High Chemical Concentrations Research Articles

Enzymatic Biosensors: Advanced Tools for Soil and Plant Health Monitoring

Soil health is the potential of the soil to support the productivity of organisms, preserve the environment, and improve the health of plants and animals. Healthy soil is vital for agricultural sustainability and environmental resilience. The presence of high concentrations of toxic chemicals (pollutants and contaminants) in the soil poses a significant risk to human health and the ecosystem. Plant health is influenced by various factors, including the surrounding environment. To minimize constraints such as low nutrient levels, ecosystem contamination/pollution, and pest and disease incidences in crops, and to maximize productivity and ensure agricultural sustainability, advanced detection and management strategies are urgently needed. Diagnosis, prediction, and monitoring are essential for managing agricultural practices to mitigate these harmful impacts. The development of improved biosensing devices has been driven by the demand for quick, accurate, sensitive, real-time, and fast instruments for screening and identifying contaminants. Specific enzymes are used as the biological sensing element in an enzyme-based biosensor, which is combined with a transducer to transform the signal from the enzymatic reaction into a quantifiable response proportionate to the analyte concentration. Enzymatic biosensors need to possess high specificity, selectivity, reproducibility, stability, a low limit of detection, a low limit of quantification, and a rapid response time. They have a diverse array of uses, such as soil quality monitoring, water monitoring, food quality monitoring, pathogen detection, drug discovery, disease identification, and environmental research.

Antimicrobial Activity of Grape Pomace Extracts Against Different Species of Microorganisms

Abstract The food sector has become interested in grape pomace for its numerous health benefits and high concentration of bioactive chemicals. In this study, the antibacterial properties of grape pomace obtained from by-products of white and blue grapes were investigated. The aim of our study was antimicrobial activity of grape pomace extracts from blue varieties (Alibernet, Dornfelder, Cabernet Sauvignon), and white varieties (Blaufränkisch, Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Weisser Riesling, Irsai Oliver, Pinot Blanc, Palava, Müller-Thurgau, Grűner Veltliner, and Feteasca Regala). The antimicrobial activity of grape pomace extracts was evaluated against nine microorganisms Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts with disc diffusion method. The best antimicrobial activity of blue grape pomace extract was found against Bacillus subtilis. White varieties Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Weisser Riesling, Irsai Oliver, Pinot Blanc pomace extracts were the most effective ones against B. subtilis and Müller-Thurgau grape pomace extract was the most effective one against C. koseri and Grűner Veltliner and Feteasca Regala against B. subtilis. The most sensitive bacteria were B. subtilis.

Esterification of wood with citric acid and sorbitol: effect of the copolymer on the properties of the modified wood. Part 1: macroscopic changes, fixation of chemicals and impact bending properties

Abstract Wood modification processes based on citric acid in combination with various copolymers have gained in importance in recent years. These processes also include modification with citric acid (CA) and sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, which is currently in the industrial realisation phase in Germany (SorCA) and Norway (CIOL). The modification of wood with sorbitol and citric acid (SorCA) can significantly improve the dimensional stability and durability of the wood. It is hypothesised that the addition of a copolymer may improve the fixation of the chemicals within as well as the flexibility of the modified wood matrix. In this study, the macroscopic changes, the fixation of the chemicals and the impact bending properties of wood modified with CA and SorCA are compared. Both modifications cause a permanent increase in mass (WPG) and volume (CWB). The fixation of the chemicals was comparable for both modifications; at high chemical concentrations, the SorCA polyester fixed slightly better within the wood matrix. Both modifications led to embrittlement of the wood, measured by a decrease in the impact bending strength (IBS). This embrittlement was clearly concentration-dependent and slightly more pronounced for the modification with CA.

Characterization and evaluation of gold mill tailings as an additive in cement-stabilized products

Abstract Gold mill tailings (GMT) are waste from gold mill processing plants usually collected and stored in tailings storage facilities (TSF) and left for years in many abandoned mines in the world. GMT is in large amounts and contains high concentrations of chemicals and compounds that may harm human lives and the ecosystem if not well-maintained. A characterization study is conducted on GMT from a small-scale mill processing plant in Agusan del Sur, Philippines, and its potential utilization as an additive to sand and cement in making cement-stabilized products is also evaluated. The elemental and oxide composition, the presence of free and total cyanide, and particle size analysis were determined. Different proportions of gold mill tailings, cement, and sand were prepared and tested for compressive strength and water absorption. The results showed that the GMT contained some potentially valuable elements like tin, zinc, and europium. GMT also contains potentially hazardous elements like lead (663ppm), arsenic (157ppm), and mercury (17ppm). The free cyanide in the effluent is also found at 1.9 ppm. These elements and compounds are potentially hazardous in case of tailings seepage or overflow to groundwater and neighboring agricultural lands. The evaluation of cement-stabilized samples shows that the GMT from the study area can be utilized as an additive to cement and sand in the production of cement-stabilized products however it must be properly treated and handled to ensure the safety of workers. The TCLP result showed that the product is non-toxic and non-reactive. The construction and proper maintenance of a TSF for small-scale gold milling plants in the study area is recommended to prevent environmental, health, and safety risks.

AC-assisted microbially induced carbonate precipitation for sand reinforcement: An experimental study

Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a promising method for transforming natural soils into a rock-like material, enhancing soil strength and creating an environmentally friendly engineered geomaterial for load-bearing purposes. Applying alternating current (AC) for enhancing precipitation including changing the crystalline form of the calcium carbonate precipitates appeals as a possible solution to break the upper limit of the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of bio-treated specimens. To assess the viability of AC-assisted MICP, a series of experiments were designed and conducted under various combination of conditions. The UCS, calcium carbonate content and permeability of the bio-fabricated specimens were obtained to evaluate the treatment effectiveness of AC-assisted MICP. The results demonstrate that the UCS of the sand column exhibits a linear increase with the applied voltage from 10 V to 30 V (i.e., electric field strength from 0.91 V/cm to 2.73 V/cm). The UCS value of the bio-specimen reaches 9.4 MPa after 3 treatments at a concentration of 1.00 mol/L, a voltage of 30 V, and a frequency of 100 Hz. With the assistance of an AC electric field, the adverse impacts caused by high chemical concentrations in the MICP process can be mitigated. We report that a more uniform distribution of the calcium carbonate content of the treated specimen is obtained under an optimal AC frequency of approximately 100 Hz in the current series of experiments. The induced ion vibration under the action of AC results in a change in crystalline form and an increase in the amount and uniformity of crystals precipitated on the surface of the soil grains, supported by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. For reference, the energy consumption and the cost for increasing the UCS of the bio-treated specimen to 5 MPa is estimated at 375.86 kWh and 676.55 HK$ per cubic meter, respectively. The findings from our experimental investigation and analysis provide compelling evidence that utilising AC electric field holds great potential for achieving an enhanced treatment effect of MICP and hence a stronger bio-soil.

Integrated evaluation of workplace exposures and biomarkers of bladder cancer among textile dyeing workers

BackgroundThe textile industry is the second risk factor for bladder cancer, after smoking. Previous studies focused on the impact of exposure to high concentrations of bladder carcinogenic chemicals in the textile dyeing industry on the elevation of bladder cancer biomarkers. This study aimed to evaluate bladder carcinogenic air pollutants in a textile dyeing factory and investigate its role and the role of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH vit. D) on cancer bladder biomarkers in exposed workers.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. Particulate and vapor forms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored in the printing, dyeing, and preparing sections of a textile factory. Bladder tumor antigen (BTA), nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP-22), and 25-OH vit. D were estimated in all the exposed workers (147 exposed workers) and in workers not occupationally exposed to chemicals (130 unexposed workers).ResultsAromatic bladder carcinogenic compounds were either in low concentrations or not detected in the air samples of working areas. BTA and NMP-22 of exposed workers were not significantly different from the unexposed. However, 25-OH vit. D was significantly lower in the exposed than unexposed workers. There was a significant inverse correlation between 25-OH vit. D and duration of exposure in exposed workers.ConclusionThe mean levels of PAHs and VOCs were within the safe standard levels in the working areas. The non-significant difference in BTA and NMP-22 between the exposed and unexposed groups suggests the presence of occupational exposures to safe levels of bladder carcinogenic aromatics, while the significantly lower 25-OH vit. D levels among the exposed than the unexposed groups could suggest the potential association of 25-OH vit. D with occupational exposures to low levels of PAHs and VOCs, and this association was found to be inversely correlated with the duration of exposures. Accordingly, more specific predictor tests must be applied for early diagnosis of bladder cancer among the exposed workers.

Assessment of growth, and ion uptake of plant species, Conocarpus erectus and Dodonaea viscosa, on industrial solid waste

Present study assessed the growth of two plant species and ion uptake by them grown on different proportion of industrial solid waste and garden soil. The industrial waste having high concentration of chemicals were used with garden soil at different proportion i.e. 0% (T0), 5% (T1), 10% (T2), 15% (T3) and 20% (T4). Two species namely Conocarpus erectus (alien plant) and Dodonaea viscosa (indigenous) were used as test plants in pot study. Different parameters including growth, physiology, and anatomy of plants and concentration of cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) in the plant shoot and root were measured at different time duration (initial, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th month). The key objective of the study was to use these plants to establish their plantations on the barren lands where industrial solid wastes were being disposed of. C. erectus showed better growth than D. viscosa, as well as more uptake of ions. A significant increase in plant growth was observed in fourth month in T1, where plant height reached 24.5% and 46% for C. erectus and D. viscosa, respectively. At harvest, in C. erectus, no significant difference in the fresh (65–78 g) and dry weight (24–30 g) of the shoot was observed across treatments compared to the control. In D. viscosa, at the time of harvest, the fresh and dry weights of the root and shoot showed a strong, significantly decreasing pattern across T1, T2, and T3, leading to the death of the plant at T3 and T4. Further, optimum ratio of waste soil to garden soil was found as 10:90 and 20:80 to establish the plantations of D. viscosa and C. erectus, respectively in areas where such solid waste from industries are disposed. Findings can be used for the restoration of such solid waste for the sustainable management of industrial areas and their associated ecosystems.

Acacia saligna extract alleviates quetiapine-induced sexual toxicity in male albino rats: Insights from UPLC-MS/MS metabolite profiling, structural and PI3K/NF-κB pathway assessments

BackgroundQuetiapine (QET) abuse has increased due to its anxiolytic and hedonic effects, necessitating protective adjunct treatments. Acacia saligna (A. saligna) flowers, used in traditional medicine, have potential health benefits. AimTo investigate the protective role of A. saligna flower extract against QET-induced sexual toxicity, and to elucidate the possible underlying mechanisms through metabolomic and physiological studies. MethodsA. saligna extract was subjected to metabolite profiling via High-Resolution Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-ESI–qTOF-MS). Forty-eight adult male albino rats were assigned into six groups for 30 days. The intracavernosal pressure (ICP), semen, biochemical, hormonal, histological, genetic and Western blot (WB) analyses were determined. ResultsA. saligna extract is rich in phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, and unsaturated fatty acids. QET significantly decreased ICP and negatively affected semen parameters. A. saligna mitigated decreased sperm motility and ameliorated overexpressed proinflammatory genes in QET-55 group. A. saligna ameliorated the reduction of the antioxidant biomarkers, testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), concurrent with downregulation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) protein. A. saligna counteracted the disrupted testicular and prostatic structures revealed by histological examination. ConclusionThe extract from A. saligna, which contains a high concentration of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory chemicals, effectively mitigates sexual toxicity caused by QET. This study provided the first known explanation of the hypothesized processes behind the protective properties of A. saligna through biological, biochemical, and histological parameters. The results emphasize the potential of A. saligna as a safeguarding agent against drug-induced sexual toxicity.

Alternative material recommendation for facade cladding: High silica-containing stonepaste ceramics

This study investigated the potential of using stonepaste ceramics, which were widely preferred as a coating and decoration material on the facades of architectural buildings in ancient times and continues to be produced on a workshop scale today as a cladding material on building facades. Stonepaste ceramics, made from a mixture prepared with a high amount of crystalline quartz as well as frit, plastic clay, and bentonite raw materials, were hand-shaped and sintered at 930 °C after glazing. The physico-mechanical properties of stonepaste ceramics, their behaviour under various environmental conditions (resistance to chemicals, frost, and thermal shock), and their microstructures have been characterized. The characterization results were compared with the properties of commonly used facade cladding materials. It was determined that stonepaste ceramics had a very low firing shrinkage value (2.84 %) compared to that of other ceramic cladding materials, a higher water absorption value (11.79 %) than that of porcelain tiles and floor tiles, and close to wall tiles, and a flexural strength value (33.64MPa) higher than wall tiles and close to porcelain tiles despite the high-water absorption value. Ten cycles of thermal shock resistance showed that the body and glaze layer of the stonepaste ceramic material are well bonded to each other, and there is no significant thermal expansion mismatch between them. One hundred cycles of freeze-thaw conditions indicated that the stonepaste ceramic had good adhesion and thermal expansion compatibility between the glaze and the body but only chipping damage under the action of tensile forces caused by the freezing of water entering the pores of the body. In terms of behaviour against various chemicals, stonepaste ceramics were found to be highly resistant to high and low concentrations of household chemicals, swimming pool salts, and alkalis but less resistant to low concentrations of HCl and citric acid and high concentrations of HCl and lactic acid compared to other chemicals. The results show that stonepaste ceramics, despite their high-water absorption potential, have properties close to those of traditional ceramic tiles and, like these materials, can serve for significant periods in various environmental conditions when used as facade cladding. Consequently, it has been revealed that stonepaste ceramics can be used as a facade cladding material in sustainable, long-lasting, contemporary architectural facades thanks to their technical and protective properties.

Resources recovery-rubidium recovery from desalination brine through hydrometallurgy techniques

Because of the water scarcity in many regions, different methods have been implemented to address this problem. The desalination technique is known as a practical solution among them. However, brine from the desalination process, which contains high concentrations of salts, minerals, and chemicals, will cause environmental harm to the sea, soil, and groundwater if it is not properly treated. Therefore, recovering critical resources from brine is essential for reducing brine disposal. This study aims to apply two hydrometallurgy systems, namely ion exchange and ionic liquid extraction, to circulate rubidium resources from brine. Dowex G26 resin was employed in the ion exchange system, and the adsorption isotherm model and saturated adsorption capacity were explored initially. The optimal parameters such as pH value, L/S ratio (liquid/solid), adsorption period, and adsorption temperature will then be investigated. In the ionic liquid extraction process, the t-BAMBP/C2mimNTf2 system (4-tert-Butyl-2-(α-methylbenzyl) phenol/1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyls​ulfonyl)​imide) was used, and the parameters including pH value, concentrations of t-BAMBP, (O + I)/A ratio (organic + ionic liquid/aqueous), extraction time, and extraction temperature will be optimized as well. The results reveal that adsorption capacity and extraction efficiencies were 14.3 mg g− 1 and 86%, respectively. Furthermore, suitable reagents, including HCl and HNO3, were applied to desorb and strip rubidium from the Dowex G26 and t-BAMBP/C2mimNTf2 systems. To sum up, environmental hazards of desalination brine and rubidium resources can be reduced and recovered through the two different extraction systems.

Transforming waste cellulosic fabric dyed with Reactive Yellow C4GL into value textile by a microwave assisted energy efficient system of color stripping

A million ton of cotton fabric is wasted during cutting process in garment industry as well as in textile dyeing industry due to faulty dyeing. Color stripping of cotton fabric has become a significant challenge in the textile industry because the harsh chemicals used in chemical stripping processes affects the quality of fabric very badly. Conventional stripping methods lead with severe effects due to prolonged treatment time and high chemical concentrations. Recently, microwave-assisted stripping techniques have been emerged as effective alternatives to improve stripping efficiency. In this research, the developed microwave assisted stripping system is improved by the application of Urea, which is utilized as a microwave absorber to further reduce stripping time, temperature, and chemical concentration kept focus on quality parameters of recycled cotton fabric. This study inspects the efficiency of microwave absorber-assisted alkali hydrolysis and reduction in terms of dye-fabric bond cleavage, chromophores removal, chemical consumption, and processing time and compared with sequential stripping, microwave assisted stripping without absorber and conventional methods. The results indicated that microwave absorber-assisted alkali hydrolysis and reduction achieved 90 % stripping efficiency by using lowest concentrations of chemicals, while sequential stripping yielded a stripping efficiency of 96 %. Similarly, microwave absorber assisted methods resulted in minor loss in tear strength and weight. These outputs highlight the superior performance of microwave absorber-assisted techniques, demonstrating their efficiency, novelty, time-saving nature, and reduced damage compared to other methods.

Extraction and Characterization of Natural Antioxidants from Olive Leaves Powder

Olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves, which contain large amounts of phenols, are a common byproduct in the production of olive oil. When improperly processed, the by-products produced by the olive diligence can impairment the environment. Its leaves, which are made when olive trees are pruned and harvested and it is expected that foliage make up twenty five percent of pruning remains overall. These byproducts cost manufacturers money and have serious environmental implications. So, like other agronomical production wastes, partial reuse is something that should be pursued. These leftovers have a high concentration of beneficial chemicals, if isolated, may be used in food, cosmetics and nutraceutical sectors. Objectives: To extract the bioactive compounds polyphenols and flavonoids in 70% ethanol extract and its antioxidant activity was done. Methods: The polyphenols were quantified by Folin reagent and flavonoids by aluminum chloride methods respectively and the natural antioxidants were estimated by using free radical scavenging DPPH assay. Results: It was discovered that the 70% ethanol extract's total polyphenolic content was 65.50 ± 1.42 (mg GAE/g) and its total flavonoids were 11.85 ± 0.60 (mg QE/g). In 70% ethanol extract the % inhibition (DPPH) was 42.82±3.20-88.40±5.18 while BHT has the % inhibition (DPPH) 30.4 ± 2.50-80.50 ± 4.68 at concentration 0.1-0.5 mg/ml. Conclusions: The results indicating a noteworthy antioxidant activity in terms of radical scavenging activity. These results also wrapped up that the olive industry waste may be reutilized as a natural source of antioxidants in various sectors.

Conductive magnetic nanowires accelerated electron transfer between C1020 carbon steel and Desulfovibrio vulgaris biofilm

Microbial biofilms are behind microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Sessile cells in biofilms are many times more concentrated volumetrically than planktonic cells in the bulk fluids, thus providing locally high concentrations of chemicals. More importantly, “electroactive” sessile cells in biofilms are capable of utilizing extracellularly supplied electrons (e.g., from elemental Fe) for intracellular reduction of an oxidant such as sulfate in energy metabolism. MIC directly caused by anaerobic biofilms is classified into two main types based on their mechanisms: extracellular electron transfer MIC (EET-MIC) and metabolite MIC (M-MIC). Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are notorious for their corrosivity. They can cause EET-MIC in carbon steel, but they can also secrete biogenic H2S to corrode other metals such as Cu directly via M-MIC. This study investigated the use of conductive magnetic nanowires as electron mediators to accelerate and thus identify EET-MIC of C1020 by Desulfovibrio vulgaris. The presence of 40 ppm (w/w) nanowires in ATCC 1249 culture medium at 37 °C resulted in 45 % higher weight loss and 57 % deeper corrosion pits after 7-day incubation. Electrochemical tests using linear polarization resistance and potentiodynamic polarization supported the weight loss data trend. These findings suggest that conductive magnetic nanowires can be employed to identify EET-MIC. The use of insoluble 2 μm long nanowires proved that the extracellular section of the electron transfer process is a bottleneck in SRB MIC of carbon steel.

Applying machine learning random forest (RF) method in predicting the cement products with a co-processing of input materials: Optimizing the hyperparameters

Co-processing recycled waste during cement production, i.e., using alternative materials such as secondary raw materials or secondary raw fuels, is widely practiced in developed countries. Alternative raw materials or fuels contain high concentrations of heavy metals and other hazardous chemicals, which might lead to the potential for dangerous heavy metals and hazardous chemicals to be transferred to clinker or cement products, resulting in exposure and emissions to people or the environment. Managing input materials and predicting which inputs affect the final concentration is essential to prevent potential hazards. We used the data of six heavy metals by input raw materials and input fuels of cement manufacturers in 2016–2017. The concentrations of Pb and Cu in cement were about 10–200 times and 4 to 200 times higher than other heavy metals (Cr, As, Cd, Hg), respectively.We profiled the influence of heavy metal concentration of each input material using the principal component analysis (PCA), which analyzed the leading causes of each heavy metal. The Random Forest (RF) ensemble model predicted cement heavy metal concentrations according to input materials. In the case of Cu, Cd, and Cr, the training performance showed R square values of 0.71, 0.71, and 0.92, respectively, as a result of predicting the cement heavy metal concentration according to the heavy metal concentration of each cement input material using the RF model, which is a machine learning model. The results of this study show that the RF model can be used to predict the amount and concentration of alternative raw materials and alternative fuels by controlling the concentration of heavy metals in cement through the concentration of heavy metals in the input materials.

Comparative characteristics of soddy-podzolic plowed and fallow lands for the organic farming

Agricultural lands are being actively withdrawn from the circulation. These lands are now fallow lands and go through the natural and anthropogenic processes like soil formation, tinning, bogging, swarding, weediness with bushes, weed, as well as with scrubs of birches and pines. Hence, the soil formation and functioning conditions and their ecological functions have significantly changed. Natural processes of vegetation recovery begin on the abandoned agricultural lands which leads to the recovery of forests. As a result, there occur soils which differ from the climatic type and arable soils. Practically all existing now statistic data can be summarized by saying that the character of changes in the chemical properties is closely related to the properties both of the soil, age of the fallow land and biocenosis. Taking into account patterns of reclamation preserve under the forest quite long in particular high concentration of nutritional chemicals and humus. The main objective of this investigation is to analyze the changing patterns of the composition and properties of soils which are not used in agriculture for a long time, for instance, soddy- podzolic plowed and fallow lands of the Mozhaisky district of the Moscow Region. The authors stated after the investigation that the soddy-podzolic plowed and fallow soils of different age differ insignificantly in the power of the humus-accumulated horizon (from 2.1% to 2.3%) and the distribution character of humus along the profile. Long existence of soils under fallow is not followed with changes in such properties as the reaction of environment, sum of absorbed bases, the hydrolytic acidity. On the arable lands the coefficient of soil fertility is 0.62, on the fallow ones up to 10 years old ⎯ 0.63 and on the fallow ones between 10 and 20 years old ⎯ 0.64.

GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL SALT LICKS IN SEGALIUD LOKAN FOREST RESERVE, SANDAKAN, SABAH MALAYSIA

Mineral licks are important for animals, especially wildlife, to nourish their diets, not only in terms of supporting their mineral intake deficiencies but also in regulating toxins in their bodies. This study characterised the geochemical properties of salt licks located in Segaliud Lokan Forest Reserve (SLFR). Soil samples were collected from five selected salt licks in the study area. The physico-chemical results show that the pH of the salt-lick soil varied from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. The percentage of moisture content and organic matter ranges from 25.22% to 44.78% and 0.95% to 7.83, respectively. The electrical conductivity reading ranges from 48.59 μS/cm to 260.88 μS/cm. The soil samples were digested using aqua regia and analysed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The concentrations of Ca (1101.92 mg/kg–11551.64 mg/kg), K (910.27 mg/kg–2355.41 mg/kg), Na (106.36 mg/kg–727.34 mg/kg), and Mg (1442.14 mg/kg–5305.13 mg/kg) in the five salt licks varied considerably and were higher than in the control soil samples. High chemical concentrations in salt licks are due to the pH of soils, which ranges from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline.

Antioxidant Potential of Calophyllum gracilentum: A Study on Total Phenolic Content, Total Flavonoid Content, and Free Radical Scavenging Activities

The most prevalent phytoconstituents of medicinal and aromatic plants are phenols and flavonoids, which are responsible for antioxidant activity. This study aims to determine the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and free radical scavenging activity of Calophyllum gracilentum, an understudied Calophyllum species with very limited information. The stem bark extracts were prepared and examined for TPC assay by Folin–Ciocalteu method, while the TFC of the extracts was determined using aluminium chloride colorimetric method and the antioxidant activity was evaluated by free radical scavenging activity using 1,2-diphenyl-2-pricrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The extracts showed methanolic extracts exhibited the highest TPC and TFC with the value of 1542.40 ± 0.0246 mg GAE/g extract and 451.70 ± 0.0003 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g extract, respectively. Meanwhile, DPPH scavenging activity data revealed that all extracts had IC50 values ranging from 44.17 1.26 g/mL to 162.61 2.24 g/mL, with the methanolic extract for C. gracilentum having the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 44.17 1.26 g/mL. The TPC and TFC assays showed that C. gracilentum extracts possess a substantial to moderate phenolic and flavonoid content, while the DPPH free radical scavenging assay revealed that the extracts have strong antioxidant activity. The results demonstrate that C. gracilentum contains a high concentration of phenolic and flavonoid chemicals. These discoveries could have significant implications for the prospective use of these plants in traditional medicine and as natural antioxidant sources.

Innovations in Algal Drug Research, with a Focus On Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Inhibitors of Enzymes

The growing incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its related health problems present a serious problem for healthcare systems across the world. One potential strategy for treating DM is the use of enzyme inhibitors to control glucose metabolism. This abstract highlight recent advances in the exploration of chemicals generated from algae as possible inhibitors of DM enzymes. As a renewable resource with a high concentration of bioactive chemicals, algae provide significant benefits to the search for new pharmaceuticals. In this article, we examine the many different types of algae and bioactive substances that have demonstrated inhibitory potential against DM-related enzymes. We review the pharmacological characteristics, preclinical data, and mechanisms of action for compounds produced from algae that show promise as DM enzyme inhibitors. In addition, we stress the importance of conducting thorough clinical trials to verify their safety and effectiveness in human beings. The combination of cutting-edge drug discovery methods with algae biotechnology shows great promise for the creation of novel medicines for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM), which might one day provide a long-term answer to this urgent global health problem.

Bacterial community structure and predicted function in the rhizosphere of wild and cultivated date palms: Effects of Fertilizers on Composition and Functionality

This study investigated bacterial diversity in date palm rhizosphere and assessed the influence of different fertilizers on diversity using metagenomics. A total of 6356 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and 1164425 sequences were analyzed across 27 samples. The findings revealed variations in microbial community phylogeny among similar cultivars from different farms, except for the Khalas cultivar, suggesting minor influence of genotype on microbial community structure. Wild date palms exhibited more unique OTUs, in contrast, cultivated date palms had a higher number of OTUs and diversity. Moreover, different fertilizer treatments had varying effects on bacterial diversity. For example, organic and bio-organic fertilizers positively influenced specific bacterial groups, including delta-proteobacteria, acidobacteria-Gp3, Anaerolinaea, and Clostridia. Conversely, combining high concentrations of chemical fertilizers with other types did not show significant effects. Classes such as Bacilli, Nitrospira, Deltaproteobacteria, Spartobacteria, and Thermomacrobia exhibited high relative abundances in treatments with high chemical fertilizer concentrations. Our analysis revealed potential pathways related to carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, phenol, sulfur, and antimicrobial compounds. Interestingly, these pathways and functions varied across different date palm cultivars. Our findings suggest that date palm cultivars shape the rhizosphere by selectively influencing bacterial communities consistently across other locations. These modulated bacterial communities can potentially provide enhanced benefits to the host. Importantly, this study was the first to investigate the soil bacterial diversity of wild date palms, giving valuable insights into the microbial community associated with this specific context.

Chemical Resistance of Diaporthe citri against Systemic Fungicides on Citrus.

Citrus melanose, caused by Diaporthe citri, has been one of the serious diseases, and chemical fungicides were used for protection in many citrus orchards of Jeju Island. Establishing a disinfectant resistance management system and reducing pesticide usage would be important for contributing to safe agricultural production. In this study, monitoring of chemical resistance was performed with 40 representative D. citri isolates from many citrus orchards in Jeju Island. Four different fungicides, kresoxim-methyl, benomyl, fluazinam, and prochloraz manganese, with seven different concentrations were tested in vitro by growing the mycelium of the fungal isolates on the artificial medium potato dextrose agar. Among the 40 fungal isolates, 12 isolates were investigated as resistant to kresoxim-methyl which could not inhibit the mycelium growth to more than 50%. Especially isolate NEL21-2 was also resistant against benomyl, whose hyphae grew well even on the highest chemical concentration. However, any chemical resistance of fungal isolates was found against neither fluazinam nor prochloraz manganese. On the other hand, in vivo bio-testing of some resistant isolates was performed against both kresoxim-methyl and benomyl on young citrus leaves. Typical melanose symptoms developed on the citrus leaves pre-treated with both agrochemicals after inoculation with the resistant isolates. However, no or less symptoms were observed when the susceptible isolates were inoculated. Based on these results, it was suggested that some resistant isolates of D. citri occurred against both systemic fungicides, which may be valuable to build a strategy for protecting citrus disease.