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Attarad Ali,1 Hira Zafar,1 Muhammad Zia,1 Ihsan ul Haq,2 Abdul Rehman Phull,3 Joham Sarfraz Ali,1 Altaf Hussain4 1Department of Biotechnology, 2Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 3Department of Biology, Kongju National University, Kongju, South Korea; 4Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan Abstract: Recently, iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted much consideration due to their unique properties, such as superparamagnetism, surface-to-volume ratio, greater surface area, and easy separation methodology. Various physical, chemical, and biological methods have been adopted to synthesize magnetic NPs with suitable surface chemistry. This review summarizes the methods for the preparation of iron oxide NPs, size and morphology control, and magnetic properties with recent bioengineering, commercial, and industrial applications. Iron oxides exhibit great potential in the fields of life sciences such as biomedicine, agriculture, and environment. Nontoxic conduct and biocompatible applications of magnetic NPs can be enriched further by special surface coating with organic or inorganic molecules, including surfactants, drugs, proteins, starches, enzymes, antibodies, nucleotides, nonionic detergents, and polyelectrolytes. Magnetic NPs can also be directed to an organ, tissue, or tumor using an external magnetic field for hyperthermic treatment of patients. Keeping in mind the current interest in iron NPs, this review is designed to report recent information from synthesis to characterization, and applications of iron NPs. Keywords: superparamagnetism, iron oxide nanoparticles, surfactants, hyperthermia, biodistribution, bioelimination

As a potential approach for enhanced energy generation from anaerobic digestion, iron-based conductive nanoparticles have been proposed to enhance the methane production yield and rate. In this study, the impact of two different types of iron nanoparticles, namely the nano-zero-valent-iron particles (NZVIs) and magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated, using batch test under mesophilic conditions (35 °C). Magnetite NPs have been applied in doses of 25, 50 and 80 mg/L, corresponding to 13.1, 26.2 and 41.9 mg magnetite NPs/gTS of substrate, respectively. The results reveal that supplementing anaerobic batches with magnetite NPs at a dose of 25 mg/L induces an insignificant effect on hydrolysis and methane production. However, incubation with 50 and 80 mg/L magnetite NPs have instigated comparable positive impact with hydrolysis percentages reaching approximately 95% compared to 63% attained in control batches, in addition to a 50% enhancement in methane production yield. A biodegradability percentage of 94% was achieved with magnetite NP doses of 50 and 80 mg/L, compared to only 62.7% obtained with control incubation. NZVIs were applied in doses of 20, 40 and 60 mg/L, corresponding to 10.8, 21.5 and 32.2 mg NZVIs/gTS of substrate, respectively. The results have shown that supplementing anaerobic batches with NZVIs revealed insignificant impact, most probably due to the agglomeration of NZVI particles and consequently the reduction in available surface area, making the applied doses insufficient for measurable effect.

Hydroquinone is a toxic and hazardous pollutant in the industrial wastewater. This pollutant is toxic for organisms, fish, plants, and humans. It’s removal from industrial wastewater and groundwater is a serious problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of photo catalytic oxidation process (UV-Fe2O3) for removal of hydroquinone from aqueous solutions. Oxidation process of hydroquinone was studied by adding Fe2O3 nano particles in the form of suspension in a 2.5-liter volume glass batch reactor. The influence of variables such as the concentration of pollutants, ultraviolet light (UV-A) intensity that was supplied with 2 to 4 UV-A lamps fixed outside of the reactor, and the effect of iron oxide nano particles concentration, reaction time, and pH on the efficiency of photo catalytic oxidation process were studied. Biodegradability of the treated solution before and after the reaction was measured by BOD5, COD, and its ratio. Results showed that the highest removal efficiency of 63% yielded at pH of 9; the pollutant concentration of 40 mg/L; contact time of 60 min; the nano particle dose of 1 g/L; and light intensity of 16 w/m2 was achieved. Reaction kinetics results show that this photo catalytic reaction was fitted by the second-order reaction mode. The photo catalytic oxidation process increased the biodegradability of hydroquinone, so that the ratios of BOD5/ COD for the before and after of photo catalytic oxidation were 0.09 and 0.55, respectively. According to the results, the UV/ Fe2O3 process could be used as an effective method for detoxification of hydroquinone from aqueous solutions and to increase its biodegradability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nanoparticles' precise targeting properties are becoming increasingly important in treating cancer and starting to outweigh cancer therapies., Methods: The in vivo anticancer activity of ethyl acetate iron oxide nanoparticles (NP S EAE) of Acalypha wilkesiana Müll. Mosaica was tested using Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells (EAC)., Results: The value of the median lethal dose LD 50 limit was found to be 3000 mg/kg. The value count of EAC cells was significantly decreased to 150 ± 2.01 (10 6 ) and 275 ± 2.01 (10 6 ) cells for each preventive and therapeutic group related to the positive group (525 ± 4.3 (10 6 ) cell. Moreover, the results of biological markers decrease in alanine amino transferase activity (ALT), aspartate amino transferase activity (AST), creatinine (CREAT), UREA, albumin, globulin, and total protein level according to the confident group by restoring the abnormal dissimilarity in the biomedical parameters to normal values. Ethyl acetate nano particles induced apoptosis in hepatic and kidney cells. This was designated by increasing the apoptosis regulator Bcl-2 associated X (BAX) level and significantly reducing antiapoptotic assay B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) level as an antiapoptotic marker. In the apoptotic marker BAX, there was a significant rise in therapeutic activity with a change of 273.87% and a significant increase in the preventive group with a change of 144.69% according to the positive group. However, in the antiapoptotic marker, Bcl-2 highly decreases in the therapeutic group and preventive group with changes -83.20% and -87.82% according to the positive group, which has a highly significant increase with a change of 5855%., Conclusion: Histopathology tests showed anticancer activity against (EAC) in both the preventive group and therapeutic group, especially in the preventive group in kidney organs showed no pathology with normal glomeruli and normal tubules, it also showed in liver foci of lobular inflammation with mild development of a portal tract accompanied by inflammation, but in the therapeutic group showed less activity than the preventive group as in the kidney many tubules displayed appearances of slight tubular injury with mild acute tubular injury and in the liver, the therapeutic group becomes a more effective representation in normal liver architecture, with no detected lobular or portal inflammation or confluent necrosis. So the preventive group was considered as protecting agent for the kidney organ. However, the therapeutic group is supposed to be the treatment agent for the liver organ. This is due to the fact that it has a defensive effect rather than a curative effect. There is a possibility that it is a favorable anticancer agent. Green synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 - NP S was successfully done using plant extract acting as a reducing, stabilizing, and capping agent., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background and purpose: Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that pollutes the environment via industrial, domestic and agricultural effluents. Its accumulation in aquatic ecosystem could have adverse effects on human health so, its removal from aquatic environment is of great importance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of activated carbon coated iron nanoparticles for the removal of cadmium from aqueous solution. Moreover, kinetic and isotherm models were used to fit experimental data. Materials and methods: This fundamental and applied study was performed in laboratory. Adsorbent characterization was determined using X-ray dilatometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and FTIR. Factors affecting the adsorption process such as concentrations of cadmium, pH, time and adsorbent dose in removal of cadmium from aqueous solution were selected and evaluated. The experimental data were evaluated by various isotherm and kinetic models. Data analysis was performed using SPSS V.16. Results: Results of XRD and SEM showed that nanoparticles diameter were 20 nm that was well coated on to activated carbon. With increase in pH, time, concentration, and decreasing of Cd concentration, the rate of cadmium adsorption increased. The highest adsorption rate (approximately 90%) was obtained at pH 9. The results of cadmium adsorption were found to fit well with Freundlich isotherm model (R² > 0.94). Adsorption followed second-order kinetics. FTIR analysis revealed that O-H, C-O-H and amine groups played an important role in sorption of cadmium. Conclusion: According to the results, coated nanoparticles could be used to increase the adsorption efficiency of cadmium and as an effective method in removing of cadmium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a potential approach for enhanced energy generation from anaerobic digestion, iron-based conductive nanoparticles have been proposed to enhance the methane production yield and rate. In this study, the impact of two different types of iron nanoparticles, namely the nano-zero-valent-iron particles (NZVIs) and magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated, using batch test under mesophilic conditions (35 °C). Magnetite NPs have been applied in doses of 25, 50 and 80 mg/L, corresponding to 13.1, 26.2 and 41.9 mg magnetite NPs/gTS of substrate, respectively. The results reveal that supplementing anaerobic batches with magnetite NPs at a dose of 25 mg/L induces an insignificant effect on hydrolysis and methane production. However, incubation with 50 and 80 mg/L magnetite NPs have instigated comparable positive impact with hydrolysis percentages reaching approximately 95% compared to 63% attained in control batches, in addition to a 50% enhancement in methane production yield. A biodegradability percentage of 94% was achieved with magnetite NP doses of 50 and 80 mg/L, compared to only 62.7% obtained with control incubation. NZVIs were applied in doses of 20, 40 and 60 mg/L, corresponding to 10.8, 21.5 and 32.2 mg NZVIs/gTS of substrate, respectively. The results have shown that supplementing anaerobic batches with NZVIs revealed insignificant impact, most probably due to the agglomeration of NZVI particles and consequently the reduction in available surface area, making the applied doses insufficient for measurable effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]