Antifungal Activities of Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Mediated by Marine Algae: In Vitro and In Vivo Insights of Coating Tomato Fruit to Protect against Penicillium italicum Blue Mold.

In an attempt to reduce such decay induced by pathogenic causes, several studies investigated the effectiveness of nanoparticles (NPs) that play a vital role in saving food products, especially fruits. Current research delves into biogenic silver nanoparticles (using marine alga Turbinaria turbinata (Tt/Ag-NPs) and their characterization using FT-IR, TEM, EDS, and zeta potential. Some pathogenic fungi, which cause fruit spoilage, were isolated. We studied the impact of using Tt/Ag-NPs to protect against isolated fungi in vitro, and the influence of Tt/Ag-NPs as a coating of tomato fruit to protect against blue mold caused by Penicillium italicum (OR770486) over 17 days of storage time. Five treatments were examined: T1, healthy fruits were used as the positive control; T2, healthy fruits sprayed with Tt/Ag-NPs; T3, fruits infected with P. italicum followed by coating with Tt/Ag-NPs (pre-coating); T4, fruits coated with Tt/Ag-NPs followed by infection by P. italicum (post-coating); and T5, the negative control, fruits infected by P. italicum. The results displayed that Tt/Ag-NPs are crystalline, spherical in shape, with size ranges between 14.5 and 39.85 nm, and negative charges. Different concentrations of Tt/Ag-NPs possessed antifungal activities against Botrytis cinerea, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Penicillium expansum, Alternaria alternate, and Stemphylium vesicarium. After two days of tomatoes being infected with P. italicum, 55% of the fruits were spoilage. The tomato fruit coated with Tt/Ag-NPs delayed weight loss, increased titratable acidity (TA%), antioxidant%, and polyphenol contents, and decreased pH and total soluble solids (TSSs). There were no significant results between pre-coating and post-coating except in phenol contents increased in pre-coating. A particular focus is placed on the novel and promising approach of utilizing nanoparticles to combat foodborne pathogens and preserve commodities, with a spotlight on the application of nanoparticles in safeguarding tomatoes from decay.

Simultaneous production of biofuel, and removal of heavy metals using marine alga Turbinaria turbinata as a feedstock in NEOM Region, Tabuk.

Depletion of fossil fuel and pollution by heavy metals are two major global issues. The cell wall of algae consists of polymers of polysaccharides such as cellulose, hemicellulose, alginate, starch, and many others that are readily hydrolyzed to monosaccharides and hence are amenable to fermentation into bioethanol. Moreover, algae contain lipids that may undergo trans-esterification to biodiesel, and can be absorbed by heavy metals. In this study, extraction of lipids from Turbinaria turbinata (common brown alga) from the beach of Sharma, NEOM, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia by different solvents hexane, methanol, and hexane: methanol (1:1), and trans-esterification was performed to obtain biodiesel and investigated by GC.MS. The alga residue after fats extractions by different solvents was used in bioremediation synthetic wastewater containing 50 ppm of As-3, Co+2, Cu+2, Fe+2, Mn+2, and Zn+2. The residue of defatted alga was hydrolyzed by 2% H2SO4 and then fermented to obtain bioethanol. The combination of hexane: methanol (1:1) gave the greatest amount of petroleum hydrocarbons, which contain Tetradecane, 5-methyl, Octacosane, Pentatriacontane, and a small amount of Cyclotrisiloxane, Hexamethyl. The most effective removal % was obtained with alga residue defatted by hexane: methanol (1:1), and methanol, 100% removal of As-3, 83% Co+2, 95% Cu+2, 97.25% Fe+2, Mn+2 79.69%, Zn+2 90.15% with 2 g alga /L at 3 hours. The lowest value of sugar was obtained with hexane: methanol residue but gave the highest bioethanol efficiency. Thus, it is possible to use Turbinaria turbinata, or brown alga as a feedstock to produce bio-diesel, and bioethanol, and to remove heavy metals from wastewater, which may have a great economic and environmental significance.

Simultaneous bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons and production of biofuels by the micro-green alga, cyanobacteria, and its consortium.

There are two major problems in the world, fuel deficiency and environmental pollution by fossil fuels. Microalgae are regarded as one of the most feasible feedstocks for the manufacturing of biofuels and are used in the degradation of fossil fuel spills. The present study was possessed to investigate the ability of green alga Chlorella vulgaris, blue-green alga Synechococcus sp, and its consortium to grow and degrade hydrocarbon such as kerosene (k) with different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, and 1,5%), and also using algal biomasses to produce biofuel. The algal growth was estimated by optical density (O.D) at 600 nm, pigment contents such as Chlorophyll a,b carotenoid, and dry weight. The kerosene degradation was estimated by FT-IR analysis after and before the cultivation of algae and its consortium. The components of the methanol extract were determined by GC-MS spectroscopy. The results denote the best growth was determined by O.D, algae consortium with 1.5% Kerosene after ten days, meanwhile, the highest dry weight was with C. vulgaris after ten days of cultivation. The FT-IR demonstrated the algae and consortium possessed high efficacy to degrade kerosene. After 15 days of algae cultivation with 1% K, C.vulgaris produced the maximum amount of lipids (32%). The GC-MS profile of methanol extract of two algae and consortium demonstrated that Undecane was presented in high amounts, C.vulgaris (19.9%), Synechococcussp (82.16%), algae consortium (79.51%), and also were presented moderate amounts of fatty acid methyl ester in Synechococcus sp. Overall, our results indicate that a consortium of algae can absorb and remove kerosene from water, and at the same time produce biofuels like biodiesel and petroleum-based fuels.