Nanostructured Design Cathode Materials for Magnesium-Ion Batteries.

Energy is undeniably one of the most fundamental requirements of the current generation. Solar and wind energy are sustainable and renewable energy sources; however, their unpredictability points to the development of energy storage systems (ESSs). There has been a substantial increase in the use of batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), as ESSs. However, low rate capability and degradation due to electric load in long-range electric vehicles are pushing LIBs to their limits. As alternative ESSs, magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) possess promising properties and advantages. Cathode materials play a crucial role in MIBs. In this regard, a variety of cathode materials, including Mn-based, Se-based, vanadium- and vanadium oxide-based, S-based, and Mg2+-containing cathodes, have been investigated by experimental and theoretical techniques. Results reveal that the discharge capacity, capacity retention, and cycle life of cathode materials need improvement. Nevertheless, maintaining the long-term stability of the electrode-electrolyte interface during high-voltage operation continues to be a hurdle in the execution of MIBs, despite the continuous research in this field. The current Review mainly focuses on the most recent nanostructured-design cathode materials in an attempt to draw attention to MIBs and promote the investigation of suitable cathode materials for this promising energy storage device.

Electrochemical detection and removal of brilliant blue dye via photocatalytic degradation and adsorption using phyto-synthesized nanoparticles.

Herein, we report a sensitive electrochemical platform prepared by modifying the electrode surface with copper-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles; these nanoparticles were prepared via a green synthetic approach using the extract of Cassia fistula leaves and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). For the best response of the electrode modifier, a number of experimental conditions were optimized to obtain the most intense signal of the target analyte Coomassie brilliant blue using a rapid analysis technique square wave voltammetry. The designed sensor displayed remarkable sensitivity for Coomassie brilliant blue with a detection limit of 0.1 nM under the optimized conditions. Moreover, the repeatability, specificity and reproducibility of the designed sensor demonstrated its potential for practical applications. The sensing platform was also used for monitoring the degradation kinetics of the Coomassie brilliant blue dye. Catalytic degradation of the dye was performed using the synergistic effect of Cu-ZnO NPs together with Fenton reagent. The dye degraded by 96% in 60 minutes under neutral conditions, which is one of the main achievements of this work that has never been reported. The photocatalytic breakdown of Coomassie brilliant blue was also monitored using UV-visible spectroscopy. The degradation kinetics results of both techniques agreed well. The adsorption of Coomassie brilliant blue using ZnO NPs was monitored spectrophotometrically. The adsorption data were fitted in a pseudo-second order kinetic model by following the Langmuir isotherm at lower concentration and Freundlich isotherm at higher concentration.

Neem plant extract-assisted synthesis of CeO2 nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of piroxicam and naproxen.

Piroxicam and naproxen are well-known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are frequently detected in aquatic environments due to their widespread usage and improper disposal practices. This research investigates the photocatalytic degradation of these drugs by using CeO2 nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were synthesized by using Azadirachta indica plant extract and were characterized through various characterization techniques such as UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, EDX, and XRD. The photocatalytic degradation of piroxicam and naproxen using CeO2 nanoparticles led to the efficient removal of these pharmaceutical drugs in a short time duration with photodegradation efficiencies of 89% and 97% for naproxen and piroxicam, respectively. The photodegradation reaction was found to follow pseudo-order first-order kinetics. The recyclability of the catalyst was also studied for up to six cycles where the degradation efficiency was maintained at 100% till the 2nd cycle and was decreased by 11 and 13% for piroxicam and naproxen respectively after the 6th cycle. The current work focused on the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) for water purification via environmentally benign nanoparticles to remedy water pollution as it is the most prevalent issue in developed and underdeveloped countries throughout the world.

Photoelectrocatalytic Detection and Degradation Studies of a Hazardous Textile Dye Safranin T.

Herein, we report an electrochemical scaffold consisting of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (COOH-fMWCNTs) and iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (Fe-ZnO) for the detection of a hazardous textile dye safranin T (ST) and monitoring of its photocatalytic degradation. Prior to the detection and degradation analysis, Fe-ZnO NPs were synthesized by the sol-gel method and characterized by a number of structural and morphological techniques. The carboxyl moiety of COOH-fMWCNTs possessing a strong affinity for the amino functionality of ST led to significant enhancement of the current response at the designed electrochemical platform, whereas the electrocatalytic role, surface area enhancement, and the provision of binding sites of Fe-ZnO led to a further increase in the peak current intensity of ST. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the sensing scaffold made of the glassy carbon electrode modified with COOH-fMWCNTs and Fe-ZnO efficiently transfers charge between the transducer and the redox probe. Under optimized conditions, the developed sensor showed a 2.3 nM limit of detection for ST. Moreover, recovery experiments and anti-interference tests qualified the sensing platform for practical applications. The dye was photocatalytically degraded using Fe-ZnO NPs up to 99% in 60 min with a rate constant of 0.068 min-1. The designed sensor was used to probe the degradation kinetics of the target dye, and the results were found consistent with the findings obtained from electronic absorption method. To the best of our knowledge, the present work is the first approach for the efficient detection and almost absolute degradation of ST.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Food and Juices Dyes via Photocatalytic Nanomaterials Synthesized through Green Synthetic Route: A Systematic Review.

The unavailability of non-poisonous and hygienic food substances is the most challenging issue of the modern era. The uncontrolled usage of toxic colorant moieties in cosmetics and food manufacturing units leads to major threats to human life. The selection of environmentally benign approaches for the removal of these toxic dyes has gained the utmost attention from researchers in recent decades. This review article's main aim is the focus on the application of green-synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) for the photocatalytic degradation of toxic food dyes. The use of synthetic dyes in the food industry is a growing concern due to their harmful effects on human health and the environment. In recent years, photocatalytic degradation has emerged as an effective and eco-friendly method for the removal of these dyes from wastewater. This review discusses the various types of green-synthesized NPs that have been used for photocatalytic degradation (without the production of any secondary pollutant), including metal and metal oxide NPs. It also highlights the synthesis methods, characterization techniques, and photocatalytic efficiency of these NPs. Furthermore, the review explores the mechanisms involved in the photocatalytic degradation of toxic food dyes using green-synthesized NPs. Different factors that responsible for the photodegradation, are also highlighted. Advantages and disadvantages, as well as economic cost, are also discussed briefly. This review will be advantageous for the readers because it covers all aspects of dyes photodegradation. The future feature and limitations are also part of this review article. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the potential of green-synthesized NPs as a promising alternative for the removal of toxic food dyes from wastewater.

Conversion of Polypropylene Waste into Value-Added Products: A Greener Approach.

Plastic has made our lives comfortable as a result of its widespread use in today's world due to its low cost, longevity, adaptability, light weight and hardness; however, at the same time, it has made our lives miserable due to its non-biodegradable nature, which has resulted in environmental pollution. Therefore, the focus of this research work was on an environmentally friendly process. This research work investigated the decomposition of polypropylene waste using florisil as the catalyst in a salt bath over a temperature range of 350-430 °C. A maximum oil yield of 57.41% was recovered at 410 °C and a 40 min reaction time. The oil collected from the decomposition of polypropylene waste was examined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The kinetic parameters of the reaction process were calculated from thermogravimetric data at temperature program rates of 3, 12, 20 and 30 °C·min-1 using the Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OFW) and Kissinger-Akahira-Sunnose (KAS) equations. The activation energy (Ea) and pre-exponential factor (A) for the thermo-catalytic degradation of polypropylene waste were observed in the range of 102.74-173.08 kJ·mol-1 and 7.1 × 108-9.3 × 1011 min-1 for the OFW method and 99.77-166.28 kJ·mol-1 and 1.1 × 108-5.3 × 1011 min-1 for the KAS method at a percent conversion (α) of 0.1 to 0.9, respectively. Moreover, the fuel properties of the oil were assessed and matched with the ASTM values of diesel, gasoline and kerosene oil. The oil was found to have a close resemblance to the commercial fuel. Therefore, it was concluded that utilizing florisil as the catalyst for the decomposition of waste polypropylene not only lowered the activation energy of the pyrolysis reaction but also upgraded the quantity and quality of the oil.

Polymer microgels for the stabilization of gold nanoparticles and their application in the catalytic reduction of nitroarenes in aqueous media.

Polymer microgels containing a polystyrene core and poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) shell were synthesized in aqueous media following a free radical precipitation polymerization. Au nanoparticles were fabricated into the shell region of the core-shell microgels denoted as P(STY@NIPM) by the in situ reduction of chloroauric acid with sodium borohydride. Various characterization techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-visible) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for the characterization of Au-P(STY@NIPM). The catalytic potential of Au-P(STY@NIPM) toward the reductive reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) under various reaction conditions was evaluated. The Arrhenius and Eyring parameters for the catalytic reduction of 4NP were determined to explore the process of catalysis. A variety of nitroarenes were converted successfully into their corresponding aminoarenes with good to excellent yields in the presence of the Au-P(STY@NIPM) system using NaBH4 as a reductant. The Au-P(STY@NIPM) system was found to be an efficient and recyclable catalyst with no significant loss in its catalytic efficiency.

Remediation of pesticides using TiO2 based photocatalytic strategies: A review.

Nowadays, pesticides are regarded as the most dangerous of the various organic pollutants, posing substantial environmental and human threats worldwide. Pesticide contamination has become one of the most crucial environmental issues due to its bio-persistence and bioaccumulation. Different conventional methods are being utilized for pesticide removal, yet pesticides are thought to be significantly present in the environment. The development and application of sophisticated wastewater treatment methods are being pursued to remove contaminants effectively, particularly pesticides. In the past several decades, nanoscience and nanotechnology have emerged as essential tools for the identification, removal, and mineralization of persistent pesticides by employing advanced nanomaterials such as pristine titanium dioxide (TiO2), doped TiO2, nanocomposites (NCs) TiO2, and ternary nanocomposites (TNCs) TiO2 by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Advancement in the characteristics of TiO2 by doping, co-doping, construction of NCs and TNCs has contributed to the dramatic efficiency up-gradation by reducing band gap, solar active photocatalyst, enhancing PCA, high photostability, chemically inertness and multiple time reusability. Based on previous literature, utilizing La-TiO2 NCs photocatalyst, the mineralization of pesticide (imidacloprid) attained up to 98.17% that is almost 40-53% greater than pristine TiO2. The present review attempt to discuss the recent research performed on TiO2 based nanoparticles (NPs) and NCs for photocatalytic mineralization of various pesticides. The basic mechanism of TiO2 photocatalysis, types of reactors used for photocatalysis, and optimized experimental conditions of TiO2 for pesticides mineralization are discussed.

Highly Efficient Visible Light Active Doped ZnO Photocatalysts for the Treatment of Wastewater Contaminated with Dyes and Pathogens of Emerging Concern.

Water is obligatory for sustaining life on Earth. About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered in water. However, only one percent of the total water is drinkable. The presence of contaminants in wastewater, surface water, groundwater, and drinking water is a serious threat to human and environmental health. Their toxic effects and resistance towards conventional water treatment methods have compelled the scientific community to search for an environmentally friendly method that could efficiently degrade toxic contaminants. In this regard, visible light active photocatalysts have proved to be efficient in eliminating a wide variety of water toxins. A plethora of research activities have been carried out and significant amounts of funds are spent on the monitoring and removal of water contaminants, but relatively little attention has been paid to the degradation of persistent water pollutants. In this regard, nanoparticles of doped ZnO are preferred options owing to their low recombination rate and excellent photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity under irradiation of solar light. The current article presents the roles of these nanomaterials for wastewater treatment from pollutants of emerging concern.

Supramolecular solvent-based microextraction for the preconcentration of Pb2+ and Cd2+ prior to spectrophotometric detection.

Supramolecular solvent-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction technique has been developed as a preconcentration tool for the determination of trace level of Pb2+ and Cd2+. Dodecanol dispersed in tetrahydrofuran has been utilized as a supramolecular-solvent system for the extraction of analytes prior to their quantitative determination with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Both Pb2+ and Cd2+, which were efficiently extracted by supramolecular solvent system, were complexed with dithizone followed by the addition of supramolecular solvent. The experimental variables that could possibly influence the extraction efficiency, i.e. pH value, temperature, sample volume, centrifugation time, rate of centrifugation, ionic strength, etc. were subjected to the optimization step. An interference study was also conducted to check the selectivity of developed method. Limit of detection calculated for Pb2+ and Cd2+ was 0.015 and 0.061 mg L-1, respectively. The limit of quantification was 0.05 and 0.2 mg L-1 for Pb2+ and Cd2+, respectively. The analytical signal was enhanced to 30 times in case of Pb2+ and 27 times in case of Cd2+. The results obtained revealed that the developed method is rapid, simple, sensitive, and efficient for the determination of both analytes in real water samples.

Synthesis and Characterizations of PdNi Carbon Supported Nanomaterials: Studies of Electrocatalytic Activity for Oxygen Reduction in Alkaline Medium.

Electrocatalytic materials offer numerous benefits due to their wide range of applications. In this study, a polyol technique was used to synthesize PdNi nanoparticles (NPs) with different percent atomic compositions (Pd = 50 to 90%) to explore their catalytic efficiency. The produced nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical investigations. According to XRD measurements, the synthesized NPs were crystalline in nature, with crystallite sizes of about 2 nm. The electrochemical properties of the synthesized NPs were studied in alkaline solution through a rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) technique of cyclic voltammetry. The PdNi nanoparticles supported on carbon (PdNi/C) were used as electrocatalysts and their activity and stability were compared with the homemade Pd/C and Pt/C. In alkaline solution, PdNi/C electrocatalysts showed improved oxygen reduction catalytic activity over benchmark Pd/C and Pt/C electrocatalysts in all composition ratios. Furthermore, stability experiments revealed that PdNi 50:50 is more stable in alkaline solution than pure Pd and other PdNi compositions.

Highly selective, sensitive and simpler colorimetric sensor for Fe2+ detection based on biosynthesized gold nanoparticles.

Herein, we describe the fabrication of green bell pepper, Capsicum annuum L. extract capped gold nanoparticles (CA-AuNPs) in aqueous medium using tetrachloroaurate (HAuCl4·3H2O) as precursor salt and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution as accelerator as well as pH adjuster. Formation of CA-AuNPs was verified via colour change from yellowish to ruby red with further confirmation through surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 519 nm using ultraviolet violet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Other characterizations techniques include, Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) with Zeta-potential analysis (ZPA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. The resulting AuNPs were efficaciously implemented as highly sensitive colorimetric sensor for selective detection of Fe2+ in the presence of several interfering cations including Fe3+. Importantly, the fabricated CA-AuNPs based colorimetric sensor functioned linearly in the range of 0.3-7.0 ppb Fe2+, based on increasing absorption intensity with R2 value of 0.9938 using UV-Vis spectrometry. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for Fe2+ were estimated as 0.036 and 0.12 ppb, respectively. Finally, the sensor was effectively tested for determination of Fe2+ in some locally collected real water samples.

Bimetallic cobalt-iron diselenide nanorod modified glassy carbon electrode: an electrochemical sensing platform for the selective detection of isoniazid.

The increasing demand of a sensitive and portable electrochemical sensing platform in pharmaceutical analysis has developed widespread interest in preparing electrode materials possessing remarkable properties for the electrochemical determination of target drug analytes. Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization and application of bimetallic cobalt-iron diselenide (FeCoSe2) nanorods as electrode modifiers for the selective detection of a commonly used anti-tuberculosis drug Isoniazid (INZ). We prepared FeCoSe2 nanorods by a simple hydrothermal route and characterized these by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) techniques. The electrochemical characterization of FeCoSe2 modified GCE was performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Under optimized experimental conditions, a linear current-concentration response was obtained for INZ in the range of 0.03-1.0 µM, with very low limit of detection 1.24 × 10-10 M. The real applicability of the designed FeCoSe2/GCE sensing platform was adjudicated by the detection of INZ in biological samples.

Electrochemical sensing platform for the simultaneous femtomolar detection of amlodipine and atorvastatin drugs.

The development of a proficient and ultra-high sensitive functionalized electrode for accurate analysis of drugs is a long-standing challenge. Herein, we report an electrochemical nanocomposite scaffold, comprising of silver nanoparticles integrated with functionalized carbon nanotubes (COOH-CNTs/Ag/NH2-CNTs) for the simultaneous quantification of two widely used amlodipine (AM) and atorvastatin (AT) drugs. The sandwiched nanocomposite materials were thoroughly characterized morphologically and structurally. The nanocomposite COOH-CNTs/Ag/NH2-CNTs immobilized over glassy carbon electrode catalyzed electron transfer reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface and facilitated detection of targeted drugs, as revealed by the significant decrease in oxidation potentials at 879 mV and 1040 mV and improved current signals. Electrochemical characterization and testing show that the functionalized porous architecture with a large effective surface area is a promising scaffold for the sensing of a binary mixture of AM and AT with limits of detection in the femtomolar range (77.6 fM, and 83.2 fM, respectively). Besides, the specificity, stability, and reliability of the electrochemical sensing platform in simple and complex biological and pharmaceutical samples with high percentage recoveries highlight its scope for practical applications. Computational studies supported the experimental outcomes and offered insights about the role of modifier in facilitating electron transfer between transducer and analytes.

Phenolic water toxins: redox mechanism and method of their detection in water and wastewater.

Phenolic pollutants are highly toxic and persistent in the environment. Their efficient detection is a pressing social demand. In this regard we introduce a novel ultrasensitive electroanalytical platform for the individual and synchronized detection of three phenolic isomers commonly known as hydroquinone (HQ), resorcinol (RC), and catechol (CC). The sensing device consists of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNTs) and gold-silver (Au-Ag NPs) bimetallic nanoparticles. The sandwiched scaffold represented as fCNTs/Au-Ag NPs/fCNTs/GCE efficiently senses HQ, RC, and CC with detection limits of 28.6 fM, 36.5 fM and 42.8 fM respectively. The designed sensor is more promising than reported sensors for phenolic toxins in the context of high sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid responsiveness. The designed sensor also shows the qualities of stability, reproducibility, reliability, and selective recognition capacity for target analytes in multiple real water samples. Moreover, computational calculations explain the function of the electrode modifier in facilitating charge transfer between the transducer and analytes.

Tripeptide Derivative-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode: A Novel Electrochemical Sensor for Sensitive and Selective Detection of Cd2+ Ions.

A N-[(Benzyloxy)carbonyl]-l-alanyl-l-prolyl-l-leucine-N-cyclohexylcyclohexanamine (Cbz-APL) tripeptide-coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE)-based sensor was used for sensitive and selective recognition of cadmium ions in environmental water. Detailed cyclic voltammetric and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies were performed to investigate the charge transfer and sensing activity of the developed electrochemical sensor. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) was employed to further investigate the sensitivity, selectivity, validity, and applicability of the developed sensor. A sharp electrochemical signal of oxidized Cd at -0.84 V versus Ag/AgCl provides evidence for the higher sensing ability of Cbz-APL/GCE than bare GCE at -0.79 V. Moreover, on Cbz-APL/GCE, extraordinary low detection limits of 4.34 fM and linearity range of 15 nM to 0.1 pM with coefficients of correlation higher than 0.99 for Cd2+ were achieved. Besides, the influence of inorganic and organic interferents on the targeted analyte signals was examined, and high selectivity of Cbz-APL/GCE for Cd2+ ions was observed. Lastly, the validity and applicability of the developed electrochemical sensor for the detection of Cd2+ ions were checked in real water samples, and 100% recovery was obtained.

FeCoSe2 Nanoparticles Embedded in g-C3N4: A Highly Active and Stable bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting.

To investigate cost affordable and robust HER and OER catalysts with significant low overpotentials, we have successfully embedded FeCoSe2 spheres on smooth surfaces of graphitic carbon nitride that demonstrated high stability and electrocatalytic activity for H2 production. We systematically analyzed the composition and morphology of FexCo1-xSe2/g-C3N4 and attributed the remarkable electrochemical performance of the catalyst to its unique structure. Fe0.2Co0.8Se2/g-C3N4 showed a superior HER activity, with quite low overpotential value (83 mV at -20 mA cm-2 in 0.5 M H2SO4) and a current density of -3.24, -7.84, -14.80, -30.12 mA cm-2 at 0 V (vs RHE) in Dulbecco's Phosphate-Buffered Saline (DPBS), artificial sea water (ASW), 0.5 M H2SO4 and 1 M KOH, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, these are the highest reported current densities at this low potential value, showing intrinsic catalytic activity of the synthesized material. Also, the catalyst was found to deliver a high and stable current density of -1000 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of just 317 mV. Moreover, the synthesized catalyst delivered a constant current density of -30 mA cm-2 for 24 h without any noticeable change in potential at -0.2 V. These attributes confer our synthesized catalyst to be used for renewable fuel production and applications.

Synthesis of biocompatible triazole based non-ionic surfactant and its vesicular drug delivery investigation.

Numerous nanotechnological approaches have been widely practiced to improve the bioavailability of less aqueous soluble drugs; phospholipid based vesicles (liposomes) being the most widely applied drug delivery system. However; due to stability issues, large scale production limitations, sterilization and long term storage problems; non-ionic surfactant based vesicles (niosomes) are considered their excellent counterparts. Niosomes are vesicles of non-ionic surfactants having the ability to carrying both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs in their inner aqueous or lipid bilayer compartments. In this research work, triazole based non-ionic surfactant (TBNIS) was synthesized and characterized by different spectroscopic techniques and then screened for biocompatibility using NIH 3T3 cell line, blood hemolysis assay and acute toxicity in mice. The synthesized surfactant was then checked for niosomes' formation, Amphotericin B loading and entrapment efficiency, drug release, stability and bioavailability of the drug was assessed and compared with free drug solution. The synthesized surfactant was found biocompatible and caused less blood hemolysis, greater cell vial ability and negligible toxicity in animals. The size of drug loaded niosomal vesicles of TBNIS based surfactant was 179.9 ± 3.23 nm with smaller size distribution i.e. 0.29 ± 0.02. The triazole based surfactant vesicles showed 88.76 ± 3.45 % drug entrapment efficiency, sustained drug release profile and stability. The drug in TBNIS based vesicles has greater oral bioavailability 0.099 ± 0.03 as compared to plan drug solution 0.012 ± 0.023 µg/mL. Results of this study suggests that the newly synthesized triazole based surfactant can be used in drug delivery for improving bioavailability of less water soluble drugs like Amphotericin B.

Pyrolysis of polystyrene waste for recovery of combustible hydrocarbons using copper oxide as catalyst.

The present work is focused on pyrolysis of polystyrene waste for production of combustible hydrocarbons. The experiments were performed in an indigenously made furnace in the presence of a laboratory synthesised copper oxide. The pyrolysis products were collected and characterised. The Fourier transform infrared spectra showed that the liquid fraction contains C-H, C-O, C-C, C=C and O-H bonds, which correspond to various aliphatic and aromatic compounds. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry traced compounds ranging from C1 to C4 in the gaseous fraction, whereas in the liquid fraction 15 components ranging from C3 to C24 were detected. From the results it has been concluded that CuO as a catalyst not only increased the liquid yield but also reduced the degradation temperature to great extent. Fuel properties of the pyrolysis oil were determined and compared with standard values of commercial fuel oil. The comparison suggested potential application of pyrolysis oil for domestic and commercial use.

Fabrication of a novel hybrid biocomposite based on amino-thiocarbamate derivative of alginate/carboxymethyl chitosan/TiO2 for Ni(II) recovery.

A novel hybrid biocomposite based on amino-thiocarbamate derivative of alginate, carboxymethyl chitosan and TiO2 (TiO2/TSC-CMC) was fabricated and characterized using Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The TiO2/TSC-CMC mass ratio (5.0-30.0%) was optimized and 3TiO2/TSC-CMC (hydrogel beads with TiO2/TSC-CMC mass ratio of 20.0%) was selected as the best sorbent for effective biosorption of Ni(II). Batch sorption experiments were conducted, instantaneous and equilibrium sorption capacities were investigated as function of pH, sorbent dose, initial metal concentration, contact time and temperature. Kinetic data could be well explained through pseudo second order rate equation (PSORE) depicting that the rate determining step involves the transfer of electron density from sorbent functional sites to central metal ion. Langmuir model fitted well with isothermal sorption data and maximum monolayer sorption capacity (qm) was computed as 172 mg/g at pH 6.0 and temperature 298 K. The values of thermodynamic parameters such as standard enthalpy change (16.94 kJ/mol) and standard Gibbs energy change (-18.67, -19.48, -20.57, and -21.38 kJ/mol) and standard entropy change (0.12 kJ/mol·K) concluded that sorption process is endothermic, spontaneous and resulted with increase in randomness. Hence, 3TiO2/TSC-CMC was found efficient and reusable sorbent.