Physiochemical Characterization Research Articles

Malachite green dye adsorption from wastewater using pine gum-based hydrogel: Kinetic and thermodynamic studies

In this study, a novel Pn-g-poly(AAm) hydrogel was synthesized via free radical polymerization, using pine gum as the backbone material and polyacrylamide as the monomer. By employing response surface methodology and central composite design, various process parameters were optimized, achieving an optimum 1325 % maximum swelling. The optimized quantities were 0.085 g of initiator, 1.4 g of monomer, 0.013 g of crosslinker, and 14 ml of solvent. The physio-chemical characterizations were conducted using XRD, FE-SEM, FTIR, BET, and TGA. BET analysis showed a specific surface area of 34.973 m²/g and a pore volume of 0.104 cc/g. In adsorption studies, the highest removal (97 %) of malachite green (MG) dye was observed at pH 7, a temperature of 25 °C, a contact time of 5 h and 30 min, an adsorbent dose of 0.08 g, a dye concentration of 50 mg/L, and a shaking speed of 150 rpm. The adsorption data followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 120.772 mg g−1. Furthermore, thermodynamic studies yielded ΔH° at 106.123 KJ/mol and ΔS° at 382.618 J/mol. These results collectively demonstrate the potential of this adsorbent for effectively treating industrial wastewater pollutants.

Layer-by-Layer Assembly of CTAB-rGO-Modified MXene Hybrid Films as Multifunctional Electrodes for Hydrogen Evolution and Oxygen Evolution Reactions, Supercapacitors, and DMFC Applications.

Exceptional electrical conductivity and abundance of surface terminations like-F- and OH- leading to hydrophilicity make the family of 2D transition metal carbides/nitrides and carbonitrides (MXene) excellent candidates for energy storage and conversion applications. MXenes, however, undergo restacking of nanosheets via van der Waals interaction, hindering the active sites, leading to slow electronic and ionic kinetics, and ultimately affecting their electrochemical performance. Herein, we report binder-free cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-reduced graphene oxide (CTAB-rGO)-modified MXene hybrid films on nickel foam as a promising noble metal-free multifunctional electrode synthesized via layer-by-layer assembly and dip coating techniques, which effectively reduce restacking while improving the kinetics. The properties of the as-prepared electrocatalysts are investigated using various physiochemical characterizations and electrochemical measurements to accomplish the objective of "creating one kind of electrocatalyst for multiapplication" with a thorough understanding of the relationship between the material structure, morphology, and electrocatalytic performance. In energy conversion, the synergetic effect of MXene and the CTAB-rGO support helped increase the catalytic activity of the composite for electrochemical water splitting, demonstrating a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at an overpotential (η) of 360 V and a Tafel slope value of 56.6 mV/dec for hydrogen evolution reaction and a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at an overpotential (η) of 179 mV and a Tafel slope value of 47.03 mV/dec for oxygen evolution reaction in an alkaline medium. The electrode material also exhibited a higher oxidation current density (373.60 mA/cm2) compared to that of synthesized MXene toward methanol oxidation reaction in direct methanol fuel cell application. Additionally, the energy storage potential of CTAB-rGO modified MXene as electrode materials for supercapacitors with a high specific capacitance (544.50 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1) and a good capacity retention of 87% after 5000 cycles was studied. These findings of this work showcase the potential of the electrocatalyst in both conversion and storage of electrochemical energy.

Physio-chemical characterisation of ultra-fine-slag-based ultra-high-performance concrete

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) meets the demand of modern infrastructure due to its exceptional strength and durability. The effects on concrete strength of the size and shape of fine aggregates, and binder content and type, were investigated. Particle packing concepts were adopted for fine aggregate optimisation, and the shape of the fine aggregate was assessed using an aggregate image measurement system. Further, the effects of binder content, binder type and curing age were investigated through compressive strength, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and quantitative X-ray diffraction. Mixtures with a 2.36 mm nominal maximum size of aggregates (n.m.s.a.) and angular aggregates exhibited higher compressive strength than those with a 1.18 mm n.m.s.a. No significant increase in the compressive strength was observed in mixtures with a binder content greater than the optimum 1000 kg/m3. The study also revealed that ultra-fine slag is a feasible alternative to silica fume. The TGA and X-ray results of concrete paste samples at different curing ages showed that the degree of hydration was relatively low (38.3%) with no further significant increase beyond 7 days. This work contributes to the fundamental understanding of the effect of raw materials on UHPC strength, which helps in rational selection of materials and mixture proportioning.

The role of metallic nickel nanoparticles to remove dispersed oil from produced water in Sudan oil field plant

Abstract In this study, nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) were synthesized and utilized for removing dispersed oil from oilfield-produced water in Sudan. The synthesis process involved using two concentration of hydrazine as a reducing agent and sodium hydroxide as solvent. Physiochemical characterizations, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confirmed the successful preparation of NiNPs. The TEM analysis revealed an average particle size ranging from 70 to 90 nm, with a change in morphology from star-shaped to monodispersed spherical particles. The crystal structure analysis confirmed the face-centered-cubic (FCC) configuration of the NiNPs, validating their structural properties. Significantly, the NiNPs demonstrated an impressive capability to remove oil form produced water, achieving a remarkable efficiency of 98% in eliminating dispersed oil from produced water. The oil removal process followed Freundlich isotherms, as evidenced by the high value of the linear regression coefficient. Additionally, the kinetics of the oil removal process conformed well to the pseudo-second-order model, indicating a rapid reaction. This study successfully demonstrated the efficient removal of dispersed oil from produced water using nickel nanoparticles, which interacted physically with the oil particles. These findings highlight the potential of NiNPs as an effective adsorbent for treating oilfield-produced water and mitigating environmental contamination.

Assessment of structural and functional similarity of biosimilar products: Bevacizumab as a case study

The antiangiogenic drug bevacizumab is a blockbuster therapeutic pharmaceutical product that is used to treat many different types of cancer including kidney, colon, rectum, lung, and breast cancer. As a result, multiple biosimilars have been approved across the various regulatory jurisdictions in India (>20 in number till date). The rapidly growing market and acceptance of biosimilars was the motivation to perform comparability study of bevacizumab biosimilars that are presently available in the Indian market. A comprehensive analytical and functional biosimilarity assessment has been performed to examine and compare innovator product of bevacizumab (Avastin-innovator product, Roche Products (India) Pvt Ltd) and six biosimilars that are being marketed in India (Abevmy from Mylan Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Bevazza from Lupin Ltd, Bryxta from Zydus Cadila, Krabeva from Biocon, Ivzumab from RPG Life Sciences Ltd, and Advamab from Alkem Laboratories Ltd). Physiochemical characterization of drug products was performed with respect to their primary structure (intact mass, reduced mass, peptide mapping by LC-MS), higher order structure (secondary structure by FTIR, Far-UV-CD, and tertiary structure by Near-UV-CD, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy), impurity profile (SE-HPLC, SEC-MALS, extrinsic fluorescence: size heterogenicity, degradation, stability; DLS: hydrodynamic radius; WCX-HPLC: charge variants analysis) and post-translational modifications by measuring reduced glycans through fluorescence dye analysis. Functional characterization was performed by SPR and cell proliferation assay. Further, chemometrics based quantitative evaluation of biosimilarity has been performed by combining the data obtained from analytical characterization platform. The analysis of the analytical, functional and chemometric results revealed significant levels of similarity, with biosimilar4 being the sole exception. Despite being within product specifications, Biosimilar4 displayed significant deviations with respect to critical quality attributes, including a lower proportion of monomer content, a larger percentage of basic charge variant species, and a lower proportion of aglycosylated glycoform.

Synthesis of environmentally benign of gold nanoparticles from Vicoa indica leaf extracts and their physiochemical characterization, antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activity against A549 cell lines

Synthesis of environmentally benign of gold nanoparticles from Vicoa indica leaf extracts and their physiochemical characterization, antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activity against A549 cell lines

Efficient production of biomass and exopolysaccharide from P. ostreatus and physio-chemical characterization of biomass powder

Mycelium biomass and exopolysaccharides (EPS) from Pleurotus ostreatus origin have gained peculiar attention because of their myriad applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Mycelial growth is greatly dependent on fermentation media and physical conditions. This study aims to optimize mycelium biomass and EPS using one factor at a time (OFAT) approach. The current study investigates the effect of the concentration of various carbon, nitrogen sources, metal ions, and cell numbers in inoculum for biomass and EPS production. The results revealed that the 5% w/v malt extract and 2% w/v glucose combined with 0.05% w/v of Mg+ ions gave the maximum yield of biomass and EPS as 31.55 g/L and 6.65 g/L respectively. A high protein and total phenolics content have been obtained in the supernatant of media as 5.178 g/L and 104.18 mg GAE/g dry weight respectively. Furthermore, the obtained lyophilized biomass powder was investigated by FTIR which showed the presence of proteins and polysaccharides. The morphology and elemental composition were observed by SEM-EDS. XRD pattern showed the amorphous nature of biomass but the presence of chitin was also observed.

Deciphering Molecular Aspects of Potential α-Glucosidase Inhibitors within Aspergillus terreus: A Computational Odyssey of Molecular Docking-Coupled Dynamics Simulations and Pharmacokinetic Profiling.

Hyperglycemia, as a hallmark of the metabolic malady diabetes mellitus, has been an overwhelming healthcare burden owing to its high rates of comorbidity and mortality, as well as prospective complications affecting different body organs. Available therapeutic agents, with α-glucosidase inhibitors as one of their cornerstone arsenal, control stages of broad glycemia while showing definitive characteristics related to their low clinical efficiency and off-target complications. This has propelled the academia and industrial section into discovering novel and safer candidates. Herein, we provided a thorough computational exploration of identifying candidates from the marine-derived Aspergillus terreus isolates. Combined structural- and ligand-based approaches using a chemical library of 275 metabolites were adopted for pinpointing promising α-glucosidase inhibitors, as well as providing guiding insights for further lead optimization and development. Structure-based virtual screening through escalating precision molecular docking protocol at the α-glucosidase canonical pocket identified 11 promising top-docked hits, with several being superior to the market drug reference, acarbose. Comprehensive ligand-based investigations of these hits' pharmacokinetics ADME profiles, physiochemical characterizations, and obedience to the gold standard Lipinski's rule of five, as well as toxicity and mutagenicity profiling, proceeded. Under explicit conditions, a molecular dynamics simulation identified the top-stable metabolites: butyrolactone VI (SK-44), aspulvinone E (SK-55), butyrolactone I 4''''-sulfate (SK-72), and terrelumamide B (SK-173). They depicted the highest free binding energies and steadiest thermodynamic behavior. Moreover, great structural insights have been revealed, including the advent of an aromatic scaffold-based interaction for ligand-target complex stability. The significance of introducing balanced hydrophobic/polar moieties, like triazole and other bioisosteres of carboxylic acid, has been highlighted across docking, ADME/Tox profiling, and molecular dynamics studies for maximizing binding interactions while assuring safety and optimal pharmacokinetics for targeting the intestinal-localized α-glucosidase enzyme. Overall, this study provided valuable starting points for developing new α-glucosidase inhibitors based on nature-derived unique scaffolds, as well as guidance for prospective lead optimization and development within future pre-clinical and clinical investigations.

Preparation and Characterization of 3D-Printed Dose-Flexible Printlets of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate.

The aim of this work was to design pediatric-friendly, dose-flexible orally disintegrating drug delivery systems (printlets) of the antiviral drug tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) by selective laser sintering (SLS) for potential use in hospitals along with other antiviral drugs. In order to obtain a consistent quality of printlets with desired properties, it is important to understand certain critical quality attributes for their main and interactions effect. The printlets were optimized by Box-Behnken's design of the experiment by varying process variables while keeping the composition constant. The composition contained 16.3% TDF, 72.7% polyvinyl pyrrolidone K16-18, 8% magnesium aluminum silicate, 3% Candurin® NXT Ruby Red, and 0.3% colloidal silicon dioxide. The process variables studied were surface (X1), chamber temperatures (X2), and laser scanning speed (X3). The range of variable levels was 75-85°C for X1, 50-70°C for X2, and 200-240 mm/s for X3, respectively. The responses studied were hardness, disintegration time, dissolution, physiochemical, and pharmacokinetic characterization. X-ray powder diffraction indicated partial or complete conversion of the crystalline drug into amorphous form in the printlets. Comparative pharmacokinetics between Viread® (generic) and printlets in rats were superimposable. Pharmacokinetic parameters showed statistically insignificant differences between the two formulations in terms of Tmax, Cmax, and AUC of (p > 0.05). Printlets were bioequivalent to Viread® as per FDA bioequivalence criteria. Thus, the SLS printing method showed the fabrication of dose-flexible printlets with quality, and in vivo performance equivalent to commercial tablets.

Invitro antioxidant and anticancer activities of Smilax corbularia extract combined with Phellinus linteus extract against breast cancer cell lines.

Treatment with extracts from whole herbs has been reported to synergistically enhance the anticancer activities of therapeutic agents in recent studies. The present study evaluated the antioxidant and anticancer activities of Smilax corbularia Kunth (S. corbularia) and Phellinus linteus (P. linteus) crude extracts individually and in combination. S. corbularia was extracted using ethanol, whereas P. linteus was extracted using hot water. Both crude extracts underwent physiochemical characterization. Subsequently, the possible antioxidant activities of both crude extracts, individually and in combination, were evaluated using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays. Their effects on breast cancer cell cytotoxicity, proliferation and apoptosis were then assessed. The crude S. corbularia extract obtained was found to have a high level of total phenolic content, whilst the crude P. linteus extract had high levels of total polysaccharide content. The total phenolic content and total polysaccharide content results of the combinations depended on the respective ratios of the individual extracts. S. corbularia alone and combination 3 (which contained 75% S. corbularia: 25% P. linteus) demonstrated the greatest radical scavenging activity, followed by combination 1 (50% S. corbularia: 50% P. linteus), combination 2 (25% S. corbularia: 75% P. linteus) and P. linteus. The toxicity results of the extract samples on the cancer cells corresponded with their antioxidant activity. In particular, certain combinations demonstrated clearer inhibitory effects on cell proliferation against three types of breast cancer cells compared with those exerted by the two individual extracts. However, induction of apoptosis was limited, with the degree of apoptosis observed to be #x003C;5%. These findings suggested that treatment with combinations of these two extracts could confer enhanced antioxidant and antiproliferative effects on breast cancer cells. Therefore, the potential of these two extracts in combination as anticancer agents warrants further investigation.

Physio-chemical and microbial characterization of organic and biodynamic manures collected from different farms in India

The organic and biodynamic manures based on animal, plant and house hold waste which have both direct and indirect benefits to soil and crop growth. This paper reports the characterization of organic and biodynamic manures collected from three farms in India. A total of 14 manures were collectedand processed for determination of physico-chemical properties such as pH, EC, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, organic carbon and humic acids and microbial enumerations by following the standard methods.The present work on the physico- chemical analysis of different organic and biodynamic manures corroborated with all the results that the biodynamic preparations are rich in micronutrients and BD compost, CPP vermicompost and FarmYard Manure was high in major nutrients (N and K).Based on physico-chemical properties the nutritional index of biodynamic manures was derived. Agriculture or domestic waste can be effectively converted into nutrient enriched manures for soil fertility.

From Waste to Wonder: Harnessing the Potential of Agro-industrial Waste (Cane Molasses) in Systemic Optimization for the Levan Type of Exopolysaccharide by Bacillus megaterium KM3 and Physiochemical Characterization

From Waste to Wonder: Harnessing the Potential of Agro-industrial Waste (Cane Molasses) in Systemic Optimization for the Levan Type of Exopolysaccharide by Bacillus megaterium KM3 and Physiochemical Characterization

Ligand-Copper(I) Primary O2-Adducts: Design, Characterization, and Biological Significance of Cupric-Superoxides.

In this Account, we overview and highlight synthetic bioinorganic chemistry focused on initial adducts formed from the reaction of reduced ligand-copper(I) coordination complexes with molecular oxygen, reactions that produce ligand-CuII(O2•-) complexes (O2•- ≡ superoxide anion). We provide mostly a historical perspective, starting in the Karlin research group in the 1980s, emphasizing the ligand design and ligand effects, structure, and spectroscopy of these O2 adducts and subsequent further reactivity with substrates, including the interaction with a second ligand-CuI complex to form binuclear species. The Account emphasizes the approach, evolution, and results obtained in the Karlin group, a synthetic bioinorganic research program inspired by the state of knowledge and insights obtained on enzymes possessing copper ion active sites which process molecular oxygen. These constitute an important biochemistry for all levels/types of organisms, bacteria, fungi, insects, and mammals, including humans.Copper is earth abundant, and its redox properties in complexes allow for facile CuII/CuI interconversions. Simple salts or coordination complexes have been well known to serve as oxidants for the stoichiometric or catalytic oxidation or oxygenation (i.e., O-atom insertion) of organic substrates. Thus, copper dioxygen- or peroxide-centered synthetic bioinorganic studies provide strong relevance and potential application to synthesis or even the development of cathodic catalysts for dioxygen reduction to hydrogen peroxide or water, as in fuel cells. The Karlin group's focus however was primarily oriented toward bioinorganic chemistry with the goal to provide fundamental insights into the nature of copper-dioxygen adducts and further reduced and/or protonated derivatives, species likely occurring in enzyme turnover or related in one or more aspects of formation, structure, spectroscopic properties, and scope of reactivity toward organic/biochemical substrates.Prior to this time, the 1980s, O2 adducts of redox-active first-row transition-metal ions focused on iron, such as the porphyrinate-Fe centers occurring in the oxygen carrier proteins myoglobin and hemoglobin and that determined to occur in cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase turnover. Deoxy (i.e., reduced Fe(II)) heme proteins react with O2, giving FeIII-superoxo complexes (preferably referred to by traditional biochemists as ferrous-oxy species). And, it was in the 1970s that great strides were made by synthetic chemists in generating hemes capable of forming O2 adducts, their physiochemical characterization providing critical insights to enzyme (bio)chemistry and providing ideas and important goals leading to countless person years of future research.

Dual targeting pH responsive chitosan nanoparticles for enhanced active cellular internalization of gemcitabine in non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC), related with the enhanced expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and sialic acid binding receptors (glycan) brought about the development of EGFR and glycan receptor specific anticancer therapeutics. The current study assessed the formulation, physiochemical characterization, in vitro and in vivo effects of sialic acid (SA) and cetuximab (Cxmab) decorated chitosan nanoparticles (CSN-NPs) loaded with gemcitabine (GMC) targeted to glycan and EGFR over-expressing non-small-cell lung-cancer (NSCLC) A-549 cells. Chitosan (CSN) was conjugated with sialic acid via EDC/NHS chemistry followed by gemcitabine loaded sialic acid conjugated chitosan nanoparticles (GMC-CSN-SA-NPs) were prepared by ionic gelation method decorated with Cxmab by electrostatic interaction. In vitro cytotoxicity of NPs quantified using cell based MTT, DAPI and Annexing-V/PI apoptosis assays showed superior antiproliferative activity of targeted nanoformulations (GMC-CSN-SA-Cxmab-NPs ≫ GMC-CSN-SA-NPs, GMC-CSN-Cxmab-NPs) over non-targeted nanoformulation (GMC-CSN-NPs) against A-549 cells. In vivopharmacokinetic study showed superior bioavailability and in vivo therapeutic efficacy investigation exhibited strongest anticancer activity of glycan and EGFR targeted NPs (GMC-CSN-SA-Cxmab-NPs). GMC-CSN-SA-Cxmab-NPs demonstrated enhanced cellular internalization and better therapeutic potential, by specifically targeting glycan and EGFR on NSCLC A-549 cells and B[a]P induced lung cancer mice model, hence it might be a good substitute for non-targeted, conventional chemotherapy.

Fabrication and characterization of nanodelivery platform based on chitosan to improve the anticancer outcome of sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma

Chitosan nanoparticles (CS NPs) showed promising results in drug, vaccine and gene delivery for the treatment of various diseases. The considerable attention towards CS was owning to its outstanding biological properties, however, the main challenge in the application of CS NPs was faced during their size-controlled synthesis. Herein, ionic gelation reaction between CS and sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP), a widely used and safe CS cross-linker for biomedical application, was exploited. The development of nanodelivery platform, namely Sorafenib-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (SF–CS NPs), was constructed in order to improve SF drug delivery to human Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines. The NPs were artificially fabricated using an ionic gelation technique. A number of CS NPs that had been loaded with an SF were prepared using different concentrations of sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). These concentrations were 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg/mL, and they are abbreviated as SF–CS NPs 2.5, SF–CS NPs 5.0, SF–CS NPs 10, and SF–CS NPs 20 respectively. DLS, FTIR, XRD, HRTEM, TGA, and FESEM with EDX and TEM were used for the physiochemical characterisation of SF–CS NPs. Both DLS and HRTEM techniques demonstrated that smaller particles were produced when the TPP content was raised. In a PBS solution with a pH of 4.5, the SF exhibited efficient release from the nanoparticles, demonstrating that the delivery mechanism is effective for tumour cells. The cytotoxicity investigation showed that their anticancer effect against HepG2 cell lines was significantly superior than that of free SF. In addition, the nanodrug demonstrated an absence of any detectable toxicity to normal adult human dermal fibroblast (HDFa) cell lines. This is a step towards developing a more effective anticancer medication delivery system with sustained-release characteristics, which will ultimately improve the way cancer is managed.

Physio-chemical characterization, in-vitro biocompatibility, and antimicrobial activity of magnetite nanoparticles synthesized via sol-gel route

In the present study, the biocompatibility of the magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles was examined for biomedical applications. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles showed good antimicrobial activity and better biocompatibility with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and red blood cells. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized via the sol-gel route. The x-ray diffraction pattern of the Magnetite sample showed single-phase crystalline with a hexagonal spinel structure and the lattice parameters are a = b = 5.0360 Å and c = 13.747 Å. The Debye Scherer formula was used to analyze the average crystallite size (36.56 nm). The dumbbell and near-spherical morphology (80-200 nm average particle size) were observed by field emission electron microscopy followed by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The vibrating sample magnetometer analysis depicted the magnetic characteristics of the spinel ferrite as 66.15 emu/g of saturation magnetization. The antimicrobial assay revealed a significant zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

Formulation of hydrophobic hybrid nano-ink with high interfacial potential for the electrochemical detection of triclosan

In the era of nanotechnology, there is a focus on making analytical devices smaller and more portable, enabling real-time, on-site detection. One approach to achieving this goal is to design a compact electrode using specialized nano ink. This work is focused on the nano-ink formulation. Its constituents include an active material (vinyl functionalized Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane: V-POSS), infused with conductive carbon (multi-walled carbon nanotubes: MWCNT) additive (aids uniform electron conduction) along with the polymeric (Polyvinylidene fluoride: PVDF) binders dissolved in suitable solvents (Dimethyl formamide: DMF) to attain the thixotropic effect. The hydrophobic POSS-based hybrid material holding intriguing properties of tailorable functionality, high interfacial potential, and good charge transferability was embraced as the lead active material with the MWCNT conductive matrix. The physiochemical and electrochemical characterization of the formulated ink was carried out. Primary electrochemical sensing and optimization were performed using the conventional setup towards the detection of triclosan (TCL) (endocrine disruptor cum aquatic pollutant) detection. The real-time analysis to monitor the usage levels of TCL in perfumeries as quality control (QC) and in water samples was performed followed by cross-validation with the HPLC-UV technique. The developed V-POSS: MWCNT nano ink (POSS-based nano ink: PBNI) @GCE sensor showed a low detection limit of 0.43 pM with a sensitivity of 5.4316 µA/pM and a linear dynamic range of 1 pM – 1 nM indicating the excellent electrochemical activity of the formulation towards TCL monitoring.

Synthesis of chitosan based reduced graphene oxide-CeO2 nanocomposites for drug delivery and antibacterial applications

In this study, the unique characteristics of chitosan, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and cerium oxide (CeO2) based hybrid bionano-composites make a carrier for various drug delivery and antimicrobial applications. The recent literatures shown that addition of biopolymers to rGO and CeO2 based nanocomposites exhibit excellent performance in design and development of biosensors, wound dressings, electrodes, microfluidic chips, drug delivery systems and energy storage applications. Chitosan (CS), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) mixed with cerium oxide (CeO2) to form CS-rGO and CS-rGO-CeO2 hybrid bionano-composites using precipitation method. The physiochemical characterization of casted nanocomposite sheet was done using FTIR, XRD, UV–Vis spectrum, SEM and TGA. The XRD results of CS-rGO-CeO2 revealed that the nanoparticle was found to be crystalline structure. FTIR revealed that nitrogen functionalities of CS interacted with rGO-CeO2 to form hybrid nanocomposites. The thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the CS-rGO-CeO2 has better thermal stability up to 550 °C. The SEM confirms the surface morphology of CS-rGO-CeO2 has large surface area with smooth surface. Moreover, the antibacterial properties of nanocomposites exhibit excellent zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The NIH3T3 cell line evaluations showed superior cell adhesion on hybrid nanocomposites. Hence bionano-composite based on CS, rGO and CeO2 are potential biomaterials for drug delivery and antibacterial applications.

Physiochemical Characterization of Ethiopian Mined Kaolin Clay through Beneficiation Process

Kaolin mineral is a commercially solid powder with a comparatively low level of purity and is regularly used for a variety of applications, including filler, paints, ceramics, adsorbents, and paper. In Ethiopia, the kaolin clay mineral is significant for financial growth as the raw material used in the industry sector. However, slight consideration was given to the chemical, physical, mineralogical, and morphological properties of kaolin. In this study, the property of kaolin is investigated by using advanced instruments such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTA). Based on the XRF test, the main component of kaolin clay contains SiO2 (58.73%), Al2O3 (24.35%), K2O (5.36%), and other impurities, including Fe2O3 (2.06%) and TiO2 (0.13%). The FTIR spectra displayed the functional groups Si-O, Al-OH, Al-O, and Si-O-Al. The XRD diffractogram identified kaolin clay as the main mineral phase in the existence of quartz, halloysite, and chlorite.

Development of microbial fuel cell for wastewater treatment and electricity generation using domestic wastes

Background: The energy crisis is a growing problem around the world, requiring the creation of alternative energy sources that can generate less carbon dioxide and benefit the ecosystem. Reutilization of wastewater is becoming the emerging energy solution. Wastewater contains a large amount of organic matter that can be oxidized in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to produce electricity. MFCs use biodegradable materials to create energy in the presence of microorganisms. Methods: Purposive sampling technique was employed to collect samples from critical polluting sources. The samples were certainly maintained in a refrigerator at 4°C. Several mixes for sample were prepared and tested analytically- for physio-chemical and bacteriological characterizations of each substrate status at pre- and post-treatment stages. Electricity generating capacity of MFCs that employing different substrates was investigated experimentally using batch reactors. The cross-sectional methodology was employed to study possible power generation. Results: The maximum voltage output of 118.93, 144.84, and 89.76 mV were produced keeping the resistance unlimited for MFC1 (urine substrate), MFC2 (blackwater substrate), and MFC3 (graywater substrate), respectively. MFC that utilized graywater as a substrate brought the tiniest quantity of electricity; however, it stood the most stable. The highest COD reduction (65.83%) in the process was reported in urine substrate and the highest BOD5 removal (69.18%) was reported in black water substrate. Conclusion: The experimental results provided a promising indication of MFCs viability, providing hope for future power generation and alternative wastewater treatment option in developing countries.