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Simple Summary: The red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren poses a significant threat to biodiversity, agriculture, and public health in its introduced ranges. Chemicals are the main methods for S. invicta control. To explore more active ingredients for fire ant control, the toxicity and horizontal transfer effects of sulfoxaflor, triflumezopyrim, and flupyradifurone baits against S. invicta were determined and their field effects were assessed. Sulfoxaflor, flupyradifurone, and triflumezopyrim did not have affect the feeding behavior of the fire ants. However, they significantly reduced the climbing, walking, and arrest abilities of the fire ant workers after 10 days of treatment, and their toxicities were horizontally transferred from workers to alates or larvae. Specifically, the field trials showed that sulfoxaflor and triflumezopyrim at 0.05% concentration were the most effective in exterminating fire ants. The mortality rates of the mounds on Day 28 were 81.21% and 84.44% in 1.5- and 2.0-times 0.05% sulfoxaflor-treated plots, and the mortality rates of the mounds on Day 28 were 83.51% and 82.50% in 1.5- and 2.0-times 0.05% triflumezopyrim-treated plots. The red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is native to South America; however, its introduction to other countries has caused serious biodiversity, agricultural, and public health problems. As toxic bait is an effective method to control fire ant populations, the aim of this study was to determine the most effective concentration of sulfoxaflor, flupyradifurone, and triflumezopyrim as ingredients for baits against S. invicta under laboratory and field conditions. Sulfoxaflor, flupyradifurone, and triflumezopyrim had no effect on the feeding behavior of the fire ants. However, they significantly reduced the climbing, walking, and arrest abilities of the fire ant workers after 10 days of treatment, and insecticides were horizontally transferred from workers to alates or larvae. Specifically, sulfoxaflor and triflumezopyrim at 0.05% concentration were the most effective in exterminating fire ants. Sulfoxaflor and triflumezopyrim are nonrepellent and effective insecticides against S. invicta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternariol (AOH), an emerging mycotoxin, inevitably exists widely in various food and feed commodities with cereals and fruits being particularly susceptible, raising global concerns over its harm to human and livestock health. The development of eco-friendly and efficient strategies to decontaminate AOH has been an urgent task. This study provided insight into the utilization of crude soybean hull peroxidase as a powerful biocatalyst for degrading AOH. The results confirmed that crude soybean hull peroxidase (SHP) could catalyze the oxidation of AOH by use of H2O2 as a co-substrate. The optimum reaction conditions for SHP-catalyzed AOH degradation were recorded at pH 4.0–8.0, at 42–57 °C, and at H2O2 concentration of 100–500 μM. Mass analysis elucidated the degradation of AOH through hydroxylation and methylation by crude SHP. Moreover, toxicological analysis indicated that crude SHP-catalyzed AOH degradation detoxified the hepatotoxicity of this mycotoxin. The performance of crude SHP to degrade AOH in food matrices was further evaluated, and it was found that the enzyme agent could achieve AOH degradation by 77% in wheat flour, 84% in corn flour, 34% in grape juice, and 26% in apple juice. Collectively, these findings establish crude SHP as a promising candidate for effective AOH degradation, with potential applications in the food and feed industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates, for the first time, the effects of UV/PMS and UV/H2O2/PMS processes on the degradation of sunscreen agents in synthetic and natural water matrices and compares their effectiveness with the more conventional UV/H2O2. Investigations were conducted using a mixture of organic UV filters containing 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) and 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate. Among the investigated UV-driven AOPs, UV/PMS/H2O2 was the most effective in synthetic water, while in natural water, the highest degradation rate was observed during the degradation of EHMC by UV/PMS. The degradation of UV filters in the UV/PMS system was promoted by sulfate radical (68% of the degradation), with hydroxyl radical contributing approximately 32%, while both radical species contributed approximately equally to the degradation in the UV/H2O2/PMS system. The Vibrio fischeri assay showed an increase in inhibition (up to 70%) at specific stages of UV/H2O2 treatment when applied to natural water, which further decreased to 30%, along with an increase in UV fluence and progressive degradation. The Pseudomonas putida test recorded minor toxicity (<15%) after treatments. Magnetic biochar utilized in conjunction with UV-driven AOPs exhibited superior performance in eliminating residual contaminants, providing an efficient and sustainable approach to mitigate sunscreen agents in water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an electrochemical-assisted ferric ion/persulfate (EC/Fe3+/PS) process was proposed to degrade bezafibrate (BZF), a widespread hypolipidemic drug, in water. By promoting the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ at the cathode, the introduction of an electric field successfully overcomes the limitation of non-regenerable Fe2+ inherent in Fe2+/PS systems, significantly improving the degradation efficiency of BZF. The predominant reactive species identified were •OH and SO4●−, with 1O2 also playing a role. Various key operational parameters were investigated and optimized, including the current intensity, Fe3+ dosage, PS concentration, and initial pH. With a current intensity of 50 mA, an Fe3+ concentration of 50 μΜ, a PS dosage of 50 μM, and an initial pH of 3, the degradation efficiency of BZF demonstrated an exceptional achievement, reaching up to 98.8% within 30 min. The influence of anions and humic acid was also assessed. An LC/TOF/MS analysis revealed four major degradation pathways of BZF: hydroxylation, amino bond cleavage, dechlorination, and fibrate chain removal. The acute and chronic toxicities of BZF and its degradation intermediates were then assessed using the ECOSAR program. These findings highlight the wide-ranging applications of the EC/Fe3+/PS system and its potential for remediating water contaminated with micropollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is native to South America; however, its introduction to other countries has caused serious biodiversity, agricultural, and public health problems. As toxic bait is an effective method to control fire ant populations, the aim of this study was to determine the most effective concentration of sulfoxaflor, flupyradifurone, and triflumezopyrim as ingredients for baits against S. invicta under laboratory and field conditions. Sulfoxaflor, flupyradifurone, and triflumezopyrim had no effect on the feeding behavior of the fire ants. However, they significantly reduced the climbing, walking, and arrest abilities of the fire ant workers after 10 days of treatment, and insecticides were horizontally transferred from workers to alates or larvae. Specifically, sulfoxaflor and triflumezopyrim at 0.05% concentration were the most effective in exterminating fire ants. Sulfoxaflor and triflumezopyrim are nonrepellent and effective insecticides against S. invicta.

Alternariol (AOH), an emerging mycotoxin, inevitably exists widely in various food and feed commodities with cereals and fruits being particularly susceptible, raising global concerns over its harm to human and livestock health. The development of eco-friendly and efficient strategies to decontaminate AOH has been an urgent task. This study provided insight into the utilization of crude soybean hull peroxidase as a powerful biocatalyst for degrading AOH. The results confirmed that crude soybean hull peroxidase (SHP) could catalyze the oxidation of AOH by use of H2O2 as a co-substrate. The optimum reaction conditions for SHP-catalyzed AOH degradation were recorded at pH 4.0–8.0, at 42–57 °C, and at H2O2 concentration of 100–500 μM. Mass analysis elucidated the degradation of AOH through hydroxylation and methylation by crude SHP. Moreover, toxicological analysis indicated that crude SHP-catalyzed AOH degradation detoxified the hepatotoxicity of this mycotoxin. The performance of crude SHP to degrade AOH in food matrices was further evaluated, and it was found that the enzyme agent could achieve AOH degradation by 77% in wheat flour, 84% in corn flour, 34% in grape juice, and 26% in apple juice. Collectively, these findings establish crude SHP as a promising candidate for effective AOH degradation, with potential applications in the food and feed industry.

MASM, a structurally modified derivative of matrine, exhibits superior efficacy in reducing inflammation and liver injury in rats when compared to matrine. This study aims to investigate the pharmacokinetic profile and acute toxicity of MASM. Pharmacokinetic results revealed that MASM exhibited rapid absorption, with a Tmax ranging from 0.21 ± 0.04 h to 1.31 ± 0.53 h, and was eliminated slowly, with a t1/2 of approximately 10 h regardless of the route of administration (intravenous, intraperitoneal, or intragastric). The absolute intragastric bioavailability of MASM in rats was determined to be 44.50%, which was significantly higher than that of matrine (18.5%). MASM was detected in all rat tissues including the brain, and through the utilization of stable isotope-labeled compounds and standard references, ten metabolites of MASM, namely sophocarpine, oxysophocarpine, and oxymatrine, were tentatively identified. The LD50 of MASM in mice was determined to be 94.25 mg/kg, surpassing that of matrine (83.21 mg/kg) based on acute toxicity results. Histopathological and biochemical analysis indicated no significant alterations in the primary organs of the low- to medium-dosage groups of MASM. These findings provide valuable insights into the efficacy and toxicity profile of MASM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a synthetic phenolic antioxidant (SPA), is now widely present in natural waters. To improve the degradation efficiency of BHA and reduce product toxicity, a combination of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and Ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)) was used in this study. We systematically investigated the reaction kinetics, mechanism and product toxicity in the degradation of BHA through the combined use of PMS and Fe(VI). The results showed that PMS and Fe(VI) have synergistic effects on the degradation of BHA. The effects of operational factors, including PMS dosage, pH and coexisting ions (Cl−, SO42−, HCO3−, K+, NH4+ and Mg2+), and different water matrices were investigated through a series of kinetic experiments. When T = 25 °C, the initial pH was 8.0, the initial BHA concentration was 100 μM, the initial concentration ratio of [PMS]0:[Fe(VI)]0:[BHA]0 was 100:1:1 and the degradation rate could reach 92.4% within 30 min. Through liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) identification, it was determined that the oxidation pathway of BHA caused by PMS/Fe(VI) mainly includes hydroxylation, ring-opening and coupling reactions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that •OH was most likely to attack BHA and generate hydroxylated products. The comprehensive comparison of product toxicity results showed that the PMS/Fe(VI) system can effectively reduce the environmental risk of a reaction. This study contributes to the development of PMS/Fe(VI) for water treatment applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagram of (a) the contraction and expansion mechanism and (b) mass transfer mechanism for ZMPC. [Display omitted] • Abundant large pores and open channels are created by confined expansion pore-making strategy. • Energetic Zn-MOF and ZIF-67 are utilized as pore forming additive and precursor of active sites. • Possible degradation pathways of TTCH were proposed by DFT and LC-MS calculations. • The confined expansion pore-making strategy enriches the theory of porous carbon preparation. Electrospinning MOFs nanoparticles derived porous carbon nanofibers with rational structure and design are recently as environmentally friendly and highly efficient catalytic materials for wastewater treatment. However, most of the pore-making strategies are based on precursors structural shrinkage during pyrolysis, which is a challenge to create abundant large pores and open channels. Here, a confined expansion pore-making strategy with active MOF is introduced, where energetic Zn-MOF (Zn2+/triazole) and ZIF-67 (Co2+/dimethylimidazole) are utilized as pore forming additive and precursor of active sites, respectively. The high nitrogen content gives triazole the ability to puff up and realizes N -doped during pyrolysis. Moreover, degradation mechanisms and pathways of pollutants were measured by 3D EEM, LC-MS, quenching experiments, and Fukui function. This pore-making strategy via energetic MOF local contraction and expansion provides a novel method to prepare diversiform function porous carbon materials for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction of oxygen vacancies (OVs) into the heterogeneous catalysts is an efficient method to improve their catalytic activity for persulfate activation. The OVs-rich Zn x Cu 1-x Fe 2 O 4 nano-catalysts were synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method and analyzed using various characterization techniques (XRD, FE-SEM, EDS, BET surface area and XPS). OVs-rich Zn x Cu 1-x Fe 2 O 4 nano-catalysts exhibited a significantly higher catalytic activity for the removal of tetracycline (TC) by activating peroxydisulfate (PDS) than ZnFe 2 O 4 and CuFe 2 O 4 nano-catalyst. TC degradation efficiency in different Zn x Cu 1-x Fe 2 O 4 /PDS systems demonstrated that Zn 0.6 Cu 0.4 Fe 2 O 4 showed the best catalytic performance due to its highest OVs content, largest specific surface area and pore volume, and 90.09% of TC (20 mg/L) was degraded by Zn 0.6 Cu 0.4 Fe 2 O 4 with PDS after 60 min. Cu in-situ introduction can increase the amount of OVs in ZnFe 2 O 4 and affect the cross-occupancy of Zn and Fe, thus promoting the generation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in PDS-activated process; moreover, doped Cu can also act as an activation site for PDS and boost the formation of active Fe(Ⅱ). Mechanism study showed that all of ROS (1O 2 , O 2 •−, SO 4 •− and •OH) generated in Zn x Cu 1-x Fe 2 O 4 /PDS system simultaneously engaged in TC elimination, and 1O 2 played the main role. The probable TC degradation pathways in Zn 0.6 Cu 0.4 Fe 2 O 4 /PDS system were proposed. The practical application potential of magnetic Zn 0.6 Cu 0.4 Fe 2 O 4 nano-catalyst in the treatment of TC-contaminated wastewater was assessed by investigating the reusability of Zn 0.6 Cu 0.4 Fe 2 O 4 , the removal of TC in real water matrix and the toxicity of TC degradation intermediates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solubility is an essential criterion for attaining desired concentration of the drug within the systemic circulation to ensure intended pharmacological action. The main setback for the formulation development of new chemical entities and generic drugs is their lower aqueous solubility. Therefore, a drug carrier system is needed which not only enhances the solubility of low aqueous soluble drugs but also maintains a constant pharmacological action of drugs within predetermined intervals of time. For this purpose, authors prepared carbopol 934-co-poly(itaconic acid) (CPcPIA) nanogels by the free radical polymerization technique for the solubility enhancement of Valsartan. The polymeric nanogels were characterized and studied for further evaluation. FTIR studies indicated no interactions between the drug and nanogel contents. SEM showed a porous and sponged structure of particles without any agglomeration. Similarly, higher thermal stability was detected for the fabricated nanogel compared to its constituents, while reduction in crystallinity of the drug and excipients was shown by XRD analysis, indicating the amorphous nature of the polymeric nanogels. Average particle size and zeta potential of prepared nanogels were found 290.32 nm and –8.32 mV, respectively. Furthermore, various studies such as sol-gel fraction, dynamic swelling, drug loading, in-vitro drug release studies, solubility, and toxicity study were conducted for the developed nanogels. A significant increase in the solubility of Valsartan (2.002, 2.976, and 3.543 mg/mL) was observed by polymeric nanogels in pH 1.2, deionized distilled water, and pH 7.4 as compared to reference product. Toxicity study indicated no toxic effect of prepared nanogels on rabbit's species. Thus, it can be demonstrated from the results that synthesized nanogels are not only limited to a specific class of drug but the solubility of all low aqueous soluble drugs can be enhanced by the prepared networks of nanogels.

Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), one widely used organophosphate flame retardant, has attracted accumulating attention due to its high detection rate in human biological samples. Up to date, the effects of TPHP exposure on intestinal health remain unexplored. In this study, BALB/c mice were used as a model and exposed to TPHP at dose of 2, 10, or 50 mg/kg body weight for 28 days. We observed Crohn’s disease-like features in ileum and ulcerative colitis disease-like features in colon, such as shorter colon length, ileum/colon structure impairment, intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis, enrichment of proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells, and disruption of tight junction. Furthermore, we found that TPHP induced production of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis in intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells, accompanied by disruption of tight junction between cells. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying TPHP-induced changes in intestines, we build the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework based on Comparative Toxicogenomics and GeneCards database. The AOP framework revealed that PI3K/AKT and FoxO signaling pathway might be associated with cellular apoptosis, an increase in ROS production, and increased inflammation response in mouse ileum and colon tissues challenged with TPHP. These results identified that TPHP induced IBD-like features and provided new perspectives for toxicity evaluation of TPHP.

In the modern era, the Indian Ayurvedic system of Medicine is believed to treat diseases from the root cause. The ayurvedic system claims to have many indigenous plants and herbal preparations, which provide therapeutic benefit in the treatment of kidney diseases. Aim - To study the benefits of herbal preparation Eladi quatha for kidney disease Urothalisis. Method - This study was undertaken to explore the effects of Eladi quatha in animals to treat kidney stone diseases. However, no safety profile for this formulation has been reported to date; thus, in this study, freshly prepared Eladi quatha was evaluated for acute toxicity. Acute toxicity test was evaluated as per OECD 423 guidelines with 5000 mg/kg as a limit test in Wistar strain Albino rats. Test formulations were administered to overnight fasted animals and parameters like body weight, behavioral changes, and mortality were assessed for 14 days. Hematological and biochemical parameters were assessed on the 14th day after administration. Result - No significant changes were noted in terms of behavioral changes, mortality, and body weight. The samples did not affect any of the hematological parameters. However, an increase in blood urea level was observed. Conclusion - This study concludes that freshly prepared Eladi quatha is relatively safe up to the dose of 5000 mg/kg. However, further chronic toxicity evaluation is necessary to establish its safety profile on chronic administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Glycol chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) have emerged as an effective drug delivery system for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Although they have great biocompatibility owing to biodegradable chemical structure and low immunogenicity, sufficient information on in vivo toxicity to understand the potential risks depending on the repeated high-dose have not been adequately studied. Herein, we report the results of in vivo toxicity evaluation for CNPs focused on the number and dose of administration in healthy mice to provide a toxicological guideline for a better clinical application of CNPs. Results The CNPs were prepared by conjugating hydrophilic glycol chitosan with hydrophobic 5β-cholanic acid and the amphiphilic glycol chitosan-5β-cholanic acid formed self-assembled nanoparticles with its concentration-dependent homogeneous size distributions (265.36–288.3 nm) in aqueous condition. In cell cultured system, they showed significantly high cellular uptake in breast cancer cells (4T1) and cardiomyocytes (H9C2) than in fibroblasts (L929) and macrophages (Raw264.7) in a dose- and time-dependent manners, resulting in severe necrotic cell death in H9C2 at a clinically relevant highly concentrated condition. In particular, when the high-dose (90 mg/kg) of CNPs were intravenously injected into the healthy mice, considerable amount was non-specifically accumulated in major organs (liver, lung, spleen, kidney and heart) after 6 h of injection and sustainably retained for 72 h. Finally, repeated high-dose of CNPs (90 mg/kg, three times) induced severe cardiotoxicity accompanying inflammatory responses, tissue damages, fibrotic changes and organ dysfunction. Conclusions This study demonstrates that repeated high-dose CNPs induce severe cardiotoxicity in vivo. Through the series of toxicological assessments in the healthy mice, this study provides a toxicological guideline that may expedite the application of CNPs in the clinical settings.

In this study, an electrochemical-assisted ferric ion/persulfate (EC/Fe3+/PS) process was proposed to degrade bezafibrate (BZF), a widespread hypolipidemic drug, in water. By promoting the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ at the cathode, the introduction of an electric field successfully overcomes the limitation of non-regenerable Fe2+ inherent in Fe2+/PS systems, significantly improving the degradation efficiency of BZF. The predominant reactive species identified were •OH and SO4●−, with 1O2 also playing a role. Various key operational parameters were investigated and optimized, including the current intensity, Fe3+ dosage, PS concentration, and initial pH. With a current intensity of 50 mA, an Fe3+ concentration of 50 μΜ, a PS dosage of 50 μM, and an initial pH of 3, the degradation efficiency of BZF demonstrated an exceptional achievement, reaching up to 98.8% within 30 min. The influence of anions and humic acid was also assessed. An LC/TOF/MS analysis revealed four major degradation pathways of BZF: hydroxylation, amino bond cleavage, dechlorination, and fibrate chain removal. The acute and chronic toxicities of BZF and its degradation intermediates were then assessed using the ECOSAR program. These findings highlight the wide-ranging applications of the EC/Fe3+/PS system and its potential for remediating water contaminated with micropollutants.

Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) has been actively pursued as a therapeutic target for osteoporosis, given that RANKL is the master mediator of bone resorption as it promotes osteoclast differentiation, activity and survival. We employed a structure-based virtual screening approach comprising two stages of experimental evaluation and identified 11 commercially available compounds that displayed dose-dependent inhibition of osteoclastogenesis. Their inhibitory effects were quantified through TRAP activity at the low micromolar range (IC50 < 5 μΜ), but more importantly, 3 compounds displayed very low toxicity (LC50 > 100 μΜ). We also assessed the potential of an N-(1-aryl-1H-indol-5-yl)aryl-sulfonamide scaffold that was based on the structure of a hit compound, through synthesis of 30 derivatives. Their evaluation revealed 4 additional hits that inhibited osteoclastogenesis at low micromolar concentrations; however, cellular toxicity concerns preclude their further development. Taken together with the structure–activity relationships provided by the hit compounds, our study revealed potent inhibitors of RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis of high therapeutic index, which bear diverse scaffolds that can be employed in hit-to-lead optimization for the development of therapeutics against osteolytic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a poisonous semi-metal (metalloid) and has been identified as a human carcinogen. Arsenic poisoning can cause a variety of health damage to the human body. Arsenic can exist in both inorganic and organic forms. It is generally considered that inorganic arsenic is more toxic than organic arsenic. Arsenolipids are organic arsenic and widely exist in tissues of marine organisms. Arseniolipids have been previously thought to be extremely low toxic. With the progress and development of science and technology in recent years, intensive research has been conducted on arsenolipids, and the speciation analysis and toxicity evaluation of arsenolipids have gradually become a hot spot. At present, there are three known species of arsenolipids, namely arsenic-containing fatty acids (AsFAs), arsenic-containing hydrocarbons (AsHCs) and arsenic-containing phospholipids (AsPLs), which differ in their toxicity. However, due to the complex speciation pattern, low bioavailability and low content of arsenolipids, and the difficulty to extract and detect them, the mechanism of arsenolipid toxicity remain unclear. Therefore, this paper reviews the latest progress in the methods for speciation analysis and toxicity evaluation of arsenolipids in marine organisms, with the aim to provide an inspiration for further elucidating the speciation, toxicity, and human health risk of arsenolipids.

The magnetic composite of Fe3O4 and carbon nanotube (MCNT) was fabricated in a facile one-pot solvothermal method and employed to activate peroxydisulfate (PDS) for degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and other pollutants. The effects of operational factors including MCNT dosage and PDS dosage were studied, and high removal efficiencies of 84.2–99.5% were achieved for these pollutants with 0.3 g/L MCNT and 4 mM PDS. The effects of environmental factors including initial pH, inorganic cations, inorganic anions, humic acid and water matrix were also studied. Reusability test showed that the removal efficiency declined in four consecutive runs, which was attributed to the adsorbed oxidation products on the catalyst surface. Based on quenching experiments, solvent exchange (H2O to D2O), inductively coupled plasma and open circuit potential tests, it was concluded that radicals of ·OH/SO4·− and the non-radical electron-transfer pathway were involved in the MCNT/PDS system, and the contributions of O2·−, 1O2, high-valent iron-oxo species and homogenous activation were insignificant. Moreover, the orbital-weighted Fukui functions of RhB were calculated by density functional theory, and its plausible degradation pathway was proposed based on the calculation results. Finally, toxicity evaluation of the degradation products was performed in the quantitative structure-activity relationship approach. HIGHLIGHTS RhB and other organic pollutants were efficiently degraded with the MCNT/PDS system.; OH, SO4·− and the non-radical electron-transfer pathway were mainly responsible.; The degradation pathway was proposed based on LC-MS and DFT calculations.; Toxicity evaluation of the degradation products was performed using ECOSAR.;

Boron nitride nanoparticles have been reported for boron drug delivery. However, its toxicity has not been systematically elucidated. It is necessary to clarify their potential toxicity profile after administration for clinical application. Here, we prepared erythrocyte membrane-coated boron nitride nanoparticles (BN@RBCM). We expect to use them for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in tumors. In this study, we evaluated the acute toxicity and subacute toxicity of BN@RBCM of about 100 nm and determined the half-lethal dose (LD50) of the particles for mice. The results showed that the LD50 of BN@RBCM was 258.94 mg/kg. No remarkable pathological changes by microscopic observation were observed in the treated animals throughout the study period. These results indicate that BN@RBCM has low toxicity and good biocompatibility, which have great potential for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of nano-/microparticles (MNPs) are released into water, not only causing severe water pollution, but also negatively affecting organisms. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate MNP toxicity and mechanisms in water. There is a significant degree of similarity between the genes, the central nervous system, the liver, the kidney, and the intestines of zebrafish and the human body. It has been shown that zebrafish are exceptionally suitable for evaluating the toxicity and action mechanisms of MNPs in water on reproduction, the central nervous system, and metabolism. Providing ideas and methods for studying MNP toxicity, this article discusses the toxicity and mechanisms of MNPs from zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glycol chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) have emerged as an effective drug delivery system for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Although they have great biocompatibility owing to biodegradable chemical structure and low immunogenicity, sufficient information on in vivo toxicity to understand the potential risks depending on the repeated high-dose have not been adequately studied. Herein, we report the results of in vivo toxicity evaluation for CNPs focused on the number and dose of administration in healthy mice to provide a toxicological guideline for a better clinical application of CNPs. Results: The CNPs were prepared by conjugating hydrophilic glycol chitosan with hydrophobic 5β-cholanic acid and the amphiphilic glycol chitosan-5β-cholanic acid formed self-assembled nanoparticles with its concentration-dependent homogeneous size distributions (265.36–288.3 nm) in aqueous condition. In cell cultured system, they showed significantly high cellular uptake in breast cancer cells (4T1) and cardiomyocytes (H9C2) than in fibroblasts (L929) and macrophages (Raw264.7) in a dose- and time-dependent manners, resulting in severe necrotic cell death in H9C2 at a clinically relevant highly concentrated condition. In particular, when the high-dose (90 mg/kg) of CNPs were intravenously injected into the healthy mice, considerable amount was non-specifically accumulated in major organs (liver, lung, spleen, kidney and heart) after 6 h of injection and sustainably retained for 72 h. Finally, repeated high-dose of CNPs (90 mg/kg, three times) induced severe cardiotoxicity accompanying inflammatory responses, tissue damages, fibrotic changes and organ dysfunction. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that repeated high-dose CNPs induce severe cardiotoxicity in vivo. Through the series of toxicological assessments in the healthy mice, this study provides a toxicological guideline that may expedite the application of CNPs in the clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of typical antibiotics (norfloxacin (NOR), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH)) by Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 under visible light irradiation was studied. Various strategies were applied to characterize the morphology, structure and photochemical properties of the Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 composites. The superior photocatalytic activity of Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 was attributed to the wide light response range and the enhancement of interfacial charge transfer. At the same time, the effect of the influence factors (pH, Humic acid (HA) and coexisting ions) on the antibiotics degradation were also investigated. Furthermore, the electron spin resonance (ESR) technology, free radical quenching experiments, LC/MS and DFT theoretical calculations were applied to predict and identify the active groups and intermediates during the photocatalytic degradation process. In addition, Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 exhibited the obvious antibacterial effect to Escherichia coli due to the addition of Ag NPs. This study develops a new way for the removal of emerging antibiotic pollution from wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MASM, a structurally modified derivative of matrine, exhibits superior efficacy in reducing inflammation and liver injury in rats when compared to matrine. This study aims to investigate the pharmacokinetic profile and acute toxicity of MASM. Pharmacokinetic results revealed that MASM exhibited rapid absorption, with a Tmax ranging from 0.21 ± 0.04 h to 1.31 ± 0.53 h, and was eliminated slowly, with a t1/2 of approximately 10 h regardless of the route of administration (intravenous, intraperitoneal, or intragastric). The absolute intragastric bioavailability of MASM in rats was determined to be 44.50%, which was significantly higher than that of matrine (18.5%). MASM was detected in all rat tissues including the brain, and through the utilization of stable isotope-labeled compounds and standard references, ten metabolites of MASM, namely sophocarpine, oxysophocarpine, and oxymatrine, were tentatively identified. The LD50 of MASM in mice was determined to be 94.25 mg/kg, surpassing that of matrine (83.21 mg/kg) based on acute toxicity results. Histopathological and biochemical analysis indicated no significant alterations in the primary organs of the low- to medium-dosage groups of MASM. These findings provide valuable insights into the efficacy and toxicity profile of MASM.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a synthetic phenolic antioxidant (SPA), is now widely present in natural waters. To improve the degradation efficiency of BHA and reduce product toxicity, a combination of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and Ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)) was used in this study. We systematically investigated the reaction kinetics, mechanism and product toxicity in the degradation of BHA through the combined use of PMS and Fe(VI). The results showed that PMS and Fe(VI) have synergistic effects on the degradation of BHA. The effects of operational factors, including PMS dosage, pH and coexisting ions (Cl−, SO42−, HCO3−, K+, NH4+ and Mg2+), and different water matrices were investigated through a series of kinetic experiments. When T = 25 °C, the initial pH was 8.0, the initial BHA concentration was 100 μM, the initial concentration ratio of [PMS]0:[Fe(VI)]0:[BHA]0 was 100:1:1 and the degradation rate could reach 92.4% within 30 min. Through liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) identification, it was determined that the oxidation pathway of BHA caused by PMS/Fe(VI) mainly includes hydroxylation, ring-opening and coupling reactions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that •OH was most likely to attack BHA and generate hydroxylated products. The comprehensive comparison of product toxicity results showed that the PMS/Fe(VI) system can effectively reduce the environmental risk of a reaction. This study contributes to the development of PMS/Fe(VI) for water treatment applications.

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Offshore aquaculture's explosive growth improves the public food chain while also unavoidably adding new pollutants to the environment. Consequently, the protection of coastal marine eco-systems depends on the efficient treatment of wastewater from marine aquaculture. For the sulfamethazine (SMZ) of representative sulfonamides and total organic pollutants removal utilizing in-situ high salinity, this work has established an inventive and systematic treatment process coupled with iron-electrode electrochemical and ultrafiltration. Additionally, the activated dithionite (DTN) was being used in the electrochemical and ultrafiltration processes with electricity/varivalent iron (FeII/FeIII) and ceramic membrane (CM), respectively, indicated by the notations DTN@iron-electrode/EO-CM. Quenching experiments and ESR detection have identified plenty of reactive species including SO 4 · -, · OH, 1O 2 , and O 2 · -, for the advanced treatment. In addition, the mass spectrometry (MS) and the Gaussian simulation calculation for these primary reaction sites revealed the dominate SMZ degradation mechanisms, including cleavage of S–N bond, hydroxylation, and Smile-type rearrangement in DTN@iron-electrode/EO process. The DTN@iron-electrode/EO effluent also demonstrated superior membrane fouling mitigation in terms of the CM process, owing to its higher specific flux. XPS and SEM confirmed the reducing membrane fouling, which showed the formation of a loose and porous cake layer. This work clarified diverse reactive species formation and detoxification with DTN@iron-electrode/EO system and offers a sustainable and efficient process for treating tailwater from coastal aquaculture. [Display omitted] • Dithionite assisted with iron-electrode electro-oxidation could degrade sulfamethazine under high salinity conditions. • Various reactive species were identified in DTN@iron-electrode/EO for SMZ removal. • Breakage of S–N bond and hydroxylation were speculated as the main mechanisms. • Membrane fouling in ceramic membrane process was alleviated due to involved DTN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis has been proven to be an excellent technology for treating antibiotic wastewater, but the impact of each active species involved in the process on antibiotic degradation is still unclear. Therefore, the S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst Ti 3 C 2 /g-C 3 N 4 /TiO 2 was successfully synthesized using melamine and Ti 3 C 2 as precursors by a one-step calcination method using mechanical stirring and ultrasound assistance. Its formation mechanism was studied in detail through multiple characterizations and work function calculations. The heterojunction photocatalyst not only enabled it to retain active species with strong oxidation and reduction abilities, but also significantly promoted the separation and transfer of photo-generated carriers, exhibiting an excellent degradation efficiency of 94.19 % for tetracycline (TC) within 120 min. Importantly, the priority attack sites, degradation pathways, degradation intermediates and their ecological toxicity of TC under the action of each single active species (·O 2 −, h+, ·OH) were first positively explored and evaluated through design experiments, Fukui function theory calculations, HPLC-MS, Escherichia coli toxicity experiments, and ECOSAR program. The results indicated that the preferred attack sites of ·O 2 − on TC were O20, C7, C11, O21, and N25 atoms with high f+ value. The toxicity of intermediates produced by ·O 2 − was also lower than those produced by h+ and ·OH. • S-scheme heterojunction Ti 3 C 2 /g-C 3 N 4 /TiO 2 (TCNTO 580) was synthesized using melamine and Ti 3 C 2 as precursors. • The formation mechanism of TCNTO 580 was studied through multiple characterizations and theoretical calculations. • Priority attack sites and degradation pathways of TC by single active species were explored through HPLC-MS and Fukui index. • Toxicity changes of intermediates by single active species were evaluated using micro toxicity experiment and ECOSAR. • The preferred attack sites of ·O 2 − on TC were O20, C7, C11, O21, and N25, and the toxicity of intermediates was the lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Engineered near-infrared carbon dots enhance mitochondrial imaging signal-to-noise ratio by 2–3 folds. • Charge-driven dense blinking of carbon dots enables rapid super-resolution mitochondrial imaging with minimal frames. • Novel graph structure with GNN analysis achieves 98% accuracy in cellular typing and drug toxicity prediction using mitochondrial morphology. • Pioneering interpretability in GNN models elucidates mitochondrial features' impact on predictive outcomes in cellular functions. Mitochondrial morphology is crucial for cell identification and drug toxicity evaluation, yet it is challenged by mitochondrial complexities and limitations in imaging technologies. We develop an ultrasmall (∼1.5 nm) fluorescent carbon dot (CD), specifically designed to target mitochondria in live cells. These CDs exhibit near-infrared fluorescence at 685 nm, enhancing fluorescence imaging's signal-to-noise ratio by 2–3 times. Their dense-blinking behavior enables rapid fluctuation-based super-resolution imaging with as few as 10 frames, thereby allowing for detailed visualization of mitochondrial morphology and dynamics. We further propose a graph-based deep learning framework that integrates multidimensional mitochondrial features, which are updated using a Graph Neural Network (GNN), to achieve precise mitochondria-based cellular typing and drug toxicity analysis with up to 98% accuracy. Additionally, we pioneer the use of interpretability algorithms to elucidate the GNN model, revealing how the depicted mitochondrial features by the CDs drive these predictions. This approach has significant implications in cellular and toxicological research, offering a unique tool for deciphering cellular behaviors and drug interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Resource utilization of chrome shavings (CS) has attracted a lot of attention from scientists and technologists in leather industry. Especially, the collagen hydrolysates extracted from CS are expected to find potential application values in agricultural field. However, there is no biotoxicity analysis of collagen hydrolysates from CS. Herein, the collagen hydrolysates with different molecular weights were produced from CS by three hydrolysis dechroming methods including alkaline hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis and alkaline-enzymatic synergistic hydrolysis, and the optimal hydrolysis process of CS was designed and conducted. To evaluate their toxicity, the three collagen hydrolysates were formulated into a nutrient solution for zebrafish development. The obtained results indicated that the hydrolysates with low concentrations (less than 0.6 mg/mL) were safe and could promote the development for zebrafish embryos. Furthermore, the three collagen hydrolysates were utilized as organic nitrogen sources and formulated into amino acid water-soluble fertilizers (AAWSF) including alkaline type fertilizer (OH), enzymatic type fertilizer (M) and alkaline-enzymatic type fertilizer (OH–M) for the early soilless seeding cultivation of wheat, soybean and rapeseed. It is worth mentioning that the chromium contents in the prepared AAWSF were less than 10 mg/kg, which is far less than the limit value in the standard (China, 50 mg/kg). The growth and development of seedlings (germination rate, plant height, fresh weight of leaves, soluble sugar content and chlorophyll content) were investigated. The corresponding results showed that the growth of seedlings watered with AAWSF was better compared with the other treatments, and the OH–M fertilizer had the best promoting effect on the seedlings growth and development, followed by the M and OH fertilizers. The safe toxicity assessment of the collagen hydrolysates will expand their application scope, and the use of collagen hydrolysates extracted from CS for seedlings growth also provides an effective and reasonable way to deal with the chromium-containing leather solid waste, which is an effective way to realize its resource utilization. Graphical Abstract

Cells regulate protein synthesis under stressful circumstances by forming cytoplasmic RNA granules, termed stress granules (SGs). SGs are membrane-less organelles that function as a protective mechanism in response to stress. They function through liquid-liquid phase separation, which is a vital process comprising 2 distinct de-mixed liquid phases. The components of SGs, such as G3BP1, can serve as biomarkers of cell toxicity. Respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of death globally. After the humidifier disinfectant disaster in Korea in 2011, social concerns over respiratory disease-related deaths have been raised, and the importance of inhalation toxicity testing has been emphasized. Traditionally, in vivo animal models have been used to assess inhalation toxicity, but these models still have limitations owing to physiological differences between species. To overcome these limitations, human immortalized lung epithelial and lung cancer cell lines have been used to evaluate lung toxicity in vitro. Human stem cell-derived 3-dimensional organoid technology has recently been developed in various research fields, including lung toxicity. This review discusses SG-related proteins as potential biomarkers for lung toxicity assessment, especially in human lung organoids under stress conditions, such as exposure to toxic chemicals.

Aconitine hydrolysis is deemed to be the guarantee for the safe application of Aconitum phytomedicine. Studies have suggested that hydrolysates of aconitine not only include benzoylaconitine and aconine, but other hydrolysates. Moreover, these hydrolysates maybe have a mutual transformation relationship, which has not been confirmed. Herein, hydrolysates of aconitine and their mutual transformation relationship were studied by the theoretical quantum chemistry, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, the separation and identification of target products, etc. Then the toxicity of its hydrolysates was evaluated. The results demonstrate that the probability is the same for aconitine hydrolysis to pyroaconitine and benzoylaconitine, but they are difficult to convert to each other. Aconitine hydrolysis has three independent hydrolysis pathways, 1) to indaconitine, 2) to benzoylaconitine, and aconine, 3) to pyroaconitine and to 16-epi-pyroaconine. The result of embryotoxicity evaluation on zebrafish was aconitine > indaconitine > benzoylaconitine > α-pyroaconitine > β- pyroaconitine > aconine > 16-epi-pyroaconine. In conclusion, aconitine have three independent hydrolysis pathways and the hydrolysates of different pathways cannot be transformed into each other. Pyroaconitine is a hydrolysate of aconitine except for benzoylaconitine, and its toxicity is lower than benzoylaconitine. More importantly, it clarifies the long-standing debate and provides scientific evidence for the processing and detoxification of Aconitum phytomedicine.

Natural prescriptions are yet serving for the treatment of a significant number of the wellbeing needs of huge populace of the world. Nevertheless, the quality control and quality confirmation stay a test in light of the fact that polyherbal plan has high fluctuation of synthetic parts included. No single part is answerable for the adequacy of the home grown detailing either in single structure or in blend with other natural medications. This makes a test in laying out inside quality control norms and normalization of completed natural medications. Systematically, the interest of Ayurvedic details are expanded however, because of absence of value control boundaries there might be issues in acknowledgment as like allopathic medications. Additionally occasionally, there are opportunities for connection between the recommended medications and spices. In this way, normalization of homegrown drugs is exceptionally fundamental to guarantee dependability particularly concerning quality, immaculateness, adequacy and wellbeing of the detailing. Numerous arrangements are been referred in Ayurvedic books for the treatment of urolithiasis. Eladi kwath is one such known plan, which is exceptionally compelling. In this review, Eladi kwath is exposed to organoleptic examination, pharmacognostical examination, phytochemical investigation, and subjective examination, natural investigation to recognize the presence of different parts its quality as per WHO Rules. The examination uncovered the presence of essential and auxiliary metabolites. Aim - To study the benefits of herbal preparation Eladi quatha for kidney disease Urothalisis. Method - This study was undertaken to explore the effects of Eladi quatha in animals to treat kidney stone diseases. However, no safety profile for this formulation has been reported to date; thus, in this study, freshly prepared Eladi quatha was evaluated for acute toxicity. Acute toxicity test was evaluated as per OECD 425 guidelines with 5000 mg/kg as a limit test in Wistar strain Albino rats. Test formulations were administered to overnight fasted animals and parameters like body weight, behavioral changes, and mortality were assessed for 14 days. Hematological and biochemical parameters were assessed on the 14th day after administration. Result - No significant changes were noted in terms of behavioral changes, mortality, and body weight. The samples did not affect any of the hematological parameters. However, an increase in blood urea level was observed. Conclusion- This study concludes that freshly prepared Eladi quatha is relatively safe up to the dose of 5000 mg/kg. However, further chronic toxicity evaluation is necessary to establish its safety profile on chronic administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore aquaculture's explosive growth improves the public food chain while also unavoidably adding new pollutants to the environment. Consequently, the protection of coastal marine eco-systems depends on the efficient treatment of wastewater from marine aquaculture. For the sulfamethazine (SMZ) of representative sulfonamides and total organic pollutants removal utilizing in-situ high salinity, this work has established an inventive and systematic treatment process coupled with iron-electrode electrochemical and ultrafiltration. Additionally, the activated dithionite (DTN) was being used in the electrochemical and ultrafiltration processes with electricity/varivalent iron (Fe II /Fe III ) and ceramic membrane (CM), respectively, indicated by the notations DTN@iron-electrode/EO-CM. Quenching experiments and ESR detection have identified plenty of reactive species including SO 4 ·- , ·OH, 1 O 2 , and O 2 ·- , for the advanced treatment. In addition, the mass spectrometry (MS) and the Gaussian simulation calculation for these primary reaction sites revealed the dominate SMZ degradation mechanisms, including cleavage of S-N bond, hydroxylation, and Smile-type rearrangement in DTN@iron-electrode/EO process. The DTN@iron-electrode/EO effluent also demonstrated superior membrane fouling mitigation in terms of the CM process, owing to its higher specific flux. XPS and SEM confirmed the reducing membrane fouling, which showed the formation of a loose and porous cake layer. This work clarified diverse reactive species formation and detoxification with DTN@iron-electrode/EO system and offers a sustainable and efficient process for treating tailwater from coastal aquaculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) has been actively pursued as a therapeutic target for osteoporosis, given that RANKL is the master mediator of bone resorption as it promotes osteoclast differentiation, activity and survival. We employed a structure-based virtual screening approach comprising two stages of experimental evaluation and identified 11 commercially available compounds that displayed dose-dependent inhibition of osteoclastogenesis. Their inhibitory effects were quantified through TRAP activity at the low micromolar range (IC50 < 5 μΜ), but more importantly, 3 compounds displayed very low toxicity (LC50 > 100 μΜ). We also assessed the potential of an N-(1-aryl-1H-indol-5-yl)aryl-sulfonamide scaffold that was based on the structure of a hit compound, through synthesis of 30 derivatives. Their evaluation revealed 4 additional hits that inhibited osteoclastogenesis at low micromolar concentrations; however, cellular toxicity concerns preclude their further development. Taken together with the structure–activity relationships provided by the hit compounds, our study revealed potent inhibitors of RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis of high therapeutic index, which bear diverse scaffolds that can be employed in hit-to-lead optimization for the development of therapeutics against osteolytic diseases.

The increased use of plastics has led to severe environmental pollution, particularly by microplastics—plastic particles 5 mm or less in diameter. These particles are formed by environmental factors such as weathering and ultraviolet irradiation, thereby making environmental pollution worse. This environmental pollution intensifies human exposure to microplastics via food chains. Despite potential negative effects, few toxicity assessments on microplastics are available. In this study, two sizes of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) microplastics, approximately 5 μm and 10–50 μm, were manufactured and used for single and four-week repeated toxicity and pharmacokinetic studies. Toxicological effects were comprehensively evaluated with clinical signs, body weight, food and water consumption, necropsy findings, and histopathological and clinical-pathological examinations. Blood collected at 15, 30 60, and 120 min after a single administration of microplastics were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. In the toxicity evaluation of single and four-week repeated oral administration of PTFE microplastics, no toxic changes were observed. Therefore, the lethal dose 50 (LD50) and no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) of PTFE microplastics in ICR mice were established as 2000 mg/kg or more. PTFE microplastics were not detected in blood, so pharmacokinetic parameters could not be calculated. This study provides new insight into the long-term toxicity and pharmacokinetics of PTFE microplastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread use of parabens as preservatives, their increasing environmental concentration and potential adverse heathy effects have drawn considerable concern. Photodegradation represents a sustainable approach for paraben removal; however, developing photocatalysts that exhibit both efficient visible-light absorption and effective separation of photocarriers remains a challenge. Herein, a MOF@COF core-shell structure was fabricated to utilize the heterojunction for charge-hole spatial separation, generating sufficient reactive species for the photodegradation process. Under visible light, TPTi-0.225 (i.e., 0.225 g NH 2 -MIL-125 was added during COF synthesis) catalyzed highly efficient removal (∼99 %) of propylparaben within two hours. The degradation performance of TPTi-0.225 over a wide pH range and various real water matrices was also satisfactory. Theoretic calculation along with key reaction intermediate identification revealed parabens were degraded into low-toxicity products. This study not only offers insight into the design of novel visible photocatalysts but also presents a viable approach for detoxifying parabens in environmental waters. [Display omitted] • Core-shell structure endows TPTi-0.225 enough reactive species to photodegrade three parabens. • TPTi-0.225 shows robust removal over a wide pH range and diverse real water matrices. • Theoretical calculations and the identification of key reaction intermediates were conducted. • The photocatalysis reaction towards the detoxification manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since ancient times, honey has been used for medical purposes and the treatment of various disorders. As a high-quality food product, the honey industry is prone to fraud and adulteration. Moreover, limited experimental studies have investigated the impact of adulterated honey consumption using zebrafish as the animal model. The aims of this study were: (1) to calculate the lethal concentration (LC 50) of acid-adulterated Apis mellifera honey on embryos, (2) to investigate the effect of pure and acid-adulterated A. mellifera honey on hatching rate (%) and heart rate of zebrafish (embryos and larvae), (3) to elucidate toxicology of selected adulterated honey based on lethal dose (LD 50) using adult zebrafish and (4) to screen the metabolites profile of adulterated honey from blood serum of adult zebrafish. The result indicated the LC 50 of 31.10 ± 1.63 (mg/ml) for pure A. mellifera honey, while acetic acid demonstrates the lowest LC 50 (4.98 ± 0.06 mg/ml) among acid adulterants with the highest mortality rate at 96 hpf. The treatment of zebrafish embryos with adulterated A. mellifera honey significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased the hatching rate (%) and decreased the heartbeat rate. Acute, prolong-acute, and sub-acute toxicology tests on adult zebrafish were conducted at a concentration of 7% w/w of acid adulterants. Furthermore, the blood serum metabolite profile of adulterated-honey-treated zebrafish was screened by LC-MS/MS analysis and three endogenous metabolites have been revealed: (1) Xanthotoxol or 8-Hydroxypsoralen, (2) 16-Oxoandrostenediol, and (3) 3,5-Dicaffeoyl-4-succinoylquinic acid. These results prove that employed honey adulterants cause mortality that contributes to higher toxicity. Moreover, this study introduces the zebrafish toxicity test as a new promising standard technique for the potential toxicity assessment of acid-adulterated honey in this study and hazardous food adulterants for future studies. [Display omitted] • Embryotoxicity of pure and acid-adulterated Apis mellifera honey. • Lethal concentration and dose, hatching and heartbeat rate of pure and acid-adulterated Apis mellifera honey was evaluated. • Toxic endogenous metabolites were identified using LCMS/MS analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the toxicity of micropollutants forms the basis for understanding their potential risks to the ecosystem and/or human health. To accurately evaluate the toxicity of micropollutants in toxicity tests, many factors have been carefully considered, while the impact of the number of test organisms on toxicity results has rarely been taken into account. In this study, the role of the organism number on the developmental toxicity of five micropollutants was investigated using embryos of the marine polychaete Platynereis dumerilii. The toxicity of hydrophobic micropollutants was found to decrease significantly with increasing the number of embryos used in the test. A quantitative model was developed to better describe how the number of embryos affected developmental toxicity. The model showed a satisfactory fit to the raw data in all scenarios tested. The intrinsic half-maximal effective concentration EC 50,int was then determined using the model. For a given compound, the EC 50,int was a stable parameter that did not depend on the number of test embryos and thus provided an indication of the intrinsic toxicity of the compounds tested. Compared with the EC 50 values determined with the commonly used embryo number (around 120), the EC 50,int values of all tested hydrophobic micropollutants were lower. The more hydrophobic the compounds tested, the more pronounced the reduction in toxicity. This suggested that hydrophobic micropollutants could be more toxic than reported in the literature. Some suggestions were also made to eliminate the effect of the number of organisms used in the toxicity evaluation. [Display omitted] • The role of organism biomass on the toxicity assessment was studied for the first time. • The toxicity of hydrophobic micropollutants was largely restrained using high organism biomass. • A quantitative model was developed to describe the role of the tested embryo number. • Hydrophobic compounds might be more toxic than reported in the literature. • Some suggestions to obtain more accurate toxicity evaluation were provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of nano-/microparticles (MNPs) are released into water, not only causing severe water pollution, but also negatively affecting organisms. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate MNP toxicity and mechanisms in water. There is a significant degree of similarity between the genes, the central nervous system, the liver, the kidney, and the intestines of zebrafish and the human body. It has been shown that zebrafish are exceptionally suitable for evaluating the toxicity and action mechanisms of MNPs in water on reproduction, the central nervous system, and metabolism. Providing ideas and methods for studying MNP toxicity, this article discusses the toxicity and mechanisms of MNPs from zebrafish.

Boron nitride nanoparticles have been reported for boron drug delivery. However, its toxicity has not been systematically elucidated. It is necessary to clarify their potential toxicity profile after administration for clinical application. Here, we prepared erythrocyte membrane-coated boron nitride nanoparticles (BN@RBCM). We expect to use them for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in tumors. In this study, we evaluated the acute toxicity and subacute toxicity of BN@RBCM of about 100 nm and determined the half-lethal dose (LD50) of the particles for mice. The results showed that the LD50 of BN@RBCM was 258.94 mg/kg. No remarkable pathological changes by microscopic observation were observed in the treated animals throughout the study period. These results indicate that BN@RBCM has low toxicity and good biocompatibility, which have great potential for biomedical applications.

In this paper, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of typical antibiotics (norfloxacin (NOR), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH)) by Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 under visible light irradiation was studied. Various strategies were applied to characterize the morphology, structure and photochemical properties of the Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 composites. The superior photocatalytic activity of Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 was attributed to the wide light response range and the enhancement of interfacial charge transfer. At the same time, the effect of the influence factors (pH, Humic acid (HA) and coexisting ions) on the antibiotics degradation were also investigated. Furthermore, the electron spin resonance (ESR) technology, free radical quenching experiments, LC/MS and DFT theoretical calculations were applied to predict and identify the active groups and intermediates during the photocatalytic degradation process. In addition, Ag/CNQDs/g-C3N4 exhibited the obvious antibacterial effect to Escherichia coli due to the addition of Ag NPs. This study develops a new way for the removal of emerging antibiotic pollution from wastewaters.

The present study aims to uncover the alpha-glucosidase inhibition (AGI) and antioxidant activities of Ensete superbum seed extract. The AGI activity of crude extract (IC50 = 0.17 μg/ml) and silica gel column purified fraction (ESSFR4; IC50 = 0.02 μg/ml) was excellent when compared to acarbose (IC50 = 1720 μg/ml). Also, the free-radical scavenging ability of ESSFR4 was comparable to ascorbic acid. Among the five compounds identified from ESSFR4, pentasiloxane, dodecamethyl and 2,4-hexadienedioic acid, bis(trimethylsilyl) ester, had the best binding affinities against human and yeast AG enzymes respectively. However, ADME/toxicity evaluation of these five compounds revealed that they would require further structural scrutiny and in vivo studies before recommending them as an alternative to the present AGIs to treat type-2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sap-sucking insect pests have been a severe threat to horticultural and agricultural crops all over the world. Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Psyllidae: Hemiptera) and cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover (Aphididae: Hemiptera) are destructive sap-sucking pests of citrus and cotton, respectively. Extensive use of persistent synthetic insecticides against these pests poses issues of environmental contaminations and health hazards and suggests looking for alternate biorational plant protection measures such as botanical pesticides. This study evaluated the potential toxicity of acetone extracts of 40 indigenous plant species of Soon valley and surrounding salt range (Punjab, Pakistan) against D. citri and A. gossypii using standard twig-dip and leaf-dip bioassay methods, respectively. Results of initial screening bioassay showed the highest mortality of D. citri by 10% extracts of Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. (93%), Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall. (91%), Nerium indicum Mill. (89%), Datura alba L. (88%) and Salvia officinalis L. (81%). Second bioassay conducted against A. gossypii using different concentrations (5, 10, 20 and 40%) of the most effective botanical extracts revealed that the extract of S. officinalis was most toxic (LC50 = 18.59%), followed by N. indicum (LC50 = 20.27%) and M. longifolia (LC50 = 20.73%). Similar trend of effectiveness was observed regarding their LT50 values. Overall study results demonstrated the biocidal potential of the extracts of indigenous plant species of Soon valley against D. citri and A. gossypii, and suggest their further biochemical characterization and practical implication in future IPM programs against these and other sap-feeding insect pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural mucilages are auspicious biodegradable polymeric materials. The aim of the present research work was to elucidate the characteristics of quince mucilage-based polymeric network for sustained delivery of metprolol tartrate and its toxicity evaluation. Mucilage was extracted by hot water extraction, and characterization of quince mucilage was accomplished by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Different batches of quince mucilage polymeric network were prepared by free radical polymerization by utilizing varying ratios of quince mucilage, acrylamide and crosslinker. Degree of swelling depends on concentration of mucilage, monomer and also on crosslinking density of polymeric network. FTIR illustrates proficient grafting, and morphological (scanning electron microscopy) analysis signified porous design. Hence, quince mucilage-based design was encouraging for sustained delivery of metprolol tartrate and acute toxicity evaluation proved that mucilage-based network was safe for oral drug delivery system.

Background: Caricapapaya seeds are regarded as waste or by-product of the fruit since it is the inedible part of the plant. However, it holds a diversified range of phytochemicals that anticipate their therapeutic role in different types of ailments. The seed extract has been proven for the presence of multiple health benefiting contents and some toxic agents. Studies evaluating the toxicity of the Papaya seed extract are still scarce to support its safe use as a therapeutic agent. Therefore, the undertaken study is to explore the safe dose of the aqueous extract of Papaya seeds.Methodology:This study is designed to examine the toxic potential of Papaya seed aqueous extract on Wistar rats for 42 days by oral administration at dose regimens of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight in the liver. The groups (n=6) allotted include control untreated and group I (100mg/kg), group II (200mg/kg) and group III (400mg/kg). The liver toxicity was assessed using liver enzymes as toxicity markers. The morphology of liver cells was observed by histology. Results:Our results showedno mortality or signs of toxicity. The body weights were observed to be declining with increasing doses. However, other biochemical parameters displayed no significant alterations in treated groups as comparedto the controls. Conclusion:This study supports the evidence that chosen doses of aqueous extract of papaya seeds are safe for normal liver functioning. This evidence endorses the use of the extracts of the seeds as a therapeutic intervention.

Resource utilization of chrome shavings (CS) has attracted a lot of attention from scientists and technologists in leather industry. Especially, the collagen hydrolysates extracted from CS are expected to find potential application values in agricultural field. However, there is no biotoxicity analysis of collagen hydrolysates from CS. Herein, the collagen hydrolysates with different molecular weights were produced from CS by three hydrolysis dechroming methods including alkaline hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis and alkaline-enzymatic synergistic hydrolysis, and the optimal hydrolysis process of CS was designed and conducted. To evaluate their toxicity, the three collagen hydrolysates were formulated into a nutrient solution for zebrafish development. The obtained results indicated that the hydrolysates with low concentrations (less than 0.6 mg/mL) were safe and could promote the development for zebrafish embryos. Furthermore, the three collagen hydrolysates were utilized as organic nitrogen sources and formulated into amino acid water-soluble fertilizers (AAWSF) including alkaline type fertilizer (OH), enzymatic type fertilizer (M) and alkaline-enzymatic type fertilizer (OH–M) for the early soilless seeding cultivation of wheat, soybean and rapeseed. It is worth mentioning that the chromium contents in the prepared AAWSF were less than 10 mg/kg, which is far less than the limit value in the standard (China, 50 mg/kg). The growth and development of seedlings (germination rate, plant height, fresh weight of leaves, soluble sugar content and chlorophyll content) were investigated. The corresponding results showed that the growth of seedlings watered with AAWSF was better compared with the other treatments, and the OH–M fertilizer had the best promoting effect on the seedlings growth and development, followed by the M and OH fertilizers. The safe toxicity assessment of the collagen hydrolysates will expand their application scope, and the use of collagen hydrolysates extracted from CS for seedlings growth also provides an effective and reasonable way to deal with the chromium-containing leather solid waste, which is an effective way to realize its resource utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim to obtain novel compounds possessing both strong affinity against human carbonic anhydrases and low toxicity, we synthesised novel thiourea and sulphonamide derivatives 3, 4 and 10, and studied their in vitro inhibitory properties against human CA I, CA II and CA IX. We also evaluated the toxicity of these compounds using zebrafish larvae. Among the three compounds, derivative 4 showed efficient inhibition against hCA II (KI = 58.6 nM). Compound 10 showed moderate inhibition against hCA II (KI = 199.2 nM) and hCA IX (KI = 147.3 nM), whereas it inhibited hCA I less weakly at micromolar concentrations (KI = 6428.4 nM). All other inhibition constants for these compounds were in the submicromolar range. The toxicity evaluation studies showed no adverse effects on the zebrafish larvae. Our study suggests that these compounds are suitable for further preclinical characterisation as potential inhibitors of hCA I, II and IX.

Developing highly efficient photocatalysts for the removal of antibiotics and heavy metals is of vital importance but remains a great challenge. In this investigation, a novel S-scheme Cs 3 PMo 12 O 40 /MnIn 2 S 4 (CPM/MIS) heterojunction with core-shell structure was fabricated successfully via hydrothermal synthesis/dissolution-precipitation approaches, which was labelled as x CPM/MIS (x = 5, 7, 9 and 11, respectively). In the composites, these 2D MIS nanoflakes were securely and uniformly affixed on the exterior of 3D CPM nanospheres, which was verified through SEM and TEM. These as-produced materials manifested enhanced photocatalytic activity towards antibiotics (tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP)) degradation and Cr(VI) reduction with visible light, and the removal rates of the optimal 9 CPM/MIS for TC, CIP and Cr(VI) could reach 97.81%, 61.78% and 67.07%, respectively. Of note, these resulting CPM/MIS composites possessed excellent stability and reusability. The outstanding photocatalytic property was attributed to the synergistic effect arising from the advantageous core-shell structure and S-scheme heterostructure. This configuration strengthened robustly interfacial interaction between the constituents, which effectively enhanced light absorption in visible region, promoted the separation and transfer efficiency of photoinduced carriers, and preserved the charge carriers with heightened redox abilities. The ESR spectra and trapping tests confirmed the dominating role of holes and superoxide radical in contaminants removal. Additionally, the high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) technique was employed to identify the photodegradation pathways of TC. And the product toxicity was evaluated using QSAR prediction. Conclusively, combining the in situ XPS data and analysis of energy band structure, a S-scheme catalytic mechanism was elucidated. This study opens new avenues for systematically designing and fabricating S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts with outstanding catalytic property for contaminants removal. [Display omitted] • CPM/MIS S-scheme heterojunction with core-shell structure was prepared. • The effect of operating parameters on TC degradation was detailedly studied. • The probable degradation pathways of TC were investigated by HPLC-MS. • The toxicity of TC degradation intermediates was appraised by QSAR prediction. • A S-scheme mechanism was verified by in situ XPS and energy band structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]