Novel plantain peel activated carbon-supported zinc oxide nanocomposites (PPAC-ZnO-NC) for adsorption of chloroquine synthetic pharmaceutical used for COVID-19 treatment

Sputtering thin films: Materials, applications, challenges and future directions

Sputtering is an effective technique for producing ultrathin films with diverse applications. The review begins by providing an in-depth overview of the background, introducing the early development of sputtering and its principles. Consequently, progress in advancements made in recent decades highlights the renaissance of sputtering as a powerful technology for creating thin films with varied compositions, structures, and properties. For the first time, we have discussed a thorough overview of several sputtered thin film materials based on metal and metal oxide, metal nitride, alloys, carbon, and ceramic-based thin film along with their properties and their applicability in various fields. We further delve into the applications of sputter-coated thin films, specifically emphasizing their relevance in environmental sustainability, energy and electronics, and biomedical fields. We critically examine the recent advancements in developing sputter-coated catalysts for eliminating water pollutants andhydrogen generation. Additionally, the review sheds light on advantages, shortcomings, and future directions for developing sputter-coated thin films utilized in biodegradable metals and alloys with enhanced corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. This review is a comprehensive integration of recent literature, covering diverse sputtering thin film applications. We delve deeply into various material types and emphasize critical analysis of recent advancements, particularly in environmental, energy, and biomedical fields. By offering insights into both advancements and limitations, the review provides a nuanced understanding essential for practical utilization.

The efficiency of Raphia hookeri adsorbent in indigo carmine dye removal: Economy depth via chemometrics

The remediation of dye pollutants remains a concern in contemporary water management practices. Hence, the need for efficient and cost-effective techniques for dye removal from wastewater. In this study, the epicarp of Raphia hookeri fruits was treated with orthophosphoric acid for enhanced porosity and efficiency in the uptake of Indigo carmine dye (ICD). Treated Raphia hookeri fruit waste (RHPW) presented morphologically distributed pores as well as high porosity with Branneur-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area of 945.43 m2/g. RHPW displayed functional groups suitable for adsorption. The maximum ICD uptake was observed at pH 5 while the maximum uptake (qmax) was 20.41 mg/g in the concentration range of 2-10 mg/L. Freundlich isotherm and Pseudo-second order kinetics well-described equilibrium and kinetics data respectively. This indicated a multilayered adsorption. The Dubinin-Radushkecich model energy value was 40.82 kJ/mol, indicating chemical adsorption. The ridge regression, the Lasso and the Elastic net statistical models were used to establish a positive relationship between the various adsorption operational parameters studied. Lasso provided the best result based on the estimated mean squared error. The RHPW-ICD adsorption system was more favorable at room temperature, as the removal efficiency decreased with temperature rise. The findings established Raphia hookeri fruit epicarp as an economical and sustainable precursor for the preparation of potent adsorbent for Indigo carmine dye removal. This can find possible application in wastewater treatment.

Blighia sapida Waste Biochar in Batch and Fixed-Bed Adsorption of Chloroquine Phosphate: Efficacy Validation Using Artificial Neural Networks

The present study investigated the potency of biochar prepared from Blighia sapida seedpods (BSSPs) in the uptake of chloroquine phosphate (CQP) from single-component batch and multicomponent fixed-bed adsorption systems. BSSPs presented a highly porous structure with a BET surface area of 1122.05 m2/g, to which adsorption efficiency correlated. The Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm energy was obtained as 129.09 kJ/mol, confirming the chemisorption nature of the BSSP-CQP adsorption system. The efficiency of the artificial neural network (ANN) was evaluated using the lowest mean square error (MSE = 7.27) and highest correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.9910). A good agreement between the experimental results and the ANN-predicted data indicated the efficiency of the model. The percentage removal of 95.78% obtained for the column adsorption studies indicated the effectiveness of BSSPs in a multicomponent system. The mechanism of the interaction proceeded via hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction. This was confirmed by the high desorption efficiency (69.11%) with a HCl eluent. The degree of reversibility was found to be 2.95, indicating the reusability potential of BSSPs. BSSPs are therefore considered multilayered adsorbents with potential applications in pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.

Efficient adsorption of chloroquine phosphate by a novel sodium alginate/tannic acid double-network hydrogel in a wide pH range

In this work, a novel double-network composite hydrogel (SA/TA), composed of sodium alginate (SA) and tannic acid (TA), was designed and fabricated by a successive cross-linking method using Ti(IV) and Ca(II) as crosslinkers. SA/TA exhibited reinforced mechanical strength and anti-swelling properties because of the double-network structure. SA/TA was used as an adsorbent for removal of a popular antiviral drug, chloroquine phosphate (CQ), in water. The adsorption performance of SA/TA was systematically investigated, to study various effects including those of TA mass content, solution pH, adsorption time, and initial CQ concentration. Adsorption was also examined in presence of inorganic and organic coexisting substances commonly found in wastewater, and under different actual water samples. Batch experimental results indicated that SA/TA could maintain higher and more stable CQ uptakes within a wide solution pH range from 3.0 to 10.0, compared to its precursor, SA hydrogel, owing to the addition of TA-Ti(IV) coordination network. The maximum experimental CQ uptake exhibited by the 1:1 (by wt) SA/TA (SA/TA2) was as high as 0.699 mmol/g at the initial pH of 9.0. A high concentration of coexisting NaCl evidently reduced the CQ uptakes of SA/TA2 due to the electrostatic shielding effect, moreover, divalent cations including Ca(II) and Mg(II) also inhibited the adsorption of CQ due to competitive adsorption. However, humic acid had little effect on this adsorption. Considering the apparent adsorption performance, the aforementioned effects of various factors and the spectroscopic characterizations, multi-interactions are suggested for adsorption including chelation, electrostatic interactions, π-π electron donor-acceptor interaction and hydrogen bonding. SA/TA showed a slight loss in adsorption capacity toward CQ and sustained physicochemical structural stability, even after six adsorption-desorption cycles. In addition to CQ, SA/TA could be efficiently used for adsorption of two other antivirus drugs, namely, hydroxychloroquine sulfate and oseltamivir phosphate. This work provides an effective strategy for the design and fabrication of novel adsorbents that can effectively adsorb antiviral drugs over a wide pH range.

Carbon nanotube supported cobalt nickel sulphide nano-catalyst for degradation of chloroquine phosphate with peroxymonosulphate

Carbon nanotubes supported cobalt nickel sulphide nanoparticles (nano-NiCo2S4@CNTs) were successfully prepared by a hydrothermal method as heterogeneous catalyst which can be used as an activator of peroxymonosulphate (PMS) for the degradation of chloroquine phosphate (CQP). Based on characterisation techniques, the prepared catalyst has excellent surface properties and structural stability. When different concentrations of CQP were treated with 0.2 g/L nano-NiCo2S4@CNTs and 1.0 mM PMS, the highest degradation rate could reach 99.86% after 30 min. Under the interference of pH, common anions and humic acid in the water environment, the reaction system can still achieve high degradation efficiency, showing excellent anti-interference ability and practical applicability. Furthermore, in the nano-NiCo2S4@CNTs/PMS system, according to the identification results of reactive oxygen species, the free radical and non-free radical pathway are responsible for the degradation of CQP, and the PMS mechanism activation was comprehensively proposed. Twelve intermediate products were detected in the degradation process, and the possible degradation pathways of CQP were proposed. This toxicity analysis demonstrates that the intermediate products formed during CQP degradation pose lower environmental risks compared to the original pollutant. In addition, after using the catalyst four cycles, the removal efficiency of CQP remains above 80%, indicating the excellent reusability and low metal ion leaching characteristics. Therefore, the nano-NiCo2S4@CNTs synthesised in this research has broad application prospects in activating PMS for wastewater treatment.

Nanotechnology-assisted treatment of pharmaceuticals contaminated water

The presence of pharmaceutical compounds in wastewater due to an increase in industrialization and urbanization is a serious health concern. The demand for diverse types of pharmaceutical compounds is expected to grow as there is continuous improvement in the global human health standards. Discharge of domestic pharmaceutical personal care products and hospital waste has aggravated the burden on wastewater management. Further, the pharmaceutical water is toxic not only to the aquatic organism but also to terrestrial animals coming in contact directly or indirectly. The pharmaceutical wastes can be removed by adsorption and/or degradation approach. Nanoparticles (NPs), such as 2D layers materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and carbonaceous nanomaterials are proven to be more efficient for adsorption and/or degradation of pharmaceutical waste. In addition, inclusion of NPs to form various composites leads to improvement in the waste treatment efficacy to a greater extent. Overall, carbonaceous nanocomposites have advantage in the form of being produced from renewable resources and the nanocomposite material is biodegradable either completely or to a great extent. A comprehensive literature survey on the recent advancement of pharmaceutical wastewater is the focus of the present article.

Recent developments on microwave-assisted organic synthesis of nitrogen- and oxygen-containing preferred heterocyclic scaffolds

In recent decades, the utilization of microwave energy has experienced an extraordinary surge, leading to the introduction of innovative and revolutionary applications across various fields of chemistry such as medicinal chemistry, materials science, organic synthesis and heterocyclic chemistry. Herein, we provide a comprehensive literature review on the microwave-assisted organic synthesis of selected heterocycles. We highlight the use of microwave irradiation as an effective method for constructing a diverse range of molecules with high yield and selectivity. We also emphasize the impact of microwave irradiation on the efficient synthesis of N- and O-containing heterocycles that possess bioactive properties, such as anti-cancer, anti-proliferative, and anti-tumor activities. Specific attention is given to the efficient synthesis of pyrazolopyrimidines-, coumarin-, quinoline-, and isatin-based scaffolds, which have been extensively studied for their potential in drug discovery. The article provides valuable insights into the recent synthetic protocols and trends for the development of new drugs using heterocyclic molecules.

Electrospun nanofibers for medical face mask with protection capabilities against viruses: State of the art and perspective for industrial scale-up

Face masks have proven to be a useful protection from airborne viruses and bacteria, especially in the recent years pandemic outbreak when they effectively lowered the risk of infection from Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) or Omicron variants, being recognized as one of the main protective measures adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). The need for improving the filtering efficiency performance to prevent penetration of fine particulate matter (PM), which can be potential bacteria or virus carriers, has led the research into developing new methods and techniques for face mask fabrication. In this perspective, Electrospinning has shown to be the most efficient technique to get either synthetic or natural polymers-based fibers with size down to the nanoscale providing remarkable performance in terms of both particle filtration and breathability. The aim of this Review is to give further insight into the implementation of electrospun nanofibers for the realization of the next generation of face masks, with functionalized membranes via addiction of active material to the polymer solutions that can give optimal features about antibacterial, antiviral, self-sterilization, and electrical energy storage capabilities. Furthermore, the recent advances regarding the use of renewable materials and green solvent strategies to improve the sustainability of electrospun membranes and to fabricate eco-friendly filters are here discussed, especially in view of the large-scale nanofiber production where traditional membrane manufacturing may result in a high environmental and health risk.

Biomass-Tuned Reduced Graphene Oxide@Zn/Cu: Benign Materials for the Cleanup of Selected Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs in Water

The persistent increase in the amount of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (IBP) and diclofenac (DCF) in water bodies is alarming, thereby calling for a need to be addressed. To address this challenge, a bimetallic (copper and zinc) plantain-based adsorbent (CZPP) and reduced graphene oxide modified form (CZPPrgo) was prepared by facile synthesis for the removal of ibuprofen (IBP) and diclofenac (DCF) in water. Both the CZPP and CZPPrgo were characterized by different techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and pH_pzc analysis. FTIR and XRD confirmed the successful synthesis of the CZPP and CZPPrgo. The adsorption of the contaminants was carried out in a batch system, and several operational variables were optimized. The adsorption is affected by the initial concentration of the pollutants (5-30 mg·L^-1), the adsorbent dose (0.05-0.20 g), and pH (2.0-12.0). The CZPPrgo has the best performance with maximum adsorption capacities of 148 and 146 mg·g^-1 for removing IBP and DCF from water, respectively. The experimental data were fitted into different kinetic and isotherm models; the removal of IBP and DCF follows the pseudo-second order, which can be best explained by the Freundlich isotherm model. The reuse efficiency was above 80% even after four adsorption cycles. This shows that the CZPPrgo is a promising adsorbent for removing IBP and DCF in water.

Continuous removal of pharmaceutical drug chloroquine and Safranin-O dye from water using agar-graphene oxide hydrogel: Selective adsorption in batch and fixed-bed experiments

In this work, Chloroquine diphosphate, and the cationic dye Safranin-O were selectively removed from water using the agar-graphene oxide (A-GO) hydrogel, produced via simple one-step jellification process. The morphology of the A-GO biocomposite was characterized and batch experiments were performed, with adsorption isotherms satisfactorily fitting (R² > 0.98) Sips (Safranin-O) and Freundlich (Chloroquine) isotherms. Driving force models and Fick's diffusion equation were applied to the modeling of kinetic data, and a satisfactory fit was obtained. Selective adsorption carried out in batch indicated that competitive adsorption occurs when both components are mixed in water solution - the adsorptive capacities dropped ∼10 mg g^-1 for each component, remaining 41 mg g^-1 for safranin-O and 31 mg g^-1 for chloroquine. Fixed-bed breakthrough curves obtained in an adsorption column showed adsorption capacities over 63 mg g^-1 and 100 mg g^-1 for chloroquine and safranin-O, respectively, also exhibiting outstanding regenerative potentials. Overall, the biocomposite produced using graphene oxide proved to be a viable and eco-friendly alternative to continuously remove both contaminants from water.

Preparation and characterization of rice husk activated carbon-supported zinc oxide nanocomposite (RHAC-ZnO-NC)

Indiscriminate waste discharge into water bodies has increased the level of water pollution via anthropogenic activities. Hence the need for the development of sustainable and environmentally benign nanomaterials has the potential for wastewater treatment. Rice husk activated carbon (RHAC) prepared by orthophosphoric acid activation was successfully loaded with freshly prepared ZnO nanoparticles by a bottom-up approach via precipitation method resulting in the RHAC-ZnO-NC. RHAC-ZnO-NC's mineralogy with 72% zincite was determined by XRD, morphology by SEM, and the functional group by FTIR. The physicochemical parameters showed surface area 615.2 m^{2 g-1} , pH (pzc) (6.62), pH (6.53), bulk density (0.88 g/cm³), ash content (18.45%), and volatile matter (58.08%). The porosity was determined by iodine number. Boehm titration was carried out for oxygen-bearing functional group determination. The study substantiated RHAC-ZnO-NC as a promising material for adsorption and photocatalytic degradation.

Application of activated carbon functionalized with graphene oxide for efficient removal of COVID-19 treatment-related pharmaceuticals from water

Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic has been increasing the consumption of some drugs, such as chloroquine (CQN) and dipyrone (DIP), which are continuously discharged into water resources through domestic sewage treatment systems. The presence of these drugs in water bodies is worrisome due to their high toxicity, which makes crucial their monitoring and removal, especially by means of advanced technologies. Given this scenario, a new adsorbent material was synthesized through the combination of babassu coconut activated carbon and graphene oxide (GAC-GO). This study was evaluated in batch adsorption processes, aiming at the treatment of water contaminated with CQN and DIP. Characterization analyzes using physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques indicated that the GAC-GO functionalization was successfully performed. The equilibrium time of the adsorption process was 18 and 12 h for CQN and DIP, respectively. Kinetic and isothermal data better fitted to pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models for both drugs. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the process is endothermic and the maximum adsorption capacities of CQN and DIP were 37.65 and 62.43 mg g-1, respectively, both at 318 K. The study of the effect of ionic strength, which simulates a real effluent, demonstrated that the synthesized adsorbent has potential application for the treatment of effluents. Furthermore, satisfactory removal rates were verified for the removal of other contaminants in both simple solutions and synthetic mixtures, evidencing the versatile profile of the adsorbent.