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Abstract In this research Lemna gibba (L) and Eichhornia crassipes (E) ethanolic extracts were added to pure cellulose substrate to produce impregnated interleaving papers (LIP) and (EIP). These products are proposed to cure historical paper undergoing acidification, oxidation and fungal infection. The extracts were analysed using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS) and polyphenolic compounds were assessed. The products were tested on model decayed paper showing identical characteristics of historical paper, on which pH values were measured, transition metals concentrations were evaluated using Inductively Coupled Plasma- Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and samples were investigated using Scanning Electron Microscope combined with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) respectively. Radical scavenging and antioxidation activities of the extracts were also assessed using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radical DPPH·. Results demonstrated a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the DPPH· free radical scavenging with increasing concentration in the following order vitamin C > BHT ≈ (L) extract > (E) extract. Results showed also that both (LIP) and (EIP) products effectively neutralized the acidity of decayed paper after 7 day treatment and evidently chelated transition metals. Zn2+ and Fe2+ were better chelated by (LIP) treatment in the order; Zn2+ > Fe2+ > Pb2+ > Cu2+, while Pb2+ and Cu2+ were greater removed by (EIP) treatment in the order Pb2+ > Cu2+ > Zn2+ > Fe2+. Up to 90% radical scavenging was achieved at 320.00 μg/mL concentration of (L) extract and 667.296 μg/mL concentration of (E) extracts. Aspergillus niger , Penicillium roqueforti and Eurotium chevalieri growth are inhibited at 1000 μg/mL concentration of LIP with considerable fungal spots elimination. Our findings established LIP and EIP products as novel natural origin alternative for effective synergic deacidification, antioxidation, antiradical, metal chelation and fungicidal treatment of historical paper. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Treatment of ink induced corrosion of historical paper with novel eco-friendly method. • We produced clean products from Lemna gibba and Eichhornia crassipes extracts. • Treatments neutralized the acidity of paper and slightly enhanced the manuscript legiblity • LIP gave better performance for Fe and Zn chelation after 7 day treatment. • The growth of the tested fungi was inhibited by the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of molasses, a low cost by-product of the sugarcane extraction, for improvement of the physicomechanical properties of old corrugated container (OCC) recycled paper as a dry-strength agent. The influence of fiber beating on the enhancing effect of molasses was also investigated. Five dosages (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 18%) of molasses and 3 levels of freeness (420, 400, and 320mL CFS) were used as variable factors. For each treatment, 6 handsheets, each having an area of 200cm2 and basis weight of 120g/m2, were made. The experimental results showed that except for the case of tear index, the increase in mechanical and physical properties were considerably higher than control (untreated) samples. Significant changes of tensile and burst indices, breaking length, and air resistance were observed after the addition of 18% molasses. From a statistical viewpoint, the addition of molasses had more positive effects on the above-mentioned properties, compared to the fiber beating. However, at a certain dosage of molasses, with increased beating, the strength properties were improved remarkably. This is due to the molasses adsorption efficiency, which depends on the specific surface of particles. The water retention values (WRV) were moderately increased by applying molasses, however with increasing dosage the WRV was improved. From these findings, it is concluded that molasses is a promising dry-strength agent and it can also be used as a replacement for cellulosic fibers. This conclusion is in good agreement with the previous research articles, which introduced molasses as a new additive in papermaking. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An elegant approach was made for the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles by Myrtus Communis plant extract using two different precursors at variable temperatures (400,600, and 800 °C). The properties of nanoparticles were investigated with PXRD, SEM-EDX, PL, FTIR, and UV–Vis spectrometer. PXRD results inferred that all samples have pure wurtzite phase confirming with JCPDS card No. 36–1451. The UV–Vis spectroscopy exhibited that all estimated bandgaps are a little less than those for bulk ZnO. It was confirmed by EDX spectra that Zn and O atoms are the main compositions of the material. FESEM images displayed hexagonal-like shapes of nanoparticles for all samples prepared with acetate. Hexagonal morphology was observed in the samples having green emission at room temperature PL measurements. It was seen that methylene blue degraded about 90 % after about 20 min of irradiation of UV light for samples calcined at 400 °C. It was also observed that the samples calcined at 400 °C degraded methylene blue by approximately 99 %. This work is the first paper on the morphological utilization and photocatalytic performance of green synthesized ZnO with Myrtus communis plant extract with various calcination temperatures via two different precursor reagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most prevalent mycotoxins in feed, which causes organ toxicity in animals. Therefore, reducing DON-induced organ toxicity can now be accomplished effectively using protective agents. This review provides an overview of multiple studies on a wide range of protective agents and their molecular mechanisms against DON organ toxicity. Protective agents include plant extracts, yeast products, bacteria, peptides, enzymes, H2, oligosaccharides, amino acids, adsorbents, vitamins and selenium. Among these, biological detoxification of DON using microorganisms to reduce the toxicity of DON without affecting the growth performance of pigs may be the most promising detoxification strategy. This paper also evaluates future developments related to DON detoxification and discusses the detoxification role and application potential of protective agents. This paper provides new perspectives for future research and development of safe and effective feed additives. • DON caused organ toxicity, so mitigating its toxicity is essential. • Plant extracts such as resveratrol and baicalin reduced organ toxicity of DON. • Amino acids/adsorbents antagonized DON-triggered organ toxicity. • Antioxidant/anti-inflammatory are mechanisms in protective agent detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This is the first report on phenolics and biological activity of C. oppositifolia and S. cilicius. • The plant extracts possessed significant antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activity. • Kaempferol and quercetin were identified as major flavonoids in the extracts. • Protocatechuic acid and gallic acid were identified as major phenolic acids in the extracts. • The plant extracts could be potential sources of bioactive molecules. In the paper, the phenolic compounds and biological activity of Corydalis oppositifolia DC. and Senecio cilicius Boiss., the endemic plants growing in Turkey, were investigated for the first time. The ethanol extract of C. oppositifolia exhibited more potent antimicrobial activity while the ethanol extract of S. cilicius exhibited the highest radical scavenging activity on ABTS (81.4±1.1a mg TE g−1 extract) and DPPH (23.4±0.2a mg TE g−1 extract). In C. oppositifolia , the highest total flavonoid and phenolic acid contents were found to be in the ethanol (94.2±3.5a mg QE g−1 extract) and methanol (320.5±3.3c mg GAE g−1 extract) extracts, respectively. In S. cilicius , the highest total flavonoid and phenolic acid contents were found to be in the methanol (56.9±0.9c mg QE g−1 extract) and ethanol (568.0±3.3a mg GAE g−1 extract) extracts, respectively. The ethanol extract of C. oppositifolia has the most prominent activity against α-amylase, AChE and BChE whereas the methanol extract of this plant displayed the highest inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase. HPLC analysis of the ethanol extracts revealed that the major flavonoids were kaempferol and quercetin whereas the major phenolic acids were protocatechuic acid, gallic acid, gentistic acid and 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid. The findings suggested that the plants and their extracts have the potential to be used in the treatment of diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer's diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the significant role of metal nanoparticles in the detection and removal of pollutants from the environment, metal oxides stand as inexpensive materials at the scale of nanometers that are capable of participating in photocatalytic and decontamination procedures. Meanwhile, nickel nanoparticles have been applied as a new approach for removing the existing pollution from the environment. In this paper, we have synthesized copper doping nickel oxide nanoparticles (Cu-doped NiO-NPs) by a sol-gel method that involved the application of okra plant extract and had investigated their photocatalytic properties and cytotoxicity effects. The obtained Cu-doped NiO-NPs have been characterized through FT-IR, UV–Vis, XRD, FESEM/EDAX/PSA, and VSM analyses in different concentrations (1, 3, and 5%) of copper at an optimum temperature of 400 °C. According to the XRD results, the size of nanoparticles under optimal conditions (at the temperature of 400 °C and % 3 Cu-doped) has been observed to be 10.66 nm while containing a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. Furthermore, the obtained FESEM outcomes have been indicative of the good dispersion of these nanoparticles. Also, photocatalytic activity of Cu-doped NiO-NPs through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) pigment studied under UV-A light and had detected 78% of degradation throughout 105 min. To complete the characterization process, the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles in inhibiting the cancer CT26 cells has been determined using of MTT assay. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel fluorescent material based on the herbal tea of Lavandula multifida (Lm). The fluorescence properties of Lm aqueous extract were analyzed under various excitation wavelengths in the range of 290–450 nm. The Lm herbal infusion was found to be highly fluorescent, with an emission maximum at 450 nm under excitation at 390 nm. Consequently, it was exploited to develop a fluorescence method for detecting metal ions. Results obtained upon the addition of Hg2+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Bi3+, Mn2+, Fe3+ and Co2+ ions showed that the fluorescence intensity of the Lm aqueous extract decreased strongly with the presence of mercury ions. A solid-state fluorescent sensor, based on Lm embedded into a Nafion membrane and deposited on a transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet, has also been developed for the effective detection of Hg2+ ions. The Lm -Nafion-PET sensor exhibited good stability, high repeatability, and reproducibility. Furthermore, the Lm -Nafion/PET sensor demonstrated remarkable sensitivity to Hg2+ in sea water, with a limit of detection of 0.25 fM. To our knowledge, this is the first study which reports Lavandu la multifida plant for making a novel eco-friendly fluorescent solid-state sensor for the detection of mercury ions at femto-molar concentrations in seawater. [Display omitted] • A novel fluorescent material based on the herbal tea of Lavandula multifida (Lm) is presented. • A Lm- Nafion on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fluorescent probe sensor has been developed. • Highly sensitive and selective sensing of Hg2+ was achieved. • Exceptional low detection limit (LOD) of 0.25 fM for Hg2+ ions in seawater was reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) was used to investigate the fundamental interactions between wood extractives and surfaces used in papermaking. Experiments were carried out at 25 °C and 50 °C on a microcrystalline cellulose-coated surface (a surrogate for paper) and a chromium surface (a surrogate for metal surfaces in paper machines and printing presses) using colloids prepared from wood extractives and model compounds of the components in wood extractives. Differences in adsorption behaviour were observed between the two surfaces as a function of temperature. On both surfaces, triolein and abietic acid were found to deposit to a greater extent than wood extractives, mixed model compounds and oleic acid. At 25 °C the colloids were found to have two phases of adsorption onto cellulose surfaces, an initial rapid adsorption phase followed by a slower phase, compared to a single adsorption phase onto chromium. At 50 °C, only a single adsorption phase was observed on both surfaces. Abietic acid and oleic acid were found to desorb readily from both the cellulose and chromium substrates, while triolein remained strongly adsorbed. However significantly more abietic acid remained on the chromium surface at 25 °C compared to any other tested material, providing a possible explanation for the observed high rates of resin acid deposition onto metal surfaces during papermaking and printing. At 25 °C and 50 °C, less wood extractives and mixed model compound colloids were deposited onto cellulose than onto chromium, which may also explain the high rates of deposition on the metal surface. Stabilisation of the colloids due to interactions between different components within the colloid results in lower deposition of wood extractives and mixed model compound colloids compared to individual component colloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the various factors, coefficients and indexes developed to evaluate terrestrial plant performance in respect to phytoremediation. A brief list of indexes includes the Accumulation factor, Bioabsorption coefficient, Bioaccumulation coefficient, Bioaccumulation factor, Bioconcentration, Bioconcentration coefficient, Bioconcentration factor, Biological absorption coefficient, Biological accumulation coefficient, Biological concentration factor, Biological transfer coefficient, Concentration factor, Enrichment coefficient, Enrichment factor, Extraction coefficient, Index of bioaccumulation, Mobility index, Shoot accumulation factor, Soil host transfer factor, Soil-plant transfer coefficient, Soil-plant transfer factor, Transfer factor and Translocation factor. These indexes represent the result of a ratio calculation between element concentrations in plant parts to that of substrata. In other cases indexes arise from the ratio calculation of element concentrations in two distinct plant parts. In the literature different terms have been attributed to the same ratio and this often represents an overlap in terminology. On the other hand the same term corresponds to several different ratios and this could create confusion and misinterpretation in data comparison. Furthermore, the evaluation of hyperaccumulation, phytostabilization or phytoextraction of plant species is not always performed in the same way. Different plant parts are considered as well as different extraction procedures for both plant and substrata element assessment. As a consequence, a direct comparison between obtained data is not always reliable and possible. In this paper the various available indexes are reviewed, highlighting both the similarity and differences between them with the aim of helping the community in choosing the appropriate term for both data evaluation and comparison. In this author’s opinion there is no need of new terms to define indexes. I would stress the need for conformity to the original definitions and criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An easy and eco-friendly approach using Thymbra spicata var. spicata L. (TS) plant extract was developed for the formation of nanostructured ZnO. TS aqueous leaf extract was used for the green synthesis of nanostructured ZnO via the Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. Electron microscope images exhibit the morphological adjustments of the samples with respect to change in TS concentration in the growth solution. The nanostructured ZnO grown by SILAR was observed to be polycrystalline with hexagonal crystal structure. The optical energy bandgap value of the samples varies from 3.21 to 3.09 eV as the content of TS increases from 2.5 to 5.0%. Also, the effect of TS additive to ZnO on electrical properties was investigated. It was determined by Van der Pauw measurements that TS contribution to ZnO significantly increased electrical resistance. In addition, impedance analyzes of the produced films were carried out in the frequency range of 20Hz −1 MHz. Nyquist plots showed the single semicircle for all samples, and the values of capacitance and resistance were calculated. Its antibacterial activities was investigated against economically important Gram-positive (Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. Michiganensis) and negative (Pseudomonas syringae pv. Phaseolicola , Pseudomonas cichorii and Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. Carotovorum) seed-borne plant bacterial disease agents by using paper disc diffusion assay for the first time. In vitro laboratory screenings of green synthesized nanostructured ZnO have given encouraging results, indicating their potential use in the management of seed-borne bacterial diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reduction of graphene oxide is generally involves the application of toxic and poisonous substance which unfortunately may hinder the potential of this process for mass production of graphene. The utilization of reducing agent such as hydrazine even though can result into a higher rate of deoxygenation of graphene oxide, may not only expose the user to the health risk but also significantly will create serous environmental issues if the applied solvent from a reduction step is accidently released into a water source or ground without a pre-outlined disposal waste system. To counter this challenge, a numerous researches that have been working on the plant extracts for reduction of graphene oxide has emerged with the aim is to replace the hydrazine as a main reducing agent. Plant extracts is considered as the sustainable solution for future reduction of graphene oxide due to the low economical cost possess by a plant, is renewable and with a proper optimization of synthesis process, may offer a comparable or higher reduction rate than the conventional hydrazine. In this short review, a progress on the application of plant extracts for the reduction of graphene oxide has been discussed with an overview of the process effect on the properties of reduced graphene oxide and major surface characterization of reduced graphene oxide such as Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photon spectroscopy has also been included. It is wished that the presented review study in this paper will assist current and potential researcher into a discovery of new and novel plant extract-based reductant for future synthesis of the reduced graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens is a global threat and has created problems in providing adequate treatment of many infectious diseases. Although the conventional antimicrobial agents are quite effective against several pathogens, yet there is a need for more effective antimicrobial agents against MDR pathogens. Herbal drugs and phytochemicals have been used for their effective antimicrobial activity from ancient times and there is an increasing trend for development of plant based natural products for the prevention and treatment of pathogenic diseases. One of the strategies for effective resistance modification is the use of antimicrobial agent-phytochemical combinations that will neutralize the resistance mechanism, enabling the drug to still be effective against resistant microbes. These phytochemicals can work by several strategies, such as inhibition of target modifying and drug degrading enzymes or as efflux pumps inhibitors. A plethora of herbal extracts, essential oils and isolated pure compounds have been reported to act synergistically with existing antibiotics, antifungals and chemotherapeutics and augment the activity of these drugs. Considerable increases in the susceptibility pattern of several microbes towards the natural antimicrobials and their combinations were observed as indicated by significant decline in minimum inhibitory concentrations. This review paper summarizes the current developments regarding synergistic interactions of plant extracts and isolated pure compounds in combination with existing antibacterial, antifungal agents and chemotherapeutics. The effect of these agents on the susceptibility patterns of these pathogens and possible mechanisms of action are described in detail. In conclusion, many phytochemicals in combination with existing drugs were found to act as resistance modifying agents and proper combinations may rescue the efficacy of important lifesaving antimicrobial agents. Image 1 • Emergence of MDR pathogens is a global issue. • Phytochemicals in combination with classical drugs can synergistically act to reverse resistance mechanisms. • They can inhibit antibiotic degrading enzyme, prevent target modification, block efflux pumps. • They can synergize with antifungal and antiviral agents. • Clinical trials and advance studies are required for their future clinical uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to screen the antimicrobial and acaricidal activity of 20 endemic or indigenous plants from Reunion Island (Indian Ocean). Plants were chosen on the basis of their traditional uses and their biocidal activities found in the literature. A survey was conducted in the local population to assess and supplement knowledge about the selected plants. The collected information confirmed and/or supplemented the data obtained for nine plants. Seven plants were described for the first time for their traditional uses in medicine and ethnoveterinary practices. To evaluate their biocidal activities, leaves or bark were treated with ethyl acetate using an accelerated solvent extraction method. Six bacteria and five fungi, frequently implicated in infectious diseases, were used to assess the antimicrobial activity of these extracts. A preliminary screening using the paper disk diffusion assay showed an effective antibacterial activity of 16 extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of active plant extracts was then determined using a microdilution method. The leaf extract from Peperomia borbonensis displayed the widest spectrum of antibacterial activity and was the only one to act as a fungicide. In parallel, acaricidal bioassays were performed on the larvae of the tick Rhipicephalus microplus (Ixodidae), and plant extracts from Peperomia borbonensis and Zanthoxylum heterophyllum were the most effective. The preliminary studies of these plant extracts exhibited biocidal activities that were not described in the literature and that are congruent with traditional uses for some of them. Investigations are currently being conducted to isolate the active compound(s) and evaluate their potential for future developments and applications. • Twenty plants from Reunion Island were screened for their antimicrobial and acaricidal potential. • Corroboration between traditional uses and bioassays tests was observed. • Sixteen extracts showed antibacterial activity. • Ethyl acetate extract of P. borbonensis and Zanthoxylum heterophyllum showed the highest acaricidal activity. • Our findings may explain the traditional use of P. borbonensis in ethnoveterinary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Stable colloids containing AgNPs modified with natural origin compounds obtained. • AgNPs successfully synthesized using green chemistry with cacao beans and grape seeds extracts. • AgNPs characterized with UV–Vis, STEM and DLS techniques. • The significant role of sodium citrate in the synthesis of AgNPs with plant extracts determined. • The dual role of plant extract-sodium citrate complex as a reducing and stabilizing agent recognized. Plant extracts are known for their antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, antimutagenic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties. These biological properties make plant extracts interesting surface modifiers of nanoparticles (NPs), which are also known for their unique features. Plant extracts can play a multifunctional role in the synthesis of NPs (i.e. can act as a reducing agent, stabiliser and bioactive compound), which gives additional properties to the final hybrid material. The combination of an extract of natural origin with NPs results in bioconjugates with unique final properties that often may not be obvious. The properties of a bioconjugate depend on both the plant extract (chemical composition, amount, a method of conjugation to NP surface, etc.) and the NPs (type, size, shape, polydispersity, etc.). Syntheses of NPs with plant extract usually lead to polydisperse particles with heterogeneous properties that are difficult to control from a biological point of view. In this paper, we present a synthesis protocol to obtain monodisperse silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with plant extract. Cacao beans and grape seed extracts were selected as natural sources of polyphenols having biomedical importance (e.g. catechin, tannic acid, epicatechin gallate) and used to synthesise using a chemical reduction method. Syntheses were carried out with different molar ratios of reagents to find the best conditions for obtaining AgNPs that are homogeneous in size and shape. The colloids obtained were characterised with ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was found that syntheses carried out only with plant extract resulted in unstable colloids containing polydisperse nanoparticles. Stable colloids containing spherical monomodal particles were obtained by the incorporation of sodium citrate as an additional reagent in the synthesis mixture. The results obtained clearly indicate the crucial role of sodium citrate in the synthesis of spherical AgNPs of controlled size using plant extracts for biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a critical review on the current status of knowledge of the chemistry of Tithonia diversifolia and Tephrosia vogelii. The review explores the isolation, characterization of bioactive compounds and pesticidal evaluation of the extracts and isolates from the two plants. Existing concerns are over efficacy which indicate that most pesticidal studies on T. diversifolia have been conducted using plant extracts and a few of their fractions, which does not fully demonstrate compound effectiveness in pest control, and thus little progress in developing new products. Additionally, the variability in the occurrence of pesticidal compounds within a plant material such as that of T. vogelii can affect its end-use as botanical pesticides resulting in instances where farmers report no pesticidal activity of the same species. These challenges can result in the low adoption of pesticidal plants by farmers. The gaps in the knowledge of the chemistry of biological activity entail that the chemical basis for the activity of crude extracts needs to be comprehended while considering them as generation plants for pesticidal use on various crops pests. Furthermore discussions have been made on challenges of isolating and characterizing complex crude extracts. Emerging concerns over their toxicity and safety of bioactive compounds and their metabolites to the environment have also been explored. The review further discusses health-related aspects of bio-markers of biological activity from the crude extracts as reported in other researches. This needs to be studied in these plants' pesticidal applications which could trigger a new course of further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient extraction of enzymes from the fermented matter of solid-state fermentation is a key consideration in producing enzymes in a cost effective way. In this research low frequency ultrasound at different amplitudes was used to intensify the single stage and multiple (three-stage) extractions of ligninolytic and hydrolytic enzymes from a cultivated solid produced with Aspergillus oryzae NRRL 3485, using flax fiber as a support and actual lignocellulosic substrate. Kinetics of buffer extraction at pH 5 and 50 °C was followed within a period of 60 min by measuring the enzyme activities. Results proved that sonication has an enormous effect on the enzyme extraction. The maximum enzyme activities obtained in a conventional single stage extraction could be increased with sonication by 111.4%, 167.9% and 93.8% for filter paper, polygalacturonase and lignin peroxidase activities, respectively. Results also revealed that sonication (at 40, 60 and 80% amplitudes, for 60 min) did not result in a reduction in the filter paper and polygalacturonase activities of the crude enzyme solution, but slightly decreased the lignin peroxidase activity by about 20% at the highest amplitude. Three-stage extraction with sonication at 60% amplitude provided about 2.1–2.7 times higher enzyme yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel Computer Aided Molecular Design (CAMD) methodology for the design of solvents with consideration of environmental impact during the extraction and recovery processes. Throughout the years, CAMD techniques have been widely applied to design novel molecules for various applications, especially solvents. Most of the works in this area are only focusing on designing solvents that can achieve its functionality. However, limited works consider safety, health and environmental impacts of the process in which the solvent is applied. In this work, a quantitative assessment of the total environmental burden for solvent recovery process is incorporated into a single stage CAMD framework. The CAMD formulation includes molecular properties that affect the quantitative assessment of the environmental impact of a process. A multi-objective solvent design framework is then solved using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) weighting approach to design solvents that satisfy various target properties. With this approach, the generated solvents can simultaneously improve the overall environmental characteristic of a process and give a better balance of performance for a set of predefined properties. To illustrate the proposed methodology, a case study on solvent design for residual oil extraction from palm pressed fibre is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to develop stable, non-irritant topical formulations for the incorporation of aqueous extract from Eugenia dysenterica leaves, which could improve cutaneous permeation without compromising its antioxidant activity. For this, O/W and W/O microemulsions were obtained. Droplet sizes varied from 175 nm to 208 nm for the O/W formulations and from 27 nm to 35 nm for the W/O microemulsions, with PDI values below 0.2. Nanoformulations implemented a significant improvement in the stability of catechin over 90 days compared to simple solutions of the actives, especially the W/O microemulsions, which remained a catechin content of 96.1% and 96.6% (for the formulations containing the extract or the isolated catechin, respectively) when the formulations were stored at 6 °C, while the respective controls remained only 66.7% and 94.4% of catechin at the same storage conditions. All nanoformulations were capable of significantly increasing the penetration of catechin into skin, with emphasis on the O/W microemulsions, which proved to significantly increase the penetration of catechin to the deeper layers of the skin, compared to controls. The antioxidant activity of the active substances was maintained with the formulation in microemulsions, and the formulations containing the extracts presented superior activity to those containing the isolated catechin. All microemulsions presented low irritability potential. In conclusion, the microemulsions containing the aqueous extract of E. dysenterica leaves seem to be promising systems for topical application, which enables their use in dermatological treatments that require antioxidant action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benefits for residents local to protected areas are often proposed to improve conservation attitudes and to reduce illegal resource extraction. In this paper I investigate the relationship between protected area-based benefits and losses and the admission of illegal resource extraction in households neighbouring Kibale National Park, in Uganda. Using focus groups, a household survey, and member-checking interviews with local council chairpersons, binary logistic models were created for the admission of illegal resource extraction from the park. The desire for park resources and proximity to the park were the strongest factors predicting admitted extraction. Reciprocity and retribution in response to park-based benefits and losses were small or non-existent with only loss due to personal injury or livestock predation by wild animals increasing the likelihood of extraction. Lower wealth households were more likely to admit extraction, supporting the conservation narrative that poverty constrains conservation. Also, the inability of park-based benefits to reduce the probability of resource extraction implies that benefits need to be more targeted to livelihood needs. Compensation for losses should only be considered for personal injury, and to a lesser extent livestock predation, because only these losses demonstrated potential retaliation through resource extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The extraction of individual trees is important in a forest’s information management. The retrieval of tree and forest structural attributes from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data has focused largely on airborne LiDAR data. This paper investigates a new methodology to extract individual trees using a vehicle-borne LiDAR system that can provide different scan views and information compared with airborne systems. The paper describes the working procedure of the tree extraction from vehicle-borne laser points. The procedure includes the following steps: (1) mapping the RGB information of the high-resolution panoramic image onto the point cloud; (2) separation of points into ground classes a non-ground class, with only the non-ground class points used to extract trees; (3) segmentation of the colored point cloud; (4) layering of the laser points based on elevation data; (5) preliminary separation of the trees from other objects using the grid point density for each layer; (6) classifying the individual trees; (7) estimating tree height and crown area using the information of the entity from the segmentation. The laser point cloud data for the study were collected in Guangzhou in southern China. There was a density of nearly one thousand laser points per square meter, and the color images of the point cloud data had a pixel size of 20 cm. The tree position and stem diameter were measured simultaneously. The position and attitude of the camera for each image were used to match the segment-generated entity to the corresponding pixels in the CCD image of the digital camera. The classification results of the laser point cloud indicate that images add useful information for the identification of trees. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The liquid chromatography hybrid ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LCMS-IT-TOF) combined with a global identification strategy was applied to studying the protostane triterpenoids (PTs) in the rhizomes of Alisma orientalis in this paper. Initially, the MS n analyses of four reference compounds were performed to summarize the fragmentation rules of PTs. Subsequently, a series of ions of PTs were presented by LC–MS n analyses of the crude extract of alismatis rhizome, from which six ions at m / z 339, 353, 365, 381, 383 and 397 with high frequency of occurrence were selected as diagnostic ions to classify the peaks. Twenty peaks were classified into six families based on common ions. A network was established for the six families via diagnostic ions. 20 PTs including 1 new compound and 19 known ones were characterized through such strategy, fragmentation rules and references. Ultimately, the detected new compound and two known compounds were isolated from the total extract of A. orientalis under the guide of above method, of which the new compound was identified as 11-deoxylalisol F by MS and NMR spectrum. This systematical investigation on the PTs demonstrated that such a strategy could be widely used in the analysis and separation of natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-derived surfactants are characterised by low toxicity, high biodegradability and environmental compatibility. They therefore have many applications; for instance, they can be used in bioremediation to accelerate biodegradation processes, especially of hydrophobic pollutants. This paper analyses the properties of an extract from Saponaria officinalis L. containing saponins and its impact on bacterial strains isolated from soil, as well as its potential for application in hydrocarbon bioremediation. The tested extract from Saponaria officinalis L. contains gypsogenin, hederagenin, hydroxyhederagenin and quillaic acid aglycone structures and demonstrates good emulsification properties. Contact with the extract led to modification of bacterial cell surface properties. A decrease in cell surface hydrophobicity and an increase in membrane permeability were recorded in the experiments. An increase of up to 63% in diesel oil biodegradation was also recorded for Pseudomonas putida DA1 on addition of 1 g L −1 of saponins from Saponaria officinalis L. Saponaria extract showed no toxic impact on the tested environmental bacterial strains at the concentration used in the biodegradation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic pyrolysis of lipid-extracted residue of Tribonema minus with a biomass to catalyst mass ratio of 1:2 has been performed in a fixed-bed reactor. In this paper the influence of Ni-Mg/ZSM-5 catalysts with Ni/Mg ratio (6:1, 6:2, 6:3 and 6:4) and catalyst Si/Al ratio (25, 50, 80 and 360) on products yields and composition were investigated. The catalytic characterization results indicated that the addition of MgO is beneficial to the dispersion of NiO in the ZSM-5. The pyrolysis process shown that the metal-modified ZSM-5 catalysts can enhance secondary cracking and decomposition reaction, resulted the gas product increasing with the liquid product yield decreased. The Ni-Mg/ZSM-5 catalysts lead to a decrease of acids and esters, and an increase of the hydrocarbons fraction. With the Ni(6%)-Mg(2%)/ZSM-5 catalyst (Si/Al = 50) treatment, the bio-oil product contained the highest hydrocarbon compounds with a yield of 35.52% (12.94% for aliphatic HC and 22.58% for aromatic HC) and maximum alkylbenzene content (8.48%), lower total PAHs concentration (14.10%) and lower acids yield (0.30%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an investigation of the microwave-assisted synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using extract of stinky bean ( Parkia speciosa Hassk ) pods (BP). The formation of Ag NPs was identified by instrumental analysis consists of UV–vis spectrophotometry, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and particle size analysis. Furthermore, Ag NPs were used as antibacterial agents against Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The results indicate rapid formation of Ag NPs during microwave irradiation with similar properties to those obtained through the aging method. In general, the use of microwave irradiation yields larger particles, and it is affected by volume ratio of the extract to the AgNO 3 solution. The prepared materials demonstrated antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Natural fiber composite materials are one such capable material which replaces the conventional and synthetic materials for the practical applications where we require less weight and energy conservation. The present paper, which emphasis the importance of the newly identified snake grass fibers which are extracted from snake grass plants by manual process. In this paper, the tensile properties of the snake grass fiber are studied and compared with the traditionally available other natural fibers. The mixed chopped snake grass fiber reinforced composite is prepared by using the isophthallic polyester resin and the detailed preparation methodology is presented. Fiber pull-outs on the fractured specimen during the physical testing of the composites are also investigated. The experimental evidence also shows that the volume fraction increases the tensile, flexural strength and modulus of the snake grass fiber reinforce composite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Metallic-based wood preservatives currently face some restrictions over disposal and environmental issues; one possibility to develop new more benign systems is to study extractives in naturally durable woody plants. This study investigated the resistance of extracts from the leaf, fruit, wood, bark, seed and flower of Cerbera odollam to deterioration from fungus and termites. Antifungal assays with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol and methanol extracts were evaluated using paper discs. Termite mortality was evaluated with the methanol extract against Coptotermes gestroi. Physical and protective properties of particleboard impregnated with C. odollam extracts, including thickness swelling, internal bond strength, formaldehyde release, termite-decay and soil burial decay were investigated. Methanol wood extracts from C. odollam showed the highest activities against Trametes versicolor, Pycnoporus sanguineus, and Schizophyllum commune in the paper disc antifungal assay. Methanol flower extracts exhibited high performance in termite mortality, termite-decay and soil burial decay. Thickness swelling, internal bond strength and the formaldehyde emission of particleboard specimens treated with methanol extracts of C. odollam were up to the EN Standards. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Calendula flower (Calendula officinalis) (CF) has been used in herbal medicine because of its anti-inflammatory activity. CF and C. officinalis extracts (CFE) are used as skin conditioning agents in cosmetics. Although data on dermal irritation and sensitization of CF and CFE’s are available, the risk of subchronic systemic toxicity following dermal application has not been evaluated. The threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) is a pragmatic, risk assessment based approach that has gained regulatory acceptance for food and has been recently adapted to address cosmetic ingredient safety. The purpose of this paper is to determine if the safe use of CF and CFE can be established based upon the TTC class for each of its known constituents. For each constituent, the concentration in the plant, the molecular weight, and the estimated skin penetration potential were used to calculate a maximal daily systemic exposure which was then compared to its corresponding TTC class value. Since the composition of plant extracts are variable, back calculation was used to determine the maximum acceptable concentration of a given constituent in an extract of CF. This paper demonstrates the utility and practical application of the TTC concept when used as a tool in the safety evaluation of botanical extracts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new method to attach colloidal particles in situ directly onto atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers was developed and used as colloidal probes. In this method, cantilever surfaces were hydrophobically functionalised and the colloids adhered without glue in an aqueous environment. Experiments measuring the interaction forces between colloidal probes, composed of either wood extractives or a range of model compounds normally present in wood extractives, and glass, cellulose, and chromium surfaces were carried out. Wood extractive colloids exhibited the strongest adhesion to glass control surface (7.0 mN m −1 ), followed in decreasing order by triolein, abietic acid and oleic acid colloids (3.9 mN m −1 , 2.2 mN m −1 and 1.2 mN m −1 respectively). Adhesion onto a cellulose surface was strongest for triolein colloids (8.1 mN m −1 ) followed by oleic acid colloids (6.1 mN m −1 ), while adhesion forces for abietic acid and wood extractives colloids were similar (4.9 mN m −1 and 4.3 mN m −1 , respectively). When attached to a chromium surface adhesion forces of abietic acid and wood extractives were strongest and similar (3.6 mN m −1 and 3.9 mN m −1 , respectively); the weakest interaction at this surface was recorded for oleic acid colloids (0.8 mN m −1 ). Similar adhesion forces for wood extractive colloids and abietic acid colloids (onto cellulose and chromium surfaces) reinforces the proposal that abietic acid occupies the outer layer of wood extractive colloids. The differences in the interaction between the colloids and the cellulose and chromium surface helps to explain the transfer of resin acid exclusively over triolein or oleic acid from a cellulose paper surface onto chromium plated printing cylinders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eschweilera nana Miers has strong antioxidant activity owing to the presence of the flavonoids, such as rutin and hyperoside. However, their low solubility in water, bioavailability and stability to adverse environmental conditions limits their potential application in the therapeutics. In this paper, microparticles loaded with E. nana extract were produced by spray-drying technique using a mixture of arabic and xanthan gums, and characterized by morphology and particle size analyses, encapsulation efficiency, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy (FT-Raman). Results showed that, using the spray-drying technique, it was possible to obtain microparticulate systems containing E. nana extract with high encapsulation efficiency of rutin and hyperoside, which may be associated to a possible interaction between the polymers and the extract. All microparticle formulations were amorphous, hollow, and spherical with smooth surfaces. Thermal analysis revealed that the microencapsulation process conferred thermal protection to the extract. The release profile of rutin was carried out and showed that from the microparticles it was slower than the extract. The antioxidant activity also evaluated by the ability of the E. nana extract, and microparticles loaded with E. nana extract to decrease/scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the neutrophil respiratory burst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Computational and theoretical approaches are necessary to substantiate the experimental results. • Phytochemicals in a plant extract can be utilized to define and classify how plant-based inhibitors control corrosion. • DFT calculations supported the donor–acceptor adsorption and inhibition mechanism for plant extract. • Fukui analysis evidenced the adsorption-rich site of the atoms in the phytochemicals. • Surface orientation and adsorption of inhibitor molecules onto a metal surface can be studied using MD and MC simulations. The most significant component of metallic corrosion control in aqueous conditions is examining the adsorption mechanisms of inhibitor molecules at the metal-electrolyte interface. The use of computational techniques for metal corrosion inhibition research has progressively increased due to time, economic, and environmental constraints, and the inadequacy of experimental techniques to provide meaningful insight into metal surface-inhibitor interaction. Even though there is a wealth of research that employs computational evaluation, there is a lack of a comprehensive review, specifically to investigate the adsorption behavior of phytochemicals on metal substrates. There is still uncertainty regarding the techniques and steps required in Molecular Dynamics (MD) modeling for corrosion systems. The fundamental principles of MD simulation, adsorption mechanism, quantum calculations as well as summaries of major publications in anticorrosive studies are discussed in this paper. To substantiate the experimental results, this review discovered that computational and theoretical approaches are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying novel natural fibers/fabrics with proper properties as reinforcement material is a new challenge in the field of bio-composites. Hence, the aim of this paper is to study the possibility of using a natural fabric extracted from Manicaria saccifera palm as a novel reinforcement in composites. This fabric was extensively characterized by chemical composition analysis, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, morphological studies (SEM), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and physical /mechanical properties studies. From SEM analysis it was identified globular protrusions spread uniformly over the fiber which could help the mechanical interlock with the resin. As well, Manicaria fabric showed good thermal stability, low density, low moisture content and good tensile properties. Further, their properties are comparable to most natural cellulose fabrics and some synthetic fabrics, such as fiber glass fabrics. Manciaria saccifera fabric showed to be a suitable candidate as natural reinforcement material for the development of bio- composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A questionnaire survey on the potential of biorefinery products was carried out along with an analysis of energy prices and wood assortments. Electricity production was considered to have the potential for the highest investment return over ten years, followed by solid wood products, bioenergy assortments and textiles. Only pulp and paper were perceived as returning lower potential investment values over the next ten years than over the next five. Of the survey respondents, 95% believed that the value of woody biomass will increase over the next ten years, mainly through its replacement of oil-based products, although there will be problems due to lack of suitable raw material. A wide range of chemical products were described but a greater confidence in more traditional solid fuel products still prevails. Stemwood is the most favored part of the tree with only a few respondents saying that they wanted specific chemicals extracted. The electricity price and wood fuel price were found to be strongly correlated and 91% of respondents said their products would be affected by the electricity price. Electricity prices within OECD countries are expected to increase by 15% from 2011 to 2035, with wood fuel prices increasing by roughly 10% during the same period. Therefore, the electricity price could become a decisive factor in the future use of biomass in biorefineries. Our results suggest that large-scale commercial biorefinery production will soon be possible but new wood assortment classifications are needed that include both fiber properties and chemical properties such as extractive content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Green and Biological synthetic methods for preparing of different nanoparticles (e.g., metal and metal oxide) using microorganisms, enzymes, and plant extracts have been suggested as a possible low cost and eco-friendly alternative to chemical and physical methods. In this paper, we would like to report the green and biosynthesis of nanoceria particles (NCs), using gum tragacanth by both chemical and biological methods. The NCs were synthesized at different calcination temperatures and structural, morphological, and optical properties of the synthesized NCs have been characterized by using UV–vis spectrophotometer, FESEM, PXRD analysis. FESEM images display that the NCs prepared were mono-dispersed and the average size was ranged from about 20 to 40nm. In vitro viability studies on neuro2A cells, a dose dependent toxicity with non-toxic effect of concentrations below 30µg/mL is presented. The synthesis of NCs using gum tragacanth was found to be comparable to those obtained from conventional reduction methods using hazardous polymers or surfactants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Extraction of individual tree crowns is meaningful for many applications. In this paper, a new method is proposed to extract individual trees from airborne LiDAR point clouds in human settlements. In the process of extraction, an improved slope-based filter is employed to separate the non-ground measurements from the ground measurements, the surface growing algorithm is utilized to segment the point clouds into segments, multiple echo information is used to distinguish the tree points from other types of non-ground measurements, and the spoke wheel algorithm is employed to get the accurate edges of each tree at last. Two datasets are employed to test the above method. Experiments show that our approach is capable of extracting more than 85% trees from the point clouds with accuracy higher than 95%, which suggests the promising applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nanoparticles have been used to alter and improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of various types of drug molecules. The plant extracts are eco-friendly, economical and cost effective for synthesis of large scale of nanoparticles. In this paper we represent the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from room dried leaves of Vinca rosea. The AgNPs were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy. The AgNPs are crystalline in nature, were determined from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), and also the size of the NPs was calculated by using Hariba Nanoparticle analyzer and the stability was calculated by using the Zetapotential. The nanoparticles obtained from leaf extracts were of size 27±2 and 30±2 respectively and Zetapotential of AgNPs was found to be −63.1mV, so it indicates the dispersion and stability. The synthesized AgNPs have very good antimicrobial activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports, an environmentally benign procedure of synthesis and characterizations of selenium nanoparticles and their protective effect against UV-induced DNA damage activities. An aqueous leaf extract of lemon plant was used as a precursor for synthesis of colloidal selenium nanoparticles. Resulting nanoparticles were characterized using UV–vis spectrophotometer, photoluminescence, TEM, EDAX, FT-IR and XRD, respectively. Selenium colloidal solution exhibited an absorption maximum at 395nm and produced an emission maximum at 525nm. Transmission electron microscopy followed by selected area electron diffraction pattern analysis indicated the formation of spherical, polydispersed, crystalline, selenium nanoparticles of diameter ranging from (∼60 to 80nm). X-ray diffraction studies showed the formation of 111, 200 and 220 planes of face-centered cubic (fcc) selenium. EDAX analysis confirmed the presence of selenium in nanosphere. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic investigation reveled the involvement of carboxyl (h name="dbnd" />O), hydroxyl (e (ional group of lemon plant extract in preparation of selenium nanoparticles. MTT assay as well single cell gel electrophoresis assay or comet assay revealed that synthesized selenium nanoparticles, caused less cell death of lymphocytes and prevented DNA damage, when cells were exposed to UVB. The fluorescent property of selenium nanoparticles can be used as diagnostic agent. Further, their anti DNA damaging property can be investigated as a chemotherapeutic agent in cancer therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Extracts of wound-associated beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.) were spectrophotometrically analyzed and a paper disc screening test was applied to estimate their fungicidal potential against selected brown (Gloeophyllum trabeum) and white (Trametes versicolor) rot fungi. Colorimetric analysis revealed that higher amounts of total phenols, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins were characteristic of the reaction zone, and especially of wound-wood, while the lowest contents were measured in red heart samples. Estimation of the fungicidal properties of wound-associated wood extracts revealed that the evident inhibitory effect on wood decaying fungi can be ascribed to methanolic extracts of wound-wood, as well as to healthy sapwood. Extracts of reaction zones did not exhibit a corresponding inhibitory effect toward the chosen fungi. These results indicate a potential defensive function of wound-wood and sapwood in living trees, whereas already formed reaction zones behave as physical barriers rather than chemically inhibiting fungal growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In recent years the utilization of secondary metabolites from plant extract has emerged as a novel technology for the synthesis of various nanoparticles. In this paper we studied the potential of nanocrystalline palladium nanoparticles production using acaricidal, insecticidal and larvicidal efficacy of Annona squamosa L aqueous peel extract as the biomaterial for the first time. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized and confirmed as palladium nanoparticles by using UV–visible spectroscopy, XRD and TEM analysis. The results clearly showed that the compounds containing unctional group played a critical role in capping the nanoparticles. Also the results highlight the possibility of green pathways to produce palladium nanoparticles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Plants are becoming commercially acceptable for recombinant protein production for human therapeutics, vaccine antigens, industrial enzymes, and nutraceuticals. Recently, significant advances in expression, protein glycosylation, and gene-to-product development time have been achieved. Safety and regulatory concerns for open-field production systems have also been addressed by using contained systems to grow transgenic plants. However, using contained systems eliminates several advantages of open-field production, such as inexpensive upstream production and scale-up costs. Upstream technological achievements have not been matched by downstream processing advancements. In the past 10years, the most research progress was achieved in the areas of extraction and pretreatment. Extraction conditions have been optimized for numerous proteins on a case-by-case basis leading to the development of platform-dependent approaches. Pretreatment advances were made after realizing that plant extracts and homogenates have unique compositions that require distinct conditioning prior to purification. However, scientists have relied on purification methods developed for other protein production hosts with modest investments in developing novel plant purification tools. Recently, non-chromatographic purification methods, such as aqueous two-phase partitioning and membrane filtration, have been evaluated as low-cost purification alternatives to packed-bed adsorption. This paper reviews seed, leafy, and bioreactor-based platforms, highlights strategies for the primary recovery and purification of recombinant proteins, and compares process economics between systems. Lastly, the future direction and research needs for developing economically competitive recombinant proteins with commercial potential are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we have demonstrated for the first time, the superb efficiency of aqueous extract of dried leaves of mahogany (Swietenia mahogani JACQ.) in the rapid synthesis of stable monometallic Au and Ag nanoparticles and also Au/Ag bimetallic alloy nanoparticles having spectacular morphologies. Our method was clean, nontoxic and environment friendly. When exposed to aqueous mahogany leaf extract, competitive reduction of AuIII and AgI ions present simultaneously in same solution leads to the production of bimetallic Au/Ag alloy nanoparticles. UV–visible spectroscopy was used to monitor the kinetics of nanoparticles formation. UV–visible spectroscopic data and TEM images revealed the formation of bimetallic Au/Ag alloy nanoparticles. Mahogany leaf extract contains various polyhydroxy limonoids which are responsible for the reduction of AuIII and AgI ions leading to the formation and stabilization of Au and Ag nanopaticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reports a facile and rapid biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles from Chenopodium album, an obnoxious weed. The aqueous leaf extract of the herb was used as mild reducing agent for silver and gold nanoparticles (SNPs and GNPs) synthesis from their salt solutions in single-pot process. Quasi-spherical shapes were observed for biosynthesized SNPs and GNPs within range of 10–30nm, respectively. The UV–VIS spectra gave surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for SNPs and GNPs at 460 and 540nm, respectively. Influence of leaf extract quantities, metal concentrations, contact time, reaction temperature and pH were evaluated to find their effects on NPs synthesis. The produced nanocrystals of silver and gold were analyzed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The stability of NPs was evaluated at different pH with zeta potentiometer without adding any stabilizing agents. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Edible natural products, either standardized plant extracts or pure compounds, provide unlimited opportunities as safe new antimicrobial agents. This study investigated the antibacterial properties of ethanolic extract from Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Ait.) Hassk. leaves against Bacillus cereus. Preliminary screening to evaluate the activities of the extract used a paper disc diffusion method against 65 food isolates. The extract produced large inhibition zones in all isolates, ranging from I0 to 18 mm. The results were confirmed by MIC and MBC (16 to 64 and 32 to 256 pg/ml, respectively). Rhodomyrtone, a purified compound, exhibited MIC and MBC at 0.5 and at 2 to 8 µg/ml, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the extract on vegetative cells and endospores of a representative B. cereus isolate (MIC = 32 pg/ml) was assessed by enumerating viable cells at different time intervals up to 24 h. At 2 MICs and 4 MICs, a reduction in the viability of the bacterial cells and endospores was at least 3 log within 6 to 8 h and 2 h after incubation, respectively. Application of the extract in precooked rice and tuna steak demonstrated that alter exposure to 16 MICs and 32 MICs, the numbers of viable cells and endospores in both model systems were reduced by at least 2 log within 12 and 6 h, respectively. Since the extract consistently produced remarkable activity against both cells and endospores, it could be used as an alternative food additive for controlling B. cereus without compromising food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we demonstrated a green protocol in which silver nanowires with diameters in the range of 50–60nm and lengths up to tens of micrometers were synthesized with extract of the Cassia fistula leaf as reductant and capping agent at room temperature. Different techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–vis spectroscopy were employed to characterize the nanowires. Particularly, TEM images recorded at intervals revealed that the resulting silver nanowires evolved from spherical nanoparticles via one-dimensional aggregation. The results also showed that reaction temperature played a crucial role in the formation of silver nanowires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study used spinach extract, ipomoea leaf extract and their mixed extracts as the natural dyes for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Spinach and ipomoea leaves were first placed separately in ethanol and the chlorophyll of these two kinds of plants was extracted to serve as the natural dyes for using in DSSCs. In addition, the self-developed nanofluid synthesis system prepared a TiO2 nanofluid with an average particle size of 50nm. Electrophoresis deposition was performed to let the TiO2 deposit nanoparticles on the indium tin oxide (ITO) conductive glass, forming a TiO2 thin film with the thickness of 11.61μm. This TiO2 thin film underwent sintering at 450°C to enhance the compactness of thin film. Finally, the sintered TiO2 thin film was immersed in the natural dye solutions extracted from spinach and ipomoea leaves, completing the production of the anode of DSSC. This study then further inspected the fill factor, photoelectric conversion efficiency and incident photon current efficiency of the encapsulated DSSC. According to the experimental results of current–voltage curve, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the DSSCs prepared by natural dyes from ipomoea leaf extract is 0.318% under extraction temperature of 50°C and pH value of extraction fluid at 1.0. This paper also investigated the influence of the temperature in the extraction process of this kind of natural dye and the influence of pH value of the dye solution on the UV–VIS patterns absorption spectra of the prepared natural dye solutions, and the influence of these two factors on the photoelectric conversion efficiency of DSSC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper compares the use of ATR and transflection spectroscopic techniques for the qualitative analysis of psilocin extracted from hallucinogenic mushrooms and control spiked mushrooms. Both techniques gave comparable results and agreed with prior GC/MS analysis of the actual case samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a single-step room-temperature biosynthetic route for producing gold nanostructures using pear fruit is reported. The alkaline conditions of the pear fruit extract induced gold nanoparticles with plate-like morphologies. Successfully biosynthesized triangular and hexagonal nanoplates were observed, elegantly assembled with hexagonal gold nanoparticles. Nanostructure size, crystal nature, purity and morphologies were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The edge lengths of the nanostructures ranged from 200 to 500nm. Using AFM analysis, the nanohexagons were observed to have a thickness ranging from 12 to 20nm. The XRD patterns showed a (111) preferential orientation of the nanostructures. The XPS and EDAX analysis also confirmed the presence of pure-phase Au without any substantial impurities. The preparation of nanostructured gold particles using pear fruit provides an environmentally friendly option, as compared to currently available chemical and/or physical methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The design, synthesis, characterization and application of biologically synthesized nanomaterials have become an important branch of nanotechnology. In this paper, we report the extracellular synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Barbated Skullcup (BS) herb (a dried whole plant of Scutellaria barbata D. Don) as the reducing agent. After exposing the gold ions to BS herb extract, rapid reduction of gold ions is observed leading to the formation of gold nanoparticles in solution. UV–vis spectrum of the aqueous medium containing gold nanoparticles showed a peak at around 540nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrograph analysis of the gold nanoparticles indicated that they were well-dispersed and ranged in size 5–30nm. When the gold nanoparticles were modified on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE), it could enhance electronic transmission rate between the electrode and the p-nitrophenol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Rhodocodon madagascariensis, also named Urginea mascarenensis, is a malagasy plant belonging to the Hyacinthaceae family. As for the other members of the endemic malagasy genus Rhodocodon, the chemical and toxicological properties of this species have not yet been studied. The present study concerns the analysis of the toxicity of R. madagascariensis to medaka embryo–larval development. The incubation of medaka fish embryos or larvae in a medium containing R. madagascariensis extract resulted in a dose dependent reduction in development of embryos leading to lethality and a drastic reduction in survival rate of exposed larvae. Survival rates were reduced up to 100% with an extract concentration of 4mgmL−1. The LD50 was estimated to be 1mgmL−1. Anatomopathological studies did show some neuro-embryonal modifications in the encephalic region. The data presented in this paper thus extends the use of medaka embryos as a valuable model to detect and analyse the effects of plant toxins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work paper presents vapour–liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for binary (CO2 +nicotine) and ternary (CO2 +nicotine+solanesol) mixtures, at 313.2K and 6, 8 and 15MPa. The (CO2 +nicotine) system exhibits three phases (L1L2V) in equilibrium at 8.37MPa. It is estimated that this system most likely follows the type-III phase behaviour. In the ternary system, the presence of solanesol in the vapour phase was detected only at the pressure of 15MPa. At this pressure, partition coefficients and separation factors for solanesol/nicotine were calculated for different initial nicotine/solanesol compositions and a strong influence of composition was found. The results were modelled using the Peng–Robinson equation of state (PR EOS) coupled with the Mathias–Klotz–Prausnitz (MKP) mixing rule (PR–MKP model). Good correlations of the binary data, particularly in the case of the (CO2 +nicotine) mixture, were obtained. However, the model could not correlate the ternary data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Six herbs were assessed for their antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus agalactiae, a major fish pathogen causing streptococcosis. Each herb was extracted with 3 solvents: water, 95% ethanol, and methanol. Using swab paper disc assays, aqueous extracts of Andrographis paniculata and Allium sativum produced the largest (27.5 mm) and smallest (10.3 mm) inhibition zones, respectively. Determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of herb extracts against S. agalactiae showed that the aqueous extract of A. paniculata had the lowest MIC value (31.25 μg/mL). Aqueous extract of A. sativum was the only herb extract with a MIC >500 μg/mL. Based on mortalities in 2 weeks after intraperitoneal S. agalactiae injection, the median lethal dose (LD50) of S. agalactiae for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was 3.79×105 CFU/mL. In vivo experiments showed that fish feed supplemented with either A. paniculata leaf powder or dried matter of A. paniculata aqueous extract reduced mortality of S. agalactiae infected Nile tilapia. In addition, no mortality was found in fish receiving dried matter of A. paniculata aqueous extract supplemented feeds at ratios (w/w) of 4:36 and 5:35. During 2 weeks of feeding with A. paniculata supplemented feeds, no adverse effects on appearance, behavior, or feeding responses were observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]