The lack of acid stability in the stomach and of temporal stability when moving through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has made the development of oral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents based on the platform of Gd3+ -complexes problematic.On the other hand, the negative contrast enhancement produced by the T2 -weighted magnetic metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) often renders the image readout difficult. Biocompatible NPs of the manganese Prussian blue analog K2 Mn3 [FeII (CN)6 ]2 exhibit extremely high stability under the acidic conditions of the gastric juice. Additionally, the high r1 relaxivity, low toxicity, and high temporal stability of such NPs offer great potential for the development of a true T1 -weighted oral contrast agent for MRI of the entire GI tract.

Incorporation of gallium-68 into the crystal structure of Prussian blue to form K(68)GaxFe1-x[Fe(CN)6] nanoparticles: toward a novel bimodal PET/MRI imaging agent.

Similarity between the Ga(+) ion and the Fe(3+) ion allows for partial replacement of Fe(3+) ions with Ga(3+) ions in the Fe(iii) crystallographic positions in Prussian blue (PB) to form various solid solutions KGaxFe1-x[Fe(CN)6] (0 < x < 1). Such solid solutions possess very high thermodynamic stability as expected from the parent PB structure. Consequently, a simple one-step (68)Ga-labeling method was developed for preparing a single-phase nanoparticulate bimodal PET/MRI imaging agent based on the PB structural platform. Unlike the typical (68)Ga-labelling reaction based on metal complexation, this novel chelator-free (68)Ga-labeling reaction was shown to be kinetically fast under the acidic conditions. The Ga(3+) ion does not hydrolyze, and affords the (68)Ga-labelled PB nanoparticles, which are easy to purify and have extremely high stability against radionuclidic leaching in aqueous solution.

Biocompatible D-Penicillamine Conjugated Au Nanoparticles: Targeting Intracellular Free Copper Ions for Detoxification.

High thiophillicicity of the Au-nanoparticle (Au NP) surface leads to covalent attachment of D-penicillamine molecules to Au NPs to form biocompatible D-penicillamine conjugated Au NPs. The latter are highly water-dispersible, exhibit no cytotoxicity, and can readily penetrate the cell membrane to target intracellular free copper ions for selective copper detoxification in the presence of the other divalent essential metal ions including Zn(II), Fe(II), Mn(II), Ca(II), and Mg(II), thus opening up a new avenue for improving the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of D-penicillamine, an important clinical drug currently used to treat the copper overload-related diseases and disorders.

Selective ion exchange governed by the Irving-Williams series in K2Zn3[Fe(CN)6]2 nanoparticles: toward a designer prodrug for Wilson's disease.

The principle of the Irving-Williams series is applied to the design of a novel prodrug based on K2Zn3[Fe(CN)6]2 nanoparticles (ZnPB NPs) for Wilson's disease (WD), a rare but fatal genetic disorder characterized by the accumulation of excess copper in the liver and other vital organs. The predetermined ion-exchange reaction rather than chelation between ZnPB NPs and copper ions leads to high selectivity of such NPs for copper in the presence of the other endogenous metal ions. Furthermore, ZnPB NPs are highly water-dispersible and noncytotoxic and can be readily internalized by cells to target intracellular copper ions for selective copper detoxification, suggesting their potential application as a new-generation treatment for WD.

Synthesis, characterization, and X-ray attenuation properties of ultrasmall BiOI nanoparticles: toward renal clearable particulate CT contrast agents.

A unique decelerated hydrolytic procedure is developed and reported here for the preparation of ultrasmall nanoparticles (NPs) of PVP-coated BiOI with a narrow size distribution, i.e., 2.8 ± 0.5 nm. The crystal structure of this compound is determined by X-ray powder diffraction using the bulk materials. The stability, cytotoxicity, and potential use of the PVP-coated ultrasmall BiOI NPs as a CT contrast agent are investigated. Because of the combined X-ray attenuation effect of bismuth and iodine, such NPs exhibit a CT value that is among the best of those of the inorganic nanoparticle-based CT contrast agents reported in the literature.

Gallium analogue of soluble Prussian blue KGa[Fe(CN)6]·nH2O: synthesis, characterization, and potential biomedical applications.

The gallium analogue of the soluble Prussian blue with the formula KGa[Fe(CN)6]·nH2O is synthesized and structurally characterized. A simple aqueous synthetic procedure for preparing nanoparticles of this novel coordination polymer is reported. The stability, in vitro ion exchange with ferrous ions, cytotoxicity, and cellular uptake of such nanoparticles coated with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) are investigated for potential applications of delivering Ga(3+) ions into cells or removing iron from cells.