The effects of a chalcone derivative on memory, hippocampal corticosterone and BDNF levels in adult rats

Purpose/Aim of the study: Since chalcones belong to the flavonoid family, the effects of a new synthetic chalcone derivative on memory, chronic stress, and expression of hippocampal BDNF gene were studied.Materials and methods: In this experiment, the male wistar rats were placed under restraint stress (6 h/day) for 21 days and then treated with a newly synthesized chalcone, containing methoxy on the aromatic rings or vehicles (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, IP). After the behavioral Passive avoidance, Open field, and Morris water maze tests, the levels of serum corticosterone (CORT) and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were analyzed.Results: Results of these tests presented significant differences between the Stress (St) and Chalcone (Ch) groups. Chronic stress led to high CORT levels and impaired memory functions. Moreover, a single dose of synthetic chalcone in the St group could postpone memory impairments. Furthermore, a 20 mg/kg IP injection of chalcone markedly attenuated the decrease of hippocampal BDNF.Conclusions: It has been already proposed that flavonoids have beneficial effects on different types of memory. According to these results, further investigations are required to explore other factors besides BDNF that could be acutely modulated by chalcones.

Superior adsorption and removal of doxorubicin from aqueous solution using activated carbon via thermally treated green adsorbent: isothermal, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies

Activated carbon from apricot seeds (ASAC) was successfully made using a low-cost, straightforward synthesis process. With the use of various instruments, including XRD, XPS, FT-IR, SEM, and TEM, the adsorbent was demonstrated. The surface area of the ASAC that was given was also shown to be 436.8 m2/g. It was discovered that the synthesized ASAC has a fantastic capacity to absorb the anti-cancer medication doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX). Based on changes in temperature, pH, and DOX concentration, The DOX adsorption behaviour's mechanism was evaluated. The adsorption capacity of ASAC for DOX was greater at pH 6.0, according to experimental data as the adsorption capacity was discovered to be 951.13 mg/g. Adsorption equilibrium analysis revealed that, when compared to the other models, the Langmuir adsorption provided the best fit to the data that were collected. Additionally, The ASAC has validated the DOX activation energy of adsorption as a chemisorption technique. The kinetics of adsorption were shown to be fitted to pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The reaction was endothermic and spontaneous, according to thermodynamic data. Innvestigation the removal efficiency of ASAC to remove DOX from real watrer sample (tap water, effluent wastewater, and impact wastewater). It was suggested by the results that ASAC was a viable option for treating wastewater and adsorbing DOX. The synthesized ASAC has noteworthy cyclability and reusability characteristics due to its high efficiency (up to five cycles) and low cost (around 86 percent).

Synthesis, spectral characterisation, biocidal investigation, in-silico and molecular docking studies of 4-[(2-chloro-4-methylphenyl)carbamoyl]butanoic acid derived triorganotin(IV) compounds

Three triorganotin(IV) compounds, R3Sn(L), with R = CH3 (1), n-C4H9 (2) and C6H5 (3), and LH = 4-[(2-chloro-4-methylphenyl)carbamoyl]butanoic acid, were prepared and confirmed by various techniques. A five-coordinate, distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry was elucidated for tin(IV) centres both in solution and solid states. An intercalation mode was confirmed for the compound SS-DNA interaction by UV-visible, viscometric techniques and molecular docking. MD simulation revealed stable binding of LH with SS-DNA. Anti-bacterial investigation revealed 2 to be generally the most potent, especially against Sa and Ab, i.e. having the lowest MIC values (≤0.25 μg/mL) compared to the standard anti-biotics vancomycin-HCl (MIC = 1 μg/mL) and colistin-sulphate (MIC = 0.25 μg/mL). Similarly, the anti-fungal profile shows 2 exhibits 100% inhibition against Ca and Cn fungal strains and has MIC values (≤0.25 μg/mL) comparatively lower than standard drug fluconazole (0.125 and 8 μg/mL for Ca and Cn, respectively). Compound 2 has the greatest activity with CC50 ≤ 25 μg/mL and HC50 > 32 μg/mL performed against HEC239 and RBC cell lines. The anti-cancer potential was assessed against the MG-U87 cell line, using cisplatin as the standard (133 µM), indicates 2 displays the greatest activity (IC50: 5.521 µM) at a 5 µM dose. The greatest anti-leishmanial potential was observed for 2 (87.75 at 1000 μg/mL) in comparison to amphotericin B (90.67). The biological assay correlates with the observed maximum of 89% scavenging activity exhibited by 2. The Swiss-ADME data publicised the screened compounds generally follow the rule of 5 of drug-likeness and have good bioavailability potential.

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in coffee: a comprehensive review of toxicity, prevalence, and analytical techniques

Coffee is one of the most popular non-alcoholic beverages, consumed as a raw material in different food sectors. The popularity of coffee is induced by its pleasant flavor, taste, and highly nutritious nature. However, the absorption of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) through preharvest, harvesting, and post-harvest stages makes it a potentially rich source. Essential elements are potentially toxic at a higher concentration than required for the human body to work. PTEs intake through food systems may lead to health risks, including mutagenicity, teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, and embryotoxic effects. Different analytical techniques such as spectroscopy, electromigration, and electrochemical. are used for PTEs content determination of coffee. Considering the importance of PTEs in human health and the worldwide popularity of coffee, their monitoring of coffee is crucial. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the classification, prevalence, and determination techniques of PTEs in different coffee types.

New isoflavan from Erythrina livingstoniana

Chemical investigation of the root wood of Erythrina livingstoniana led to the isolation of one previously undescribed isoflavan (3S,3″R)-7-hydroxy-2'-methoxy-[3″-hydroxy-2″,2″-dimethylpyrano (3',4')] isoflavan 1, together with eleven known compounds 2-12. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic and spectrometric analyses (1 D and 2 D-NMR and APCI-HRMS), with absolute configurations established by comparison of experimental and DFT calculated ECD data. The assignment of the absolute configurations of C-3 and C-3″ of compounds 2 and 3, respectively, were reported for the first time. Compounds 1 - 4 were evaluated for their antibacterial activities in vitro against E. coli ATCC 25922 and S. aureus ATCC 25923. Compound 1 exhibited moderate antibacterial activity with MIC value of 0.063 mg/mL against the clinically relevant risk-group 2 (RG-2) bacterium S. aureus.

Efficiency of Fe3O4@ZIF-8 for the removal of Doxorubicin from aqueous solutions: equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamic studies

Due to inadequate pharmaceutical wastewater treatment, anticancer contaminants from the pharmaceutical industry frequently end up in the aquatic environment where they endanger aquatic life and humans. As a result, the appropriate treatment of wastewater that contains anticancer agents is crucial for pollution prevention. The purpose of this work is to assess the effectiveness of a Fe3O4@ZIF-8 nanocomposite as an adsorbent to remove of the chemotherapeutic drugs doxorubicin (DOX) from aqueous solution. SEM, XRD, BET, FT-IR, Zeta potential, and point of zero charge analysis were used to study the surface and structural characteristics of the Fe3O4@ZIF-8 nanocomposite. Via the proposed treatment, 804.84 mg/g elimination was successful under the following circumstances: pH = 6; Fe3O4@ZIF-8 dose = 0.02 g/25 mL; DOX concentration = 1.22x10-3 mol; adsorption time = 100 min; and shaking speed = 200 rpm. A investigation of isotherms shown that the Langmuir equation and experimental data suited each other quite well. The adsorption of DOX on Fe3O4@ZIF-8 was endothermic and spontaneous, in accordance with thermodynamic properties. Furthermore, the elimination of DOX was enhanced by the rise in solution temperature. The kinetic analysis revealed that the pseudo-second order was fitted by the model. The suggested adsorption method could recycle Fe3O4@ZIF-8 nanocomposite six times, with a modest reduction in its ability for adsorption. For all XRD reflection peaks, physical characteristics including strain rates were computed and the dislocation of was 4.7 × 10-6. Investigate the activity of the DOX towards COVID-19, breast and prostate cancer using molecular docking.

Two new 3D Supramolecular Frameworks as Photocatalysts for Degradation of Methyl Blue

We successfully synthesized two new supramolecular frameworks, namely {[Cu2(L1)(H2O)2]·(H2O)}n (1) and {[Ag(L2)(bpp)]2n·2(H2O)}n (2) (H2L1 = 2-hydroxy-5-sulfobenzoic acid, HL2 = 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-sulfonic acid) under hydrothermal condition. These single-crystal structures were determined via X-ray single crystal diffraction analyses. Solids 1 and 2 acted as photocatalysts and performed good photocatalytic activities for MB degradation under UV light irradiation.

Elemental composition of Talang Queenfish (Scomberoides commersonnianus Lacépède, 1801) in relation to body size and condition factor from Pakistan

Abstract Fish is thought to be the most appropriate for indication of toxicity in water. So, purpose of present study was to determine the concentrations of few metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cd, Pb and Zn) in relation to the body size and condition factor in Scomberoides commersonnianus. A total of 73 samples of marine fish, S. commersonnianus with various sizes that ranged from 93.4-1180 g of body weight and total length 20.5-56.9cm were randomly collected from the Arabian Sea of Karachi Pakistan, for examination of elemental composition. The concentration of Calcium found maximum while Cadmium found minimum in S. commersonnianus. Concentrations of Zn showed highly significant (P<0.001) negative, while Na and Ca exhibited strong positive correlation with the fish size. Correlations of Pb, K and Mg were found least significant (P<0.05) with the wet weight and total length of S. commersonnianus. Whereas, Fe and Cd were remained insignificantly correlated (P>0.05) with the fish size. Condition factor showed highly significant correlation (P<0.001) with all studied metals except cadmium and lead which were found insignificantly correlated (P>0.05) with condition factor of S. commersonnianus.

Assessment of Physicochemical and Microbiological Characteristics of Honey in Southwest Ethiopia: Detection of Adulteration through Analytical Simulation

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of honey in the supply chain from the Gera district to Jimma town in southwest Ethiopia and develop a predictive model to detect adulteration. A preliminary survey revealed that poor handling practices and adulteration negatively impacted honey's physicochemical and microbial quality. For laboratory analysis, 268 honey samples were collected from households, cooperatives, chira markets, Agaro markets, and Jimma markets. They were mixed separately to create composite samples representing different value chain actors. Laboratory results indicated that honey samples from supply chain actors confirmed significant differences (p < 0.05) in physicochemical and microbial quality. The study found that the extent of adulteration and physicochemical quality loss increased from producers to Jimma retailers, indicating multiple-stage adulteration along the supply chain that could pose a risk to the safety and quality of the product. The physicochemical quality parameters of the honey samples in the study varied within the following ranges: moisture (18.35-19.42%), water activity (0.48-0.61), viscosity (7.45-10.28 Pas), pH (3.41-4.0), titratable acidity (34.01-36.03 meq/kg), ash (0.1-0.23%), electrical conductivity (0.25-0.39 mS/cm), Total Soluble Solid (75.9-77.5 °Brix), Water insoluble Solid (0.16-2.48 g/100 g), Diastase Activity (6-14 DN), and Hydroxymethylfurfural (0.2-27.7 mg/kg). Microbiological analyses showed that total aerobic bacterial and fungal load ranged from 2.7 × 101-2.29 × 102 and 3.2 × 101-4.57 × 102, respectively. A predictive model was developed using adulteration indicator parameters, showing good linearity (R2>90%) and predictive capacity for detecting adulteration with sugar syrup.

A review of the treatment technologies for hexavalent chromium contaminated water

The toxicity of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) present in the environment has exceeded the current limits or standards and thus may lead to biotic and abiotic catastrophes. Accordingly, several treatments, including chemical, biological, and physical approaches, are being used to reduce Cr(VI) waste in the surrounding environment. This study compares the Cr(VI) treatment approaches from several areas of science and their competence in Cr(VI) removal. As an effective combination of physical and chemical approaches, the coagulation-flocculation technique removes more than 98% of Cr(VI) in less than 30 min. Most membrane filtering approaches can remove up to 90% of Cr(VI). Biological approaches that involve the use of plants, fungi, and bacteria also successfully eliminate Cr(VI) but are difficult to scale up. Each of these approaches has its benefits and drawbacks, and their applicability is determined by the research aims. These approaches are also sustainable and environmentally benign, thus limiting their effects on the ecosystem.

New approaches in antibiotics detection: The use of square wave voltammetry

Antibiotics belongs to a class of pharmaceutical compounds widely used due to their effectiveness against bacterial infections. However, if consumed or inappropriately disposed of in the environment can results in environmental and public health problems, because they are considered emerging contaminants and their residues represent damage, whether in the long or short term, to different terrestrial ecosystems, in addition to bringing potential risks to agricultural sectors, such as livestock and fish farming. For this, the development of analytical methods for low-concentration detection and identification of antibiotics in natural waters, wastewaters, soil, foods, and biological fluids is necessary. This review shows the applicability of square wave voltammetry for the analytical determination of antibiotics from different chemical classes and covers a variety of samples and working electrodes that are used as voltammetric sensors. The review involved the analysis of scientific publications from the Science Direct® and Scopus® databases, with scientific manuscripts covering the period between January 2012 and May 2023. Various manuscripts were discussed indicating the applicability of square wave voltammetry in antibiotics detection in urine, blood, natural waters, milk, among other complex samples.

Prevention of Dental Biofilm Formation with Polyphenols: A Systematic Review

Polyphenols are plant secondary products with health-promoting properties against various degenerative or infectious diseases, and thus may help in the prevention of oral diseases. The aim of the present systematic review was to investigate polyphenols as a possible adjuvant in inhibiting dental biofilm formation, which is an important precondition for the most prevalent oral disease - caries and periodontitis. A literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, CENTRAL and Scopus. Only studies with oral healthy participants and plaque level as outcome were included. Data search and extraction was conducted by two authors independently. Of the 211 initially identified studies, only six met all inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed with five studies using the random effect model. Treatment with polyphenols reduced the plaque level in comparison to a negative control, but not significantly. Strong evidence of heterogeneity was observed. The diversity and complexity of polyphenols and their preparation need to be considered. There is no clear evidence that clinical use of polyphenols can prevent dental biofilm formation. Additional research with more and larger randomized controlled trials are required.

Reinforcement of the antimicrobial activity and biofilm inhibition of novel chitosan-based hydrogels utilizing zinc oxide nanoparticles

Two novel chemically cross-linked chitosan hydrogels were successfully prepared via insertion of oxalyl dihydrazide moieties between chitosan Schiff's base chains (OCsSB) and between chitosan chains (OCs). For more modification, two different concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were loaded into OCs to obtain OCs/ZnONPs-1 % and OCs/ZnONPs-3 % composites. The prepared samples were recognized using elemental analyses, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDS and TEM. Their inhibitory action against microbes and biofilms were classified as: OCs/ZnONPs-3 % > OCs/ZnONPs-1 % > OCs > OCsSB > chitosan. OCs has inhibition activity similar to Vancomycin of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 3.9 μg/mL against P. aeruginosa. OCs exhibited minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) values (from 31.25 to 62.5 μg/mL) less than that of OCsSB (from 62.5 to 250 μg/mL) which lower than that of chitosan (from 500 to 1000 μg/mL) against S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. OCs/ZnNPs-3 % showed MIC value (that caused 100 % inhibition of Clostridioides difficile, C. difficile) of 0.48 μg/mL much lower than Vancomycin (1.95 μg/mL). Both OCs and OCs/ZnONPs-3 % composite were safe on normal human cells. Thus, inclusion of oxalyl dihydrazide and ZnONPs into chitosan greatly reinforced its antimicrobial activity. This is a good strategy to accomplish adequate systems for competing traditional antibiotics.

An overview on human exposure, toxicity, solid-phase microextraction and adsorptive removal of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) from water matrices

Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are sub-class of perfluoroalkyl substances commonly detected in water matrices. They are persistent in the environment, hence highly toxic to living organisms. Their occurrence at trace amount, complex nature and prone to matrix interference make their extraction and detection a challenge. This study consolidates current advancements in solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques for the trace-level analysis of PFCAs from water matrices. The advantages of the methods in terms of ease of applications, low-cost, robustness, low solvents consumption, high pre-concentration factors, better extraction efficiency, good selectivity and recovery of the analytes have been emphasized. The article also demonstrated effectiveness of some porous materials for the adsorptive removal of the PFCAs from the water matrices. Mechanisms of the SPE/adsorption techniques have been discussed. The success and limitations of the processes have been elucidated.

Geochemical composition and potential health risks of geophagic materials: an example from a rural area in the Limpopo Province of South Africa

Geophagy is a common practice among rural population of the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality area in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Although, the practice might be beneficial to the health of the consumers, its negative effects could overshadow the positive effects and might lead to detrimental health issues. The present work sought to investigate the geochemical composition as well as pH and organic matter (OM) content of geophagic materials commonly consumed in the study area. Furthermore, assessment of the potential health risk of the materials on geophagic individuals was also considered. Twelve samples were collected in the study area and analysed by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for major and trace elements composition. The results showed higher concentrations of non-essential elements (e.g., As, Cr, Pb) than the proposed recommended daily standards intake, suggesting a potential health risk. The alkaline nature (pH 6.80 to 9.22) of the studied samples might affect the bioacessibility of some essential elements. Furthermore, the OM content (> 0.7%) observed in some of the studied samples may retain pathogenic micro-organisms detrimental to health. Although As and Cr presented a low bioaccessible fraction (< 16.0%), health risk assessment revealed that their concentrations represented a hazard (HQ > 1) and might induce non-carcinogenic health threats to geophagic individuals. Based on the geochemical analysis, pH and OM content as well as health risk assessment findings, the studied geophagic materials are not considered suitable for human consumption. The practice should therefore be discouraged amongst the population in the study area to avoid possible detrimental health issues.

Characteristics and health risks of population exposure to phthalates via the use of face towels

The production of face towels is growing at an annual rate of about 4% in China, reaching 1.13 million tons by 2021. Phthalates (PAEs) are widely used in textiles, and face towels, as an important household textile, may expose people to PAEs via the skin, further leading to health risks. We collected new face towels and analyzed the distribution characterization of PAEs in them. The changes of PAEs were explored in a face towel use experiment and a simulated laundry experiment. Based on the use of face towels by 24 volunteers, we calculated the estimated daily intake (EDI) and comprehensively assessed the hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and dermal cancer risk (DCR) of PAEs exposure in the population. PAEs were present in new face towels at total concentrations of <MDL-2388 ng/g, with a median of 173.2 ng/g, which was a lower contamination level compared with other textiles. PAE contents in used face towels were significantly higher than in new face towels. The concentrations of PAEs in coral velvet were significantly higher than those in cotton. Water washing removed some PAEs, while detergent washing increased the PAE content on face towels. Gender, weight, use time, and material were the main factors affecting EDI. The HQ and HI were less than 1, which proved PAEs had no significant non-carcinogenic health risks. Among the five target PAEs studied, DEHP was the only carcinogenic PAE and may cause potential health risks after long-term exposure. Therefore, we should pay more attention to DEHP.

Magnetic Core@Shell Fe3O4@Polypyrrole@Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Composite for Enhanced Selective Removal of Dyestuffs and Heavy Metal Ions from Complex Wastewater

Adsorption materials have demonstrated huge potential in treating sewage; however, it is a great challenge to fabricate an adsorbent effectively adsorbing multiple dyestuffs and heavy metal ions simultaneously. Here, a magnetic core@shell Fe3O4@polypyrrole@sodium dodecyl sulfate (Fe3O4@PPy@SDS) composite is prepared through the combination of a hydrothermal method, an in situ polymerization method, and modification, exhibiting enhanced selective removal of five dyestuffs (methylene blue (MB), malachite green (MG), rhodamine B (RhB), Congo red (CR), acid red 1 (AR1)), and heavy metal ions (Mn(VII)). The effects of adsorbent type, time, initial concentration of the adsorbate, and temperature on adsorption performances are investigated in detail. Kinetics and isotherm studies indicate that all adsorption processes are more in line with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir model, the diffusion behavior is controlled by intraparticle diffusion and liquid film diffusion, and research of thermodynamics reveals a spontaneous endothermic behavior. The removal efficiency after five desorption-adsorption cycles can still reach more than 90%. The prepared Fe3O4@PPy@SDS composite is an efficient and promising renewable adsorbent for the treatment of dyestuffs and Mn(VII), exhibiting a wide range of applications in the field of adsorption.

Syntheses and antitumor activities of neorautenol and shinpterocarpin analogs

The natural products neorautenol and shinpterocarpin and their structural analogs were investigated as novel anticancer agents. Twenty-four analogs, including analogs containing a polar chain and simplified analogs, were synthesized efficiently by a modified method from previous reports. The antitumor screening of synthesized compounds toward six cancer cell lines indicated that compounds 37, 42 and 43 with a dialkylaminoethyl-type side chain exhibited more promising activity than neorautenol and shinpterocarpin against lung and colon cancer lines with a range of 4-9 μM. They showed selective toxicity in normal cells.

Simultaneous Determination of Multiple Contaminants in Chicken Liver Using Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME) Detected by LC-HRMS/MS

Simultaneous determination of a mixture of food contaminants, including pesticides, sulphonamides, fluoroquinolones, anthelmintics, and aflatoxin B1, in solid biological samples (chicken liver) by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction/liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (DLLME/LC-HRMS) is presented. Previous work focused on the application of DLLME to single-class contaminants. In this work, the DLLME extraction method has been extended to complex multiresidues in the biological matrix. The first part of this study was the selection of an appropriate solvent that enabled the dissolution of analytes from the chicken livers. The matrix-matched calibration curves showed good linearity in the range 0.5-50.0 µg kg^-1 for aflatoxin B1 and 50-500 µg kg^-1 for pesticides, fluoroquinolones, sulphonamides, and anthelmintics, with a coefficient of determination (R²) values of 0.9916-0.9967. The mean recoveries were in the range of 80.4-96.3%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) values were in the range of 1.53-8.98%. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) values were 0.03 µg kg^-1 and 0.09 µg kg^-1, respectively, for aflatoxin B1, and for pesticides, fluoroquinolones, sulphonamides, and anthelmintics, they were in the range of 0.011-1.197 µg kg^-1 and 0.150-2.579 µg kg^-1, respectively. The developed method was compared with the standard solid phase extraction (SPE) method, and there was no significant difference between the two methods.

Preparation and Adsorption Behavior of Ce(III)-MOF for Phosphate and Fluoride Ion Removal from Aqueous Solutions

The discharge of inorganic pollutants like phosphate and fluoride is a cause of mounting concern to the world due to the substantial environmental and human health risk. Adsorption is one of the most common and affordable technologies widely utilized for removing inorganic pollutants such as phosphate and fluoride anions. Investigating efficient sorbents for the adsorption of these pollutants is extremely important and challenging. This work aimed at studying the adsorption efficiency of the Ce(III)-BDC metal-organic framework (MOF) for the removal of these anions from an aqueous solution using a batch mode. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) techniques evidenced the successful synthesis of Ce(III)-BDC MOF in water as a solvent without any energy input within a short reaction time. The outstanding removal efficiency of phosphate and fluoride was exhibited at an optimized pH (3, 4), adsorbent dose (0.20, 0.35 g), contact time (3, 6 h), agitation speed (120, 100 rpm), and concentration (10, 15 ppm) for each ion, respectively. The experiment on the effect of coexisting ions demonstrated that SO₄^2- and PO₄^3- ions are the primary interfering ions in phosphate and fluoride adsorption, respectively, while the HCO₃^- and Cl^- ions were found to have interfered less. Furthermore, the isotherm experiment showed that the equilibrium data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model and the kinetic data correlated well with the pseudo-second-order model for both ions. The results of thermodynamic parameters such as ΔH°, ΔG°, and ΔS° evidenced an endothermic and spontaneous process. The regeneration of the adsorbent made using water and NaOH solution showed the easy regeneration of the sorbent Ce(III)-BDC MOF, which can be reused four times, revealing its potential application for the removal of these anions from aqueous environment.

Synthesis and photometric properties of efficient white-emitting phosphor of M-AMG transition metal complexes for OLED applications

Progression in lighting sources mainly depended on new, robust energy-efficient diodes due to their advanced photometric properties. All organic light-emitting sources are constant energy-efficient devices and will be the light of the future. We explore the potential of transition metal complexes by focusing on cobalt(II), nickel(II), and copper (II) with aminoguanidine naphthoate as white phosphors in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The phosphors synthesized at optimized temperature were characterized structurally and thermally by spectral, thermal, and diffraction techniques. The photophysical studies of the target compound in several organic solvents having divergent polarity were also studied, and the results were exhibited. Photometric properties of the complexes were studied using photoluminescence, CIE (Commission internationale de l'éclairage) chromaticity coordinates, correlated color temperature, color purity, Duv, and TLCI (Television Lighting Consistency Index) to verify the applicability of complexes as phosphors. Excellent luminescence property with a high coloring index for (Cu(2NA-AMG-2H2 O)) opens the advanced avenue for light sources and serves as vital constituents for light-emitting diodes.

Specialty and high-quality coffee: discrimination through elemental characterization via ICP-OES, ICP-MS, and ICP-MS/MS of origin, species, and variety

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to establish the elemental profiling and origin combined with the genetic asset of coffee samples collected from major coffee-producing countries. A total of 76 samples were analysed for 41 elements using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and inductively coupled plasma-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). The mineral composition of the silver skin detachment during the roasting process was also evaluated to verify the loss of minerals during roasting, differences in composition with beans, and between species.

RESULTS

Application of linear discriminant analysis provided models with an accuracy of 93.3% for continents, 97.8% for countries of cultivation, and 100% for species. Discrimination between Arabica, Canephora coffee, and Eugenoides, and different varieties of Arabica species were identified in both models with calcium (Ca), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), rubidium (Rb), and strontium (Sr) as significant discriminant elements. Rb, Sr, sulphur (S), and thulium (Tm) were significant discriminant elements in both models for geographical distinction at different scales. Most of the elements had significantly higher values in silver skin than those in roasted coffee at different magnitudes, with exceptions of P and Rb.

CONCLUSION

In summary, determination of mineral elements, processed by multivariate statistical analysis, was demonstrated to be discriminant for different coffee species. Linear discriminant analysis of the elemental analysis of samples from the seven major producing countries provided a reliable prediction model. Elemental analysis of major and minor elements is relatively easy and can be used together with other traceability systems and sensory evaluations to authenticate the origin of roasted coffee, different species, and varieties. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Tungsten (VI) oxide reinforced antimony glasses for radiation safety applications: A throughout investigation for determination of radiation shielding properties and transmission factors

We report the functional assessment of tungsten (VI) oxide on gamma-ray attenuation properties of 60Sb₂O₃-(40-x)NaPO₃-xWO₃ antimony glasses. The elemental mass-fractions and glass-densities of each glass sample are specified separately for the MCNPX Monte Carlo code. In addition to fundamental gamma absorption properties, Transmission Factors throughout a broad radioisotope energy range were measured. According to findings, holmium (Ho) incorporation into the glass structure resulted in a net increase of 0.3406 g/cm3, whereas cerium (Ce) addition resulted in a net increase of 0.2047 g/cm3. The 40% WO₃ reinforced S7 sample was found to have the greatest LAC value, even though seven glass samples exhibited identical behavior. The S2 sample had the lowest HVL values among the glass groups evaluated in this work, computed in the energy range of 0.015-15 MeV. The lowest EBF and EABF values were reported for 40% WO₃ reinforced S7 sample with the highest LAC and density values. According to the findings of this research, WO₃ will likely make a significant contribution to the gamma ray absorption properties of antimony glasses, which are employed for optical and structural modification. Therefore, it can be concluded that WO₃ may be treated monotonically and can be employed successfully in circumstances where gamma-ray absorption characteristics, optical properties, and structural qualities need to be enhanced.

Low-Density Unsaturated Polyester Resin with the Presence of Dual-Initiator

Dual-initiation is a new orientation of many studies in the curing of unsaturated polyester resin and the manufacture of low-density unsaturated polyester resin (LDUPR) composite materials. In our research, two kinds of low-temperature (40-70 °C) initiators (cyclohexanone peroxide (CYHP) and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP)), one kind of medium-temperature (70-130 °C) initiator (tert-butyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate (TBPO)), and three kinds of high-temperature (≥130 °C) initiators (tert-butyl benzoate peroxide (TBPB), tert-amyl carbonate peroxide-2-ethylhexanoate (TAEC), and tert-butyl carbonate peroxide-2-ethylhexanoate (TBEC)) were applied to constitute different dual-initiators. Those dual-initiators were a low-temperature dual-initiator (CYHP/MEKP), medium-low-temperature dual-initiators (CYHP/TBPO and MEKP/TBPO), and high-temperature dual-initiators (TAEC/TBPB, TAEC/TBEC, and TBEC/TBPB). In the low-temperature and medium-low-temperature ranges, the LDUPR sample displayed the highest specific compression strength (P_s) of 42.08 ± 0.26 MPa·g^-1·cm³ in the presence of the MEKP/TBPO dual-initiator. In the high-temperature range, the LDUPR sample exhibited the highest specific compression strength (P_s) of 43.32 ± 0.45 MPa·g^-1·cm³ for the existence of the TAEC/TBPB dual-initiator. It is pointed out that the dual-initiator released more active free radicals, accelerating the initial curing time and the peak time of UPR. More active free radicals caused both high-activity (short-chain) molecules and low-activity (long-chain or intertwined) molecules in resin to cross-link, prolonging UPR's curing process by approximately two minutes and resulting in an improvement of UPR's cross-linking. In the presence of a dual-initiator, the integrated and planar microstructure of LDUPR samples performed uniformly distributed dimples, dispersed external forces, and enhanced samples' specific compressive strength.

Tuning Crystal Packing and Magnetic Properties in a Series of [Dy12] Metallocubanes Based on Azobenzene Derivatives of Salicylic Acid

A series of four new Dy₁₂ dodecanuclear clusters based on azobenzene derivative ligands of salicylic acid (L1-L4) has been synthesized and characterized in the crystalline phase using X-ray diffraction on single crystal and powder, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and DSC-TGA methods. It was revealed that all obtained clusters exhibit the formation of the similar metallic cluster nodes, as vertex-sharing heterocubanes, obtained from four Dy³⁺ cations, three bridging hydroxyl groups, and O atoms from the salicylic ligands. The coordination geometry around the Dy(III) centers has been carefully analyzed. Whereas Dy₁₂-L1 and Dy₁₂-L2 with L1 and L2 containing Me and OMe groups in para positions of the phenyl rings, respectively, form similar porous 3D diamond-like molecular networks due to CH-π interactions, for Dy₁₂-L3 with L3 bearing NO₂-electron-withdrawing group, the generation of 2D molecular grids assembled by π-π staking is observed, and for Dy₁₂-L4 with L4 bearing phenyl substituent, 3D hexagonal channels have been generated. The complexes Dy₁₂-L1, Dy₁₂-L2, and Dy₁₂-L3 exhibit a zero-field slow magnetic relaxation effect. After UV irradiation of Dy₁₂-L1, a decrease of the magnetic anisotropy energy barrier displaying the possibility of control over magnetic properties by the external stimulus has been observed.

A low-content CeOx dually promoted Ni3Fe@CNT electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

Rational construction of low-cost and high-performance electrocatalysts for water splitting is crucial for the advancement of renewable hydrogen fuel. Hybridizing heterojunctions or noble metals is one typical strategy used to boost the electrocatalytic performance for either the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) or hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, low-content CeO_x (3.74 wt%) is introduced into Ni₃Fe nanoparticle-encapsulated carbon nanotubes (Ni₃Fe@CNTs/CeO_x), with both the OER and HER activities boosted, as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting. The composite is derived by pyrolyzing a mixture of melamine/ternary NiFeCe-layered double hydroxide. The composite electrocatalyst requires low overpotentials of 195 and 125 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 in 1.0 M KOH, respectively, which are superior to those of Ni₃Fe@CNTs/NF (313 and 139 mV) and CeO_x/NF (345 and 129 mV), and in particular, OER overpotentials of 320 and 370 mV at 50 and 100 mA cm^-2, respectively. Moreover, the composite-assembled electrolyzer for overall water splitting requires a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 at a decent cell voltage of 1.641 V. Furthermore, the enhancement is elucidated by the synergistic effect: the dual role of CeO_x in boosting the OER and HER, the highly conductive carbonaceous CNTs, large electrochemically active surface area and low charge-transfer resistance. The results can offer an effective route for designing and preparing low-cost and high-efficiency electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic water splitting.

Clauson-Kaas pyrrole synthesis using diverse catalysts: a transition from conventional to greener approach

Pyrrole is an important aromatic heterocyclic scaffold found in many natural products and predominantly used in pharmaceuticals. Continuous efforts are being made to design and synthesize various pyrrole derivatives using different synthetic procedures. Among them, the Clauson-Kaas reaction is a very old and well-known method for synthesizing a large number of N-substituted pyrroles. In recent years, due to global warming and environmental concern, research laboratories and pharmaceutical industries around the world are searching for more environmentally friendly reaction conditions for synthesizing compounds. As a result, this review describes the use of various eco-friendly greener protocols to synthesize N-substituted pyrroles. This synthesis involves the reaction of various aliphatic/aromatic primary amines, and sulfonyl primary amines with 2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran in the presence of numerous acid catalysts and transition metal catalysts. The goal of this review is to summarize the synthesis of various N-substituted pyrrole derivatives using a modified Clauson-Kaas reaction under diverse conventional and greener reaction conditions.

Heterogeneous V2O5/TiO2-Mediated Photocatalytic Reduction of Nitro Compounds to the Corresponding Amines under Visible Light

The hydrogenation of nitro compounds to their corresponding amines is developed using a heterogeneous and recyclable catalyst (V₂O₅/TiO₂) under irradiation of blue LED (9 W) at ambient temperature. Hydrazine hydrate is used as a reductant and ethanol is used as a solvent, facilitating green, sustainable, low-cost production. The synthesis of 32 (hetero)arylamines and their pharmaceutically relevant molecules (five) are described. Significant features of the protocol include catalyst recyclability, green solvent, ambient temperature, and gram-scale reactions. Among the other aspects studied are ¹H-NMR-assisted reaction progress monitoring, control experiments for mechanistic studies, protocol applications, and recyclability studies. Furthermore, the developed protocol enabled wide functional group tolerance, chemo-selectivity, high yield, and low-cost, sustainable, and environmentally benign synthesis.

Designing, characterization, biological, DFT, and molecular docking analysis for new FeAZD, NiAZD, and CuAZD complexes incorporating 1-(2-hydroxyphenylazo)- 2-naphthol (H2AZD)

Herien, three new Fe(III) (FeAZD), Ni(II) (NiAZD), and Cu(II) (CuAZD) complexes were synthesized and characterized using various physicochemical and spectroscopic approaches. The H₂AZD ligand acted as a bi-basic bi-dentate NO ligand in a 1:1 molar ratio. The results revealed that the FeAZD and CuAZD complexes had octahedral geometry, while the NiAZD had a tetrahedral geometry. The optimized geometry, HOMO and LUMO analysis of the ligand and its metal complexes was determined via Density functional theory (DFT) using the B3LYP with 6-311 G(d,p), and LanL2DZ level of theory. The FeAZD, NiAZD and CuAZD had lower energy gap, 7.40, 7.93 and 7.06 eV, respectively, than the free ligand (9.58 eV), which proposed that CuAZD was more active one. The free ligand and its metal complexes were in vitro investigated for their antibacterial and antifungal activity. The results illustrated that the metal complexes had higher antibacterial and antifungal activity than the free ligand. More specifically, the CuAZD demonstrated good antibacterial activity against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, B. cereus, and A. flavus, T. rubrum, and C. albicans, with activity indexes of 72.22%, 65.01%, 77.78%, and 72.22%, 63.16%, 59.09%, and 61.90%, respectively. Also, the metal complexes showed lower MIC (6.25-3.125 ppm) compared to the free ligand (about 50 ppm). Finally, molecular docking was utilized to investigate the ability of the free ligand and its metal complexes to inhibit the growth of E. coli (PDB ID: 5iq9). The results showed that the CuAZD had the highest binding affinity to the receptor, with a more negative docking score of - 7.05 Kcal/mol, and lower inhibition constant (Ki) of 6.90 µM. That is indicating that it may be the most effective at inhibiting the growth of E. coli (PDB ID: 5iq9).

Green Synthesis of Controlled Shape Silver Nanostructures and Their Peroxidase, Catalytic Degradation, and Antibacterial Activity

Nanoparticles with unique shapes have garnered significant interest due to their enhanced surface area-to-volume ratio, leading to improved potential compared to their spherical counterparts. The present study focuses on a biological approach to producing different silver nanostructures employing Moringa oleifera leaf extract. Phytoextract provides metabolites, serving as reducing and stabilizing agents in the reaction. Two different silver nanostructures, dendritic (AgNDs) and spherical (AgNPs), were successfully formed by adjusting the phytoextract concentration with and without copper ions in the reaction system, resulting in particle sizes of ~300 ± 30 nm (AgNDs) and ~100 ± 30 nm (AgNPs). These nanostructures were characterized by several techniques to ascertain their physicochemical properties; the surface was distinguished by functional groups related to polyphenols due to plant extract that led to critical controlling of the shape of nanoparticles. Nanostructures performance was assessed in terms of peroxidase-like activity, catalytic behavior for dye degradation, and antibacterial activity. Spectroscopic analysis revealed that AgNDs demonstrated significantly higher peroxidase activity compared to AgNPs when evaluated using chromogenic reagent 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine. Furthermore, AgNDs exhibited enhanced catalytic degradation activities, achieving degradation percentages of 92.2% and 91.0% for methyl orange and methylene blue dyes, respectively, compared to 66.6% and 58.0% for AgNPs. Additionally, AgNDs exhibited superior antibacterial properties against Gram-negative E. coli compared to Gram-positive S. aureus, as evidenced by the calculated zone of inhibition. These findings highlight the potential of the green synthesis method in generating novel nanoparticle morphologies, such as dendritic shape, compared with the traditionally synthesized spherical shape of silver nanostructures. The synthesis of such unique nanostructures holds promise for various applications and further investigations in diverse sectors, including chemical and biomedical fields.

Hydroxyl radical induced Cr flocculation via redox reaction: The extending application of heterogeneous advanced oxidation processes on Cr removal

Flocculation is a traditional and effective method to remove Cr from wastewater, but the addition of flocculants inevitably leads to secondary pollution. In this study, Cr flocculation was induced using hydroxyl radical (•OH) (•OH flocculation) generated in an electro-Fenton-like system, achieving total Cr removal of 98.68% at initial pH = 8 within 40 min. The obtained Cr flocs showed significantly higher Cr content, lower sludge yield, and good settling properties compared to alkali precipitation and polyaluminum chloride flocculation. •OH flocculation behaved like a typical flocculant, introducing electrostatic neutralization and bridging. The mechanism proposed that •OH could overcome the steric hindrance of Cr(H₂O)₆³⁺ and combine with it as an additional ligand. Then Cr(III) was proved to undergo multi-step oxidation to form Cr(IV) and Cr(V). After these oxidation reactions, •OH flocculation took precedence over Cr(VI) generation. As a result, Cr(VI) didn't accumulate in solution until •OH flocculation was completed. This work provided a clean and eco-friendly strategy for Cr flocculation instead of flocculants and extended the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), which is expected to enrich existing strategies of AOPs towards Cr removal.

In Vitro and In Silico Anti-Picornavirus Triterpene Alkanoic Acid Ester from Saudi Collection of Rhazya stricta Decne

The total alcohol extract obtained from the aerial parts of R. stricta and fractions of the liquid-liquid fractionation process were tested against picornavirus-causing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) based on the traditional use of the plant in Saudi Arabia. The most active petroleum ether soluble fraction was subjected to chromatographic purification, and nine compounds were isolated, identified using various chemical and spectroscopic methods, and tested for their anti-viral potential. The new ester identified as α-Amyrin 3-(3'R-hydroxy)-hexadecanoate (1) was the most active compound with 51% inhibition of the viral growth and was given the name Rhazyin A. Compounds with ursane skeleton were more active than those with lupane skeleton except in the case of the acid derivatives where betulenic acid showed 26.1% inhibition against the viral growth, while ursolic acid showed only 16.6% inhibition. Moreover, molecular docking analysis using a glide extra-precision module was utilized for investigating the possible molecular interactions accounting for anti-viral activity against picornavirus of the nine isolated compounds. Molecular docking studies revealed a strong binding of the discovered hits within the active site of FMDV 3C^pro. Compound 1 showed the lowest docking score within the nine isolated compounds comparable to the two known anti-viral drugs; glycyrrhizic acid and ribavirin. The results of this research will provide lead candidates from natural origin with potential safety and efficacy compared to the synthetic ones with lower production costs for managing FMVD.

Evaluation of the synergistic effect of chitosan metal ions (Cu2+/Co2+) in combination with antibiotics to counteract the effects on antibiotic resistant bacteria

The effectiveness of antibiotics that save millions of lives is in danger due to the increasing rise of resistant bacteria around the world. We proposed chitosan-copper ions (CSNP-Cu²⁺) and chitosan-cobalt ion nanoparticles (CSNP-Co²⁺) as biodegradable nanoparticles loaded with metal ions synthesized via an ionic gelation method for treatment of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The nanoparticles were characterized using TEM, FT-IR, zeta potential and ICP-OES. The MIC was evaluated for the NPs in addition to evaluating the synergetic effect of the nanoparticles in combination with cefepime or penicillin for five different antibiotic resistant bacterial strains. In order to investigate the mode of action, MRSA, DSMZ 28766 and Escherichia coli E0157:H7 were selected for further evaluation of antibiotic resistant genes expression upon treatment with NPs. Finally, the cytotoxic activities were investigated using MCF7, HEPG2 and A549 and WI-38 cell lines. The results showed quasi spherical shape and mean particle size of 19.9 ± 5 nm, 21 ± 5 nm and 22.27 ± 5 for CSNP, CSNP-Cu²⁺ and CSNP-Co²⁺ respectively. FT-IR showed slight shifting of the hydroxyl and amine group's peaks of chitosan indicating the adsorption of metal ions. Both nanoparticles had antibacterial activity with MIC ranging between 125 and 62 μg ml^-1 for the used standard bacterial strains. Moreover, the combination of each of the synthesized NP with either cefepime or penicillin not only showed a synergetic effect as antibacterial activity of each NP or antibiotics alone, but also decreased the fold of antibiotic resistance genes expression. The NPs showed potent cytotoxic activities for MCF-7, HepG2 and A549 cancer cell lines with lower cytotoxic values for the WI-38 normal cell line. The NPs' antibacterial activity may be due to penetration and rupture of the cell membrane and the outer membrane of Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria causing bacterial cell death, in addition to, penetration into the bacterial genes and blocking gene expression that is vital to bacterial growth. The fabricated nanoparticles can be an effective, affordable and biodegradable solution to challenge antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Multielement analysis coupled with chemometrics modelling for geographical origin classification of teff [Eragrostis tef (Zuccagni) Trotter] grains from Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Teff [Eragrostis tef (Zuccagni) Trotter] is an indigenous crop in Ethiopia, and Amhara region is the predominant teff producing region in the country. This study was aimed at developing an analytical methodology useful to determine the geographical origin of teff produced in the Amhara Region, based on multielement analysis combined with multivariate statistical techniques. For this, a total of 72 teff grain samples were collected from three zones (West Gojjam, East Gojjam, and Awi) and analysed for K, Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, Cu, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Cr, and Cd contents using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The digestion and ICP-OES analysis method were accurate, with percentage recovery ranging 85.5 to 109% across the different metals analysed. Principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were applied to discriminate samples based on their production regions. Magnesium, Ca, Fe, Mn, and Zn were the most discriminating elements among the samples. The LDA model provided 96% correct classification of samples into production regions and varietal types, with an average prediction ability of 92%. Hence, the multielement analysis combined with statistical modeling can be used in the authentication of the geographical origin and varietal type of teff from Amhara region.

Synthesis of Novel Antimicrobial CHX-CaCl2 Coatings on Maxillofacial Fixatures for Infection Prevention

Maxillofacial surgery placement of fixatures (Leonard Buttons, LB) at close proximity to surgical incisions provides a potential reservoir as a secondary local factor to advanced periodontal disease, with bacterial formation around failed fixatures implicating plaque. To address infection rates, we aimed to surface coat LB and Titanium (Ti) discs using a novel form of chlorhexidine (CHX), CHX-CaCl₂ and 0.2% CHX digluconate mouthwash as a comparison. CHX-CaCl₂ coated, double-coated and mouthwash coated LB and Ti discs were transferred to 1 mL artificial saliva (AS) at specified time points, and UV-Visible spectroscopy (254 nm) was used to measure CHX release. The zone of inhibition (ZOI) was measured using collected aliquots against bacterial strains. Specimens were characterized using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). SEM displayed copious dendritic crystals on LB/ Ti disc surfaces. Drug release from double-coated CHX-CaCl₂ was 14 days (Ti discs) and 6 days (LB) above MIC, compared to the comparison group (20 min). The ZOI for the CHX-CaCl₂ coated groups was significantly different within groups (p < 0.05). CHX-CaCl₂ surface crystallization is a new drug technology for controlled and sustained CHX release; its antibacterial effectiveness makes this drug an ideal adjunct following clinical and surgical procedures to maintain oral hygiene and prevent surgical site infections.

Plant-ZnO nanoparticles interaction: An approach to improve guinea grass (Panicum maximum) productivity and evaluation of the impacts of its ingestion by freshwater teleost fish

We aimed to evaluate the possible effects of the application of zinc oxide nanoparticles [ZnO NPs; 68.96 ± 33.71 nm; at 100 and 500 mg/kg in a soil mixture of the Typic Dystrophic Red Latosol type and sand (2:1 ratio)] in the cultivation of Panicum maximum (until 125 days), using different biomarkers in addition to evaluating the uptake of Zn by the plants. Furthermore, we assessed the possible transfer of ZnO NPs from P. maximum leaves to zebrafish and their potential. Plants cultivated in substrates with ZnO NPs at 500 mg/kg showed reduced germination rate and growth. However, at 100 mg/kg, plants showed higher biomass and productivity, associated with higher Zn uptake, without inducing oxidative and nitrosative stress. Zinc content in zebrafish was not associated with ingesting leaves of P. maximum cultivated in substrate containing ZnCl₂ or ZnO NPs or with genotoxic, mutagenic, and biochemical effects. In conclusion, ZnO NPs (at 100 mg/kg) are promising in the cultivation of P. maximum, and their ingestion by zebrafish did not cause changes in the evaluated biomarkers. However, we recommend that studies with other animal models be conducted to comprehensively assess the ecotoxicological hazard associated with applying ZnO NPs in soil.

Electrochemical determination of zinc(II) using N1-hydroxy-N1,N2-diphenylbenzamidine and multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified carbon paste electrode

In this study, a new carbon paste electrode modified with a laboratory-synthesized ligand, N¹-hydroxy-N¹,N²-diphenylbenzamidine (HDPBA) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) (HDPBA‒MWCNTs/CPE) has been developed. The modified electrode was applied for preconcentration and voltammetric determination of zinc ions (Zn(II)) by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). The preconcentration of Zn(II) on the electrode surface was performed in 0.1 M Brinton Robinson (B-R) buffer solution (pH 6) at an applied potential of -1.30 V versus Ag/AgCl for 120 s, followed by stripping in the positive potential scan of the SWASV after a quit time of 10 s. Under optimized experimental conditions, the proposed electrode exhibited a wider linear dynamic response for Zn(II) in a concentration range of 0.02-10.00 μM with a detection limit of 2.48 nM. This is due to the excellent metal-chelation property of the ligand, and the good conductivity and large surface area of MWCNTs which significantly improved the sensing performance of the nanocomposite modified electrode. The selectivity of the electrode was studied by evaluating the interference effects of various foreign ions on the peak current of Zn(II). The method exhibited high reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.1%. The present method was applied for the determination of zinc ions in water samples. The recovery values in the tested samples were found to be 98.50-106.0%, indicating a good accuracy of the proposed electrode. Furthermore, the electrochemical behavior of HDPBA in acetonitrile and aqueous solutions has been studied.

Biodiesel potential of Cucumeropsis mannii (white melon) seed oil: A neglected and underutilized resource in Nigeria

A major challenge in the biodiesel industry is the availability of high-quality vegetable oil feedstocks. Thus, there is a continuous search for quality biodiesel feedstock whose production will trigger economic impact on the agricultural sector, minimize land degradation and without significant disruption to the food chain. In this work, we extracted and analysed oil from neglected and underutilized Cucumeropsis mannii seeds for their potential in biodiesel production. The oil content of C. mannii seed was 40.8 ± 0.56%. GC-MS analysis of the oil revealed the presence of 47.0% saturated fatty (predominantly palmitic acid, stearic acid) and 53.0% of unsaturated fatty acids (predominantly oleic, linoleic and erucic acids). The physicochemical properties were determined and values were as follows: iodine value (111.07 ± 0.15 g/100 g), saponification value (192.03 ± 0.37 mg/kg of oil), peroxide value (2.60 ± 0.10 meq/kg), acid value (4.20 ± 0.02 mgKOH/g) free fatty acid (2.51 ± 0.02%), relative density (0.93 ± 0.02), the refractive index at 28 °C (1.46 ± 0.04) and viscosity at 30 °C (3.00 ± 0.10 mm²/s). The fuel properties namely, cloud point, pour point, flash point and caloric value were determined and the values were 3.03 ± 0.11 °C, 1.00 ± 0.10 °C, 279.04 ± 0.99 °C and 31.10 ± 0.11 MJ/kg, respectively. In addition, the protein content of the defatted seed was found to be 47.4 ± 0.61 g/100 g. The defatted protein-rich cakes can be upgraded as a food additive; thus the C. mannii seed oil can serve as biodiesel feedstock without altering the food chain. These characteristics demonstrate the potential of C. mannii oil as a high-quality feedstock for biodiesel production. We envisage that its utilization as biodiesel feedstock will improve the market value of these seeds, thus supporting the economic development of local farmers in rural areas.

Antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds of Commiphora gileadensis extracts obtained by ultrasonic-assisted extraction, with monitoring antiaging and cytotoxicity activities

Commiphora gileadensis (C. gileadensis) has been identified and linked with various health benefits and pharmaceutical potential for its phytochemical activities and chemical constituents. This study aimed to evaluate ultrasonic-assisted extraction (USE) technique for total phenols content from C. gileadensis leaf compared to the hydrodistillation extraction (HDE). Our results showed that the USE operating conditions were identified as: MeOH·H2O solvent-to-fresh sample ratio of 80:20 (v/v); ultrasonic power/frequency at 150 W/20 kHz; and a temperature of 40 ± 1°C; subjected to acoustic waves intermittently for a calculated time (5 min) during the total programmed time of 12 min. The USE exhibited (118.71 ± 0.009 mg GAE/g DM) more amounts of all phenols than HDE (101.47 ± 0.005 mg GAE/g DM), and antioxidant (77.78 ± 0.73%, 75.27 ± 0.59% scavenging inhibition of DPPH), respectively. Anti-aging and Cytotoxicity activities were investigated. The results of biological evaluations showed that the crude extracts of C. gileadensis significantly extended the replicative lifespan of K6001 yeast. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity against the HepG2 cell line showed significant anticancer activity, and approximately 100 μg/mL is required to decrease viability compared with that of the control. This study is proven for a larger scale to extract and isolate compounds of C. gileadensis for potential utilization in the pharmaceutical industry. In conclusion, advanced methods afford an extract with high activity in the biological properties of the extract.

Spectroscopic investigation, thermal behavior, catalytic reduction, biological and computational studies of novel four transition metal complexes based on 5-methylthiophene Schiff base type

Four new complexes prepared from 5-Methyl-2-carboxaldehyde-thiophene and 2,6-pyridinediamine with cobalt, nickel, copper and cadmium ions have been synthesized because of the significance of these complexes in pharmacological research and catalytic reduction. The prepared compounds were characterized using elemental analysis, mass, UV-visible, NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, as well as molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility measurements, fluorescence properties and TGA analysis. The stoichiometry mode was confirmed as 1:1 (metal: ligand) for Co, Ni and Cu complexes and 1:2 (metal: ligand) for Cd complex according to the results of the elemental and spectral studies. Furthermore, the thermal stability and luminescence properties of complexes have been studied. Thermal studies confirmed the presence of water molecules. The thermodynamic properties of the complexes were measured via the Coats-Redfern procedure. The geometric structures of the complexes were found to be octahedral around the metal ions. The optical energy gaps (Eopt) vary between 2.92 and 3.71 eV indicating that these compounds can be used as selective absorbing solar energy in photovoltaic applications. In the presence of NaBH₄, the greatest reduction efficiency for the conversion of 2-NP to 2-AP was discovered to be 73-91% within 15-25 min. In vitro, high antifungal and antibacterial activity was shown by complexes than the ligand alone. The Cd(II) complex was shown to have greater activity than all of the examined microorganisms when compared to the reference drug in addition it had 4.94 μg/ml minimal inhibitory concentration against "S. aureus", "B. subtilis", and "E. coli". The bond angles, bond lengths, and quantum chemical factors of the ligand and complexes were shown in the molecular modeling using the DFT approach. The studied compounds' binding modes were confirmed using the Gaussian 09 program.

Synthesis and characterization of NiO/Cr2O3 nanocomposite with effective sunlight driven photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes

In this paper, nanocomposite NiO/Cr₂O₃ has been synthesized by a simple chemical reduction method to study its photocatalytic activity under sunlight irradiation. Various advanced analytical techniques including powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), elemental mapping, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-visible spectroscopy have been utilized to characterize the synthesized NiO/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite. SEM images show the sheet-shaped morphology of NiO/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite. These sheets have a rough surface with nano to micro size cracks. These cracks play important role in the enhancement of photocatalytic activity by increasing surface active sites for the adsorption of dye molecules on the surface of the photocatalyst. The organic dyes crystal violet (CV) and methylene blue (MB) have been chosen to study the photocatalytic behavior of NiO/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite under sunlight irradiation. The photocatalytic efficiency of NiO/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite has been obtained 88.47% and 93.63% against crystal violet and methylene blue respectively. The results of the photocatalytic kinetics exhibit that degradation rate constant value for crystal violet dye is higher as compared to methylene blue dye. Obtained kinetic results indicate that synthesized nanocomposite acts as an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of both crystal violet dye and methylene blue dye. NiO/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite also exhibited reusability and stability for photocatalytic degradation of both organic dyes. Photoelectrochemical measurements as photocurrent, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Mott-Schottky plot were also performed for synthesized NiO/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite. Consequently, this synthesized NiO/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite can be utilized for environmental remediation of harmful dyes.

Isotherms and Kinetic Studies of Copper Removal from Textile Wastewater and Aqueous Solution Using Powdered Banana Peel Waste as an Adsorbent in Batch Adsorption Systems

Heavy metals that are present in surface water and wastewater are becoming a severe environmental problem. Because of its toxicity, heavy metal removal has become the main priority for environmental concerns. Banana peels are low-cost agricultural waste that could be used for heavy metal adsorption in wastewater. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effective powdered banana peel for the removal of copper (II) from aqueous solutions and real wastewater. The banana peels were collected from domestic waste and ground to get a particle size of 150 µm. Powdered banana peel waste adsorbent (PBPWA) contained moisture content, ash content, volatile matter, and bulk density of 3.8%, 3.5%, 37.5%, and 0.02 g/cm³, respectively. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results showed that the alkyne, aldehyde, and amide functional groups were dominant in the powdered banana peel surface, and the scanning electron microscope showed the morphology of the adsorbent. Physicochemical characteristics of the raw wastewater revealed that the concentration of Cu (II), Pb (II), COD, BOD5, and Cd (II) were 2.75 mg/L, 2.02 mg/L, 612.16 mg/L, 185.35 mg/L, and 0.01 mg/L, respectively. At pH 5, adsorbent dose of 2g/100 mL, initial copper (II) concentration of 80 mg/L, and contact time of 90 min, the maximum removal efficiency of synthetic wastewater was 96.8% and textile wastewater was 69.0%. The adsorption isotherm fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model at R² = 0.99. The kinetics of copper (II) adsorption followed the second-order kinetic model better. Finally, these studies showed that banana peel bio-adsorbent is a potential adsorbent for heavy metal removal from synthetic and textile wastewater.

Low-cost materials as vehicles for pesticides in aquatic media: a review of the current status of different biosorbents employed, optimization by RSM approach

Water contamination by pesticides is increasing dramatically due to population growth and the extensive use of pesticides in agriculture, leading to grave environmental and health concerns. Thus, efficient processes and the design and development of effective treatment technologies are required due to the enormous demand for fresh water. The adsorption approach has been widely used to remove organic contaminants such as pesticides because of its performance, less expense, high selectivity, and simplicity of operation compared to other treatment technologies. Among alternative adsorbents, biomaterials abundantly available for pesticide sorption from water resources have attracted the attention of researchers worldwide. The main objective of this review article is to (i) present studies on a wide range of raw or chemically modified biomaterials potentially effective in removing pesticides from aqueous media; (ii) indicating the effectiveness of biosorbents as green and low-cost materials for removing pesticides from wastewater; and (iii) furthermore, report the application of response surface methodology (RSM) for modeling and optimizing adsorption.

In Silico Study of Novel Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes of Polycaprolactone and Its Correlation with Skin Regeneration

Three novel biomaterials obtained via inclusion complexes of β-cyclodextrin, 6-deoxi-6-amino-β-cyclodextrin and epithelial growth factor grafted to 6-deoxi-6-amino-β-cyclodextrin with polycaprolactone. Furthermore, some physicochemical, toxicological and absorption properties were predicted using bioinformatics tools. The electronic, geometrical and spectroscopical calculated properties agree with the properties obtained via experimental methods, explaining the behaviors observed in each case. The interaction energy was obtained, and its values were -60.6, -20.9 and -17.1 kcal/mol for β-cyclodextrin/polycaprolactone followed by the 6-amino-β-cyclodextrin-polycaprolactone complex and finally the complex of epithelial growth factor anchored to 6-deoxy-6-amino-β-cyclodextrin/polycaprolactone. Additionally, the dipolar moments were calculated, achieving values of 3.2688, 5.9249 and 5.0998 Debye, respectively, and in addition the experimental wettability behavior of the studied materials has also been explained. It is important to note that the toxicological predictions suggested no mutagenic, tumorigenic or reproductive effects; moreover, an anti-inflammatory effect has been shown. Finally, the improvement in the cicatricial effect of the novel materials has been conveniently explained by comparing the poly-caprolactone data obtained in the experimental assessments.

Semi-Synthesis of Different Pyranoflavonoid Backbones and the Neurogenic Potential

Flavonoids and chalcones are known for their manifold biological activities, of which many affect the central nervous system. Pyranochalcones were recently shown to have a great neurogenic potential, which is partly due to a specific structural motif-the pyran ring. Accordingly, we questioned if other flavonoid backbones with a pyran ring as structural moiety would also show neurogenic potential. Different semi-synthetic approaches starting with the prenylated chalcone xanthohumol, isolated from hops, led to pyranoflavanoids with different backbones. We identified the chalcone backbone as the most active backbone with pyran ring using a reporter gene assay based on the promoter activity of doublecortin, an early neuronal marker. Pyranochalcones therefore appear to be promising compounds for further development as a treatment strategy for neurodegenerative diseases.

Immobilization of polypyrrole on waste face masks using a novel in-situ-surface polymerization method: Removal of Cr(VI) from electroplating wastewater

AbstractIn this work, polypyrrole (PPy) was synthesized on the surface of waste surgical face masks (SFM) with a novel environmentally-friendly in-situ-surface polymerization approach and used as an adsorbent for removing hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). In this method, the SFM surface was activated using KMnO₄, resulting in the immobilization of porous MnO₂, on which pyrrole can be polymerized efficiently. The novelty of this method is the presence of the oxidant on the surface before the polymerization step, which results in a better surface modification with polypyrrole. This method provides adsorbents with higher adsorption capacity compared to the conventional polymerization method with ammonium persulfate (APS). The adsorbent prepared at the mass ratios of 1.0 and 2.0; respectively, for KMnO₄/SFM and pyrrole/SFM showed the highest performance. The adsorbent characterization revealed the successful polymerization of pyrrole on the surface of SFM. Reusability of the KMnO₄ and pyrrole solutions were successful with remarkable results, showing the advantage of this technique compared to the conventional polymerization method with APS. The effect of different factors on the adsorption process was investigated. The removal rate was around 98% under the optimum conditions (pH, 2; adsorbent dosage, 3 g L^-1; contact time, 60 min). The equilibrium data were well fitted by Langmuir isotherm (R²= 0.9999). Kinetic investigations revealed that the adsorption process fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorbent was regenerated for up to five cycles. One of the most important advantages of the proposed method compared to other methods is the reduction of wastewater during the synthesis process.