New Zn(II) coordination polymer of indole-3-acetic acid, a plant-growth promoting hormone: Crystal structure, spectroscopic characterization, DFT calculations and microbiological activity

IAA-decorated CuO nanocarriers significantly improve Chickpea growth by increasing antioxidative activities

Plant growth regulators tagged on metallic oxide nanoparticles (NPs) may function as nanofertilizers with reduced toxicity of NPs. CuO NPs were synthesized to function as nanocarriers of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed 30.4 nm size of NPs and sheet-like structure, respectively, of CuO-IAA NPs. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed CuO-IAA formation. IAA-decorated CuO NPs enhanced the physiological parameters of Chickpea plants, i.e., root length, shoot length, and biomass compared to naked CuO NPs. The variation in physiological response was due to change of phytochemical contents in plants. Phenolic content increased up to 17.98 and 18.13 µgGAE/mg DW at 20 and 40 mg/L of CuO-IAA NPs, respectively. However, significant decrease in antioxidant enzymes' activity was recorded compared to control. Presence of CuO-IAA NPs increased the reducing potential of plants at higher concentration of NPs, while decrease in total antioxidant response was observed. This study concludes that IAA conjugation to CuO NPs reduces toxicity of NPs. Furthermore, NPs can be explored as nanocarriers for plant modulators and slow release in future studies.

Zinc(II) Carboxylate Coordination Polymers with Versatile Applications

This review considers the applications of Zn(II) carboxylate-based coordination polymers (Zn-CBCPs), such as sensors, catalysts, species with potential in infections and cancers treatment, as well as storage and drug-carrier materials. The nature of organic luminophores, especially both the rigid carboxylate and the ancillary N-donor bridging ligand, together with the alignment in Zn-CBCPs and their intermolecular interaction modulate the luminescence properties and allow the sensing of a variety of inorganic and organic pollutants. The ability of Zn(II) to act as a good Lewis acid allowed the involvement of Zn-CBCPs either in dye elimination from wastewater through photocatalysis or in pathogenic microorganism or tumor inhibition. In addition, the pores developed inside of the network provided the possibility for some species to store gaseous or liquid molecules, as well as to deliver some drugs for improved treatment.