Min-1 Mg-1 Research Articles

Investigation on the adsorption of the carbamate pesticide methomyl from aqueous solution using modified co-beta zeolite particles

Adsorption of carbamate pesticide Methomyl by Co-Beta Zeolite particles prepared by wet ion-exchange method from aqueous solutions was studied. The effect of zeolite and pesticide concentrations, pH value, and sintering temperature on pesticide removal from an aqueous solution was studied. The change of methomyl concentration during the adsorption was followed using the UV-Visible spectrophotometer. Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) revealed the modified zeolite morphology and elemental structure. The change of the adsorbent surface before and after dye removal was observed using the Fourier Transformation-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The adsorption kinetics follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, and at optimal condition adsorption rate is k1 = 0.0166 g mg-1 min-1. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkovich adsorption isotherm models were used to describe the adsorption process. Thermodynamic parameters were also determined using experimental data. The thermodynamic study indicates that during pesticide adsorption is, chemisorption and physisorption are present at the same.

Synthesis of a pyridine-based covalent organic framework as an efficient adsorbent for rhodamine B removal.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), featured with crystalline structures, permanent porosity, and designable organic skeletons, are good candidates for serving as adsorbents. Herein, a new pyridine-based two-dimensional COF (TAPP-DBTA-COF) was constructed via the condensation of 2,4,6-tris(4-aminophenyl)pyridine and 2,5-dibromobenzene-1,4-dicarbaldehyde. TAPP-DBTA-COF displayed high-performance for the removal of rhodamine B (Rh B) from water with high capacity, good adaptability and reusability. The maximum adsorption capacity for Rh B can reach up to 1254 mg g-1, and the kinetic constant was determined as k2 = 0.00244 g mg-1 min-1. Moreover, the corresponding amorphous polymer of TAPP-DBTA-COF, termed as TAPP-DBTA-COP, was synthesized from the same starting materials. The lower efficiency of TAPP-DBTA-COP in capture of Rh B revealed that the ordered pore structure, large specific surface area and rich adsorption sites play an important role in adsorption.

Cytochrome P450 metabolism studies of [6]-gingerol, [8]-gingerol, and [10]-gingerol by liver microsomes of humans and different species combined with expressed CYP enzymes.

Gingerols, mainly [6]-gingerol (6G), [8]-gingerol (8G), and [10]-gingerol (10G), are the functional and specific pungent phytochemicals in ginger. However, poor oral bioavailability limits their applications owing to extensive metabolism. The present study aims to characterize the cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolic characteristics of 6G, 8G, and 10G by using pooled human liver microsomes (HLM), different animal liver microsomes, and the expressed CYP enzymes. It is shown that NADPH-dependent oxidation and hydrogenation metabolisms of gingerols are the main metabolic types in HLM. With the increase of the carbon chain, the polarity of gingerols decreases and the formation of hydrogenated metabolites is more efficient (CLint: 1.41 μL min-1 mg-1 for 6G, 7.79 μL min-1 mg-1 for 8G and 14.11 μL min-1 mg-1 for 10G), indicating that the phase I metabolism of gingerols by HLM varied with the chemical structure of the substrate. The phase I metabolism of gingerols revealed considerable species variations, and compared to HLM, novel metabolites such as (3S,5S)-gingerdiols and demethylated metabolites are generated in some animal liver microsomes. The primary enzymes involved in the oxidized and demethylated metabolism of these gingerols are CYP1A2 and CYP2C19, but their affinities for gingerols are not the same. CYP2D6 and CYP2B6 contributed significantly to the formation of (3R,5S)-[8]-gingerdiol and (3R,5S)-[10]-gingerdiol, respectively; however, the enzyme responsible for the production of (3R,5S)-[6]-gingerediol is yet to be identified. Some metabolites in microsomes cannot be detected by the 12 investigated CYP enzymes, which may be related to the combined effects of multiple enzymes in microsomes, the different affinity of mixed liver microsomes and CYP enzymes, gene polymorphisms, etc. Overall, this work provides a deeper knowledge of the influence of CYP metabolism on the gingerols, as well as the mode of action and the possibility for drug-herbal interactions.

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Nickel Oxide Nanoparticle for Rhodamine-B Adsorption using Phyllanthus emblica Fruit Extract

In this work, the nanoadsorbent efficiency of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhA-B) dye was examined. The NiONPs were synthesized by green technique using NiCl2·H2O and Phyllanthus emblica fruit extract. The NiO nanoparticles were characterized using UV, FTIR, FESEM, HRTEM and TGA/DTA analysis to study the decomposition pattern, functional groups, crystalline size and elemental composition of nanoparticles. TEM analysis showed that the nanoparticles were spherical, highly crystalline, highly agglomerated and appeared as clusters of nanoparticles in the size range converted into tubular shape. The prepaed NiONPs were used for batch experiments to evaluate the adsorption capacities of the dye. The influence of various key parameters, i.e. adsorbent dosage and initial dye concentration were investigated. The extent of adsorption of RhA-B was found to be 88% at pH 6. Langmuir isotherm showed maximum monolayer adsorption with qm values from 328-465 mg/L. The kinetic investigation of RhA-B degradation followed a pseudo-second-order rate kinetics with a rate constant of 2.0495 × 10-2 mg-1 min-1. ΔGº = − 79.00 kJ/mol indicates that the adsorption is chemisorption and spontaneous.

A Hybrid Molecularly Imprinted Polymer for Selective Adsorption of Urinary S-Phenylmercapturic Acid

A hybrid molecular imprinted polymer (HMIP) obtained by the organic monomer 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP) and the inorganic precursor tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was synthesized for the selective extraction of urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (u-SPMA), a biomarker of benzene exposure. The chemical and structural characterization of the synthetic adsorbent was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and textural analysis employing N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. Selective and adsorptive performance of the imprinted polymers were evaluated by kinetic, isothermal, thermodynamic, and selectivity studies. The kinetic data were well adjusted to pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models, leading to selectivity coefficient (K) value of 0.03 g mg-1 min-1 for HMIP. In addition, the adsorption isotherms were better described by the Sip model achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 284.81 μg g-1 (at 288.15 K).

Fabrication of Cellulose Nanocrystal (CNCs) Based Biosorbent From Oil Palm Trunks Through Acid Hydrolysis With Sonication Assisted and Adsorption Kinetic Study

Developing cellulose nanocrystal (CNCs) preparation techniques is a challenge confronted by many researchers. The advantages of property remain the reason for research to be developed. To deal with this issue, it is essential to conduct research related to process optimization, particularly in the hydrolysis process, which is the primary step in forming CNCs. In this study, the effect of sonication-assisted hydrolysis time was investigated. XRD characterization showed that the CNCs formed where the first group with specific peaks indicated. The crystallinity of CNCs decreased with increasing sonication duration, indicating that sonication-assisted hydrolysis was nonselective. The crystallinity of CNCs obtained for 15, 30, and 45 min was 61.6, 55.0, and 48.4 %, respectively. For sonication duration variations of 15, 30, and 45 min, the hydration diameter of CNCs was nearly identical at 42.35 ± 27.10, 42.99 ± 29.46, and 42.63 ± 29.49 nm, respectively. Similarly, the removal of methylene blue can be achieved using CNCs bio-adsorbent. The results of percent removal of methylene blue under sonication treatment of 15, 30, and 45 min of sonication were 73.34; 73.62; 72.86 %, respectively. The adsorption rate of CNCs follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, with the adsorption values under sonication treatment of 15, 30, and 45 min were 0.075 ± 0.008; 0.166 ± 0.013; 0.078 ± 0.005 g mg-1 min-1, respectively.

Changes in biochemical constituents and antioxidant enzyme activity in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) by the addition of coated multi-nutrient fertilization in calcareous soil

Sulphur and micronutrients play a vital in the growth and development of plants due to their catalytic effect on many metabolic processes. A field experiment was conducted to explore the changes in various biochemical constituents and antioxidants enzyme activities in response to coated multi-nutrient fertilization. The experiment consisted of five organic acids (citric acid, humic acid, fulvic acid, salicylic acid) and amino acid (glycine) coated multi-nutrient fertilizer sources applied at five different levels (0, 5, 10, 12.5 and 15 kg ha-1). Groundnut leaf samples were collected and analyzed for biochemical constituents such as proline, soluble protein and antioxidant enzymes viz., superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and carbonic anhydrase activities at harvest stages. The results revealed that, application of fulvic acid coated multi-nutrient fertilizer at 15 kg ha-1 registered lesser proline (5.93 µmoles g-1) and higher soluble protein (22.2 mg g-1) content, superoxide dismutase (8.93 EU mg-1), catalase (18.2 µg H2O2 min-1 g˗1), peroxidase (6.11 µg min-1 mg˗1) and carbonic anhydrase (14.8 EU mg-1) activities at harvest stage followed by 12.5 kg humic acid coated multi-nutrient fertilizer. The lesser response was noted with NPK control in influencing the biochemical constituents and antioxidant enzymes. It was concluded that fulvic coated multi-nutrient fertilizer at 15 kg ha-1 was the better source for improving the biochemical constituents and antioxidant enzymes of groundnut in calcareous soils.

In Situ Implantation of Bi2S3 Nanorods into Porous Quasi-Bi-MOF Architectures: Enabling Synergistic Dissociation of Borohydride for an Efficient and Fast Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol.

Catalytic hydrogenation reduction based on sodium borohydride (NaBH4) has gained attention as an appealing "one-stone-two-birds" approach for the simultaneous elimination of nitroaromatic pollutants and the production of high-value aminoaromatics under mild conditions. However, the slow kinetics of NaBH4 dissociation on the surface of catalysts restrict the catalytic hydrogenation reduction efficiency. Herein, we report an intelligent localized sulfidation strategy for an in situ implantation of Bi2S3 nanorods within quasi-Bi-MOF architectures (Bi2S3@quasi-Bi-MOF) by fine-tuning the pyrolysis temperature. In this novel Bi2S3@quasi-Bi-MOF, the porous quasi-Bi-MOF enables efficient adsorption of BH4- and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), while Bi2S3 facilitates the BH4- dissociation to form Hads* species adsorbed on the catalyst surface. Benefiting from the synergistic structure, Bi2S3@quasi-Bi-MOF exhibits excellent performance for the catalytic reduction of 4-NP, delivering a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 1.67 × 10-4 mmol mg-1 min-1 and an extremely high normalized rate constant (knor) of 435298 s-1 g-1. The kinetic analysis and electrochemical tests indicate that this catalytic hydrogenation reduction follows the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. This study enriches the synthetic strategy of MOF-based derivatives and offers a new catalytic platform for hydrogenation reduction reactions.

CeO2/Ni-MOF with Synergistic Function of Enrichment and Activation: Efficient Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol Pollutant to 4-Aminophenol.

The conversion of organic pollutants to value-added chemicals has been considered as a sustainable approach to solve environmental problems. However, it is still a challenge to construct a suitable heterogeneous catalyst that can synchronously achieve the enrichment and activation of organic pollutants (such as 4-nitrophenol, 4-NP). Here, an organic-inorganic hybrid catalyst (CeO2/Ni-MOF) was successfully fabricated for efficiently reducing 4-NP to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with water as the hydrogen source. Based on the synergistic effect of Ni-MOF (adsorption action) and CeO2 (active sites), CeO2/Ni-MOF could achieve a reaction rate of 1.102 μmol min-1 mg-1 with an ultrahigh Faraday efficiency (FE) (99.9%) and conversion (97.6%). In addition, the catalytic mechanism of 4-NP reduction over CeO2/Ni-MOF was elaborated in depth. This work presents a new avenue for the effective reduction of pollutants and provides a new strategy for designing high-performance catalysts for rare-earth metals.

Supramolecular Engineering of Amorphous Porous Polymers for Rapid Adsorption of Micropollutants and Solar-Powered Volatile Organic Compounds Management.

Freshwater shortage is becoming one of the most critical global challenges owing to severe water pollution caused by micropollutants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, current purification technology shows slow adsorption of micropollutants and requires an energy-intensive process for VOCs removal from water. In this study, a highly efficient molecularly engineered covalent triazine framework (CTF) for rapid adsorption of micropollutants and VOC-intercepting performance using solar distillation is reported. Supramolecular design and mild oxidation of CTFs (CTF-OXs) enable hydrophilic internal channels and improve molecular sieving of micropollutants. CTF-OX shows rapid removal efficiency of micropollutants (>99.9% in 10s) and can be regenerated several times without performance loss. Uptake rates of selected micropollutants are high, with initial pollutant uptake rates of 21.9gmg-1 min-1 , which are the highest rates recorded for bisphenol A (BPA) adsorption. Additionally, photothermal composite membrane fabrication using CTF-OX exhibits high VOC rejection rate (up to 98%) under 1 sun irradiation (1kWm-2 ). A prototype of synergistic purification system composed of adsorption and solar-driven membrane can efficiently remove over 99.9% of mixed phenol derivatives. This study provides an effective strategy for rapid removal of micropollutants and high VOC rejection via solar-driven evaporation process.

High-yield production of acidic pectin lyase PNLZJ5B for juice processing.

A pectin lyase gene pnlzj5b from Aspergillus niger ZJ5 was identified and overexpressed successfully in Pichia pastoris. Recombinant PNLZJ5B exhibited high activity towards citrus pectin (150 U ml-1 ). Through further codon optimization, the expression efficiency of PNLZJ5B in P. pastoris increased to 3·5-fold (532/150 U ml-1 ). PNLZJ5B was purified by ultrafiltration, anion exchange and gel chromatography. It showed optimal activity and good stability at 58°C and pH 4·5. PNLZJ5B activity improved with increasing degrees of methyl esterification of pectin. The Km and Vmax values were 0·81 mg ml-1 and 372·8 μmol min-1 mg-1 , respectively. In addition, PNLZJ5B effectively decreased the viscosity of apple juice. Compared with commercial pectin lyase, PNLZJ5B obtained a higher juice volume. These favourable enzymatic properties of PNLZJ5B show potential utility in juice-processing applications and other food-related fields.

Nitrite is reduced by nitrite reductase NirB without small subunit NirD in Escherichia coli

The assimilatory nitrite reductase enzyme NirB and small subunit NirD genes encoded in nir operon in Escherichia coli were cloned into the pET28a vector, and the recombinant enzyme was characterized for the first time. Docking of NirB with NirD, NADH, NO2-, NO3-, and CHO2- was performed using docking modeling programs. Methyl viologen and sodium dithionite were used as electron couples, and the amount of reduced nitrite was measured to calculate enzyme activity. NirB is the main enzyme and shows high activity with or without NirD. However, the inclusion of NirD into the enzyme solution at a ratio of 1NirD:2NirB resulted in 10% higher nitrite reductase activity. The enzyme tends to aggregate in the absence of β-mercaptoethanol, which causes the conversion of tetrameric NirB to monomeric form, and the NirB enzyme shows its highest activity in monomeric form. The optimum temperature for enzyme activity was 37°C and the optimum pH was found to be 7.0. Km and Vmax values of NirB were calculated as 9833μM and 416.67μmol NO2- reduced min-1 mg-1. Enzyme activity decreased by 55% and 50% in the presence of 100mM nitrate and formate, respectively. The presence of 25mM Cd2+ protected the enzyme at room temperature and the enzyme showed 10% higher activity in the presence of cadmium.

Covalent Organic Framework Based on Azacalix[4]arene for the Efficient Capture of Dialysis Waste Products.

Azacalix[n]arenes (ACAs) are lesser-known cousins of calix[n]arenes that contain amine bridges instead of methylene bridges, so they generally have higher flexibility due to enlarged cavities. Herein, we report a highly substituted cationic azacalix[4]arene-based covalent organic framework (ACA-COF) synthesized by the Zincke reaction under microwave irradiation. The current work is a rare example of a synthetic strategy that utilizes the chemical functionalization of an organic macrocycle to constrain its conformational flexibility and, thereby, produce an ordered material. Considering the ACA cavity dimensions, and the density and diversity of the polar groups in ACA-COF, we used it for adsorption of uric acid and creatinine, two major waste products generated during hemodialysis treatment in patients with renal failure. This type of application, which has the potential to save ∼400 L of water per patient per week, has only been recognized in the last decade, but could effectively address the problem of water scarcity in arid areas of the world. Rapid adsorption rates (up to k = 2191 g mg–1 min–1) were observed in our COF, exceeding reported values by several orders of magnitude.

Metarhizium anisopliae and Isaria fumosorosea challenge the survival and immunity of the palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier

Aim of study: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier is an invasive pest of palm worldwide. The use of insecticides by farmers for its management has been found insignificant. This study evaluated the potential use of entomopathogenic fungi for R. ferrugineus management with a particular focus on the fungal infection on the activities of different detoxification enzymes. Area of study: Grubs and adults of R. ferrugineus were collected from various infested date palm fields in the four provinces of Pakistan. Material and methods: Fungi Isaria fumosorosea (If-02) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma-M2) were evaluated against R. ferrugineus, and its immune responses were biochemically characterized. Main results: The highest mortality rate was recorded at concentration 3×108 spores mL-1 on the 7th day post infection in the populations treated with M. anisopliae from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Sindh and Baluchistan (93.75, 90.0, 90.0 and 81.25% respectively). M. anisopliae with lowest LC50 (1.1×106 spores mL-1) from Sindh also proved to be the most lethal fungus against R. ferrugineus. Maximum acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) activities were observed in Baluchistan (26.28 and 24.0 μmol min-1 mg-1 protein, respectively) and maximum esterases (EST) activity (35.4 μmol min-1 mg-1 protein) was observed in the KPK population on the 3rd-day post I. fumosorosea infection. Research highlights: Fungal infection by I. fumosorosea caused a significant increase in AChE, GST and EST activities which may hinder R. ferrugineus development. However, M. anisopliae, to some extent, also inhibited enzyme activities and yielded a sudden increase in mortality. Future bio-pesticides could be developed for integrated pest management (IPM) of palm weevil.

Salicylic acid mediated physiological and biochemical alterations to confer drought stress tolerance in Zinnia ( Z. elegans )

Background: Protective role of salicylic acid against drought has been widely reported, but its effects on Zinnia elegans remain unknown.
 Hypotheses: Foliar salicylic acid (SA) improves water status, pigments, and antioxidant systems of Zinnia plants under drought stress.
 Studied species: Z. elegans (cv. Dreamland) were purchased from Chanan Seeds Store Lahore, Pakistan.
 Study site and dates: MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan; March-May, 2018.
 Methods: After two weeks of transplanting, one set of seedlings was exposed to drought stress (60 % field capacity, FC) while other control set was maintained at 100 % FC. Foliar SA (100 mg L-1) was applied to plants at drought initiation.
 Results: Foliar SA treatment to water stressed plants (60 % FC) increased the leaf area (46.89 cm2), shoot and root lengths (25 cm and 26.67 cm, respectively), leaf relative water content (75.98 %); chlorophyll a (0.68 mg g-1), chlorophyll b (0.38 mg g-1) and carotenoid concentrations (1.10 mg g-1); and catalase (116.67 U min-1 mg-1 protein), guaiacol peroxide (72 U min-1 mg-1 protein) and superoxide dismutase (93 U min-1 mg-1 protein) activities.
 Conclusions: Foliar SA could be used to minimize impacts of water stress in Zinnia plants.

Cellular Respiration in Thymic Fragments from Mice.

This report aims to detail the use of the phosphorescence oxygen analyzer for in vitro investigation of thymic responses to pharmaceutical agents, in particular immunosuppressants and immunomodulators. Sirolimus (a highly specific inhibitor of the 'molecular target of rapamycin', mTOR) and ozanimod (an agonist of the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor, recently approved for treatment of multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis) are used for this purpose. Thymic fragments from mice were placed in glass vials containing phosphate-buffered saline, bovine albumin, and Pd(II) meso-tetra (sulfophenyl) tetrabenzoporphyrin. The vials were sealed from air, and the cellular oxygen consumption was monitored as function of time. The decline of dissolved oxygen concentration with time (d[O2]/dt) was linear; thus, its rate (thymocyte respiration) was expressed as μM O2 min-1. Cyanide inhibited respiration, confirming the oxygen consumption was in cytochrome oxidase. In age-matched mice, the rate of thymocyte respiration (mean ± SD, in μM O2 min-1 mg-1) was 0.046 ± 0.011 (median = 0.043, range = 0.028 to 0.062, n = 10). In thymic fragments from littermates, this rate was inhibited in the presence of sirolimus (16% lower) or ozanimod (29% lower). Thymocyte respiration can serve as a surrogate biomarker for studying the mode-of-action and the cytotoxicity of immunotoxins and immunosuppressants.

Fabrication of TiO2 Spheres and a Visible Light Active α-Fe2O3/TiO2-Rutile/TiO2-Anatase Heterogeneous Photocatalyst from Natural Ilmenite.

High-purity (98.8%, TiO2) rutile nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using ilmenite sand as the initial titanium source. This novel synthesis method was cost-effective and straightforward due to the absence of the traditional gravity, magnetic, electrostatic separation, ball milling, and smelting processes. Synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles were 99% pure. Also, highly corrosive environmentally hazardous acid leachate generated during the leaching process of ilmenite sand was effectively converted into a highly efficient visible light active photocatalyst. The prepared photocatalyst system consists of anatase-TiO2/rutile-TiO2/Fe2O3 (TF-800), rutile-TiO2/Fe2TiO5 (TFTO-800), and anatase-TiO2/Fe3O4 (TF-450) nanocomposites, respectively. The pseudo-second-order adsorption rate of the TF-800 ternary nanocomposite was 0.126 g mg–1 min–1 in dark conditions, and a 0.044 min–1 visible light initial photodegradation rate was exhibited. The TFTO-800 binary nanocomposite adsorbed methylene blue (MB) following pseudo-second-order adsorption (0.224 g mg–1 min–1) in the dark, and the rate constant for photodegradation of MB in visible light was 0.006 min–1. The prepared TF-450 nanocomposite did not display excellent adsorptive and photocatalytic performances throughout the experiment period. The synthesized TF-800 and TFTO-800 were able to degrade 93.1 and 49.8% of a 100 mL, 10 ppm MB dye solution within 180 min, respectively.

Physicochemical Characterization of Synodontis schall Gills Rhodanese

The cyanide detoxifying enzyme, rhodanese was extracted from Synodontis schall gills and some physicochemical properties investigated. Activity of the enzyme preparation was assayed by measuring the activity of rhodanese in RU min-1 mg-1. The results revealed that Synodontis schall gills rhodanese had km values for KCN and Na2S2O3 as 22.73±4.12 and 16.67±5.31 respectively. The enzyme had higher affinity for Na2S2O3. Only ammonium sulphate displayed possible sulfur donating property but was less effective than thiosulphate. Synodontis schall gills rhodanese displayed maximum activity at pH 8.0 and 35֠ºC. Synodontis schall gills rhodanese was significantly (p<0.05) inhibited by PbCl2, BaCl2 and HgCl2 in a concentration dependent manner. Gills rhodanese of Synodontis schall was similar in properties to rhodanese extracted from other sources.

Purification of Aspergillus tamarii mycelial fructosyltransferase (m-FTase), optimized FOS production, and evaluation of its anticancer potential.

In the present study, generation of prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS) using Aspergillus tamarii FTase was optimized by applying response surface methodology. Optimal FOS (251g L-1 ) was generated at 28.4°C, pH 7.0 and 50% (w/v) sucrose leading to 1.97-fold yield enhancement. The m-FTase was purified using ultrafiltration followed by HiTrap Q HP anion exchange chromatography resulting in 2.15-fold purified FTase with 12.76 U mg-1 specific activity. Purified FTase (75kDa) had Km and Vmax values of 1049.717mM and 2.094µmol min-1 mg-1 , respectively. FOS incorporation led to upregulation of caspase 3, caspase 9, and Bax genes suggesting mitochondrial apoptosis activation in cancer cells. The study describes characteristics of purified FTase from A. tamarii, production optimization of FOS and unravels the role of FOS in anticancer activity against HT-29 cells. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides detailed insights of kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of purified FTase, a prebiotic FOS-generating enzyme. Moreover, the role of the apoptotic genes involved in anticancer activity, and the prebiotic potential of FOS is also investigated. These findings are important in the context of FOS applications, and the optimized production strategies make it useful for industrial application.

Rational Design of High-Performance Cationic Organic Network Adsorbents.

Development of high-performance ionic organic network (ION) adsorbents is of great importance for water remediation. However, the research on IONs is still nascent, especially, the design philosophy regarding contaminant adsorption has rarely been explored. In this contribution, we optimized the adsorption efficiency of IONs by increasing the density of charged sites and improving their accessibility. We first produced a new cationic organic network (CON), CON-LDU4, with a high density of positive sites via synthesis from tetra(4-pyridyl)ethene. Compared to the analogue CON-LDU2 that synthesized from tetra(4-(4-pyridyl)phenyl)ethene, CON-LDU4 exhibited higher efficiency in adsorption of methyl blue, indicating that the higher ionic density results in the higher adsorption efficiency. To further improve the accessibility of the active sites, another new CON material (CON-LDU5) was synthesized by employing a hard template. CON-LDU5 exhibited a larger specific surface area than CON-LDU4, with clearly enhanced adsorption efficiency. Finally, CON-LDU5 was used to capture CrO42- ions in water with fast adsorption kinetics (k2 = 0.0328 g mg-1 min-1) and high adsorption capacity (369 mg g-1).