Aqueous extract of Shikakai; a green solvent for deoximation reaction: Mechanistic approach from experimental to theoretical

Explorations on Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibitory, and Calf Thymus DNA Interaction Studies of Dioxomolybdenum(VI) Organo Complexes

Since time immemorial, it has been well established that reactive oxygen species play a key role in the pathogenesis of various cancer types and metabolic diseases like diabetes. Hence, the control of free radical generation is considered one of the viable strategies to combat the onset of diabetes and cancer progression. In this context, we have synthesized and characterized two salen-type ligands and their corresponding dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes. The complexes are evaluated for antioxidant efficacy, α-amylase inhibitory potential, DNA-binding ability, and cytotoxicity studies. The optimized geometry of the complexes based on electron density distributions of the frontier molecular orbitals is ascertained using DFT studies. The DPPH and H2O2 assays show comparable antioxidant efficacies for both the complexes, comparable to that of the standard. Similarly, the complexes show comparable α-amylase inhibitory activities, showcasing higher activity than acarbose. Furthermore, the DNA interaction study reveals a higher binding affinity for ligand 2 and complex 2 as observed by their binding constant values. The ligands and the complexes have shown a hyperchromic effect, indicating preferential binding to the grooves of the double helix of DNA. The MTT assay against MCF-7 cancer cell lines reveals that complex 1 shows an excellent cytotoxic effect, higher than cisplatin.

Synthesis of melanin-like amino acid surfactant with enzymatic hydrolysates from silk degumming water

The degummed wastewater from silk processing contains a huge amount of amino acids and polypeptides from sericin. The silk degumming water is far from being exploited fully. Sericin in the degumming water is generally wasted and causes environmental pollution. In this study, simulated silk degumming water was hydrolyzed by alkaline protease to produce abundant amino acids and polypeptides. After enzymatic hydrolysis, the maximum free amino groups concentration in the silk degumming water was approximately 54 mM. It facilitated the recycling of silk degumming water for the production of melanin-like amino acid surfactants as raw materials. 4-Tert-butylcatechol was used as the starting material to generate o-quinone via oxidation by ceric ammonium nitrate. o-Quinone was coupled with free amino groups in enzymatic hydrolysates of silk degumming water to synthesize a sericin-based amino acid surfactant as hydrophobic and hydrophilic group, respectively. Through the green and simple synthesis route, the product was characterized to have a novel melanin-like structure. The product exhibited superior surface-active properties by lowering the surface tension to 32.39 mN m-1. Furthermore, it demonstrated good foaming ability and foam stability, with the initial foam volume of 37 mL and the foam half-life time of more than 25 min. The product owned a good emulsification ability in the oil-water emulsion with delamination time of 297 s and 291 s for emulsion formed by soybean oil and liquid paraffin, respectively. The wetting time of the canvas sheet was only 134 s. Consequently, the product showed low surface tension, good foaming, emulsifying, and wetting properties.

A microscopic mechanism study of the effect of binary surfactants on the flotation of Wiser bituminous coal

Investigating surfactant effects on the floatability of Wiser bituminous coal holds significant importance in improving coal cleanliness and utilization value. Using density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulation methods, this study constructed models of Wiser bituminous coal and examined the impact of different surfactants, including the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, the cationic surfactant hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), and the non-ionic surfactant fatty alcohol ethoxylated ether. The focus was on investigating the charge distribution characteristics of these molecules and the modifying effect of binary surfactants on the hydrophobicity of bituminous coal. Results revealed that the maximum electrostatic potential was concentrated near oxygen/nitrogen/sulfur-containing functional groups like sulfonic acid groups, quaternary ammonium cations, ethylene oxide, hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, and sulfur bonds. These functional groups exhibited a propensity for accepting/delivering electrons to form hydrogen bonds. Among the surfactants tested, CTAB revealed the slightest difference in frontier orbital energy, measuring 3.187 eV, thereby demonstrating a superior trapping ability compared with the other two surfactants. Adsorption reactions within the system were determined to be spontaneous, with over 60% of the interaction force attributed to electrostatic forces. Moreover, the repulsive force magnitude with water molecules followed the trend: sulfonate group (2.20 Å) < ethylene oxide (2.43 Å) < quaternary ammonium cation (2.57 Å), indicating more excellent water repellency of CTAB. Findings showed that CTAE binary surfactants proved most effective in modifying the hydrophobicity of bituminous coal. This study offers valuable insights into reducing waste, pollution, and resource wastage.

Generation of Carbonyl Compounds from Oximes through Electrooxidative Deoximation

An electrochemical protocol was developed to generate carbonyl compounds from oximes with excellent functional group compatibility. Mechanistic experimental studies support the idea that an electrooxidative pathway of oximes might be involved, in which the water may serve as an oxygen nucleophile and the oxygen source for the final carbonyl compounds.

Natural alternatives from your garden for hair care: Revisiting the benefits of tropical herbs

Hair shampoos containing botanical ingredients without synthetic additives, such as parabens, petrochemicals, sulfates and silicones are more skin- and environmentally friendly. In recent years, there is a growing demand for shampoo products with botanical extracts. Shampoos with botanical extracts are well-known for their perceived health benefits. They are also generally milder, non-toxic, natural, and less likely to disrupt the hair and scalp's natural pH and oil balance. Many also believe that shampoos with botanical origins have higher standards of quality. Numerous botanical extracts had been used as natural active ingredients in cosmetic formulations to meet consumer demands. In this review, we have revisited six tropical plants commonly added as natural active ingredients in shampoo formulations: Acacia concinna, Camellia oleifera, Azadirachta indica, Emblica officinalis, Sapindus mukorossi, and Garcinia mangostana. These plants have been traditionally used for hair care, and scientific research has shown that they exhibit relevant physicochemical properties and biological activities that are beneficial for hair care and scalp maintenance.

Sustainable Transportation, Leaching, Stabilization, and Disposal of Fly Ash Using a Mixture of Natural Surfactant and Sodium Silicate

The present study evaluates the transportation, leaching, and stabilization ability of novel saponin extracted from the fruits of Acacia auriculiformis. To enhance the dispersing behavior of the fly ash slurry (FAS) at a lower dosage of sodium silicate, A. auriculiformis was incorporated in FAS. In addition to the rheological study, an attempt has been made to remove heavy metals through leaching for the safe disposal of FAS. Critical factors such as the fly ash (FA) concentration, saponin dosage, surface tension, ζ potential, temperature, and combination of saponin and sodium silicate, affecting the rheology of FAS, were extensively studied. The addition of a nonionic natural surfactant saponin has been proved to enhance the wettability of FA particles by decreasing the surface tension of FAS. The obtained rheology results were compared with the stabilization yield of the previously reported commercial surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The incorporation of sodium silicate in the FAS system was found to be phenomenal in the settling and stabilization of FAS, thereby developing reaction products like sodium aluminum silicate (N-A-S). This facilitates the sustainable disposal of FA preventing air pollution after dewatering. The formation of N-A-S was further supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies.