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Phenoxy herbicides are families of chemicals that have been developed as commercially important herbicides, widely used in agriculture. Excessive consumption and increasing use of these pesticides to control pests of agricultural products and the continued entry of these pollutants into the environment due to their lack of biodegradability as well as their toxicity and carcinogenicity, has become one of the most challenging environmental problems today. Hormonal-like herbicides 2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) and (2,4-Dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2.4-DCPA) are among the phenoxy herbicides that in mixed form, provide essential tools for modern farming for control of undesirable vegetation on grazing land, in crop, and non-crop lands. Natural clay minerals, especially layered double hydroxides (LDHs), are among the various materials that are used for pesticide adsorbents. LDHs have received special attention, mainly due to the large specific surface area associated with their layered structure, ease of synthesis, and the possibility of modifying their surfaces. In this work, a magnetized MgAl-LDH@Fe3O4 composite was prepared by co-precipitation method and used for the simultaneous removal of MCPA and 2.4-DCPA herbicides from aqueous solution by adsorption process. It should be noted that after the adsorption process, the magnetized MgAl-LDH@Fe3O4 nanocomposite can be separated and collected from the aqueous solution by an external magnet. Characterizations of the adsorbent were performed by various techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and thermal analysis. The partial least square method was used to determine the concentration of each individual herbicide and in the mixture of them in the aqueous solution. Next, simultaneous adsorption of MCPA and 2.4-DCPA by LDH was optimized using Doehlert experimental design. The optimum conditions for adsorption were obtained as, adsorbent dosage 40.20 mg L−1, pH 6.8 and initial concentration 28.35 mg L−1. The equilibrium adsorption data were obtained using the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radush-Kevich isotherms models. The results indicated that the experimental adsorption data were controlled by Freundlich models. The maximum adsorption capacity of MCPA and 2.4-DCPA herbicides on the MgAl-LDH@Fe3O4 adsorbent was obtained as, 134.50 and 131.30 mg g-1, respectively. The kinetic data of adsorption process were evaluated as pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion; the obtained results were well described by the pseudo-second-order model. Adsorption thermodynamic studies were also investigated. The positive ΔH◦ and negative values of ΔG° at various indicated that adsorption process is endothermic and spontaneous in nature respectively. The positive ΔS° value indicates the increase of disorder at the solid-solution interface during adsorption.

Common purslane that is a natural source of antioxidants, phenols, flavonoids, and dopamine possesses the potential to be used as a medicinal vegetable. The amount of active compounds in purslane i...

We present an eco-friendly solvothermal method for synthesis of superparamagnetic α-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 nanoparticles without precipitation agent. The α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized with Fe(NO3)3·9H2O as the iron source and absolute ethanol as the solvent at 200 °C. To synthesize Fe3O4 nanoparticles, ascorbic acid was added as the reductant and then the synthesis was performed at 180 (M3 sample) and 200 °C (M4 sample), while other synthesis conditions were fixed. In the case of α-Fe2O3 sample, non-uniform nanoparticles with nearly spherical shapes and rough surfaces were fabricated under solvothermal conditions. Redox reaction between absolute ethanol and NO3¯ from iron source provided a substantial concentration of OH¯ ions needed for the formation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ hydroxides. The average particle sizes of α-Fe2O3, M3, and M4 nanoparticles were obtained to be 18.6, 23.1, and 15.8 nm, respectively.

This study presents a novel material for highly efficient adsorption of sulforaphane based on SBA-15. The SBA-15 nanoparticles were synthesized using natural silica by hydrothermal method and functionalized with thiol and amine groups by the post-synthesis grafting procedure. All adsorbents were characterized by various techniques including BET, LAXRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM, and CHNS. The batch adsorption experiments revealed that the adsorption efficiency of SBA-15 for sulforaphane can be mainly influenced by the introduction of functional groups and the best adsorption performance was observed for amine-functionalized SBA-15 (SBA-15-NH2) compared to pure SBA-15 and thiol-functionalized SBA-15 (SBA-15-SH) with the highest adsorption efficiency of about 97%. Preliminary adsorption studies of sulforaphane onto SBA-15-NH2 were performed in aqueous solutions with different pH values and various organic solvents. Also, the effects of adsorbent dosage, contact time, and initial sulforaphane concentration on sulforaphane adsorption using SBA-15-NH2 were studied. Langmuir and Redlich-Peterson isotherm models were the best-fitting models for the experimental data, followed by Temkin, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models. The adsorption process could be well described by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model based on kinetic parameters, correlation coefficient, and error functions. Meanwhile, the intra-particle diffusion model showed a multi-linear plot with three steps demonstrating slow diffusion into mesopores as a rate-limiting step.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of cellulosic wastes and nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) on the soil properties and the nutrient uptake by Quercus castaneifolia C.A.Mey see...

Background: and Purpose: Green nanotechnology is an interesting method for the synthesis of functional nanoparticles. Because of their wide application, they have set up great attention in recent years. Objective: The present research examines the green synthesis of Ag and zero-valent iron nanoparticles (AgNPs, ZVINPs) by Feijoa sellowiana fruit extract. In this synthesis, no stabilizers or surfactants were applied. Methods: Eco-friendly synthesis of Iron and biogenic synthesis of Ag nanoparticles were accomplished by controlling critical parameters such as concentration, incubation period and temperature. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction analysis (XRD), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and UV-Vis were applied to characterize NPs. The cytotoxicity of NPs was investigated in two cell lines, MCF-7 (breast cancer) and AGS (human gastric carcinoma). A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was also performed for characterization of phenolic acids in the extract. Results: Both NPs displayed powerful anticancer activities against two tumor cell lines with little effect on BEAS-2B normal cells. Synthesized AgNPs and ZVINPs inhibited the growth of all selected bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Acinetobacter baumannii and Escherichia coli have been studied in two stages. We initially examined the ATCCs followed by clinical strain isolation. Based on the results from resistant strains, we showed that nanoparticles were superior to conventional antibiotics. DPPH (diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay and iron chelating activity were used for the determination of antioxidant properties. Results showed a high antioxidant activity of scavenging free radicals for ZVINPs and powerful iron-chelating activity for AgNPs. Based on the HPLC data, catechin was the major phenolic compound in the extract. Conclusion: Our synthesized nanoparticles displayed potent cytotoxic, antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Increasing the heat transfer rate in car radiators by using nanofluids leads to better control of engine temperature at hard working conditions and reduces the required radiator dimensions. However, due to the possibility of disposal of radiator coolants in the environment, use of an eco-friendly nanofluid coolant is of particular importance. Therefore, in the current research, Fe3O4–water nanofluids with the nominal particle diameter of 28 nm were synthesized. The experiments were performed at vol% ranging from zero to 0.9, three radiator input temperatures (72, 80 and 88 °C) and four radiator fan speeds (1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 rpm). Although the fluid flow rate was constant in this study, Re number varied in a narrow range (30–100) according to the change in the nanofluid concentration. It is interesting to say that the best working condition of the radiator obtained at 0.1 vol% and more increase in the nanoparticle concentration deteriorated the heat transfer. At 0.1 vol%, the heat exchanging performance of the radiator is improved by an average of 21% in comparison with the pure water. At this concentration, maximum Re number was also obtained according to the measured density and viscosity of the nanofluids. It can be concluded that at higher nanofluid concentrations (> 0.1 vol%), not only the particle agglomeration but also Re number reduction may lead to heat transfer deterioration. Moreover, at 0.1 vol% of nanoparticles, the outlet coolant temperature from the radiator decreased with increasing the radiator fan speed from 1000 to 2500 rpm. However, for temperatures more than 80 °C, the difference between the output fluid temperature at the fan speeds of 2000 and 2500 rpm was not significant. Therefore, as an overall conclusion, the concentration of 0.1 vol% and fan speed of 2000 rpm could be recommended in the car radiator with inlet temperatures at the range of 80–88 °C.

The amount of monosilicic acid, plant absorbable silicon, released from fertilizers can be influenced by silicon source and soil properties. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect...

Background:Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is limited to produce AgNPs with only relatively low concentrations, and is unsuitable for large-scale productions. The use of Myrtus communis (MC) leaf methanolic extract (rich in hydrolyzable tannins) has been recommended to resolve the issues related to the aggregation of nanoparticles at high concentrations of silver ions with added facet of antioxidant properties.Methods:The produced highly concentrated MC-AgNPs were characterized by using imaging and spectroscopic methods. Subsequently, antioxidant, anticancer and antifungal activities of the nanoparticles were evaluated.Results:The thermogravimetric analysis and energy dispersive spectroscopy quantitative results suggested that the nanoparticles are biphasic in nature (bio-molecule + Ag0) and layered in structure, suggesting the formation of nanoparticles through a different mechanism than those described in the literature. MC-AgNPs showed greater scavenging activity of nitric oxide and iron (II) chelating ability than the extract. It also showed good reducing power compared to the standard antioxidant. Remarkable anticancer activity of MC-AgNPs (IC50 = 5.99µg/mL) was found against HCT-116 (human colon carcinoma) cell lines after 24h exposure with a therapeutic index value 2-fold higher than the therapeutic index of standard doxorubicin. Furthermore, distinct antifungal activity (MIC = 4µg/mL) was found against Candida krusei.Conclusion:The current method outperforms the existing methods because it produces a large amount of multifunctional nanoscale hybrid materials more efficiently using natural sources; thus, it may be used for diverse biomedical applications.

This study aimed to produce the functional ricotta cheese using broccoli sprouts extract (BSE) and to evaluate its physicochemical, antioxidant, rheological, and sensory properties. The BSE nano-liposome was nano-encapsulated into basil seed gum (BSG) and was incorporated into the ricotta cheese formulation in two forms of free and nano-capsules in two levels of 3% and 5% w/w. The measurements were conducted during a 15-day storage period at 4-6°C. The results showed that the titratable acidity, hardness, and chewiness of cheeses were increased and the pH, moisture, total phenol content (TPC), and antioxidant activity were decreased (

BACKGROUND: Potato protein hydrolysates (PPHs) were preparedwith Alcalase on intact potato protein isolates (PPI), with differenthydrolysis times (0.5–4 h), and functional and conformational properties of resultant hydrolysates were investigated. RESULTS: The degree of hydrolysis changed during incubation. Peptide bond cleavage increased and hydrolysis progressed rapidly. Gel electrophoresis showed that, by increasing the hydrolysis time, peptides with an apparent molecular weight below 20 kDa increased. It also revealed that, among potato protein components, patatin was more sensitive to Alcalase® hydrolysis than protease inhibitors. Enzymatic hydrolysis significantly enhanced the solubility and foam capacity of PPHs, but impaired foam stability (P < 0.05). Limited enzymatic hydrolysates (0.5PPH) at the interface improved the emulsion activity and stability index. These emulsions also had the smallest z‐average and polydispersity index and showed the highest zeta potential. Fourier‐transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) analysis indicated extensive disruption of hydrogen bonds in PPHs, besides augmentation of α‐helices and β‐turns, and a decline in the β‐sheets in the secondary structure of the PPHs was shown. CONCLUSION: Potato protein isolate, especially 0.5PPH, has good functional and conformational properties. Overall, our results provide new insights into the use of potato protein hydrolysates as a functional food component in the food industry. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

Quinoxaline derivatives are well-known N-heterocycles with pharmacological and fluorescence activities. Almost all quinoxaline derivatives with extensive π-conjugation have been introduced as fluorophores which emit blue and green light. For the first time, we designed and synthesized 6-chloro-2,3 di(Pyridine-2yl) quinoxaline (2-CPQ) as a pink fluorophore in acetonitrile medium by simple route at room temperature whitin 30 min. The synthesized quinoxaline was identified using

A wide variety of medical, biomedical, and industrial applications has been reported for quinoxalines derivatives. In this work, a novel quinoxaline derivative was designed and synthesized. Naked-eye and quantitative detection of Fe

In epidemiological and clinical studies, the most common nutritional tool to assess dietary flavonol intake is the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), which needs to contain a detailed list of plant-based foods and be previously validated. Our study aimed to assess the accuracy of dietary flavonol (quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin) intake from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) compared to fasting plasma flavonol concentrations, as biomarkers of exposure, in breast cancer patients. In a consecutive case series, newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer (n = 140) were recruited at Nour-Nejat Hospital, Tabriz, Iran. Flavonol intake was assessed using a validated FFQ. Plasma flavonol concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection. The accuracy of dietary status was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the ROC curve (AUC). Dietary status was shown in dichotomous using ROC-cutoff point. The plasma concentrations of quercetin were moderately correlated with dietary intake of quercetin (Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs) = 0.188, P < .05; rpartial= 0.330, P < .01) and plasma concentrations of isorhamnetin (rs = 0.337, P < .001). A linear correlation between dietary levels and plasma concentrations of kaempferol was attained (rpartial = 0.240, P < .05). Using a ROC-cutoff of 61.9 nmol/L for plasma quercetin (test reference), we were able to differentiate between lower and higher consumers of quercetin with an AUCROC-based reference =0.65 (P < .01, sensitivity = 61.8%, and specificity = 60.0%). Using a plasma kaempferol concentration of 60.1 nmol/L (ROC-cutoff), it was possible to detect significant differences between higher and lower intakes of kaempferol (AUCROC-based reference = 0.64, P < .05). The correlations and diagnostic performance with plasma concentrations could present a significant accuracy rate (validity), which seems acceptable for a nutritional questionnaire (FFQ) to assess intakes intake levels of quercetin and kaempferol. An improvement in the accuracy of the flavonol exposure can provide more precise relationship with health outcomes, which may increase their clinical significance.

The use of antibiotics in addition to drug resistance can cause harmful side effects. The presence of nanoparticles as novel antibacterial agents and carriers for drug delivery are important for the treatment of diseases. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen and resistance to antibiotics that infects damaged tissues and also people with a weak immune system. In this study, zerovalent copper (Cu0) and iron (Fe0) nanoparticles with the average size of 25 nm and less than 50 nm, respectively, were synthesized by chemical reduction method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used to determine the particle size and morphology. The antibacterial effect of these nanoparticles against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was assessed. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), as well as minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), were determined using colony count and measurement of optical density methods. The results of treatment Pseudomonas aeruginosa with zerovalent iron and copper nanoparticles showed that the rate of growth was reduced in a dose-dependent manner and these nanoparticles showed that bactericidal effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The effect of zerovalent iron and copper nanoparticles on heat shock gene expression dnaK were studied using real-time RT-PCR. Gene expression levels indicated that dnaK expression was reduced 10- and 7-fold in treatment with Fe0 and Cu0, respectively. Since the nanoparticles inhibited the bacterial growth, the expression level has decreased compared with control.

The current study describes a simple method to determine four organophosphate insecticides (i.e., ethion, phosalone, diazinon, chlorpyrifos) and an isothiazolidine acaricide (i.e., hexyhiazox), as examples of pesticides in environmental water samples by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE). For this purpose, a self-magnetic nanocomposite monolithic (SMNM) kit coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) spectroscopy was used. The size, morphology, and elemental distribution of synthesized SMNM kit were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy system, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and elemental mapping, respectively. An experimental design based on the central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize factors affecting SBSE. Under optimal experimental conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) were found to be in the range of 0.07 μg L−1 to 0.89 μg L−1. Linear ranges were 5-800 μg L−1 for ethion, hexythiazox, and chlorpyrifos, 1–1000 μg L−1 for phosalone, and 5–1000 μg L−1 for diazinon. The relative standard deviation (RSD%) did not exceed 5.48% and 6.45% for intraday and interday precisions, respectively. The enrichment factors (EFs) ranged from 15 to 39-fold (theoretical enrichment factor was 40-fold). The results showed that SMNM kit could enrich the above-mentioned pesticides effectively. The SMNMSBSE-HPLC-UV methodology was applied for the determination of pesticides in real water samples.

New modifications in nanoparticles changed their applications obviously. Green synthesis of nanoparticles and their biomedical utilizations have been the focus of increasing attention in recent years. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) demonstrated surprising effects and many advantageous features for cancer therapy. Investigations indicated the anticancer activity of AgNPs in different ways, comprising cell cycle arrest, DNA damaging and apoptosis, alteration of P53 function, up/down regulation of some important cytokine genes and so on. But some key inquiries like the ability to control the accidental effects of AgNPs, or encompassing process for parcels, which reduces the toxicological profile of nanoparticles, still remained. “Green synthesis” of nanoparticles has been shown to be a kind of approach to resolve the toxicity amounts in a range of 10-18 times. Using distinctive properties of this approach, i.e. as green synthesized silver nanoparticles (G-AgNPs), in order to raise potential therapeutic efficacy, even up to two-fold higher than cis-platin, is going to play a crucial role in cancer treatment and could be considered as a new insight in this field. The current review focuses on the antioxidant activity of G-AgNPs and potential impacts on cancer cells.

Cy3 is a dye that has been widely applied in fluorescence microscopy and single molecule detection due to its low hydrophobicity and intense fluorescence emission. As a new application, this study proposes using Cy3 as the fluorophore of a peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence system. The system relies on the oxidative reaction of bis-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl) oxalate (TCPO) with H2O2 in the presence of imidazole, as the catalyst, to produce dioxetane via a chemically initiated electron exchange luminescence (CIEEL) process, excite Cy3 by the excess energy of the dioxetane and permit Cy3 to emit yellow light. The chemiluminescence behavior of the system is investigated using different concentrations of TCPO, imidazole, the oxidant and Cy3 and by considering non-linear least squares curve fitting of the obtained intensity–time profiles into the pooled intermediate model. The evaluated kinetic parameters include experimental and theoretical maximum intensity, the rise and fall rate constants of the chemiluminescence process, experimental and theoretical time required to reach the maximum intensity and total emission yield. Finally, the developed system is adopted to detect a drug, i.e., carvedilol, in different pharmaceuticals. Under the optimal conditions, the system can provide a linear response for determination of 3 × 10− 7 to 3 × 10− 5 M carvedilol (r > 0.9869, n = 6) and a detection limit of 1.21 × 10− 7 M. The relative standard deviation of the detection results for six repetitive determinations is below 3.47% and the obtained recoveries are 99.6% and 101.9%.

Curcumin (CUR) has interesting properties to cure cancer. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is also an emerging biomedical technique that has great potential for cancer treatment. Therefore, the combined effect of CAP and CUR on inducing cytotoxicity and apoptosis of melanoma cancer cells might be promising. Here, we investigated the combined effects of CAP and CUR on cytotoxicity and apoptosis in B16-F10 melanoma cancer cells compared to L929 normal cells using MTT method, acridine orange/ethidium bromide fluorescence microscopic assay, and Annexin V/PI flow cytometry. In addition, the activation of apoptosis pathways was evaluated using BCL2, BAX, and Caspase-3 (CASP3) gene expression and ratio of BAX to BCL2 (BAX/BCL2). Finally, in silico study was performed to suggest the molecular mechanism of this combination therapy on melanoma cancer. Results showed that although combination therapy with CUR and CAP has cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on cancer cells, it did not improve apoptosis rate in melanoma B16-F10 cancer cells compared to monotherapy with CAP or CUR. In addition, evaluation of gene expression in cancer cell line confirmed that CUR and CAP concomitant treatment did not enhance the expression of apoptotic genes. In silico analysis of docked model suggested that CUR blocks aquaporin- (AQP-) 1 channel and prevents penetration of CAP-induced ROS into the cells. In conclusion, combination therapy with CAP and CUR does not improve the anticancer effect of each alone.

Today, it is very important to protect plants in soils contaminated with metals. We investigated the behavior of cadmium during the establishment of oak seedlings (Quercus castaneifolia C.A. Mey.) under biochar influence. This study was conducted in pots with loamy soil. Cadmium was added to soil at 0, 10, 30, and 50 mg per kg of soil, indicated by Control, Cd10, Cd30 and Cd50. Biochar was produced at 500&ndash, 550&deg, C from rice husk and added at 1, 3, and 5% (wt/wt) levels, indicated by B1, B3, B5, and mixed with soil at planting in three replications. Generally, increasing biochar rates had significant effects on seedling height, diameter, and biomass. This coincided with Cd immobilization in the contaminated soil which reflects a decrease in Cd concentrations in the plant bioavailability of Cd. The tolerance index increased significantly, by 40.9%, 56%, and 60.6% in B1, B3, and B5 with Cd50, respectively, compared to polluted soil. The percent of Cd removal efficiency for Cd50 was 21%, 47%, and 67% in B1, B2, and B5, respectively. Our study highlights that biochar can reduce Cd bioavailability and improve the growth of oak seedlings in contaminated soil.

In this work, a rapid, simple, and environmentally friendly method has been proposed for direct supramolecular microextraction of four organophosphate insecticides (ethion, phosalone, diazinon, chlorpyrifos) and an isothiazolidine acaricide (hexythiazox) in agricultural product samples prior to their determination by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet spectroscopy. These five target pesticides have been selected as models in combination with chemometrical optimization processing due to their high consumption in rice, cucumber, and tomato samples for pest control. Method is based on the extraction of pesticide residues from homogenized food sample in an aqueous media containing some tetrahydrofuran (THF) and decanoic acid (DeA). Effects of the experimental parameters, including THF volume, DeA content, salt concentration (as a measure of salting-out effect), and pH on extraction recoveries (ERs) and enrichment factors (EFs) were investigated and, then, the significant variables were optimized using central composite design (CCD) as chemometrical processing. At optimum conditions, this method has a linear response over the ranges of 0.10 to 1500 μg kg−1 for target analytes. Limits of detection (LOD) of this method were found to be in the range of 0.05 to 0.20 μg kg−1. Also, relative standard deviation (RSD) of the method was in the range of 3.45 to 12.27% and the enrichment factors ranged from 102- to 178-fold. The method was applied successfully for analysis of the pesticides in agricultural product samples.

The aim of this study is to show that α- and β-CoNi binary hydroxides nanostructures can be used as heterogeneous catalysts in the oxidation of benzyl alcohol, N-formylation of aniline, and the Claisen–Schmidt condensation. The catalysts were synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD, FE-SEM/EDX, FT-IR, TGA, UV–vis and N2 adsorption-desorption techniques. The α-phase is similar to layered double hydroxide (LDH), while β-phase is isostructural with brucite. In all of the three reactions, the conversion enhanced by increasing the amount of catalysts from 10 to 30 mg, and the catalytic activity of α-phase was better than β-phase. In benzyl alcohol oxidation, the best conversion for α- and β-phases was 90% and 80%, respectively, under solvent-free conditions. In N-formylation, the best yield for both catalysts was obtained 95% in solvent-free conditions. However, the time required for α-phase to reach this amount was a quarter of that for β-phase. For the Claisen–Schmidt condensation, the best yield was obtained at 90 °C, which was 70% and 50% for α- and β-CoNi binary hydroxides, respectively. Both catalysts were stable and subsequent to each step of recovery and reuse, no significant loss in activity was observed.

Herein, we firstly reported utilization of α- and β-CoNi hydroxides nanostructures as efficient catalyst for the luminol-H2O2 CL reaction. The catalysts were synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM/EDX, and UV–vis. The α-form had layered double hydroxide (LDH) structure witout trivalent cations in the metal hydroxide layer, while the structure of β-phase was similar to brucite. UV–vis spectra demonstrated that the partial oxidation of Co2+ and Ni2+ did not occur in the both catalysts. It was found that α- and β-CoNi could significantly enhance CL reaction of luminol-H2O2 at pH = 11. During study of experimental parameters the higher relative intensity of CL signal in the presence of α-Co-Ni hydroxide was observed. This may be due to the greater Co2+/Ni2+ ratio in this catalyst than β-phase. Therefore, a facile and rapid method was developed to assay H2O2 using α-CoNi binary hydroxide as catalyst. Under optimum conditions, in the range 0.1–12 μM of H2O2 concentrations the CL intensity was linear and a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.05 μM for H2O2 was obtained. The relative standard deviation for 6 repetitive determinations was less than 2.9%. The proposed method was successfully applied to detect H2O2 in river water samples with recoveries of 97.3% and 106%.

Green synthesis of Myrtus communis-Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles (MC-ZVINs) was carried out in an alkaline environment. These nanoparticles were introduced for testing in vivo iron chelation in an iron-overload thalassemia model in mice. The MC-ZVINs were characterized by the use of imaging (electron microscopy) and spectroscopic (UV-vis and infrared absorption, dynamic light scattering and X-ray diffraction) methods. These methods demonstrated that some polyphenols are bound to the surfaces of the MC-ZVINs as a capping/stabilizing agent. The MC-ZVINs and defroxamine were injected 5 times a week over 4 weeks. The total iron and Fe3+ content of serum was determined by microwave plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and an Fe3+ ion measuring kit respectively and liver enzyme levels were evaluated with an auto-analyzer. Morphological changes of the liver were examined by haematoxylin and eosin and Prussian blue staining. Additionally, the bioactivity of the iron nanoparticles was checked by DPPH and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity, reducing power and iron (Fe2+) chelating ability. Iron-overloaded mice treated with the MC-ZVINs, indicated a drastic reduction in serum iron content when compared with the control groups and those treated with defroxamine. MC-ZVINs exhibit satisfactory potency to chelate excessive iron in mice. The data collected in this study will be helpful for selecting the most appropriate operational conditions for synthesizing green ZVINs in biomedical applications.

A Cu/TiO2 nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (Cu/ /TiO2/GCE) was fabricated to detect methyldopa by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and different pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods. Compared with bare GCE, the Cu/TiO2/GCE exhibited excellent electrochemical activity for the oxidation of methyldopa. Using DPV technique, the calibration curves for methyldopa were found linear in the concentration range of 0.5?800.0 ?M and the detection limit (S/N = 3) was calculated to be 0.23 ?M. Additionally, the prepared electrochemical sensor of Cu/TiO2/GCE demonstrated a practical feasibility in methyldopa tablets and in urine samples analysis.

In recent years, the progress of green nanotechnology is interested scientists in the biosynthesis of particles in the nanoscale because of its uses in all fields of science. In this study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized from the extract of Ferula persica (Fp-NPs). Ag nanoparticles’ eco-friendly synthesis was performed by optimizing four physicochemical parameters: concentration of AgNO3 and extract, incubation period, pH, and temperature. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was done to characterize the phenolic acid content of the extract. Chlorogenic acid was detected as an essential factor for reducing and capping of silver nanoparticles, which led to the stability. Characterization of Fp-NPs was done with SEM, TEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR, and UV–vis spectroscopy. Fp-NPs were detected homogeneously spherical shape at the size of almost 15 nm. The cytotoxicity of NPs was investigated using two cell lines, MCF-7 (breast cancer) and AGS (human gastric carcinoma), with significant efficacy. Anticancer activity as IC50 value was observed 11.07 (AGS) and 21.28 (MCF-7) μg ml−1, respectively. Antimicrobial activities of Fp-NPs were evaluated against seven pathogenic bacteria. Nanoparticles (NPs) were able to inhibit the growth of all selected bacteria. Fp-NPs can inhibit P. aeruginosa strain at the concentration of 7.8 μg ml−1, the same as S. aureus and A. baumannii. Moreover, Fp-NPs were active against leishmania parasites. It was found that Fp-NPs could inhibit Leishmania parasites with the IC50 value of 23.14 μg ml−1 for promastigotes and the IC50 value of 26.43 μg ml−1 for amastigotes.

The purpose of this study was to use zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) and cellulosic wastes to reduce bioavailability of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), and to establish Persian maple seedlings (Acer velutinum Bioss.) in contaminated soil. One-year-old seedlings were planted in pots filled with unpolluted soil. Lead [Pb(NO3)2] and Cd [Cd(NO3)2] were added with concentrations of 0 (Control), 100 (Pb100), 200 (Pb200), and 300 (Pb300) mg kg−1 and 10 (Cd10), 20 (Cd20), and 30 (Cd30) mg kg−1. Cellulosic wastes were mixed with soil at the same time of planting [four levels: 0, 10 (W1), 20 (W2), 30 (W3) g 100 g−1 soil]. The nZVI was prepared by reducing Fe3+ to Fe0 and injected to pots [four levels: 0, 1 (N1), 2 (N2), and 3 (N3) mg kg−1]. Height, diameter, biomass, tolerance index of seedlings, bioavailability of heavy metals in soil, and removal efficiency of amendments were measured. The highest values of seedling characteristics were observed in N3. The highest removal efficiency of Pb (Pb100: 81.95%, Pb200: 75.5%, Pb300: 69.9%) and Cd (Cd10: 92%, Cd20: 73.7%, Cd30: 68.5%) was also observed in N3. The use of nZVI and cellulosic waste could be a proper approach for seedling establishment in forests contaminated with heavy metals.

A simple, rapid and sensitive method was developed using silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) amplified flow-based peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence system to detect berberine, an anticancer agent. Berberine could dramatically sensitize the emission from oxidation reaction of bis (2,4,6-tricholorophenyl) oxalate (TCPO) with H 2 O 2 catalyzed by silver nanoparticles(Ag-NPs). Under optimized experimental conditions, CL intensity was found to be proportional to the concentration of berberine in the range from 5 × 10 −9 to 5 × 10 −7 mol L −1 (r > 0.9843, n = 8) was obtained with a detection limit of 8.7 × 10 −10 mol L −1 . Potential interference by common excipients was also studied. The relative standard deviation for 8 repetitive determinations was less than 3.4% and recoveries of 97.7% and 101.6% were obtained. The Ag nanoparticles were synthesized using Oxalis corniculata plant as green route and characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, particle size analyzer and UV–vis Spectroscopy. The method was successfully applied to detect berberine in pharmaceutical formulations.

This study was conducted to synthesize and characterize the ZVINs stabilized with acid ascorbic (AAS-ZVINs) and to assess their ability to immobilize Pb2+ in sandy, acidity and calcareous spiked soils. To determine the availability of Pb2+, the DTPA-extractable Pb in three spiked soils was studied in an experiment of a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of treatments consisting of the AAS-ZVIN dosage, Pb2+ contamination levels and contact times (aging). The distribution of the chemical forms of Pb was also determined using the sequential extraction method. The SEM and XRD analyses indicated that AAS-ZVINs had the mean size of less than 50 nm and the maximum 2θ peak at 44.8°, respectively, demonstrating the nano-sizes and zero valence of the iron particles. The results indicated that the DTPA-extractable Pb in three spiked soils decreased significantly with increasing the AAS-ZVIN dose at the contamination levels of 50 and 150 mg kg−1. The acidic soil displayed the greatest DTPA extractable Pb reduction cmopared with the other two soils. Continuous reduction of the DTPA extractable Pb in all three spiked soils was observed as the contact time (aging) reached 4 weeks. Sequential extraction procedures showed a significant decrease of soluble, exchangeable and carbonate-bound Pb fractions and a pronounced increase of organic matter-bound, Fe/Mn oxides-bound and residual Pb fraction after the soils were treated with AAS-ZVINs. The results obtained in the present study suggest that the use of AAS-ZVIN to remediate soils polluted with Pb could be a promising in situ strategy.

The readily available, highly efficient and relatively inexpensive adsorbents of Cerastoderma lamarcki shell (CLS) was applied for removal of dye as pollutant using the Taguchi design as an optimization strategy. The Taguchi design was utilized to find out the influencing optimization conditions. As expected, the C. lamarcki waste shell is mainly composed of mineral component, so powdered CLS applied for removal of dye pollutant. The pH of solution, CLS particle size, adsorbent dose, contact time, temperature and initial dye concentration were studied as the affecting factors on the adsorption process. The experimental results showed that maximum adsorption occurs in pH about 5. The equilibrium was attained for dyes in 60 min. Adsorption isotherm well fitted to the Freundlich and kinetics of the adsorption reaction followed the pseudo second-order. The maximum adsorption capacity for malachite green was 35.84 mg/g at 303 K. The morphology of the surface of adsorbent was studied before and after the adsorption by SEM micrograph. It was concluded that CLS powder has a great potential to be applied as an adsorbent for removal of malachite green.

A monolithic mixed matrix membrane of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes-polyethersulfone (MWCNT/PES) was prepared in a non-covalent approach and employed as an SPME fiber for extraction of chlorophenols (CPs). The proposed extraction method was followed by GC-ECD to determine the analytes. The influencing factors on the extraction efficiency such as pH, ionic strength, extraction and desorption temperature and time were studied. Under the selected conditions, calibration curves were linear over a wide concentration range from 0.005 to 1000 µgL−1 (r2 > 0.9961) for target analytes. In addition, the limits of detection (LOD) of the method were obtained in the range of 0.3–30 ng L−1. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for single fiber repeatability (n = 5) is from 1.4 to 4.6%. Fiber-to-fiber repeatability (n = 3) was also evaluated and the RSD is in the range of 1.3–6.3%. Applications of proposed fiber for extraction of CPs from the headspace of urine and serum samples were successfully investigated. The relative recovery in the biological samples spiked with different levels of CPs were in the range of 91.6–102.5%.