Integrated management of groundwater quantity, physicochemical properties, and microbial quality in West Nile delta using a new MATLAB code and geographic information system mapping.

Groundwater is an excellent alternative to freshwater for drinking, irrigation, and developing arid regions. Agricultural, commercial, industrial, residential, and municipal activities may affect groundwater quantity and quality. Therefore, we aimed to use advanced methods/techniques to monitor the piezometric levels and collect groundwater samples to test their physicochemical and biological characteristics. Our results using software programs showed two main types of groundwater: the most prevalent was the Na-Cl type, which accounts for 94% of the groundwater samples, whereas the Mg-Cl type was found in 6% of samples only. In general, the hydraulic gradient values, ranging from medium to low, could be attributed to the slow movement of groundwater. Salinity distribution in groundwater maps varied between 238 and 1350 mg L-1. Although lower salinity values were observed in northwestern wells, higher values were recorded in southern ones. The collected seventeen water samples exhibited brackish characteristics and were subjected to microbial growth monitoring. Sample WD12 had the lowest total bacterial count (TBC) of 4.8 ± 0.9 colony forming unit (CFU mg L-1), while WD14 had the highest TBC (7.5 ± 0.5 CFU mg L-1). None of the tested water samples, however, contained pathogenic microorganisms. In conclusion, the current simulation models for groundwater drawdown of the Quaternary aquifer system predict a considerable drawdown of water levels over the next 10, 20, and 30 years with the continuous development of the region.

Chiral resolution of (±)-flurbiprofen using molecularly imprinted hydrazidine-modified cellulose microparticles.

Flurbiprofen (FP) is one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) commonly used to treat arthritic conditions. FP has two enantiomers: S-FP and R-FP. S-FP has potent anti-inflammatory effects, while R-FP has nearly no such effects. Herein, molecularly imprinted microparticles produced from hydrazidine-cellulose (CHD) biopolymer for the preferential uptake of S-FP and chiral resolution of (±)-FP were developed. First, cyanoethylcellulose (CECN) was synthesized, and the -CN units were transformed into hydrazidine groups. The developed CHD was subsequently shaped into microparticles and ionically interacted with the S-FP enantiomer. The particles were then imprinted after being cross-linked with glutaraldehyde, and then the S-FP was removed to provide the S-FP enantio-selective sorbent (S-FPCHD). After characterization, the optimal removal settings for the S- and R-FP enantiomers were determined. The results indicated a capacity of 125 mg/g under the optimum pH range of 5-7. Also, S-FPCHD displayed a noticeable affinity toward S-FP with a 12-fold increase compared to the R-FP enantiomer. The chiral resolution of the (±)-FP was successfully attempted using separation columns, and the outlet sample of the loading solution displayed an enantiomeric excess (ee) of 93 % related to the R-FP, while the eluent solution displayed an ee value of 95 % related to the S-FP.

Fabrication of bioactive nanocomposites from chitosan, cress mucilage, and selenium nanoparticles with powerful antibacterial and anticancerous actions.

Natural bioactive alternatives are the utmost requests from researchers to provide biosafe and effectual health-guarding agents. The biopolymers chitosan nanoparticles (NCT), mucilage of cress seed (GCm; Lepidium sativum), and GCm-mediated selenium nanoparticles (GCm/SeNPs) were innovatively employed for fabricating novel bioactive natural nanocomposites (NCs) with elevated bioactivities as bactericidal (against Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus) and anticancer (against CaCo-2 and HeLa cells). The SeNPs were successfully generated with GCm, and different NCs formulations were fabricated from NCT:GCm/SeNPs amalgam ratios including T1, T2, and T3 with 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 ratios, respectively. The infrared analysis of synthesized molecules appointed apparent physical interactions among interacted molecules. The average particles' sizes and charges of molecules/NCs were (12.7, 316.4, 252.8, and 127.3 nm) and (-6.9, +38.7, +26.2, and -25.8 mV) for SeNPs, T1, T2, and T3, respectively. The biocidal assessment of NCs indicated that T1 was the strongest antibacterial formulation, whereas T3 was the superior anticancer amalgam. These NCs formulations could exceed the biocidal potentialities of standard biocides. T1-NC could cause severe destructions/deformations in challenged S. typhimurium within 9 h, whereas T3-NCs induced apparent fluorescent apoptosis signs in treated HeLa cells. The prospective applications innovatively designed biocidal natural NCs that are recommended for controlling pathogenic bacteria and fighting cancerous cells.

Facile Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Assessment of a Silver/Montmorillonite Nanocomposite as an Effective Antiseptic against Foodborne Pathogens for Promising Food Protection.

Foodborne pathogens can have devastating repercussions and significantly threaten public health. Therefore, it is indeed essential to guarantee the sustainability of our food production. Food preservation and storage using nanocomposites is a promising strategy. Accordingly, the present research's objectives were to identify and isolate a few foodborne pathogens from food products, (ii) synthesize and characterize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using wet chemical reduction into the lamellar space layer of montmorillonite (MMT), and (iii) investigate the antibacterial potential of the AgNPs/MMT nanocomposite versus isolated strains of bacteria. Six bacterial species, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus were isolated from some food products (meat, fish, cheese, and vegetables). The Ag/MMT nanocomposite was synthesized and characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, particle size analyzer, zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy with dispersive energy X-ray (EDX). The antibacterial effectiveness of the AgNPs/MMT nanocomposite further investigated distinct bacterial species using a zone of inhibition assay and microtiter-based methods. Nanoparticles with a narrow dimension range of 12 to 30 nm were identified using TEM analysis. The SEM was employed to view the sizeable flakes of the AgNPs/MMT. At 416 nm, the most excellent UV absorption was measured. Four silver metallic diffraction peaks were found in the XRD pattern during the study, and the EDX spectrum revealed a strong signal attributed to Ag nanocrystals. AgNPs/MMT figured out the powerful antibacterial action. The AgNPs/MMT nanocomposite confirmed outstanding minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) against six isolates of foodborne pathogens, ranging from 15 to 75 µg/mL, respectively. The AgNPs/MMT's antibacterial potential against gram-negative bacteria was noticeably better than gram-positive bacteria. Therefore, the AgNPs/MMT nanocomposite has the potential to be used as a reliable deactivator in food processing and preservation to protect against foodborne pathogenic bacteria. This suggests that the nanocomposite may be effective at inhibiting the growth and proliferation of harmful bacteria in food, which could help to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Preparation of afterglow and photochromic fibrous mats from polypropylene plastics to detect ultraviolet light.

Polypropylene textiles have been used in the development of various industrial products, such as automotives, plastic furniture, and medical tools. However, polypropylene resists dyeing due to a deficiency of active staining spots. Here, we developed a new strategy towards new afterglow and photochromic fibres from recycled polypropylene plastics using plasma-supported coloration with rare-earth activated aluminate nanoparticles (REANPs). Plasma curing was used to generate active dyeing sites on the polypropylene surface. A thin film of REANPs (2-10 nm) was deposited onto the plasma-pretreated polypropylene surface. Various analytical techniques were applied to inspect the morphology of the REANP-finished polypropylene fibres. The polypropylene dyeing activity was much improved after being exposed to plasma. Both photoluminescence analysis and Commission internationale de l'éclairage (CIE) laboratory coordinates proved that the polypropylene fibres exhibited a white colour in daylight and green in ultraviolet light. The thin afterglow layer immobilized onto the polypropylene surface exhibited an emission band of 524 nm upon excitation at 365 nm. The sliding angles dropped from 12° to 9°, but the contacting angles increased from 139.4° to 145.0° when the REANP ratio was raised. These findings show that REANP-finished polypropylene had good colourfastness, antimicrobial activity, and ultraviolet light blocking. Both stiffness and permeability to air of REANP-finished polypropylene were explored to designate excellent comfort characteristics.

Fabrication and assessment of potent anticancer nanoconjugates from chitosan nanoparticles, curcumin, and eugenol.

In cancer management and control, the most challenging difficulties are the complications resulting from customized therapies. The constitution of bioactive anticancer nanoconjugates from natural derivatives, e.g., chitosan (Ct), curcumin (Cur), and eugenol (Eug), was investigated for potential alternatives to cancer cells' treatment. Ct was extracted from Erugosquilla massavensis (mantis shrimp); then, Ct nanoparticles (NCt) was fabricated and loaded with Cur and/or Eug using crosslinking emulsion/ionic-gelation protocol and evaluated as anticancer composites against CaCo2 "colorectal adenocarcinoma" and MCF7 "breast adenocarcinoma" cells. Ct had 42.6 kDa molecular weight and 90.7% deacetylation percentage. The conjugation of fabricated molecules/composites and their interactions were validated via infrared analysis. The generated nanoparticles (NCt, NCt/Cur, NCt/Eug, and NCt/Cur/Eug composites) had mean particle size diameters of 268.5, 314.9, 296.4, and 364.7 nm, respectively; the entire nanoparticles carried positive charges nearby ≥30 mV. The scanning imaging of synthesized nanoconjugates (NCt/Cur, NCt/Eug, and NCt/Cur/Eug) emphasized their homogenous distributions and spherical shapes. The cytotoxic assessments of composited nanoconjugates using the MTT assay, toward CaCo2 and MCF7 cells, revealed elevated anti-proliferative and dose-dependent activities of all nanocomposites against treated cells. The combined nanocomposites (NCt/Eug/Cur) emphasized the highest activity against CaCo2 cells (IC50 = 11.13 µg/ml), followed by Cur/Eug then NCt/Cur. The exposure of CaCo2 cells to the nanocomposites exhibited serious DNA damages and fragmentation in exposed cancerous cells using the comet assay; the NCt/Eug/Cur nanocomposite was the most forceful with 9.54 nm tail length and 77.94 tail moment. The anticancer effectuality of innovatively combined NCt/Cur/Eug nanocomposites is greatly recommended for such biosafe, natural, biocompatible, and powerful anticancer materials, especially for combating colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, with elevated applicability, efficiency, and biosafety.

Carboxymethyl cellulose mediated growth of V2O5 nanorod by green strategy for energy storage utilization using electrochemical studies.

Vanadium pentoxide has the most exciting oxidation states, but, Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) has low capacitance due to poor electrical conductivity and ionic diffusivity. So, encapsulating pentoxide in carbonaceous materials or metals, shrinking it to the nanoscale, or changing its morphology can improve capacitance performance. Herein, we describe a green synthesis of V2O5NPs with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) that typically acts as a reducing and stabilizing agent using the -COOH and -OH group. The physicochemical characterization of prepared samples reveals the prominent peak in UV-vis spectra at 265 nm confirming the formation of V2O5NPs with particle sizes between 200 and 220 nm. The theoretical surface area for the nanocomposite was 76.5 m2/g. The calcination temperature is essential to determine a material's specific capacitance. Due to decreased oxide agglomeration, the V2O5-green modified electrode exhibits superior electrochemical performance around 223 F g-1 than Ac alone (160 F g-1). The finding demonstrated excellent cyclic stability with reduced fluctuation in capacitance. Because of its exceptional electrochemical performance and simplicity of access, this AC/V2O5 nanocomposite can be helpful as an electrode for energy storage applications.

The Design of Ternary Composite Polyurethane Membranes with an Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation Potential for the Removal of Anionic Dyes.

Photocatalysis is an efficient and an eco-friendly way to eliminate organic pollutants from wastewater and filtration media. The major dilemma coupled with conventional membrane technology in wastewater remediation is fouling. In this study, the photocatalytic degradation potential of novel thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) based NiO on aminated graphene oxide (NH2-GO) nanocomposite membranes was explored. The fabrication of TPU-NiO/NH2-GO membranes was achieved by the phase inversion method and analyzed for their performances. The membranes were effectively characterized in terms of surface morphology, functional group, and crystalline phase identification, using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis, respectively. The prepared materials were investigated in terms of photocatalytic degradation potential against selected pollutants. Approximately 94% dye removal efficiency was observed under optimized conditions (i.e., reaction time = 180 min, pH 3-4, photocatalyst dose = 80 mg/100 mL, and oxidant dose = 10 mM). The optimized membranes possessed effective pure water flux and excellent dye rejection (approximately 94%) under 4 bar pressure. The nickel leaching in the treated wastewater sample was determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The obtained data was kinetically analyzed using first- and second-order reaction kinetic models. A first-order kinetic study was suited for the present study. Besides, the proposed membranes provided excellent photocatalytic ability up to six reusability cycles. The combination of TPU and NH2-GO provided effective strength to membranes and the immobilization of NiO nanoparticles improved the photocatalytic behavior.

Immobilization of Strontium Aluminate into Recycled Polycarbonate Plastics towards an Afterglow and Photochromic Smart Window.

A transparent smart window made of recycled polycarbonate plastic (PCP) waste was prepared and immobilized with strontium aluminate phosphor nanoparticles (SAPN). It has afterglow emission, super-hydrophobicity, durability, photostability, good mechanical properties, ultraviolet protection, and high optical transmittance. To create an afterglow emission polycarbonate smart window (SAPN@PCP), recycled polycarbonate waste was integrated with various concentrations of SAPN (15-52 nm). SAP micro-scale powder was made using the solid-state high temperature method. The SAP nanoparticles were produced using the top-down method. To create a colorless plastic bulk, recycled polycarbonate waste was inserted into a hot bath. This colorless plastic was thoroughly combined with SAPN and cast to create an afterglow luminous smart window. To investigate its photoluminescence properties, spectrum profiles of excitation and emission were measured. According to the luminescence parameters, the phosphorescent colorless polycarbonate plates displayed a change in color to strong green under UV illumination and greenish-yellow in a dark box. The afterglow polycarbonate smart window displayed two emission peaks at 496 and 526 nm, and an absorption wavelength of 373 nm. Upon increasing the SAPN ratio, the hydrophobic activity, hardness, photostability, and UV protection were improved. Luminescent polycarbonate substrates with lower SAPN ratio demonstrated rapid and reversible fluorescence under UV light, while the higher SAPN content in the luminous polycarbonate substrates showed afterglow.

Correction: Imaging the reactivity and width of graphene's boundary region.

Correction for 'Imaging the reactivity and width of graphene's boundary region' by Huda S. AlSalem et al., Chem. Commun., 2020, 56, 9612-9615, DOI: 10.1039/D0CC02675A.

Imaging the reactivity and width of graphene's boundary region.

The reactivity of graphene at its boundary region has been imaged using non-linear spectroscopy to address the controversy whether the terraces of graphene or its edges are more reactive. Graphene was functionalised with phenyl groups, and we subsequently scanned our vibrational sum-frequency generation setup from the functionalised graphene terraces across the edges. A greater phenyl signal is clearly observed at the edges, showing evidence of increased reactivity in the boundary region. We estimate an upper limit of 1 mm for the width of the CVD graphene boundary region.