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In this work we have tested the potential antiviral activity of silver nanoparticles formulated as Argovit™ against Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). The antiviral activity of Argovit was tested on Vero cell cultures and in type-I interferon receptor deficient mice (IFNAR -/- mice) by two different approaches (i) different dilutions of Argovit were added to previously infected cells or administrated to animals infected with a lethal dose of virus; (ii) virus was pre-incubated with different dilutions of Argovit before inoculation in mice or cells. Though the ability of silver nanoparticles to control an ongoing RVFV infection in the conditions tested was limited, the incubation of virus with Argovit before the infection led to a reduction of the infectivity titers both in vitro and in vivo. These results reveal the potential application of silver nanoparticles to control the infectivity of RVFV, which is an important zoonotic pathogen. © 2016 Elsevier Inc.

Structure, thermostability and catalytic properties of copper and nickel nanoparticles in natural and synthetic zeolites (mordenite and clinoptilolite) have been studied using methods of XRD, elemental analysis, UV-visible spectroscopy, MAS NMR, TEM and catalytic testing. Different electronic states of Cu and Ni were identified in zeolites. Catalytic experiments showed efficiency of the studied catalysts in the process of complete oxidation of hydrocarbons

H-mordenites (HMor) with variable SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 molar ratio (MR) varying from 10 to 206 were incorporated with copper (CuMor). Maximum total acidity and maximum concentration of the strongest acid sites were found for MR-15 (HMor15). This sample has the lowest micropore and mesopore content, but also show strongly disordered Si sites in the crystalline lattice. A consistent finding has been the disappearance of the NMR line from extraframework 27 Al, whenever Cu is present. The reducibility of copper ions and stability of reduced species depend on MR. The MR also influences optical lineshapes from different reduced species of Cu. A plasmon resonance band at 580 nm, due to small Cu particles formed in the zeolite, occurs at low and high MR but not at MR=15. Catalytic tests of NO conversion reveal that the reduced Cu-mordenites with MR=15 are the most stable and active ones.