Silver nano-rods: Simple synthesis and optimization by experimental design methodology

Copper nickel co-impregnation of Moroccan yellow clay as promising catalysts for the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of caffeine

Copper and nickel were incorporated into the prepared yellow clay (YC) using one of the most widely used methods, for the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts, which is the wet impregnation method (IPM) and its application as a heterogeneous catalyst for Caffeine (CAF). Several catalysts Cooper Nickel's Catalysts (Cu–Ni) were applied to the yellow clay with different weight ratio of Cu and Ni, in order to explore the role of both metals during the catalytic oxidation process CWPO. Furthermore, the CuNi-YC catalysts, were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Langmuir's surface area, Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES), so as to get a better understanding concerning the catalytic activity's behavior of CuNi-YC catalysts. The optimization of the catalytic activity's effects on the different weight ratios of Cu and Ni, temperature and H₂O₂ were also examined, using Box-Behnken Response Surface Methodology RSM to enhance the CAF conversion. The analysis of variances (ANOVA) demonstrates that Box-Behnken model was valid and the CAF conversion reached 86.16%, when H₂O₂ dosage was equal to 0.15 mol.L⁻¹, copper impregnated (10%) and temperature value attained 60 °C. In addition, the regeneration of catalyst's cycles under the optimum conditions, indicated the higher stability up to four cycles without a considerable reduction in its conversion performance.

Biofabricated Fatty Acids-Capped Silver Nanoparticles as Potential Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antibiofilm and Anticancer Agents

The current study demonstrates the synthesis of fatty acids (FAs) capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous poly-herbal drug Liv52 extract (PLE) as a reducing, dispersing and stabilizing agent. The NPs were characterized by various techniques and used to investigate their potent antibacterial, antibiofilm, antifungal and anticancer activities. GC-MS analysis of PLE shows a total of 37 peaks for a variety of bio-actives compounds. Amongst them, n-hexadecanoic acid (21.95%), linoleic acid (20.45%), oleic acid (18.01%) and stearic acid (13.99%) were found predominately and most likely acted as reducing, stabilizing and encapsulation FAs in LIV-AgNPs formation. FTIR analysis of LIV-AgNPs shows some other functional bio-actives like proteins, sugars and alkenes in the soft PLE corona. The zone of inhibition was 10.0 ± 2.2-18.5 ± 1.0 mm, 10.5 ± 2.5-22.5 ± 1.5 mm and 13.7 ± 1.0-16.5 ± 1.2 against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and C. albicans, respectively. LIV-AgNPs inhibit biofilm formation in a dose-dependent manner i.e., 54.4% ± 3.1%-10.12% ± 2.3% (S. aureus), 72.7% ± 2.2%-23.3% ± 5.2% (P. aeruginosa) and 85.4% ± 3.3%-25.6% ± 2.2% (C. albicans), and SEM analysis of treated planktonic cells and their biofilm biomass validated the fitness of LIV-AgNPs in future nanoantibiotics. In addition, as prepared FAs rich PLE capped AgNPs have also exhibited significant (p < 0.05 *) antiproliferative activity against cultured HCT-116 cells. Overall, this is a very first demonstration on employment of FAs rich PLE for the synthesis of highly dispersible, stable and uniform sized AgNPs and their antibacterial, antifungal, antibiofilm and anticancer efficacy.