Magnetic composite photocatalyst NiFe2O4/ZnIn2S4/biochar for efficient removal of antibiotics in water under visible light: Performance, mechanism and pathway.

The widespread presence of antibiotics in aquatic environments, resulting from excessive use and accumulation, has raised significant concerns. A NiFe2O4/ZnIn2S4/Biochar (NFO/ZIS/BC) magnetic nanocomposite was successfully synthesized, demonstrating significantly enhanced electron-hole separation properties. Comprehensive investigations were conducted to evaluate the impact of various parameters, including catalyst mass, pH, and the presence of co-existing ions on the composite's performance. The nanoparticles of NiFe2O4 (NFO) and ZnIn2S4 (ZIS) were found to improve the surface stability and sulfamethoxazole removal capabilities of porous biochar, while also demonstrating high total organic carbon removal efficiencies. •O2⁻ and h⁺ were identified as the predominant reactive oxygen species (ROS) in NFO/ZIS/BC-4 during the degradation process. The degradation outcomes of sulfamethoxazole under natural sunlight and water conditions were consistent with laboratory findings, affirming the robust applicative potential of NFO/ZIS/BC. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to elucidate the photocatalytic mechanism and identify potential intermediate products. Additionally, the types of heterojunctions present in the system were characterized and discussed. After multiple iterations, NFO/ZIS/BC-4 maintained effective photodegradation capabilities through five cycles. This study presents an effective method for the treatment of antibiotics in aquatic environments, offering significant potential for environmental applications.

A literature review: mechanisms of antitumor pharmacological action of leonurine alkaloid.

Leonurine refers to the desiccated aerial portion of a plant in the Labiatae family. The primary bioactive constituent of Leonurine is an alkaloid, Leonurine alkaloid (Leo), renowned for its substantial therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of gynecological disorders, in addition to its broad-spectrum antineoplastic capabilities. Over recent years, the pharmacodynamic mechanisms of Leo have garnered escalating scholarly interest. Leo exhibits its anticancer potential by means of an array of mechanisms, encompassing the inhibition of neoplastic cell proliferation, induction of both apoptosis and autophagy, and the containment of oncogenic cell invasion and migration. The key signal transduction pathways implicated in these processes include the Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL), the Phosphoinositide3-Kinase/Serine/Threonine Protein Kinase (PI3K/AKT), the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3), and the Mitogen-Activated Protein/Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (MAP/ERK). This paper commences with an exploration of the principal oncogenic cellular behaviors influenced by Leo and the associated signal transduction pathways, thereby scrutinizing the mechanisms of Leo in the antineoplastic sequence of events. The intention is to offer theoretical reinforcement for the elucidation of more profound mechanisms underpinning Leo's anticancer potential and correlating pharmaceutical development.

Enhanced characteristics and mechanism of Cu(II) removal from aqueous solutions in electrocatalytic internal micro-electrolysis fluidized-bed.

For the purification of heavy metal wastewater, internal micro-electrolysis (IME) was considered as an effective method but some disadvantage greatly restricts its application. Electrocatalytic internal micro-electrolysis (ECIME) fluidized bed using iron-carbon particles was proposed to avoid disadvantaging of IME. The principal aim of this study was to investigate the enhanced removal characteristics, mechanism, and kinetic behavior of Cu(II) that none clear before. ECIME reactor shows a better copper removal performance and depends much on the polarization of the external electric field (EEF). Both the reaction rate and removal efficiency of copper electrodeposition improved obviously. Noteworthy is more than 88.0% of Cu(II) in aqueous solutions was removed by enhanced electrodeposition, and only about 10.0% of Cu(II) was absorbed and flocculated through the in situ formed iron hydroxyl compounds. Through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical analysis, copper can effectively electrodeposition on the surface of iron-carbon particles in ECIME reactor and accordingly the enhanced mechanisms were proposed. 1) Iron-carbon particles of ECIME formation of microelectrodes with high surface potential, larger specific area, and active sites through electrode collision and repolarization. 2) Copper electrodeposition on the formed microelectrodes exhibited greater reduction peak potential, reaction overpotential and exchange current density, which influenced by the polarization voltage significantly. 3) The electrocatalytic environment tend to in situ generate iron polymer hydroxyl compounds help to further remove residual Cu(II). ECIME fluidized-bed has promised potential for heavy metal containing wastewater purification and metal recovery. In addition, the proposed reaction models will be useful for field application.

Characterization and adsorption properties of cross-linked yeast/ß-cyclodextrin polymers for Pb(ii) and Cd(ii) adsorption.

In this study, a crosslinked yeast/ß-cyclodextrin polymer (Y-ß-CDP), for use as an effective adsorbent for removal Pb(ii) and Cd(ii) ions from aqueous solution, has been innovatively prepared by grafting ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) onto the surface of baker's yeast (BY) and thiomalic acid as a crosslinker. Several characterization techniques, such as SEM equipped with an EDS analyzer, FTIR, XRD, and XPS were employed characterize the Y-ß-CDP. The impact of various operating parameters, such as pH, adsorbent dosage, initial concentration of metal ions, contact time and solution temperature, as well as adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics were systematically investigated. The adsorption of Pb(ii) and Cd(ii) on Y-ß-CDP reached equilibrium in 25 min, and the kinetic process conforms to the pseudo-second order model. The Langmuir model was used to describe the adsorption isotherm data better than the Freundlich model. The predicted maximum adsorption capacity at 25 °C for Pb(ii) and Cd(ii) was 150.08 and 102.80 mg g-1, respectively, when the initial concentration of metal ions was 120 mg L-1. The thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption procedure of Pb(ii) and Cd(ii) onto Y-ß-CDP was spontaneous and endothermic. Furthermore, regeneration experiments demonstrated that Y-ß-CDP had excellent recyclability. Together, all results suggested that Y-ß-CDP could potentially be a promising adsorbent in the purification of water contaminated with heavy metal ions.