Selenium nanoparticles induce coumarin metabolism and essential oil production in Trachyspermum ammi under future climate CO2 conditions.

Research on nanoparticles (NPs) and future elevated CO2 (eCO2) is extensive, but the effects of SeNPs on plant growth and secondary metabolism under eCO2 remain uncertain. In this study, we explored the impact of SeNPs and/or eCO2 on the growth, physiology, chemical composition (primary metabolites, coumarins, and essential oils), and antioxidant capacity of Trachyspermum (T.) ammi. The treatment with SeNPs notably improved the biomass and photosynthesis of T. ammi plants, particularly under eCO2 conditions. Plant fresh and dry weights were improved by about 19, 33 and 36% in groups treated by SeNPs, eCO2, and SeNPs + eCO2, respectively. SeNPs + eCO2 induced photosynthesis, consequently enhancing sugar and amino acid levels. Similar to the increase in total sugars, amino acids showed variable enhancements ranging from 6 to 42% upon treatment with SeNPs + eCO2. At the level of the secondary metabolites, SeNPs + eCO2 substantially augmented coumarin biosynthesis and essential oil accumulation. Consistently, there were increases in coumarins and essential oil precursors (shikimic and cinnamic acids) and their biosynthetic enzymes. The enhanced accumulation of coumarins and essential oils resulted in increased overall antioxidant activity, as evidenced by improvements in FRAP, ORAC, TBARS, conjugated dienes, and inhibition % of hemolysis. Conclusively, the application of SeNPs demonstrates significant enhancements in plant growth and metabolism under future CO2 conditions, notably concerning coumarin metabolism and essential oil production of T. ammi.

Unusually large microporous HKUST-1 via polyethylene glycol-templated synthesis: enhanced CO2 uptake with high selectivity over CH4 and N2.

Porous solids with highly microporous structures for effective carbon dioxide uptake and separation from mixed gases are highly desirable. Here we present the use of polyethylene glycol (20,000 g/mol) as a soft template for the simple and rapid synthesis of a highly microporous Cu-BTC (denoted as HKUST-1). The polyethylene glycol-templated HKUST-1 obtained at room temperature in 10 min exhibited a very high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 1904 m2/g, pore volume of 0.87 cm3/g, and average micropore size of 0.84 nm. However, conventional HKUST-1 exhibits a BET surface area of 700-1700 m2/g confirming the advantages of using this method. X-ray powder diffraction and electron microscopy analysis confirm the formation of highly crystalline and uniform octahedral particles with sizes ranging from 100 nm to 120 µm. Adsorption isotherms recorded at temperatures between 273 and 353 K and pressures up to 40 bar revealed a more favorable adsorption capacity of HKUST-1 for CO2 vs. CH4 and N2 (708 mg (CO2)/g, 214 mg (CH4)/g and 177 mg (N2)/g at 298 K and 40 bar). The Langmuir, isotherm model, and isosteric heats of adsorption were evaluated. The CO2 interaction at PEG-templated HKUST-1 is physical, exothermic, and spontaneous with DH° = - 6.52 kJ/mol, DS° = - 13.72 J/mol, and DG° = - 2.43 kJ/mol at 298 K at 40 bar. The selectivities in equimolar mixtures were determined as 53 and 24, respectively, for CO2 over N2 and CH4. CO2 adsorption-desorption tests reveal high adsorbent reusability. The cost-effective and quickly prepared PEG-templated HKUST-1 demonstrates high efficacy as a gas adsorbent, particularly in selectively capturing CO2.

Assessment of heavy metal distribution, risk, and sourcing in mangrove sediments from three Saudi Arabian Red Sea locations.

This work measured the concentration of heavy metal cations (V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) and associated anionic ligands (SOM, carbonate, and silicate) in mangrove sediment samples from the Red Sea of Saudi Arabia to set a biogeochemical baseline within these as yet poorly constrained sensitive ecosystems. Sediments were collected from three regions along the Saudi Arabian coast: Yanbu, Jeddah, and the Farasan Islands. Risk indices and statistical analyses were applied to assess contamination levels and potential sourcing. Results show that Yanbu is at environmental risk as it shows higher concentrations and anthropogenic signatures for most metals (Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) compared to the other two regions. Jeddah metal concentrations are similar to the Islands; however, the statistical analyses suggest that a singular anthropogenic source controls heavy metal delivery to its environment.

Galaxolide-contaminated soil and tolerance strategies in soybean plants using biofertilization and selenium nanoparticle supplementation.

The current study aimed to address the response of soybean (Glycine max) plants to biofertilization and selenium supplementation treatments under galaxolide contamination of soil. In this regard, a pot experiment was carried out where the soybean plants were treated with the plant growth-promoting Actinobacteria (Actinobacterium sp.) as a biofertilizer (PGPB treatment) and/or selenium nanoparticles (Se treatment; 25 mg L-1) under two non-polluted and galaxolide-polluted soils (250 mg galaxolide per kg of soil) to assess the modifications in some plant physiological and biochemical traits. Although higher accumulation of oxidative biomarkers, including hydrogen peroxide (+180%), malondialdehyde (+163%), and protein oxidation (+125%), indicating oxidative stress in galaxolide-contaminated plants, an apparent decline in their contents was observed in response to biofertilization/supplementation treatments in contaminated soil, especially. It was mainly related to the higher detoxification of ROS in PGPB- and Se-treated plants under galaxolide-induced oxidative stress, in which the direct ROS-scavenging enzymes (+44 -179%), enzymatic (+34 - 293%) and non-enzymatic (+35 - 98%) components of the ascorbate-glutathione pathway, and antioxidant molecules (+38 - 370%) were more activated than in control plants. In addition, a higher accumulation of detoxification activity markers, including phytochelatins (+32%) and metallothioneins (+79%), were found in the combined treatments (PGPB+Se) under galaxolide contamination. Moreover, combined treatment with PGPB and Se ameliorated the levels of chlorophyll a content (+58%), stomatal conductance (+57%), the maximum efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) (+36%), and photorespiratory metabolism (including +99% in glycolate oxidase and +54% in hydroxypyruvate reductase activity) in leaves under galaxolide contamination, which resulted in higher photosynthesis capacity (+36%) and biomass production (+74%) in galaxolide-stressed plants as compared to control group. In conclusion, the application of beneficial Actinobacteria and selenium nanoparticles as biofertilization/supplementation is expected to be useful for improving plant toleration and adaptation against galaxolide contamination.

Design of a New Phthalocyanine-Based Ion-Imprinted Polymer for Selective Lithium Recovery from Desalination Plant Reverse Osmosis Waste.

In this study, a novel technique is introduced that involves the combination of an ion-imprinted polymer and solid-phase extraction to selectively adsorb lithium ions from reverse osmosis brine. In the process of synthesizing ion-imprinted polymers, phthalocyanine acrylate acted as the functional monomer responsible for lithium chelation. The structural and morphological characteristics of the molecularly imprinted polymers and non-imprinted polymers were assessed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The adsorption data for Li on an ion-imprinted polymer showed an excellent fit to the Langmuir isotherm, with a maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) of 3.2 mg·g-1. Comprehensive chemical analyses revealed a significant Li concentration with a higher value of 45.36 mg/L. Through the implementation of a central composite design approach, the adsorption and desorption procedures were systematically optimized by varying the pH, temperature, sorbent mass, and elution volume. This systematic approach allowed the identification of the most efficient operating conditions for extracting lithium from seawater reverse osmosis brine using ion-imprinted polymer-solid-phase extraction. The optimum operating conditions for the highest efficiency of adsorbing Li+ were determined to be a pH of 8.49 and a temperature of 45.5 °C. The efficiency of ion-imprinted polymer regeneration was evaluated through a cycle of the adsorption-desorption process, which resulted in Li recoveries of up to 80%. The recovery of Li from the spiked brine sample obtained from the desalination plant reverse osmosis waste through the ion-imprinted polymer ranged from 62.8% to 71.53%.

Synthesis of a New Molecularly Imprinted Polymer and Optimisation of Phenylglyoxylic Acid Extraction from Human Urine Samples Using a Central Composite Design within the Response Surface Methodology.

Styrene, a chemical widely used in various industries, undergoes metabolic breakdown in the human body, resulting in the production of phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA). A novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesised for selective extraction and enrichment of PGA in urine samples prior to high-performance liquid chromatography. The MIP employed in this research was a 4-vinylpyridine molecularly imprinted polymer (4-VPMIP) prepared via mass polymerisation using a noncovalent method. The structural and morphological characteristics of the molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The efficiency of the molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) process was optimised by investigating critical variables such as sample pH, sorbent mass, sample flow rate, and volume of the elution solvent. A central composite design (CCD) within the response surface methodology was utilised to develop separate models for the adsorption and desorption steps. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed the excellent fit of the experimental data to the proposed response models. Under the optimised conditions, the molecularly imprinted polymers exhibited a higher degree of selectivity and affinity for PGA, with a relative selectivity coefficient (α) of 2.79 against hippuric acid. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for PGA were determined to be 0.5 mg/L and 1.6 mg/L, respectively. The recoveries of PGA ranged from 97.32% to 99.06%, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) lower than 4.6%. Furthermore, MIP(4VP)SPE demonstrated the potential for recycling up to three times without significant loss in analyte recovery.

Quantum Modification of Indacenodithieno[3,2-b]thiophene-Based Non-fullerene Acceptor Molecules for Organic Solar Cells of High Efficiency.

In order to enhance the efficacy of organic solar cells, six new three-dimensional small donor molecules (IT-SM1 to IT-SM6) have been computationally designed by modifying the peripheral acceptors of the reference molecule (IT-SMR). The frontier molecular orbitals revealed that IT-SM2 to IT-SM5 had a smaller band gap (Egap) than IT-SMR. They also had smaller excitation energies (Ex) and exhibited a bathochromic shift in their absorption maxima (λmax) when compared to IT-SMR. In both the gas and chloroform phases, IT-SM2 had the largest dipole moment. IT-SM2 also had the best electron mobility, while IT-SM6 had the best hole mobility owing to their smallest reorganization energy for electron (0.1127 eV) and hole (0.0907 eV) mobility, respectively. The analyzed donor molecules' open-circuit voltage (VOC) indicated that all of these proposed molecules had greater VOC and fill factor (FF) values than the IT-SMR molecule. In accordance with the evidence of this work, the altered molecules can seem to be quite proficient for usage by experimentalists and have prospective use in future in the manufacture of organic solar cells with improved photovoltaic properties.

Synergistic effect of carbon nanoparticles with mild salinity for improving chemical composition and antioxidant activities of radish sprouts.

The demand for healthy foods with high functional value has progressively increased. Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) have a promising application in agriculture including the enhancement of plant growth. However, there are few studies on the interactive effects of CNPs and mild salinity on radish seed sprouting. To this end, the effect of radish seed priming with 80mM CNPs on biomass, anthocyanin, proline and polyamine metabolism, and antioxidant defense system under mild salinity growth condition (25 mM NaCl). The results indicated that seed nanopriming with CNPs along with mild salinity stress enhanced radish seed sprouting and its antioxidant capacity. Priming boosted the antioxidant capacity by increasing antioxidant metabolites such as (polyphenols, flavonoids, polyamines, anthocyanin, and proline). To understand the bases of these increases, precursors and key biosynthetic enzymes of anthocyanin [phenylalanine, cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, naringenin, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, chalcone synthase (CHS), cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H) and 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL)], proline [pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS), proline dehydrogenase (PRODH), Sucrose, Sucrose P synthase, invertase) and polyamines [putrescine, spermine, spermidine, total polyamines, arginine decarboxylase, orinthnine decarboxylase, S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase, spermidine synthase, spermine synthase] were analyzed. In conclusion, seed priming with CNPs has the potential to further stimulate mild salinity-induced bioactive compound accumulation in radish sprouts.

Effect of Elevated CO2 on Seed Yield, Essential Oil Metabolism, Nutritive Value, and Biological Activity of Pimpinella anisum L. Accessions at Different Seed Maturity Stages.

Besides the lack of studies regarding applying elevated CO2 (eCO2) as a strategy to improve the chemical composition of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) seeds, studies on its interaction with seed developmental stages and origin are very limited. The seed yield, chemical composition, and biological activity of 6 aniseed accessions (Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Turkey, Yemen, and Morocco) were investigated during three developmental stages (immature, premature, and mature) under control and elevated CO2 conditions. Mature seeds from all aniseed accessions had significantly higher (p < 0.05) dry weight (DW) percentages than premature and immature seeds. The highest DW percentages were recorded in Egypt and Morocco accessions. Seed maturation increased nutrients and antioxidant metabolites in most eCO2-treated accessions. In contrast, essential oils were decreased by seed maturation, while eCO2 reversed this effect. Essential oil-related precursors (e.g., phenylalanine) and enzyme activities (3-Deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) and O-methyltransferase) decreased with seed maturity. However, high CO2 reduced this impact and further induced the other essential oil-related precursors (shikimic and cinnamic acids). Consequently, eCO2 provoked changes in the antioxidant and hypocholesterolemic activities of aniseeds, particularly at mature stages. Overall, eCO2 application, as an efficient way to improve aniseed growth, essential oil metabolism, and chemical composition, was affected by seed maturation and origin. Future studies of eCO2-treated aniseeds as a nutraceutical and pharmaceutical product are suggested.