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Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are promising because of some of their several interesting characteristics. LDHs can be synthesized using different preparation methods. The application of ultrasounds (US) in the preparation method leads to reduced synthesis times and better dispersion of particles characterized by small size and narrower particle size distribution. Consequently, the specific surface area is higher in US-prepared samples compared to materials prepared by classical methods. These modified characteristics are responsible for improving the performances of LDHs used as catalyst precursors, adsorbents of dyes and heavy metals, fire suppressants, and other applications.

A${\beta }$ is the peptide involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Its binding to the redox copper ions and the subsequent production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributing to the overall oxidative stress observed in the disease is among the deleterious effects A${\beta }$ may have. Here seven reduced Schiff-base ligands were studied for their ability to stop Cu(A${\beta }$)-induced ROS production. The spectroscopic UV–vis and EPR characterizations of the Cu(II) complexes are reported as well. While all the ligands except one are able to stop Cu(A${\beta }$)-induced ROS, only two maintain this ability in the presence of the endogenous Zn ions, due to kinetic competitiveness.

Corynebacteriales including the causative agent of many diseases such as tuberculosis are known to be extremely resistant against external stress as well as to antibiotic treatments which is believed to be related to the singular architecture of their mycomembrane. Over the last decades, both bioorthogonal chemical reporters and fluorescent probes for the metabolic labeling of bacterial cell glycans were developed including several trehalose-based probes to study the dynamics of mycomembrane components. This review presents an exhaustive view on the reported syntheses of trehalose-based probes enabling the study of the mycomembrane biogenesis.

Despite advances in Electron Microscopy (EM) that enable to image protein assemblies within vitreous sections of cells at nearly atomic resolution, labelling is still necessary to locate small proteins or rare complexes. Gold immunolabelling has been used for decades to localise specific proteins within cellular sections. However, current gold particle-antibody conjugates are not built with enough chemical precision to match the current resolution offered by cryo-EM methodology. Furthermore, as a close to native specimen state can only be achieved by strict preservation of a frozen hydrated state, it is required to deliver gold labelling agents into living cells prior to their vitrification. Several 1.4 nm gold nanoparticle-antibody conjugates were synthesised. Their abilities to bind to and label their corresponding epitopes within living cells after cytosolic delivery by electroporation are documented here.

Tetrameric DNA structures such as G-quadruplex (G4) and i-motif (i-DNA) have attracted increasing interest in the last decades. They are indeed involved in many biological processes including translation regulation, pre-mRNA processing, mRNA targeting, telomere maintenance, etc. We have developed chemical tools named TASQ (Template-Assembled Synthetic Quadruplex) to address the following scientific goals: (i) identify unambiguous (i.e., affine and specific) G4- and i-DNA-interacting ligands, (ii) identify proteins interacting with those structures and determine their cellular relevance and (iii) select specific antibodies for G4 and i-DNA. This review reports on our works over the past decade.

Currently, researchers have indicated that inorganic minerals in reservoirs, such as clay minerals, carbonates and quartz, can catalyze the evolution of organic matter into oil and gas. Therefore it is reasonable to believe that the minerals in reservoirs may act as a catalyst support with the metal-containing catalyst added from outside during the thermal recovery of heavy oil. This paper studied the aquathermolysis of heavy oil catalyzed by minerals and transition metal. The reaction conditions of two heavy oil samples were investigated. The results show that the optimal reaction conditions of heavy oil from Xinjiang Baikouquan Oilfield (XBO) are the reaction temperature of 250 °C and the reaction time of 6 h; for the crude oil from Xinjiang Tahe Oilfield (XTO), the optimal reaction conditions are determined to be the reaction temperature of 250 °C and the reaction time of 12 h, the water–oil ratio of the two oils is 0.3. Under optimal conditions, viscosity and pour point of heavy oil are significantly reduced. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), GC-MS analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and elemental analysis were used to study the properties of the two heavy oil samples before and after reaction to explore the mechanism of the catalyzed aquathermolysis of heavy oil. This work will benefit the related heavy oil recovery work in this field.

The presence of induced radicals and of chemical reactions, in liquids processed in ultrasonic reactors producing acoustic cavitation, has been widely demonstrated and is known as sonochemistry. Otherwise, the number of publications related to chemical reactions caused by hydrodynamic cavitation arising in a liquid flowing out, is more limited. Most of these articles have exposed qualitative results and empirical attempts in order to increase a primary weak efficiency. As the physics of collapsing bubbles in a flow is more complex than the monitoring of acoustic bubbles at a fixed frequency, it was largely assumed, until shortly, that hydrodynamic cavitation has inherent limitations preventing from getting relevant radical yields. However, new efforts have been recently performed to evolve from qualitative to quantitative measurements, in order to be able to know whether hydrodynamic cavitation could become a reliable process for wastewater treatment or not. This short review focuses on recent progresses that have made possible experimental evidences of radical production in hydrodynamic cavitation, and on forthcoming orientations.

The main objective of this research is to explore the viability of adequate blends of orange peels with some abundant bio-wastes, such as date pits, peanut shells, coffee grounds, and tea waste, to generate bio-chars while applying a thermal pyrolysis process. It was revealed that pure orange peels lead to a high biochar yield (32.05%). The different blends with orange peels did not show significantly increased char output. However, the biochar yields were lower with coffee grounds and date pits, which shows the positive effect of blending with orange peels for these two biomasses as far as char is concerned. However, the blends appeared to favour syngas production with yields as high as 56% for the coffee grounds and orange peels blend. FTIR and SEM characterizations indicated that recovered solids could represent a viable source of carbon materials, biofertilizers, or solid fuels.

The ring opening by the cleavage of the C(sp$^3$)–O bond of 2-hydroxybutyrolactone with (ethylthio)trimethylsilane was effectively catalysed by indium triiodide. Screening the reaction conditions allowed optimizing the ring opening. The effect of the nucleophile/catalyst ratio on the reaction efficiency has also been demonstrated. After optimization, 2-hydroxy-4-(ethylthio)butyric acid was isolated with an excellent yield (85%), thus making this method useful for the preparation of methionine analogues.

Electrodeposition is a long-lasting and efficient process to generate thin or thick films on conductive supports. It is mainly based on electrochemically induced redox reactions involving electroactive precursors, which are intended to form solid deposits onto the electrode surface. More recently, a rather counterintuitive approach has emerged by exploiting electrochemistry to generate non-electroactive and non-conductive thin films (e.g., sol–gel derived materials), based on the electrogeneration of a catalyst that is likely to induce indirectly the formation of a thin film (i.e., without direct electron transfer with the precursors). This account summarizes the major advances made by our group in this field, focusing primarily on electro-induced sol–gel bioencapsulation and electro-assisted self-assembly of oriented and functionalized mesoporous silica films.

The west Mediterranean Arum pictum L.f., endemic from Corsica, Sardinia and Balearic Islands, is the only autumn-flowering Arum species. This species is pollinated by deceptively attracting coprophilous and saprophilous Diptera and staphylinid Coleoptera. Four populations from Sardinia and Corsica were studied. The inflorescence produces heat during anthesis from the appendix and stamens; the appendix is able to increase its temperature twice within the same day, a trait unique in Arum. A. pictum floral scents likely mimic horse/donkey dung by releasing several dung-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs: $p$-cresol, skatole, or indole). Surprisingly, the main floral VOC was 2,6-dimethylocta-1,3,7-triene or isomyocorene.

Over the last decades, Aquitaine lakes have been exposed to growing biomasses of invasive macrophytes, in particular Lagarosiphon major, and to frequent blooms of the cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa. Our aim was to explore the potential role of L. major in the regulation of such blooms, through allelopathic interactions. Experiments consisted of exponential growth phase cells incubated for 96 h in L. major extracts at increasing concentrations. Our approach was based on untargeted metabolomics and photosynthetic activity measurements.We demonstrated the anticyanobacterial properties of L. major extracts. In particular, we reported that L. major extracts inhibited M. aeruginosa photosynthesis, and affected the production of various metabolite classes and pathways mainly involved in the secondary metabolism of the cyanobacteria.We further provided clear evidence about the existence of metabolite classes in L. major that may be involved in allelopathic interactions with M. aeruginosa, such as caffeic acid.

The characterization of microtubule-targeting drugs at the cellular level is an essential step in the development of drugs targeting the microtubule network. To that aim, we have previously developed a quantitative cell-based assay easy to perform in microplates that requires only a luminescence reader and no microscopic analysis. Here, we show that this assay can be easily adapted to different breast cancer cell lines. An ideal application of this test could be the comparative analysis of the response of human tumor samples to different microtubule targeting drugs, to optimize therapeutic treatment.

The viability of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spores formulated with biochars derived from the pyrolysis of raw (ROP) or impregnated olive pomace with olive mill wastewaters (IROP) was investigated under laboratory-controlled conditions. A greenhouse experiment was also conducted to study the effect of AMF spores and biochars adding on the growth of maize plants. Nine treatments, combining one biochar (ROP or IROP) at a level of 2.5 g/kg of soil and inoculation or not with Funneliformis mosseae at two concentrations (30 and 125 spores/kg of soil), were arranged in an entirely randomized block design. The results of the formulation trial showed that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spores had short-term viability and are sensitive to the presence of biochar. This effect is more pronounced when the biochar is made from IROP. Both the AMF and biochars treatments did not significantly enhance the growth of maize plants, biomass production, and leaf chlorophyll contents. However, the most significant effect on nutrients uptake was observed in the modalities treated with AMF alone (30 spores/kg of soil) and AMF combined with the biochar made from IROP (IROP $+$ 30 spores/kg of soil). In those modalities, the N uptake was improved by 45% and 33%, respectively. Moreover, biochar addition to the soil did not particularly enhance root colonization by AMF and no negative effect of its application was observed either. However, the inoculation of spores enhanced propagules production and maize root colonization.

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) derivatives that contain an acrylonitrile group result in interesting scaffold molecules that can be obtained from biomass. However, the synthesis of these types of molecules has not been extensively studied. In this study, we investigated the catalytic activity of Mg(OH)2 and MgO materials. Specifically, we evaluated the Knoevenagel reaction between HMF and malononitrile as a test reaction under solvent-free conditions. The fresh and used catalysts were evaluated using various techniques. Our results indicate that the combination of synthesis methods influences the crystalline, basic, and textural properties of the catalysts. We found that water plays an essential role in obtaining high yields. By using this simple and inexpensive method, we were able to achieve yields near 90% in short reaction times ($

In natural populations of A. vulgare, the endosymbiont Wolbachia feminizes genetic males. When confronted with genetic females and feminized males, males prefer genetic females. We tested whether the ability of males to discriminate both females involved the detection of chemical compounds by extracting female cuticular compounds through various solvent baths and presenting them to male antennae. We also tested female antennae responses to evaluate the potential impact of Wolbachia on individual detection. Our results showed that only the ethyl acetate extracts triggered a significantly different response of male antennae between the two types of females. No difference between female antennal detection was recorded. Further experiments are required to identify the involved molecule explaining the sexual preference of males towards Wolbachia-free females.

Prunus dulcis, a fruit tree of global economic and nutritional importance, is infested by Eurytoma amygdali, the almond wasp, due to the lack of biocontrol measures. This study characterizes the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by almond trees. We identified and quantified by GC-MS 44 VOCs emitted during spring. VOCs emitted during flowering were benzaldehyde and 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, while VOCs emitted during fruit and leaf growth were mainly sesquiterpenes. Emissions increased with temperature but light did not affect short-term emissions. VOCs identified in this study could be used to develop a biocontrol method to prevent infestation.

Energy crisis is a global issue in recent times. Meeting the energy requirements for daily cooking and heating in rural population using biomass as a fuel in traditional cookstoves (TCS) is an energy consuming and inefficient method. Moreover, the use of biomass in TCS causes serious health and environmental problems. TCS have very low efficiency and high fuel consumption. A kitchen performance test (KPT) was conducted in order to measure fuel wood consumption by TCS and improved cookstoves (ICS). Furthermore, the fuel wood consumption of the study area is also estimated. The fuel wood characteristics are determined by proximate and ultimate analysis. The KPT results show that ICS reduces fuel consumption by 0.16 kg/person/day. The ICS can also reduce 0.258 tonnes of CO$_{2}$ emissions per ICS user annually. Stove performance index shows that ICS uses 6% less fuel as compared to TCS. ICS also emits significantly less CO and PM emissions. The use of ICS would also possibly solve the environmental impacts of fuel wood collection and combustion.

The present study focused on the comparison of two intensified pretreatment techniques for waste cooking oil (WCO) collected from university restaurants. The cooking oil was 100% soybean and had an acidity value (AV) of 4.48 mg KOH/g oil. Ultrasound (US) and microwave (MW) irradiations were applied as non-chemical pretreatment methods with zero generated waste. The considered factors for the MW pretreatment were power and time ranging from 100 to 800 W and from 20 to 120 s, respectively. The US pretreatment was carried out at a temperature ranging from 20 to 40 °C for a residence time ranging from 5 to 50 min. For the two non-chemical pretreatment methods, optimal conditions were as follows: for microwave irradiation, a power of 100 W, a residence time of 50 s, and an acid value reduced to 1.056 mg KOH/g; whereas, the US pretreatment reduced the AV to 1.014 mg KOH/g at 40 °C, 30 min and 100 W. Finally, the pretreated WCO under optimal conditions was used for biodiesel production using conventional transesterification. Results showed that the pretreatment methods led to good results where the best biodiesel yield was 98%, obtained with US pretreatment, while MW led to a yield of 96%. Both yields were higher than 94%, obtained for biodiesel production without any pretreatment.

Intensive landscape modifications have led to the loss of floral resources, partly in early spring when bumble bee queens need suitable pollen to establish their brood. Adequate floral resources are also crucial to mitigate parasite infection, a stress compromising reproductive success. Among early blooming trees, willows represent an important and highly suitable pollen resource. Alas, riparian areas and their associated willows have been declining. In this study, we found that hedgerow and orchard pollen were at least as suitable as willow pollen for bumble bee survival and microcolony development. Moreover, orchard pollen seemed an interesting candidate to help reduce parasite infection, but unlikely due to its flavonoids. Such non-willow trees could then be favoured in agri-environmental schemes implemented in bee conservation strategies, but pollen chemicals underlying beneficial effects remain to be determined.

Species in the genus Scymnus Kugelann are common, but there is little information available on their defence compounds. Pupae are covered with setae on tips of which there are small droplets of liquid. This study explored the patterns of the distribution of the droplets and the influence of diet on their production in five species of Scymnus. GC-MS analyses were used to determine the chemical identity of droplets.All these species produced droplets, but the patterns in the distributions varied among species. Preliminary data indicates a de novo synthesis of the droplet compounds by these ladybirds. The results of the GC-MS analyses suggest that Scymnus spp. produce azamacrolides, which are fatty acid-derived alkaloids.

Plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can influence the behavior of insects but distance and contact effects are rarely distinguished. We aimed to identify VOCs that mediate attraction and oviposition behaviors of the cabbage root fly, and to distinguish whether their effect applies at distance or at contact. Headspace collections of host-emitted VOCs were performed and analyzed in combination with electro-antennogram detection. The behavioral effect of the electrophysiologically-active VOCs was assessed in behavioral experiments. We show that VOCs act mainly when in mixtures, and have effects either at distance or at contact, but not both.

Intermittency of wind and solar productions raises the concern of finding other sources of electricity to match the consumption when an hibernal anticyclone reduces dramatically wind production. In this situation occurring every year the stress on the grid is at maximum with the consumption at a peak and a low photovoltaic production. Despite these risks, scenarios still aim at high shares of wind and solar in the electricity mix of 2050, assuming that different wind regimes in Europe would allow France to import wind productions from its neighbors when in need.The study considers a typical situation given by hourly wind productions of the first two months of 2020, in France and in the closest countries. Assuming a full renewable electricity mix officially envisioned in France and Germany for 2050, the exchanges are computed and illustrated for the two months, with a focus on an anticyclone which occurred in the second part of January. The exchanges will not solve the shortage in France and it could even worsen it. The 50–50 renewable and nuclear scenario is given for comparison, showing that the solution lies in providing adequate secured power plant capacity.

Mild steel (MS) coated with protective bilayer hybrid coatings of polyetherimide, and ZnO/CuO was exposed to artificial treated wastewater (ATWW) inoculated with Desulfovibrio sp. (biotic system). Proteins from the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) matrix of Desulfovibrio sp. responded to the coatings. PEI-CuO offered the highest performance against biocorrosion. The higher PEI-CuO resistivity value of $2.17\times 10^{6}~\Omega {\cdot }\mathrm{cm}^{2}$ contrasted with the decrease to $1.5\times 10^{5}$ and $1.6\times 10^{3}~\Omega {\cdot }\mathrm{cm}^{2}$ for PEI-ZnO and PEI coatings, respectively. The one order of magnitude increased resistance of the biotic system, compared to sterilized ATWW (abiotic system), resulted from the protective nature of the bacterial biofilm.

Invasive species are permanently modifying the distribution and diversity of native species worldwide. For nearly two decades, a hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), has been spreading in Europe. Due to its marked invasiveness, this yellow-legged hornet is of great economic and ecological concern, mainly because of the damage it causes to insects in general and bees in particular. Current management methods are sparse and ineffective. Naturally produced by insects, semio-chemicals have been proposed as integrated management tools in this context, either for disruption or mass trapping, as an alternative tool to conventional non-selective traps. Here, we focused on the venom gland, which produces the alarm pheromone. In previous studies, individuals showed marked diversity in their chemical profiles. However, to successfully conduct targeted pheromone-based trapping, the hornet’s chemical ecology must be thoroughly characterized. Therefore, it was necessary to better understand the chemical composition of the alarm pheromone of not only workers but also other V. v. nigrithorax females. First, we evaluated the differences in venom gland profiles between the four types of females: queens, foundresses, pre-winter gynes, and workers. Next, we experimentally explored the venom gland profiles of V. velutina nigrithorax workers and pre-wintering gynes by in vivo and in vitro approaches. We found 13 new compounds in the venom gland, of which 9 were identified (chain lengths: C8 to C12). Two compounds were found exclusively in reproductive females. Profiles differed among pre-wintering gynes, foundresses, and queens but not between pre-wintering gynes and workers. This result indicates that the chemical signature of the female venom gland changes over the course of life history: from pre-wintering gynes to foundresses to queens.

This study aims to explore the potential use of electro-oxidation (EO) as a decentralized wastewater treatment method. The simulated wastewater comprising bacterial consortium was treated by employing mixed metal oxide (MMO). In particular, a lab-scale batch electrooxidation reactor was used at different operating parameters including NaCl dose ($n$), current density ($j$), and treatment time ($t$) in order to optimize the process using response surface methodology. The efficiency of the treatment process was evaluated in terms of % inactivation and energy consumption which were found to be 99.2% and 0.42 kWh/m$^{3}$, respectively. Under optimal conditions, it was found that the proposed technique’s overall operating cost was 0.189 $/m$^{3}$ taking into consideration the electrical energy consumed and cost of electrodes.

The aim of this work is in the formulation of a dietary supplement, combining spirulina and date stone benefits. For this, a study was done on these two ingredients by determining their approximate composition and antioxidant potential. Following this, we used a statistical method to determine the appropriate proportions of ingredients to obtain a tablet with optimal physical properties. After setting these parameters, we analysed this tablet’s composition and effectiveness by evaluating its physicochemical properties, antioxidant potential, FTIR spectrum and studied the controlled release of phycocyanin. Our results revealed that the optimized formula showed high stability and richness in active compounds.

Bioethanol is an alternative fuel produced during biomass fermentation. Among the available biomass resources for bioethanol production, coconut husk is an interesting raw material due to its high cellulose content. This study aims to evaluate the coconut husk conversion into bioethanol using DES (ChCl:MEA) and NADES (Be:La) solvents for the delignification process. The molar ratios of HBA and HBD of the two solvents were varied (1:4, 1:6, 1:8) at 2, 4, 6, and 8 h for each ratio. The delignified samples were hydrolyzed using the 5% (w/w) of cellulase enzymes and fermented for seven days using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results showed that DES (ChCl:MEA) and NADES (Be:La) could remove lignin at about 60.53% and 65.81%. The glucose content was obtained at 0.5% (brix) by both solvents and bioethanol content was obtained at 13.9% and 14% (v/v) for DES and NADES, respectively.

The new polynucleating tripodal proligand $\text{H}_6\text{tren(dpa)}_3$, containing thirteen nitrogen donors of four different types, was designed, synthesized, and isolated in good yield (${\sim }$60%) via a transition-metal-free triple N-arylation of $\text{H}_6$tren with HXdpa (X $=$ Br or F), using $\text{K}_2\text{CO}_3$ or $\text{Cs}_2\text{CO}_3$ as a base ($\text{H}_6$tren $=$ tris(2-aminoethyl)amine, HXdpa $=$ 6-halogeno-$N$-(pyridin-2-yl)pyridin-2-amine). HFdpa was prepared with excellent yield (90–92%) by reaction of 2,6-difluoropyridine with 2-aminopyridine in LiH/toluene/pyridine and was found more reactive than HBrdpa, affording higher conversion and higher yield. Use of $\text{Cs}_2\text{CO}_3$ turned out to be essential for achieving high regioselectivity and eliminating overarylation almost completely.

Catalyst systems of the Lebedev reaction from oxides of Zn, Zr, La, Cu and silica gel were investigated. The catalysts were characterized by BET, XRF, XRD, TPD-$\text{NH}_3$ and TPR. The parameters of ethanol to butadiene-1,3 process were determined using ethanol, acetaldehyde and water as raw materials without inert diluents. When using a mixture of ethanol and acetaldehyde as a feedstock, the selectivity of the butadiene-1,3 formation exceeds 60% and its productivity is at least $0.32~\text{g}_{\mathrm{BD}}{\cdot } \text{g}_{\mathrm{cat}}^{-1}{\cdot }\text{h}^{-1}$. The average butadiene-1,3 yield was over 34% in 8 h. The stability of the CuO/$\text{La}_2\text{O}_3$/$\text{ZrO}_2$/$\text{SiO}_2$ catalyst was evaluated for 5 cycles of 24 h. When using 96% ethanol, the butadiene-1,3 yield decreased from 25.1% to 13.8% during the full cycle. Oxidation regeneration of the catalyst makes it possible to completely restore its catalytic activity.

The development of efficient methods for the cycloaddition of CX2 (carbon dioxide (X${=}$O) or carbon disulfide (X${=}$S)) with fluorinated epoxides to produce five-membered cyclic carbonates (CCs) or cyclic xanthates (XAs) is a very attractive topic. In this work, the cycloaddition of CX2 with hexafluoropropene oxide (HFPO) was performed in the presence of a lithium bromide (LiBr) catalyst and optimized in terms of temperature, solvent, pressure, and reaction time. Then, the optimized conditions were tried in the cycloaddition of CX2 with 2-(trifluoromethyl)oxirane (TFEO) for reproducibility, leading to the corresponding products in high yields. Finally, two original fluorinated five-membered bis-CCs and bis-XAs were synthesized in high yields (85 and 87%) by reacting CX2 with 1,4-bis($2^{\prime }{,}3^{\prime }$-epoxypropyl) perfluorobutane (BEPFB). All of the resulting compounds were characterized by FTIR, 1H, 19F, and 13C NMR spectroscopy.

Experiments were conducted to study the formation of copper minerals on carbonate material (marble) from lactate solutions. Main kinetic parameters were estimated from the curves of copper ions deposition. The reaction rate constant is $4.19 \times 10^{-6}~\text{s}^{-1}$ and the effective diffusion coefficient is $1.39 \times 10^{-12}~\text{m}^2/\text{s}$ at room temperature (25 °C). IR spectra of sediments show good agreement with natural samples of malachite and azurite (Spassk deposit, Central Kazakhstan). The results show the possibility of using organic complexing agents for intensifying the processes of secondary mineral formation of copper carbonate minerals (malachite and azurite) to prevent the dissipation of heavy metal ions in soluble forms from poor deposits and dumps during their remediation.

As environmental management is becoming increasingly complex, adequate assessment techniques must be utilized to forecast environmental impact trends. The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the evaluation system in Greece regarding environmental impact assessment (EIA) concerning projects. Data were extracted from literature and a questionnaire, which was distributed electronically on a Pan-Hellenic scale. Results indicated that the EIA system in Greece has solid foundations with a weak point regarding implementation. Strengths, weaknesses, and threats of EIA institution were analyzed through SWOT-AHP (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats and Analytical Hierarchy Process) analysis. A dominant criterion in the analysis due to the dynamic of the deep economic recession was found to be the economic crisis.

To obtain high quality final products, biomolecules can be exposed in production lines to stress factors such as heating, stirring and multiple surfaces contact before their commercialization. These factors can induce stability and efficacy loss. In this work, the antibacterial activity of lysozyme (LSZ), a protein used as antibiotic which acts by disrupting the bacterial cell wall, was studied after two operations: heating and ultrafiltration. Antibacterial activity after extreme stress factors is expected to decrease due to conformational changes in the protein molecule. It was observed that ultrafiltration can promote an activity decrease proportional to the applied transmembrane pressure of a non-treated lysozyme. However, when a thermally treated lysozyme (90 °C) was filtered, no additional effect was observed due to the pore passage, independently of the applied pressure.

Sorbitol was employed as the grafting agent to modify nano-silica by the hyperbranched reaction. The obtained carrier was further used to prepare immobilized 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), which was successfully applied to produce vitamin E succinate. Two crucial steps were systematically investigated during the preparation of hyperbranched loaded DMAP: the epoxy-alcohol addition and N-alkylation reactions. For the epoxy-alcohol addition reaction, the maximum hydroxyl content reached 8.89 mmol/g when the molar ratio of sorbitol to epoxide was 2.5:1, the reaction temperature was 55 °C, the stirring rate was 500 rpm, and the reaction time was 8 h. In the N-alkylation reaction, when the reaction time was 20 h, the reaction temperature was 130 °C, the molar ratio of MAP to K$_{2}$CO$_{3}$ was 1:1.5, the KI to MAP molar ratio was 1:1 and the stirring rate was 600 rpm, the highest loading of DMAP reached 5.17 mmol/g. The catalytic performance of the loaded DMAP with different branching levels was evaluated by the acetylation reaction. The highest catalytic activity was observed in the hyperbranched catalyst, which reached 24.97 mmol/h${\cdot }$g. Moreover, the stability of the prepared immobilized DMAP was significantly enhanced. After being used for ten batches, 94.9% of the catalytic activity retention rate was obtained.

In 1865, at the request of the government, Louis Pasteur was led to investigate the causes of a disease, the “pebrine”, which struck the silkworm farms, especially in the south of France, and to provide a remedy. He devoted 5 years of his life (1865–1870) to it, years in which he discovered biology, which represented for him a real epistemological rupture and a profound paradigm shift: from the chemist he was, he discovered and converted to biology. How did this happen, and under what conditions?These 5 years of work on silkworm diseases appear as a response to a challenge that Pasteur has launched himself, in a field totally new to him. He was able to bring an original solution to get rid of these germs that permanently infested the French strains of the silkworm, strains long selected for their silk production. But these results go far beyond that. He was able to define a rigorous approach to what was known only approximately: infection, contagion and heredity of diseases. He was able to come up with concepts that would later have a much broader application, to any animal or human pathology. It is necessary to emphasize Pasteur’s ability to radically change paradigms, swapping those of chemistry for those of biology. At this point in his career, Louis Pasteur became a biologist$~$!

It is a matter of strategic independence for many countries to urgently find processes that take into account environmental and economic issues when recycling critical metals. Liquid–liquid (L/L) extraction is a promising method for recovering rare-earth elements from electrical and electronic waste. However, an optimized process on an industrial scale has not yet been established. One of the main reasons is the lack of fundamental knowledge. Therefore, designing a cost-effective and adaptive formulation is still beyond the scope of possibilities. This requires deciphering the molecular forces that control ion transfer beyond the classical supramolecular complexation and developing predictive models compatible with the design and control needs of recycling processes. In all liquid/liquid processes, the high loading of the organic solvent with metal salts/acids or extractant can sometimes lead to a third phase formation. Phase modifiers are often added to the solvent phase in order to prevent the formation of this third phase. However, the effect of these additives on the extraction efficiency as well as their mechanisms of action are still poorly understood. The phase modifiers used in industrial processes are mainly fatty alcohols, called “lipotropes”. In this paper, we study a new class of molecules opening new possibilities beyond the commonly used phase modifiers (i.e., n-octanol). These are the “hydrotropic” molecules. We first show the role of a model hydrotrope (PnP) in preventing the third phase formation for different extraction systems. We also show that the role of modifiers can be understood according to three molecular mechanisms: as co-solvent, as co-surfactant and by preferential solvation. The dominant molecular effect can be identified and quantified by combining surface tension and neutron scattering experiments. In the case of phase modifiers that are hydrotropes, the co-solvent or co-surfactant effect is dominant. In the case of “lipotropes”, the preferential solvation mechanism is emphasized. Finally, the consequences of these mechanisms on the extraction efficiency and selectivity are discussed.

In the present study, char and activated carbon (AC) materials were prepared from water bottles, recuperated from the waste collection point in Mourouj, Ben Arous, Tunisia, by using a rotative horizontal tubular furnace, on a lab/pilot scale and through chemical and physical activation. Different samples were characterized by $\text{N}_2$ adsorption isotherms, SEM-EDX, XRD, EA as well as by the determination of the $\text{pH}_{\mathrm{zpc}}$. The efficiency of the ACs to remove (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)) herbicides from aqueous solutions was also investigated. The results demonstrated that a maximum adsorption capacity of $192~\text{mg}{\cdot }\text{g}^{-1}$, for MCPA, and $290~\text{mg}{\cdot }\text{g}^{-1}$ for 2,4-D had been attained. The adsorption kinetics was fitted to pseudo first, second order and Elovich model, while the adsorption isotherms were fitted applying the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The potential use as solid fuel materials was evaluated using elemental analysis and numerical high calorific value (HCV). The experimental results were compared to the conventional solid fuels classified in the Van Krevelen graph. The essays performed showed that the HCV was in the range of 10.2–11.9 MJ/kg.

Among Louis Pasteur’s many contributions to science, the study of infectious diseases affecting animals and humans was a starting point for our knowledge of their origins, prophylaxis and prevention. Streptococcus, hen cholera, anthrax, and swine erysipelas were the first bacteriological approaches that led to the formulation of the principles of protection against these diseases. The concept of vaccination was to emerge from this and prove successful, continuing to the present day.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) was combined with amino-functionalized carbon quantum dots (CQDs) to enhance the optical and surface area properties of HAp. The loading of amino-functionalized CQDs could enhance the luminescence of HAp and its UV–Vis absorbance. Additionally, surface area of HAp could be increased from 84.16 to 129.94 m$^{2}$/g by loading amino-functionalized CQDs. The drug release experiment was conducted using acetaminophen. The release happened slowly for amino-functionalized CQDs/HAp, with full release of acetaminophen being observed after 24 h. The enhanced luminescence composite shows high potential for the composite to be used for the controlled release of drugs.

The registers containing the mail from the “Ecole supérieure de pharmacie de Strasbourg”, recently returned to the Strasbourg Faculty of pharmacy, were transcribed by Guy Dirheimer. These letters had never been published in full. In this article we publish and comment on those of the “Ecole supérieure” and the rectorate of Strasbourg which concern Louis Pasteur who taught chemistry there from June 1, 1849 to the end of 1850.

Prussian Blue analogs (PBAs) are well-known coordination polymers offering a wide range of properties, and their fundamental understanding requires their investigations by various techniques. One of them is transition metal (TM) K-edge X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD), which is element selective, bulk sensitive and compatible with a wide range of experimental conditions. This short review presents the reciprocal investigation of PBA with TM K-edge XMCD, from the first studies demonstrating that qualitative local magnetic information could be obtained on PBA from TM K-edge XMCD until our on-going project aiming at fundamentally understanding TM K-edge XMCD thanks to PBAs as model-compounds.

Ni supported over activated carbon (AC) based on olive stones were tested for methane decomposition to produce hydrogen. Physical (by $\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}$) and chemical (by $\mathrm{H}_{3}\mathrm{PO}_{4}$) activations were compared. Kinetic parameters of methane decomposition were determined depending on Ni load, methane partial pressure and reaction temperature. The catalysts were characterized before and after reaction by $\mathrm{N}_{2}$ adsorption, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The catalysts showed good initial activities that increased with temperature and nickel load, reactivity decreased with time. The reaction orders were 0.63 and 0.74 and the activation energies were 122 and 139 kJ/mol for physically and chemically activated carbon, respectively. BET surface areas and pore volumes decreased dramatically after reaction due to the deposit of carbon on the support. Ni stayed under its metallic form on the physically AC whereas it was mainly present as $\mathrm{Ni}_{12}\mathrm{P}_{5}$ over the chemically activated one. TEM characterization revealed the formation of well-organized carbon nano-onions surrounding Ni particles on the physically activated carbon. Nano-onions were not formed around $\mathrm{Ni}_{12}\mathrm{P}_{5}$ particles in the chemically activated carbon. The physical activation allowed the synthesis of catalysts with a better stability for methane conversion than what chemical activation would allow.

Chitosan (CS) hydrogel beads and hybrid beads made of a blending of CS hydrogels and Multilayer Graphene Oxide (MGO) were synthesized. The hybrid beads were prepared by gelation in NaOH solution of a 1 wt% CS acid solution with addition of MGO at either 1.5 wt% or 3 wt% loading rates. Prepared beads were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron cryo-microscopy and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area measurements. $\text{Zn}^{2+}$ and Metoprolol (MTP) adsorption kinetics and isotherms were studied on the pristine and hybrid CS hydrogel beads. The adsorption kinetics of $\text{Zn}^{2+}$ and MTP in hybrid beads is limited by the diffusion to the MGO sites depending on their accessibility. While pure CS is not efficient for the MTP adsorption, the Langmuir-type isotherms of the 3 wt% MGO hydrogel beads (dose: 5 mg/100 mL) show 163 mg$\cdot $g$^{-1}$ maximum adsorption uptake. The MTP adsorption kinetics and isotherm suggest a MTP trapping on the MGO anionic sites (carboxylate groups) by electrostatic interactions. The $\text{Zn}^{2+}$ adsorption capacities are the highest for the 3 wt% MGO hydrogel beads (236 mg$\cdot $g$^{-1}$), and only of 40 mg$\cdot $g$^{-1}$ for the pure CS beads. The presence of $\text{Zn}^{2+}$ adsorption sites in the hybrid bead, such as MGO carboxylate groups giving electrostatic interactions, and CS amine groups leading to complexation, provides synergic adsorption effects. The competitive adsorption of $\text{Zn}^{2+}$ with respect to MTP in equimolar mixture was observed on hybrid beads (dose: 200 mg/100 mL) at 2 mmol$\cdot $L$^{-1}$ initial total concentration. At pollutant initial total concentration lower than 1.5 mmol$\cdot $L$^{-1}$, no competition occurs. The regeneration at pH 4 of the hybrid beads toward MTP or $\text{Zn}^{2+}$ adsorption was found to be 35–40% of the initial adsorption uptake for five adsorption/regeneration cycles.

Louis Pasteur began his scientific research with crystallographic studies, which led him to distinguish different forms of tartaric acids and tartarates. His appointment to the University of Lille, in an industrial environment that led him to study amyl alcohols, helped to reorient his scientific activity, but he remained mainly driven by his hypothesis that “molecular dissymmetry” was the prerogative of the living. Stumbling on the optical inactivity of certain organic compounds, he progressively abandoned a research for which chemical concepts were missing and which were only elaborated later, by others, to study fermentation, before going to explore the micro-organisms which caused them.

In this work, a series of polyoxometalates (POMs), as soluble salts of formula Sn1.5PMo12O40, SbPMo12O40 and $\mathrm{H}_{3-x}\mathrm{Sn}_{x1}\mathrm{Sb}_{x2}\mathrm{PMo}_{12} \mathrm{O}_{40}$ ($x=2x_{1}+3x_{2}$ and $x_{1}$, $x_{2}=$ 0–0.75) were synthesized using the cationic exchange method under stoichiometric conditions. They were characterized and tested in the oxidation of cyclohexanone using hydrogen peroxide in the absence of organic solvent, co-catalyst phase transfer compounds or surfactants. UV–Visible and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyses showed a partially reduced state of POM with coexistence of the couples Mo(VI)/Mo(V), Sb(V)/Sb(III) and Sn(IV)/Sn(II), without affecting their structure, results confirmed by FT-IR and Raman spectroscopies. The reversible cyclic voltammetry analysis evidenced the valence change of the Mo species, Mo(VI)/Mo(V). The POMs are found to be active in the cyclohexanone oxidation reaction and among them the most efficient is $\mathrm{H}_{0.75}\mathrm{Sb}_{0.75}\mathrm{PMo}_{12}\mathrm{O}_{40}$ with 49% of adipic acid yield.

In our previous research, some screened 1,3-thiazole fragments were found to be potent by inhibiting LPS-induced TNF$\alpha $ and IL-8 release with IC50 values in the $\mu $M range without cytotoxic activity. In the current study, 1,3-thiazole fragments were further investigated as potent cholinesterase inhibitors prompted by the previously documented anti-inflammatory effect of AChE inhibitors. Molecular docking enabled insight into stabilizing interactions between the selected thiazoles and the active site of AChE and BChE. According to these experimental results, the cholinesterase inhibitory and anti-inflammatory activity of 1,3-thiazoles were correlated and confirmed that the same compounds inhibited LPS-stimulated TNF$\alpha $ cytokine production in PBMCs and enzymes cholinesterases.

This contribution underlines the key role of physicochemical characterisation techniques in the area of medical research. The starting point centres on the Mid-InfraRed platform located at the Tenon hospital and dedicated to multidisciplinary functional investigations. In the last two decades, we have enhanced this platform by creating a network combining researchers from varied disciplines such as physicists, chemists, and clinicians. The resultant research dynamism is underscored by metrics such as 71 references in Pubmed and 129 in Web of Science, and the high impact of the journals in which we have published (New England Journal of Medicine, Kidney International, Chemical Review...). It is of paramount importance to disseminate these physicochemical techniques among young doctors, and to establish collaborations with appropriate private companies.