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Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a rapidly prevailing disease throughout the world that poses boundless risk factors linked to several health problems. Vildagliptin is the standard dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor type of medication that is used for the treatment of diabetes anti-hyperglycemic agent (anti-diabetic drug). The current study aimed to synthesize vildagliptin-loaded ZnO NPs for enhanced efficacy in terms of increased retention time minimizing side effects and increased hypoglycemic effects. Herein, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) were constructed by precipitation method then the drug vildagliptin was loaded and drug loading efficiency was estimated by the HPLC method. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), UV–vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and EDX analysis were performed for the characterization of synthesized vildagliptin-loaded ZnO NPs. The UV–visible spectrum shows a distinct peak at 363 nm which confirms the creation of ZnO NPs and SEM showed mono-dispersed sphere-shaped NPs. EDX analysis shows the presence of desired elements along with the elemental composition. The physio-sorption studies, which used adsorption isotherms to assess adsorption capabilities, found that the Freundlich isotherm model explains the data very well and fits best. The maximum adsorption efficiency of 58.83% was obtained. Further, In vitro, anti-diabetic activity was evaluated by determining the α-amylase and DPP IV inhibition activity of the product formed. The formulation gave maximum inhibition of 82.06% and 94.73% of α-amylase and DPP IV respectively. While at 1000 µg/ml concentration with IC50 values of 24.11 μg/per ml and 42.94 μg/ml. The inhibition of α-amylase can be ascribed to the interactive effect of ZnO NPs and vildagliptin.

In the Haber-Bosch process (HBp), which uses elevated pressure and temperature to produce more concentration of nitrogen and hydrogen gases, 90% of the 175 million metric tons of NH3 generated worldwide in 2016 were manufactured in this process. According to the road plan for sustainable ammonia production sustainably, using water as a reducing agent is the most effective way to fix nitrogen in close-quarters ambiance. A complete explanation of theoretical and practical work on electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction is provided in this article, with special attention paid to the low selectivity of nitrogen reduction to ammonia in comparison to protons to hydrogen. Since they are essential for accurately achieving high nitrogen production and Faradaic efficiency (FE), their information outlines electrocatalysts, electrolyte selection criteria, and managed experiment design. Under diverse conditions, the evolution of theory and experiment is examined. Finally, feedback is given on this field’s present issues and prospects.

Abstract Our study focused on the optical behavior, methylene blue (MB) dye degradation potential, antibacterial performance, and silver and trioxide mineral interaction with different bacterial species. We found that the addition of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) to neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) resulted in a significant response, with an enlargement of the inhibition zone for bacterial species such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Specifically, the inhibition zone for S. aureus increased from 9.3 ± 0.5 mm for pure Nd2O3 to 16.7 ± 0.4 mm for the Ag/Nd2O3 nano-composite, while for E. coli, it increased from 8.8 ± 0.4 mm for Nd2O3 to 15.9 ± 0.3 mm for Ag/Nd2O3. Furthermore, the optical behavior of the composites showed a clear band-gap narrowing with the addition of Ag NPs, resulting in enhanced electronic localization. The direct and indirect transitions reduced from 6.7 to 6.1 eV and from 5.2 to 2.9 eV, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that the Ag/Nd2O3 nano-composite has potential applications in sensor industries and water treatment, thanks to its enhanced optical behavior, antibacterial performance, and efficient MB degradation capabilities. In terms of MB degradation, the Ag/Nd2O3 mixed system exhibited more efficient degradation compared to pure Nd2O3. After 150 min, the MB concentration in the mixed system decreased to almost half of its starting point, while pure Nd2O3 only reached 33%.

This work aimed to synthesize an effective material having greater potential to reduce water pollution caused by industrial waste and exhibit efficient antibacterial potential. The transition metals (Manganese-Mn, Zinc-Zn) and post transition metal (Tin-Sn) reacted with TeO2 in a stoichiometric ratio by adopting a solid-state reaction. The crystallite size of the synthesized compounds MnTeO3 (D1), ZnTeO3 (D2), and SnTe3O8 (D3) was measured by the Debye-Scherrer formula by extracting data from the FWHM. D1 and D2 exhibit the orthorhombic structure whereas D3 has a simple cubic structure and crystalline size was measured by FWHM i.e., 221 nm, 458 nm, and 153 nm. Catalytic degradation efficiency for the removal of MB dye was found to be in the range of 66%-73%. Additionally, these substances have strong antimicrobial action alongside both bacteria and fungi, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus with maximal zone inhibitions of 35.0 mm and 12.5 mm for each kind of bacterium. The highest antifungal activity of Mn integrated was estimated to be 37.2 mm versus Aspergillus niger and 15.1 mm alongside Coccidioides. According to the findings, the manufactured material has effective photocatalytic and antimicrobial activities.

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) is an angiogenic enzyme. It is crucial for the development, invasion and metastasis of tumors as well as angiogenesis. In our current research, we examine how structurally changing bis-thiadiazole bearing bis-schiff bases affects their ability to inhibit TP. Through the oxidative cyclization of pyridine-based bis-thiosemicarbazone with iodine, a series of fourteen analogs of bis-thiadiazole-based bis-imines with pyridine moiety were developed. Newly synthesized scaffolds were assessed in vitro for their thymidine phosphorylase inhibitory potential and showed moderate to good inhibition profile. Eleven scaffolds such as 4a-4d,4f-4 h and 4j-4 m were discovered to be more effective than standard drug at inhibiting the thymidine phosphorylase enzyme with IC50 values of 1.16 ± 1.20, 1.77 ± 1.10, 2.48 ± 1.30, 12.54 ± 1.60, 14.63 ± 1.70, 15.53 ± 1.80, 17.47 ± 1.70, 18.98 ± 1.70, 19.53 ± 1.50, 22.73 ± 2.40 and 24.87 ± 2.80 respectively, while remaining three analogs such as 4n, 4i and 4ewere found to be more potent, but they were less potent than the standard drug. All analogs underwent SAR studies based on the pattern of substitutions around the aryl part of the bis-thiadiazole skeleton. The most active analogs in the synthesized series were then molecular docking study performed to investigate their interactions of active part of enzyme. The results showed that remarkable interactions were exhibited by these analogs with the targeted enzymes active sites. Furthermore, to confirm the structure of synthesized analogs by employing spectroscopic tools such as HREI-MS and NMR.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/Polyethylene oxide (PEO) has been blended and doped with zinc oxide and titanium oxide nanoparticles. Different concentration of the prepared ZnO and TiO2 NPs make a change in PVA/PEO- ZnO/TiO2 NPs nanocomposites films improve the characterization of PVA/PEO. XRD scans show two broad peaks at about 18.8° and 21.95° for PVA/PEO blend. XRD scans show of PVA/PEO- ZnO/TiO2 NPs nanocomposites films obtain the hexagonal structure of ZnO and the anatase phase of TiO2 NPs. The addition of dopants in the PVA/PEO blend results in a reduce in degree of crystallinity compared to the pure blend. This is evident from the decrease in the crystallinity index (Xc value) from 37.25 to 22.31. This reduction in crystallinity can have implications for the material's opticla, thermal, and electrical properties, and should be considered when evaluating its suitability for specific applications. FT-IR results show changes in intensity of bands that could be assigned to the strong interaction between PVA/PEO and ZnO/TiO2 nanoparticles. The Egopt values reduced by raising laser ablation time due to unstructured defects that enhanced the density of localized states in the band gap, dropping from 4.72 eV to 3.0 eV for direct transitions and from 3.05 eV to 2.35 eV for indirect transitions. It undergoes complete decomposition at a higher temperature, resulting in a mass percentage of 45 ± 0.3 wt%. In comparison, the pure polymer blend sample has a lower mass percentage of 33 ± 0.03 wt% during the same temperature range. The fabricated system of PVA/PEO- ZnO/TiO2 NPs nanocomposites films showing improved in AC conductivity and dielectric characteristics and could be suggested in electrical applications.

The clinical significance of benzimidazole-containing drugs has increased in the current study, making them more effective scaffolds. These moieties have attracted strong research interest due to their diverse biological features. To examine their various biological significances, several research synthetic methodologies have recently been established for the synthesis of benzimidazole analogs. The present study aimed to efficiently and quickly synthesize a new series of benzimidazole analogs. Numerous spectroscopic techniques, including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and HREI-MS, were used to confirm the synthesized compounds. To explore the inhibitory activity of the analogs against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, all derivatives (1–17) were assessed for their biological potential. Compared to the reference drug acarbose (IC50 = 8.24 ± 0.08 µM), almost all the derivatives showed promising activity. Among the tested series, analog 2 (IC50 = 1.10 ± 0.10 & 2.10 ± 0.10 µM, respectively) displayed better inhibitory activity. Following a thorough examination of the various substitution effects on the inhibitory capacity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, the structure-activity relationship (SAR) was determined. We looked at the potential mechanism of how active substances interact with the catalytic cavity of the targeted enzymes in response to the experimental results of the anti-glucosidase and anti-amylase. Molecular docking provided us with information on the interactions that the active substances had with the various amino acid residues of the targeted enzymes for this purpose.

Besides natural sunlight and expensive artificial lights, economical indoor white light can play a significant role in activating a catalyst for photocatalytic removal of organic toxins from contaminated water. In the current effort, CeO2 has been modified with Ni, Cu, and Fe through doping methodology to study the removal of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) in the illumination of 70 W indoor LED white light. The absence of additional diffractions due to the dopants and few changes such as reduction in peaks’ height, minor peak shift at 2θ (28.525°) and peaks’ broadening in XRD patterns of modified CeO2 verifies the successful doping of CeO2. The solid-state absorption spectra revealed higher absorbance of Cu-doped CeO2 whereas a lower absorption response was observed for Ni-doped CeO2. An interesting observation regarding the lowering of indirect bandgap energy of Fe-doped CeO2 (∼2.7 eV) and an increase in Ni-doped CeO2 (∼3.0 eV) in comparison to pristine CeO2 (∼2.9 eV) was noticed. The process of e-– h+ recombination in the synthesized photocatalysts was also investigated through photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photocatalytic studies revealed the greater photocatalytic activity of Fe-doped CeO2 with a higher rate (∼3.9 × 10−3 min-1) among all other materials. Moreover, kinetic studies also revealed the validation of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model (R2 = 0.9839) while removing 2-CP in the exposure of indoor light with a Fe-doped CeO2 photocatalyst. The XPS analysis revealed the existence of Fe3+, Cu2+ and Ni2+ core levels in doped CeO2. Using the agar well-diffusion method, the antifungal activity was assessed against the fungus M. fructicola and F. oxysporum. Compared to CeO2, Ni-doped CeO2, and Cu-doped CeO2 nanoparticles, the Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles have outstanding antifungal properties.

Developing bioceramics-based nanomaterials for scaffolding is still a challenge. Three biocompatible materials are combined in one nanocomposite to fabricate antibacterial nanocomposite with higher mechanical properties. The nanocomposite contains hydroxyapatite (HAP), hematite (Fe2O3), and graphene oxide. The nanocomposite is examined chemically, structurally, and in vitro. The structural investigations showed a second minor phase with Fe2O3 which is FeO(OH). TEM investigated the shape morphology. There are two types of nanorods are detected which are small ones that belong to HAP, and long nanorods that belong to Fe2O3. Further, the nanosheets of GO are determined in addition to nano ellipsoids of FeOOH. The surface roughness is enhanced and Rq raised from 4.6 to 5.3 from pure HAP to HAP/Fe2O3/GO. The released ions rate of Fe3+ was constant for the first and second 12 h with a value of 2 ppm/h. The rate of Ca2+ decreased from 8 to 2.25 ppm/h for the first and second 12 h. Moreover, mechanical properties are enhanced and microhardness increased from 2.5 ± 0.1 to 3.1 ± 0.2 GPa. In addition, the shear modulus changed from 16.503 ± 1 to 20.45 ± 0.1 GPa. The antibacterial properties enhanced against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and reached 16.5 ± 0.5 and 17.2 ± 0.7 mm without showing cytotoxicity toward the human osteoblast cells.

The use of polymer mixtures to create ternary nanocomposites with customized features is receiving greater attention around the world. Polyethylene oxide/chitosan/iron oxide NPs form a novel ternary nanocomposite in our research. In one step, iron oxide nanoparticles were produced using laser ablation at various times and distributed in a PEO/CS. XRD, FTIR, FESEM, and UV–Vis methods were used to study the produced PEO/CS/Fe3O4 NPs films. The produced samples' dielectric characteristics and electrical conductivity were measured. The XRD data showed a significant reduction in crystallinity, which enhanced Fe3O4 NP interactions with the PEO/CS matrix. The size of the Fe3O4 NPs created by laser ablation is 45 nm. At varied laser ablation times, FT-IR measurements confirm the specific interaction in PEO/CS/Fe3O4. The FESEM images show that the distribution of Fe3O4 NPs has appeared as bright spots on the surfaces of the samples. The optical characteristics of the produced materials provide an absorption edge at 218 nm, which was shifted to a high wavelength via raising the laser ablation time. The energy gap of nanocomposite samples decreased as laser ablation time increased, ranging from 5.35 eV to 4.43 eV for the direct transition and from 4.91 eV to 2.49 eV for the indirect transition. With an increase in Fe3O4 NPs, A.C electrical conductivity of PEO/CS/Fe3O4 samples increased. The PEO/CS/Fe3O4 NPs at 20 min laser ablation time achieve a high conductivity of ∼8.47 × 10−6 S/cm. The study showed that PEO/CS/Fe3O4 samples have good electrical characterization, which may motivate the use of these nanocomposites in varied electrical applications.

One-potential laser ablation of pure vanadium plate immersed in chitosan-PEO (50/50 wt. %) solution to get (chitosan-PEO) filled directly by V2O5 NPs. The casting process was used to make chitosan-PEO/V2O5 NPs composite films. X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible spectra (UV–Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Ac conductivity were used to investigate the effect of various periods of laser ablation on the properties of the synthesized chitosan-PEO/V2O5 NPs films. XRD and SEM confirm V2O5 NPs and chitosan-PEO matrix complexation. XRD results represent significant diffraction peaks at 15.7°, 20.4°, and 26.3° that attributed to the incorporation of vanadium oxide nanoparticles in chitosan-PEO. V2O5 NPs were obtained to have an average crystal size equal to 23.3 ± 0.56 nm for 7 min and equal to 23.3 ± 0.94 for 12 min. After doping the chitosan-PEO matrix with V2O5 NPs, the direct and indirect optical bandgaps exhibit a decrease in its values. ε′ and ε′′ is very high in the low frequency then decrease with increase the frequency. Also, we found that both (ε′) and (ε′′) at low frequencies is very high for the produced pure chitosan-PEO blend and by the incorporation with V2O5 NPs it decreased by raising the laser ablation times. (σac') and (σac'') are is constant in the low frequency then (σac') increase and (σac'') decrease with increase the frequencies.

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) has gained immense importance in the last decade due to its in-depth study and the role of the rhizosphere as an ecological unit in the biosphere. A putative PGPR is considered PGPR only when it may have a positive impact on the plant after inoculation. From the various pieces of literature, it has been found that these bacteria improve the growth of plants and their products through their plant growth-promoting activities. A microbial consortium has a positive effect on plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities evident by the literature. In the natural ecosystem, rhizobacteria interact synergistically and antagonistically with each other in the form of a consortium, but in a natural consortium, there are various oscillating environmental conditions that affect the potential mechanism of the consortium. For the sustainable development of our ecological environment, it is our utmost necessity to maintain the stability of the rhizobacterial consortium in fluctuating environmental conditions. In the last decade, various studies have been conducted to design synthetic rhizobacterial consortium that helps to integrate cross-feeding over microbial strains and reveal their social interactions. In this review, the authors have emphasized covering all the studies on designing synthetic rhizobacterial consortiums, their strategies, mechanism, and their application in the field of environmental ecology and biotechnology.

Patterning the thin films according to specifications is of utmost importance. Previous studies have revealed that optimizing the various parameters such as thickness, complexing agents, precursors, and morphology to get the thin films according to demand. The current emphasis of this research activity on Bi2S3 materials is the improvement in structural and optical properties by chemical bath deposition on one hand, while on the other hand, detailed characterization of the synthesized morphologies is carried out for a better understanding of the features of the said material. Based on the fact that morphological, optical, and structural properties of Bi2S3 vary with deposition conditions, the current study focuses on optimum values of different deposition parameters in aqueous and non-aqueous baths with different precursors and complexing agents to vary the deposition environment of the thin films. The effect of complexing agents, i.e., ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and triethanolamine, on controlling the concentration of Bi+3 by employing the different precursors was also evaluated. SEM, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and UV–vis spectroscopy are also used to obtain morphological, structural, and optical information, respectively. For the synthesized samples, an absorption coefficient in the range of 0.16 to 1.3104 (cm−1) was observed with a band gap of 1.22 to 1.24 eV. Results suggest that chemical bath deposition is a good strategy to get compact, uniform, and well-adhered thin films for photovoltaic applications with different morphologies.

Environmental contamination has become the most pressing issue in recent years. The value of clean water to mankind has sparked interest in heterogeneous photocatalysis. In this study, a novel photocatalyst has been synthesized by integrating WO3-doped MoO3 (WDM) and ZnO through composite formation. The composite nature of the synthesized photocatalyst was confirmed due to the presence of hexagonal ZnO and orthorhombic WDM phases in XRD pattern and scanning electron micrographs. Solid-state absorption spectra and a bandgap analysis showed that WDM-spectral ZnO’s response was better than that of pure ZnO. PL and EIS unveiled the effective role of WDM in suppressing the e−–h+ recombination process and charge-transfer resistance, respectively, in ZnO. The photocatalytic studies showed that WDM-ZnO was able to remove ~90% of 30 ppm 2-nitrophenol (2-NP) with a rate of 1.1 × 10−2 min−1, whereas ~65% 2-NP was removed by ZnO (6.1 × 10−3 min−1 rate) under the exposure of natural sunlight (800 × 102 ± 100 lx). Moreover, ~52% higher total organic carbon (TOC) removal was observed by WDM-ZnO as compared to ZnO. The photocatalytic removal of 2-NP by the produced photocatalysts followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model, as shown by the kinetic studies. The reactive oxygen species (ROS)-trapping established that the photocatalytic removal mechanism of 2-NP over WDM-ZnO in sunlight illumination was mainly triggered by the superoxide anion (O2•−) radical, however, the minor role of hydroxyl (•OH) radicals cannot be completely ignored.

FeSnO2 nanocomposites were synthesized via the green method using aqueous leaf extracts of Lawsonia inermis and Phyllanthus embilica plants. The role of polyphenols based on reduction potentials for the synthesis of FeSnO2 was also highlighted. The synthesized materials were examined by using TGA and DSC, FT-IR, XRD, and SEM with EDX analysis. Tetragonal rutile and distorted hexagonal structures were observed in SEM images of the FeSnO2 nanocomposites and compared with an FeSnO2 nanocomposite prepared using the sol-gel method. Scherer’s formula yielded crystallite sizes of 29.49, 14.54, and 20.43 nm; however, the average crystallite size assessed employing the Williamson–Hall equation was found to be 20.85, 11.30, and 14.86 nm by using the sol-gel and green techniques, using extracts from Lawsonia inermis and Phyllanthus embilica. The band gap was determined by using the Tauc and Wood equations, and photocatalytic activity was analyzed to determine the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV) under the illumination of natural sunlight. It was observed that the sample prepared by means of the green method using the leaf extract of Lawsonia inermis showed the best photocatalytic activity of 84%, with a particle size of 14.54 nm, a 3.10 eV band gap, and a specific surface area of 55.68 m2g−1.

Using pulsed laser ablation technique, graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles were incorporated into a polymeric blend of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). The nanocomposites were fabricated in film shapes using the casting method. The obtained films were investigated upon their structure and morphology. The films showed a rough surface with moderate porosity. The maximum roughness peak height increased from 142.9 to 198.9 nm for PVC and GO@PVC/PVDF. The thermal stability of the fabricated films was studied and showed that polymers displayed high stability up to 200 °C then were deteriorated exponentially. The weight loss reached around 3.2 % in the first stage and reached about 93.4 % at the last stage, which was above 400 °C. Further, the contact angle plunged from 90.2±3.4° to 65.4±2.5° for PVC, and GO@PVC/PVDF, respectively. Moreover, the dielectric loss was measured upon the variation of applied frequency. It decreased exponentially, starting from 7.1, 12.7, and 21.8 for PVC, PVC/PVDF and GO@ PVC/PVDF, respectively. The cell viability of the nanocomposite films was measured through the human fibroblasts cell line and showed an improvement upon the additional PVDF and GO to be around 95.3 ± 4 ± 3.5% in the case of GO@PVC/PVDF film.

Pesticides belonging to carbamates, pyrethroids and organophosphate groups are being mostly used worldwide. These are toxic and their minute amount leads to severe illness or death when ingested through various means. In case of suicidal or homicidal incidents, trace levels of pesticides may lead to acute death. In this scenario, stomach content is the best specimen for the detection of pesticide poison. Conversely, trace levels of pesticides may reach the mammary glands of milking animals when they eat grassy feed exposed to pesticides spray. Trace levels of those pesticide residues present in milk remain stable even after pasteurization. Eventually, milk consumers are affected chronically by these pesticide residues. The current study includes the development and validation of nine multi-class pesticide residues analyses in stomach content and milk. Nine-multiclass pesticides were extracted from stomach content and milk by acetonitrile with the addition of extraction salt. Quantitative analysis of permethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, pyriproxyfen, triazophos, profenophos, chlorpyriphos, carbofuran, phorate, and step, GC–MS was used as an analytical technique equipped with DB-5 ms capillary open tubular column (15 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 µm) and 0.08 ml/L flow rate of helium mobile phase gas with constant pressure. LLOQ and ULOQ for all target analytes were 0.05 mg/L and 3 mg/L respectively.

In this work, we have described the biogenic synthesized copper nanoparticles being supported over plant phytochemicals modified magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Hibiscus sabdariffa extract was used as a green reducing agent and an excellent stabilizer of the synthesized NPs. The biomolecules are adorned as a protective shell over the core ferrite NPs. Physicochemical characterization of the as-synthesized Cu-Hibiscus@Fe3O4 nanocomposite was carried out through Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), elemental mapping (WDX), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The as-synthesized bio-nanomaterial was used as an excellent heterogeneous and magnetically retrievable catalyst in the three-component condensation of 4-hydroxycoumarin, malononitrile and various aldehydes in refluxing aqueous media. A broad range of aromatic aldehydes underwent the reaction to produce diverse pyrano[3,2-c]chromene derivatives in very good yields irrespective of the nature of bearing functional groups or their respective geometrical positions. Due to superparamagentic character, the material was easily magnetically decanted out and recycled for 8 successive times with preservation of its catalytic activity. After the chemical applications we also explored the material biologically in the resistance of human colon cancer and thereby studied the cytotoxicity over two standard cell lines, HT-29 and Caco-2. The conventional MTT assay was carried out over them which revealed an increase in % cell viability dose dependantly. In addition, DPPH radical scavenging test was performed for studying anti-oxidant activity, using BHT as the positive control. The IC50 values observed in the two cell lines were 490.12 μg/ml and 412.23 μg/ml respectively. The results validate the administration of Cu-Hibiscus@Fe3O4 as a competent colon protective drug in the clinical trial studies over human.

The current research is about the synthesis of pure nickel sulfide, a series of Te (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 wt.%)-doped NiS (Te@NiS) nanoparticles (NPs), and a series of S-g-C3N4 (10, 30, 50, 70, and 80 wt.%)/Te@NiS nanocomposites (NCs), fabricated through a hydrothermal route. XRD and FTIR spectroscopic techniques demonstrated the successful synthesis of NPs and NCs. SEM-EDX images confirmed the flakelike structure and elemental constituents of the fabricated materials. Tauc plots were drawn, to calculate the band gaps of the synthesized samples. Te doping resulted in a significant reduction in the band gap of the NiS NPs. The photocatalytic efficiency of the NPs and NCs was investigated against MB, under sunlight. The results obtained for the photocatalytic activity, showed that 1%Te@NiS nanoparticles have an excellent dye degradation capacity in sunlight. This was made even better by making a series of SGCN/1% Te@NiS nanocomposites with different amounts of S-g-C3N4. When compared to NiS, Te@NiS, SGCN, and 70%SGCN/1%Te@NiS, the 70%SGCN/1%Te@NiS NCs have excellent antifungal ability. The higher impact of SGCN/Te@NiS, may be due to its enhanced ability to disperse and interact with the membranes and intracellular proteins of fungi. The 70%SGCN/1%Te@NiS NCs showed excellent antibacterial and photocatalytic efficiency. Thus, the 70%SGCN/1%Te@NiS NCs might prove fruitful in antibacterial and photocatalytic applications.

In this paper, we designed and demonstrated a stimuli-responsive hydrogel that mimics the mass diffusion function of the liver. We have controlled the release mechanism using temperature and pH variations. Additive manufacturing technology was used to fabricate the device with nylon (PA-12), using selective laser sintering (SLS). The device has two compartment sections: the lower section handles the thermal management, and feeds temperature-regulated water into the mass transfer section of the upper compartment. The upper chamber has a two-layered serpentine concentric tube; the inner tube carries the temperature-regulated water to the hydrogel using the given pores. Here, the hydrogel is present in order to facilitate the release of the loaded methylene blue (MB) into the fluid. By adjusting the fluid’s pH, flow rate, and temperature, the deswelling properties of the hydrogel were examined. The weight of the hydrogel was maximum at 10 mL/min and decreased by 25.29% to 10.12 g for the flow rate of 50 mL/min. The cumulative MB release at 30 °C increased to 47% for the lower flow rate of 10 mL/min, and the cumulative release at 40 °C climbed to 55%, which is 44.7% more than at 30 °C. The MB release rates considerably increased when the pH dropped from 12 to 8, showing that the lower pH had a major impact on the release of MB from the hydrogel. Only 19% of the MB was released at pH 12 after 50 min, and after that, the release rate remained nearly constant. At higher fluid temperatures, the hydrogels lost approximately 80% of their water in just 20 min, compared to a loss of 50% of their water at room temperature. The outcomes of this study may contribute to further developments in artificial organ design.

Water treatment through photocatalysts has become an important topic regarding environmental protection. In the present study, silver and TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites for photocatalysts were effectively synthesized by adopting the template induced method. The prepared samples were characterized using XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, and EDX. The constructed samples’ particle size and shape were evaluated using a SEM, and the XRD patterns showed anatase crystalline phases. Their morphologies were controllable with changing concentration of reactants and calcination temperature. The synthesized composites act as catalyst in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) under solar irradiation. In both of these activities, the best result has been shown by the 0.01 Ag/TiO2 composite. Methanol is used as the hole scavenger in the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). While the pH factor is important in the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). According to observations, S. macrospora and S. maydis were each subject to 0.01 Ag/TiO2 nanocomposites maximum antifungal activity, which was 38.4 mm and 34.3 mm, respectively. The outcomes demonstrate that both photocatalytic and antifungal properties are effectively displayed by the constructed material.

The growth of carbon nanostructures from vegetable oils using a modified conventional approach is a simple and environmentally friendly technology with controllable features. The goal of this study is to develop a simple and environmentally friendly process for making carbon nanoparticles using commercially available, low-cost vegetable oils. The technique involves the controlled burning of “Mustard”, “Olive”, and “Linseed” oils using the traditional clay lamps and collecting the carbon soot on a ceramic plate. The prepared carbon nanoparticles were purified through sonication and subjected to characterization using powder X-ray diffraction, SEM, Fourier transformed infrared, Thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric analyses. The average particle size of carbon nanoparticles as investigated by powder X-Ray Diffraction analyses was found to be 18, 24, and 57 nm for mustard, olive and linseed oils respectively. SEM analyses revealed the surface morphology of these carbon nanostructures as spherical particles. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) providing knowledge about the thermal stability of these carbon nanoparticles. The synthesized carbon nanoparticles were screened for antibacterial activities against different species (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus haemolyticus, Proteus refrigere and Staphylococcus aureus) and fruitful results have been obtained.

Sulfosalts are well known naturally occurring mineral species since the surprise mineralogy and are well reported for a variety of applications including photovoltaics. In the current study Cu3BiS3 (wittichinite mineral), a member of the sulfosalt family was crystallized by a simplified route through chemical bath deposition. To elaborate the experimental design and deposition mechanism and for the sake of comparison, Bi2S3 thin films were also deposited. X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, UV–Vis Spectroscopy, and the Hall effect were used to explore the structural, morphological, and optoelectronic behaviour of synthesized materials in the form of thin films. The thickness of the films was measured by ellipsometry. XRD analysis confirmed the Bi2S3 for the first bath, while for the rest of the films Cu3BiS3 phase emerged. Optical bandgap values of 1.0 eV and 1.25 eV were achieved for Bi2S3 and Cu3BiS3 thin films respectively. Results revealed that Cu3BiS3 thin films deposited for 6 h at room temperature demonstrated Hall mobility of 34.9 cm2 v−1 s−1, the charge carrier concentration of 6.07 × 1016 cm−3 and 7.22 O-cm resistivity with the thickness of 126 nm, hence validating the potential of synthesized materials for photovoltaic applications.

A ternary nanocomposite (TNC) was fabricated for introducing multifunctional properties for various biomedical applications. The nanocomposites consist of hydroxyapatite (HAP) combined with/without graphene oxide (GO) and gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3). The lattice constants of HAP were around 9.4285 and 6.7476 Å, while for Gd2O3 was around 10.8441 Å. The morphological investigation detected the nanosheets of GO, and nanorods of HAP/Gd2O3 with length of 27 nm. Moreover, the topological study based on a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) showed that HAP/GO had average roughness (Ra) of 4.8 nm, and the root mean square value (Rq) with a value of 7 nm. Furthermore, the average pore size reached 7.99 nm for the NC of HAP/GO. In addition, the cumulative surface area using the density functional theory (DFT) method was calculated at around 44.61 m2/g for TNC. The cell viability in vitro of osteoblast cell line improved from 95.6 ± 0.6% to 96.7 ± 0.5% which indicates the biocompatibility of the implants to be used in biomedical applications.

Periodontal disease is a common complication, and conventional periodontal surgery can lead to severe bleeding. Different membranes have been used for periodontal treatment with limitations, such as improper biodegradation, poor mechanical property, and no effective hemostatic property. Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) membranes favoring periodontal regeneration were prepared to overcome these shortcomings. The mucilage of the chia seed was extracted and utilized to prepare the guided tissue regeneration (GTR) membrane. Lignin having antibacterial properties was used to synthesize lignin-mediated ZnO nanoparticles (∼Lignin@ZnO) followed by characterization with analytical techniques like Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–visible spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). To fabricate the GTR membrane, extracted mucilage, Lignin@ZnO, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were mixed in different ratios to obtain a thin film. The fabricated GTR membrane was evaluated using a dynamic fatigue analyzer for mechanical properties. Appropriate degradation rates were approved by degradability analysis in water for different intervals of time. The fabricated GTR membrane showed excellent antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterial species.

This work includes green synthesis of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) by using Alstoniascholaris, which is indigenous to many countries such as China, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India. Its pharmacological activities include antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticancer, analgesic, antitussive, and anti-diarrheal activities. In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of bio-inspired magnesium oxide nanoparticles, MgO NPs, were investigated. MgO NPs were prepared by using the leaf extract of Alstonia scholaris, followed by characterization using EDX, XRD, and SEM techniques. The crystallite size of magnesium oxide nanoparticles was 19.57 nm. XRD analysis confirmed the crystallinity and the purity of MgO NPs. Anti-inflammatory activity was carried out to observe inhibition of protein denaturation. Since the IC50 of MgO nanoparticles was lower than the standard, it was found to be more effective. IC50 values were compared, and results reveal that bioinspired MgO NPs undergo more scavenging of free radicals than standard (ascorbic acid) MgO NPs. These MgO nanoparticles are useful in cosmetics such as scrubs, moisturizers, and an active ingredient in microdermabrasion and in formulating effective drugs for maintaining the protein structure of the body, which will reduce inflammation.

Rapid methyl parathion detection was measured using a fabricated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) sensor designed using the layer-by-layer (LBL) method. Multilayer assemblies were developed on the glassy carbon electrode by alternating depositions of anions and cations in which a Dawson Type Polyoxometalate β-K6[(P2W18O62·H2O)]·14H2O (∼P2W18 POM) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) stabilized silver nanoparticles (∼PEI-AgNPs) acted as anions and cations, respectively. The redox behavior of P2W18 POM within LBL assembly was carried out via cyclic voltammetry. This LBL assembly was thoroughly characterized by UV-Visible, FT-IR, XRD, AFM, and SEM techniques. The fabricate GCE sensor was investigated for the electrocatalytic activity to detect methyl parathion. The results clearly showed that the fabricated GCE sensor was successfully synthesized. More interestingly, the current response for detecting methyl parathion was found to be less than 1 ppm, proving that this fabricated GCE sensor may exhibit potential applications in the detection of targeted pesticide.

Natural materials are gaining popularity in wound healing and food applications, and they have the potential to alleviate the major environmental problems generated via traditional materials. Biomaterials based on Chitosan incorporated with natural products (Ginger, Curcumin, and Cinnamon) have been fabricated by solvent casting method. The antimicrobial characterization of the prepared samples were also investigated using in vitro antimicrobial studies using Gram-positive microorganism [Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis], Gram-negative microorganism [Pseudomonas aeruginosa], and pathogenic [Candida albicans]. XRD patterns confirmed the complexation between chitosan and other natural products and this indicate the change in structural of chitosan. The shifting and disappearing of bands in FTIR-ATR and changing in fingerprints in FTIR spectra indicate the homogeneity and interaction between chitosan and the other. Optical properties such as absorption, absorption coefficient, Urbach tail and band gap calculation confirmed that Ginger, Curcumin and Cinnamon interact with chitosan and induces localized state between valence and conduction band. The mechanical properties also studied and revealed that Chitosan/Ginger has the best mechanical characteristic compared the other samples. In addition, the shifting toward higher wavelength for chitosan/Ginger may be utilized to generate electron–hole pairs, which is important for antimicrobial activities, and this confirmed from antimicrobial analysis that Chitosan/Ginger give high antimicrobial activity toward Gram-positive microorganism and suggest it for wound dressing application.

In this study, a green synthesis strategy was used to construct CuO-GO-Ag nanocomposites (NCs) by using biological components of Fagonia arabica. Copper Oxide (CuO) nanoparticles and silver (Ag) nanoparticles were fabricated by using a plant extract of Fagonia arabica. Graphene oxide was synthesized by hummer’s method and hydrothermal approach. The characterization techniques used in this work were Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and ultra-violet visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). As an innovative approach graphene oxide (GO) was firstly assorted with green synthesized CuO NPs and then Ag nanoparticles were incorporated to form amalgamated CuO-GO-Ag nanocomposite (NCs). The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of nanocomposite were examined. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ability of the nanocomposite were evaluated by UV-Visible spectroscopy. Results reveal that biologically synthesized CuO-GO-Ag NCs have high scavenging and inflammation reduction potential as compared to standards (ascorbic acid, diclofenac sodium). CuO-GO-Ag showed that scavenging efficiency for 0.3 mg/ml is 57.40% and for 0.5 mg/ml is 74.24% while scavenging efficiency for standard (ascorbic acid) is 44.22% for 0.3 mg/ml and 58.42% for 0.5 mg/ml. Likewise, CuO-GO-Ag nanocomposite showed a % inhibition value of 46.59 and 87.80 at 0.1 mg/ml and 0.5 mg/ml while diclofenac sodium showed a % inhibition value of 10.98 and 35.37 a similar concentration. Fagonia arabica seems to be a good source for acclimating the potential of NCs and nanoparticles toward different increased biological activities, according to the findings.

Water is the basic need of human beings with no substitute for it. This research aims to investigate the drinking water quality and dissociated risk calculations of the metropolis area in Pakistan. The present study was based on public awareness toward water quality and the real situation of water quality of filtration plants in Islamabad. A questionnaire was designed with the help of existing literature about public awareness on water quality. In the present study, 450 completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed with the help of statistical tools. To investigate the real situation of water quality in the study area, 32 samples were analyzed from installed filtration plants. The results presented that electrical arsenic, conductivity (EC), and alkalinity were higher, and 26 samples were found to be unsafe for drinking under poor water quality (water quality index >100). The hazard index of arsenic was found to be

In this study, an eco-friendly and low-cost procedure for the in situ fabrication of Cu nanoparticles by using chitosan/alginate hydrogel. The prepared Cu NPs@CS/Alg nanocomposite were characterized by advanced physicochemical techniques like Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) study. It has been established that chitosan/alginate-capped gold nanoparticles have a spherical shape with a mean diameter from 10 to 20 nm. In the cellular and molecular part of the recent study, the treated cells with Cu NPs@CS/Alg nanocomposite were assessed by MTT assay for 48 h about the cytotoxicity and anti-human breast cancer properties on normal (HUVEC) and breast cancer cell lines i.e. infiltrating lobular carcinoma of breast (UACC-3133), inflammatory carcinoma of the breast (UACC-732), and metastatic carcinoma (MDA-MB-453). In the antioxidant test, the IC50 of Cu NPs@CS/Alg nanocomposite and BHT against DPPH free radicals were 344 and 193 µg/mL, respectively. The IC50 of Cu NPs@CS/Alg nanocomposite were 297, 386, and 359 µg/mL against KYSE-270, OE33, and ESO26 cell lines, respectively. The viability of malignant breast cell line reduced dose-dependently in the presence of Cu NPs@CS/Alg nanocomposite.

Graphical Abstract

Blend of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan doped by selenium nanoparticles was synthesized via one step laser ablation route to improve the antibacterial activity of the pure blend. The effect of two concentrations of selenium on the optical, structural, and morphological properties of the synthesized PVA/Chitosan/SeNPs nanocomposite films were characterized. The antibacterial activity of the prepared samples has been investigated. XRD and FTIR-ATR results confirm the interaction between selenium nanoparticles and PVA/Chitosan. Furthermore, the change in the values of optical energy band gap confirms the scattered selenium nanoparticles into PVA/Chitosan film. The activity index shows an increase in the diameter zone with increasing the concentration of selenium nanoparticles content. The results confirmed that doping of selenium nanoparticles to (PVA/Chitosan) lead to increase the antibacterial activity of the pure PVA/Chitosan blend that suggests this nanocomposite could be used in several antimicrobial applications.

In this study we report the green synthesis of nontoxic and stable Cu nanoparticles (NP) using chitosan/starch hydrogel with reducing/capping ability without using any harsh reducing agents. Starch was used as a reducing agent for the synthesis of Cu NPs that was further stabilized by chitosan polymers. The in situ prepared Cu NPs/CS-Starch bio-composite were characterized by advanced physicochemical techniques like Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis, TGA and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopic (ICP-OES) study. It has been established that Cu NPs/CS-Starch bio-composite have a spherical shape with a mean diameter from 5 to 7 nm. Cell viability of Cu NPs/CS-Starch bio-composite was very low against common human thyroid carcinoma cell lines i.e. TPC1, BCPAP and FTC133 without any cytotoxicity on normal cell line. The best anti-human thyroid carcinoma effects of Cu NPs/CS-Starch bio-composite was observed against the TPC1 cell line. For investigating the antioxidant properties of Cu NPs/CS-Starch bio-composite, the DPPH assay was used in the presence of butylated hydroxytoluene as the positive control. Cu NPs/CS-Starch bio-composite inhibited half of the DPPH molecules in the concentration of 207 µg/mL. The antioxidant activity of Cu NPs/CS-Starch bio-composite is significantly related to its anti-human thyroid carcinoma potentials. Based on to the above findings, the Cu NPs/CS-Starch bio-composite could be administrated for the treatment of several types of human thyroid carcinoma in humans.

In current nanoscience bioengineered magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) have come into prominence with considerable impact. These advanced functional materials find outstanding applications in chemical science in catalysis, environmental issues, sensing etc, as well as in biology as drug delivery agent, chemical therapeutics and others. We have been prompted to architect and synthesize a novel Au NP adorned over chitosan-biguanidine polyplex modified core–shell type magnetic nanocomposite (Fe3O4/CS-biguanidine/Au NPs). The bioshells facilitate to protect the core ferrite NPs as well as provides stability to the synthesized Au NPs by capping. The material was characterized using different analytical techniques like Fourier Transformed Infra-Red spectroscopy (FT-IR), Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Microscopy (ICP-OES), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) studies. We explored the biological application of the nanocomposite in determining cytotoxicity of three adenocarcinoma cell lines (PC-14, LC-2/ad, HLC-1) through the MTT assay. The material showed very good activity by exhibiting very low % cell viability over the cell lines dose-dependently. The IC50 of Fe3O4/CS-biguanidine/Au NPs were observed 503, 398 and 475 µg/mL respectively against the three cell lines. The best output was observed at a concentration of 1000 µg/mL of catalyst in terms of cytotoxicity and inhibition of lung cancer growth. The anti-cancer potential was found in close relation to their antioxidant potential.

The stability constants of 1,2-bis(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene) hydrazine (DMBH) were determined using the modified Job’s method with the addition of the UV-Vis approach using salts of copper (II) (chloride and acetate) and salts of cobalt (II) (chloride and nitrate). Copper (II) chloride with a ligand at 1L:2M (stoichiometric ratio) was discovered to have a higher stability constant log value (6.995) than other metal salts. The stability constant log value (5.811) for cobalt (II) nitrate at 1L:2M (stoichiometric ratio) was found to be less stable than the other stability constants evaluated. Antimicrobial properties of the ligand were tested against Entamoeba coli, Candida albicans, and Staphylococcus aureus. The ligand was found to be effective against these strains, with positive results.

The disposal of dyes and organic matter into water bodies has become a significant source of pollution, posing health risks to humans worldwide. With rising water demands and dwindling supplies, these harmful compounds must be isolated from wastewater and kept out of the aquatic environment. In the research presented here, hydrothermal synthesis of manganese-doped zinc ferrites’ (Mn-ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles (NPs) and their nanocomposites (NCs) with sulfur-doped graphitic carbon nitride (Mn-ZnFe2O4/S-g-C3N4) are described. The samples’ morphological, structural, and bonding features were investigated using SEM, XRD, and FTIR techniques. A two-phase photocatalytic degradation study of (0.5, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 wt.%) Mn-doped ZnFe2O4 NPs and Mn-ZnFe2O4/(10, 30, 50, 60, and 70 wt.%) S-g-C3N4 NCs against MB was carried out to find the photocatalyst with maximum efficiency. The 9% Mn-ZnFe2O4 NPs and Mn-ZnFe2O4/50% S-g-C3N4 NCs exhibited the best photocatalyst efficiency in phase one and phased two, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the Mn-ZnFe2O4/50% S-g-C3N4 NCs could be attributed to synergistic interactions at the Mn-ZnFe2O4/50% S-g-C3N4 NCs interface that resulted in a more effective transfer and separation of photo-induced charges. Therefore, it is efficient, affordable, and ecologically secure to modify ZnFe2O4 by doping with Mn and homogenizing with S-g-C3N4. As a result, our current research suggests that the synthetic ternary hybrid Mn-ZnFe2O4/50% S-g-C3N4 NCs may be an effective photocatalytic system for degrading organic pollutants from wastewater.

The textile industry generated a series of synthetic dyestuffs that threatened environmental protection. Azo dyes, widely utilized in textile, paper, fruit, leathers, cosmeceuticals and pharmaceutical fields, account for most of the dyestuffs made. Since they have colour fastness properties, stability, and susceptibility to oxidation, existing effluent treatment methods cannot entirely strip different dyes from effluents. Under certain environmental factors, bacteria decolourize and degrade dyes. The treatment process is cheap, environmentally safe, and can be used on various dyes. However, textile plant wastewater can produce many polluting chemicals and dyes. Environmental legislation is increasingly being enacted to regulate mainly azo-based dyes in the environment. The potential of the microbes for the decolourization of dyes and metabolizing them is long-known knowledge. The toxic components of dyes challenge a potential threat to all the living forms of life. Though both natural and synthetic dyes are used for the colourization of textiles, only synthetic ones are challenging to decolourize. Microbial-based bioremediation of dyes has been studied and reviewed primarily to accelerate dye degradation. The various piece of the literature revealed that the majority of these dye removal microbes belong to mainly white-rot fungi, a consortium of anaerobic bacteria. In addition to this, there are several (genetically engineered microorganisms) GEMs that remediate dyes efficiently. Here in the current review, the authors have tried to bridge the existing gap in the bioremediation of dyestuff. Moreover, the authors have also tried to provide the latest trend in this field. This study will surely benefit the industries and researchers related to dyestuffs by maintaining eco-friendly approaches.

SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. This in silico study aimed to elucidate therapeutic efficacies against SARS-CoV-2 of phyco-compounds from the seaweed, Ulva fasciata. Twelve phyco-compounds were isolated and toxicity was analyzed by VEGA QSAR. Five compounds were found to be nonmutagenic, noncarcinogenic and nontoxic. Moreover, antiviral activity was evaluated by PASS. Binding affinities of five of these therapeutic compounds were predicted to possess probable biological activity. Fifteen SARS-CoV-2 target proteins were analyzed by the AutoDock Vina program for molecular docking binding energy analysis and the 6Y84 protein was determined to possess optimal binding affinities. The Desmond program from Schrödinger’s suite was used to study high performance molecular dynamic simulation properties for 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol—6Y84 for better drug evaluation. The ligand with 6Y84 had stronger binding affinities (−5.9 kcal/mol) over two standard drugs, Chloroquine (−5.6 kcal/mol) and Interferon α-2b (−3.8 kcal/mol). Swiss ADME calculated physicochemical/lipophilicity/water solubility/pharmacokinetic properties for 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol, showing that this therapeutic agent may be effective against SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract There are many molecules used as a drug carrier. TUD-1 is a newly synthesized mesoporous silica (SM) molecule possess two important features; consists of mesoporous so it is very suitable to be drug carrier in addition to that it has the ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, the effect of TUD-1 appears to act as cell death inducer, regardless of whether it is necrosis or apoptosis. Unfortunately, recent studies indicate that a proportion of cells undergo necrosis rather than apoptosis, which limits the use of TUD-1 as a secure treatment. On the other hand, lithium considered as necrosis inhibitor element. Hence, the current study based on the idea of producing a new Li-TUD-1 by incorporated mesoporous silica (TUD-1 type) with lithium in order to produce a new compound that has the ability to activate apoptosis by mesoporous silica (TUD-1 type) and at the same time can inhibit the activity of necrosis by lithium. Herein, lithium incorporated in TUD-1 mesoporous silica by using sol–gel technique in one-step synthesis procedure. Moreover, lithium incorporated in TUD-1 with different loading in order to form different active sites such as isolated lithium ions, nanoparticles of Li2O, and bulky crystals of Li2O. The ability of the new compounds to induce apoptosis and prevent necrosis was evaluated on three different types of cancer cell lines, which are; liver HepG-2, breast MCF-7, and colon HCT116. The obtained results show that Li-TUD-1 has the ability to control necrosis and thus reduce the side effects of treatments containing silica in the case of lithium added to them, especially in chronic cases. This opinion has demonstrated by the significant increase in the IC50 value and cell viability compared to control groups. Consequently, the idea is new, so it needs more develop and test with materials that have a more apoptotic impact than silica to induce apoptosis without induction of necrosis.

Well-defined silver nanoparticles were doped into bio-based amorphous silica (Ag-b-SiO2) with different silver contents (from 2 to 20 wt%) by a solvent-free procedure. The four as-synthetized samples were hydrogenated at 300 °C to ensure the formation of zero-valent Ag nanoparticles. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis, N2 sorption measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The characterization data confirmed the formation of well-defined zero-valent silver nanoparticles in the range of 3–10 nm in the low-loading samples, while in high-loading samples, bulky particles of silver in the range of 200–500 nm were formed. The in vitro cytotoxic activities of the Ag-b-SiO2 samples were tested against the tumor cell lines of breast (MCF-7), liver (HepG2), and colon (HCT 116) over a concentration range of 0.01 to 1000 g. The prepared samples exhibited a wide range of cytotoxic activities against cancer cells. An inverse relationship was observed between the silver nanoparticles’ size and the cytotoxic activity, while a direct relationship between the silver nanoparticles’ size and the apoptotic cell death was noticed.

Bio-based silica, lignocellulose, and activated carbon were simply produced via the recycling of Hassawi rice biomass waste of Al-Ahsa governorate in the eastern Saudi Arabia region using a fast chemical treatment procedure. Rice husk and rice straw wastes were collected, ground, and chemically treated with sodium hydroxide to extract silica/silicate from the dried plant tissues. The liquid extract is then treated with acid solutions in order to precipitate silica/silicate at neutral medium. Lowering the pH of the supernatant to 2 resulted in the precipitation of lignocellulose. Thermal treatment of the biomass residue under N2 gas stream resulted in activated carbon production. Separated products were dried/treated and characterized using several physical examination techniques, such as FT-IR, SEM/EDX, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy in order to study their structure and morphology. Silica and lignocelluloses products were then preliminarily used in the treatment of wastewaters and water-desalination processes.