Ultraviolet-visible Spectroscopy Research Articles

Assessment of the in Vitro Effects of Folate Core-Shell Conjugated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Potential Agent for Acute Leukemia Treatment.

There is a growing need to comprehend the potential outcomes of nanoparticles (NPs) on human well-being, including their potential for detecting and treating leukemia. This study examined the role of iron folate core-shell and iron oxide nanoparticles in inducing apoptosis and altering the expression of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X-protein (Bax), and Caspase-3 genes in leukemia cells. The obtained iron oxide and iron folate core-shell nanoparticles were analyzed using a variety of analytical techniques, including ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Additionally, FTIR and UV-Vis were used to characterize doxorubicin. The MTT test was utilized to investigate the cytotoxicity of iron oxide and iron folate core-shell nanoparticles. The expression of the apoptotic signaling proteins Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3 was evaluated using the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method. Additionally, flow cytometry was performed to gauge the degrees of necrosis and apoptosis. UV-Visible spectroscopy analysis showed that the generated iron oxide and iron folate core-shell NPs had a distinctive absorption curve in the 250-300 nm wavelength range. The XRD peaks were also discovered to index the spherical form with a size of less than 50 nm, which validated the crystal structure. The FTIR analysis determined the bonds and functional groups at wavenumbers between 400 and 4000 cm-1. A viable leukemia treatment approach is a nanocomposite consisting of iron and an iron folate core-shell necessary for inhibiting and activating cancer cell death. The nearly resistant apoptosis in the CCRF-CEM cells may have resulted from upregulating Bax and Casepase-3 while downregulating Bcl-2 expression. Our study documents the successful synthetization and characterization of iron oxide, which has excellent anticancer activities. A metal oxide conjugation with the nanoparticles' core-shell enhanced the effect against acute leukemia.

In-Depth Insight into Corrosion Inhibition Performance of Sweet Potato Leaf Extract as a Green and Efficient Inhibitor for 6N01 Al Alloy in the Seawater: Experimental and Theoretical Perspectives.

Corrosion protection of metal has become an important and urgent topic, which requires the development of an inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and highly efficient corrosion inhibitor. Herein, a sweet potato leaf extract (SPL) was obtained by a simple water-based extraction method and then as a green corrosion inhibitor for 6N01 Al alloy in the seawater was well investigated by the weight loss method and various electrochemical tests. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopies were carried out to investigate the compositions of SPL. The findings from the potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) curves suggest that SPL functions as a typical mixed-type corrosion inhibitor. Notably, the maximum corrosion inhibition efficiency reaches 94.6% following a 36 h immersion period at 25 °C. The adsorption behavior of SPL on the Al alloy surface belongs to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The Gibbs free energy value illustrates that the adsorption of SPL contains both physisorption and chemisorption. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that SPL is firmly attached to the Al alloy surface by making a protective layer, which can effectively inhibit the corrosion of the Al alloy in the seawater. Furthermore, quantum chemical calculations were applied to validate the chemical adsorption and elucidate the relationship between the electronic structure of the active components in SPL and their effectiveness in corrosion inhibition.

Facile fabrication of Ag decorated MnFeO3 catalyst: Comparative analysis of visible light driven antibiotic reduction and antibacterial performance

Photocatalysis is an effective method with the potential to eliminate pharmaceutical compounds from water sources. Manganese ferrite (MnFeO3), a type of multiferroic perovskite catalyst, has attracted significant attention due to its small band gap, however its application was limited due to its high recombination rate and low quantum efficiency. It was therefore aimed to improve the properties of MnFeO3 by doping silver (Ag)-particles. In this study, Ag–MnFeO3 photocatalysts with different Ag content (1–3 mmol%) were synthesized by performing a facile hydrothermal method. The as-prepared samples were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, showing successful addition of Ag-particles with the MnFeO3 structure. Then, the as-synthesized materials were investigated as: (i) photocatalysts for degradation tetracycline (TC) antibiotic and (ii) antibacterial agents for bacteria. The Ag–MnFeO3 catalyst demonstrated superior catalytic performance (95.7%), which was 1.6 times higher than that of pristine MnFeO3 (59.7%). The positive effect was ascribed to oxygen vacancies, enhanced light absorption ability, and lower recombination rate. The Ag–MnFeO3 catalyst also showed satisfactory removal performances in real water matrices. Furthermore, radical trapping tests depicted that the superoxide radicals played a dominant role in the photodegradation system. In addition, Box–Behnken design (BBD) was performed to determine the optimum conditions, which were determined as catalyst dosage of 0.45 g/L, initial TC concentration of 5.10 mg/L, and initial solution pH value of 3.69. In terms of antibacterial tests, the incorporation of Ag into the MnFeO3 structure greatly increased the antimicrobial resistance against bacteria. Our findings disclose that the incorporation of Ag into the MnFeO3 structure can be regarded as a feasible and promising approach to improve both photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial performances.

In Situ Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticle-Decorated Polymeric Vesicles for Antibacterial Applications.

Silver/polymeric vesicle composite nanoparticles with good antibacterial properties were fabricated in this study. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared in situ on cross-linked vesicle membranes through the reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) via coordination bonding between the Ag+ ions and the nitrogen atoms on the vesicles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses confirmed the formation of AgNPs on the vesicles. The antibacterial test demonstrated good antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) for the produced AgNP-decorated vesicles. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the AgNP-decorated vesicles for E. coli and S. aureus were 8.4 and 9.6 μg/mL, respectively. Cell viability analysis on the A549 cells indicated that the toxicity was low when the AgNP concentrations did not exceed the MIC values, and the wound healing test confirmed the good antibacterial properties of the AgNP-decorated vesicles.

Spectroscopic Characterization of the Biochemical Profile of Mung Seedlings Following Treatment by Copper Oxide Nanoparticles

The present study aims to assess the physiological and biochemical changes in the mung plants (Vigna radiata L) due to the impact of copper oxide nanoparticles using laser-induced fluorescence, ultraviolet-visible and confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy. The mung seedlings were treated with copper oxide nanoparticles with concentrations of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 mM. The growth parameters of the mung seedlings show considerable decreases at higher concentrations of nanoparticles. The laser-induced fluorescence measurements showed a decrease in photosynthetic activity as indicated by the increase in the intensity ratio (I685/I732) with the nanoparticle concentration. Further, the ultraviolet-visible measurements show a decrease in the plant pigments chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids with the concentration of nanoparticles. Except for 0.2 mM, the Raman spectral signatures obtained from the leaves of mung-treated copper oxide nanoparticles reveal that the cell wall component proteins, lignin, pectin, carbohydrates, aliphatics and carotenoids declined with the treatment of nanoparticles. The decreasing intensity of carotenoids from the Raman measurements and the decreasing chlorophyll and carotenoid content in laser-induced fluorescence and ultraviolet-visible measurements suggest that copper oxide nanoparticles are toxic to mung plants. The spectroscopic techniques along with discriminatory and data processing approaches such as principal component analysis (PCA) are demonstrated to provide noninvasive, nondestructive, sensitive, rapid and effective screening of plants under various stresses.

Synthesis and properties of 6-alkynyl-5-aryluracils.

The development of a new and straightforward chemoselective method for the synthesis of uracil-based structures by combining Suzuki-Miyaura and Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling is reported. The methodology was applied to synthesize a series of novel compounds. The tolerance of the combination of different functional groups was tested. The influence of different functional groups on the physical properties was studied by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and fluorescence spectroscopy, providing new insights into the potential applications of uracil-based structures.

A general method for studying reactive surface species, CT-SKAn: Charge-transfer spectrokinetic analysis

A spectrokinetic methodology was developed to determine reactive surface species by combining operando ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and charge transfer kinetic models. The methodology consisted of three general steps: 1) concomitant measurement of reaction rates and charge transfer via ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy; 2) development of rate expressions from kinetic models involving the adsorbed species of interest. These rate expressions relate reaction rates, charge transfer, and partial pressures of gas phase species; and 3) evaluation of the goodness of fit of the rate expressions to the experimental data. The species whose rate expressions show the best fit are the more likely reactive surface species for the studied reaction. An example is presented for the determination of reactive oxygen species during ethanol oxidation over Au/TiO2. The charge transfer spectrokinetic analysis showed that surface hydroperoxyl, hydroxyl, and atomic oxygen species were reactive surface intermediates, whereas surface molecular oxygen was not.

Enhancing antimicrobial efficacy: 8-Hydroxyquinoline incorporation into metal-organic frameworks with iron ion coupling

The antimicrobial properties of 8-Hydroxyquinoline (8-Hq), a small organic compound known for its metal-chelating capabilities, hold significant promise. However, its limited solubility in water poses a challenge for practical applications. In this study, we address this limitation by augmenting the antimicrobial efficacy of 8-Hq through its integration into the metal-organic framework UiO-66 (named 8-Hq@UiO-66) and coupling it with iron ions (designated as Fe/8-Hq@UiO-66) via an adsorption process. The sorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics were meticulously examined using Langmuir's adsorption model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Material characterization techniques including powder X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed the coordination of zirconium clusters and iron with the nitrogen and hydroxyl groups of 8-Hq, respectively. Furthermore, our investigation into metal ion adsorption demonstrated that the 8-Hq@UiO-66 composite displayed a notable selectivity for iron ions over other metal ions in aqueous media. Under optimized conditions, the adsorption capacity for iron ions ranged from approximately 34–46 mg g−1. Importantly, the Fe/8-Hq@UiO-66 composite exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. These findings underscore the potential of incorporating 8-Hq into porous metal-organic frameworks and coupling it with iron ions to enhance its antimicrobial efficacy.

Folate functionalized multifunctional CuO@PHBV@PDA nanoplatform for pH-Responsive dual drug delivery and ROS-driven apoptosis in breast cancer

Current anticancer nanocarriers are still constrained by a disparity between their various functionalities and biocompatibility. Drug combinations delivered via cell-specific nanocarriers have the potential to improve therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we prepared a ROS-responsive CuO nanoparticle drug delivery system for treating breast cancer loaded with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel (PTX), encased in a layer of PHBV/PDA and embellished with folate to yield 5-FU@PTX-CuO@PHBV@PDA/FA NPs. Excellent monodispersity, size stability, and biocompatibility were displayed by the resulting nanoplatform with a diameter of about 186.3 ± 7.2 nm. Synthesized nanoplatform was studied in NIH 3T3 and MCF-7 cells to determine their antitumor mechanism. Invitro pH-dependent drug release rate, drug encapsulation, loading efficiency, and hemocompatibility were all quantified via Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration values for dual drug-loaded CuO@PHBV@PDA/FA NPs and free drugs combination were 12.5 and 25 μg/mL, respectively, indicating considerably stronger antitumor activity of 5-FU@PTX-CuO@PHBV@PDA/FA NPs than free drugs combination. Apoptotic cell death, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, and ROS production were also examined in vitro. In contrary, dual drug-loaded nanoparticles exhibited concentration-dependent and synergistic cytotoxicity towards MCF-7 cells. Together, these findings suggest that the 5-FU@PTX-CuO@PHBV@PDA/FA nanoplatform may help to resolve the conflict between the multifunctionality and biocompatibility of nanocarriers.

Lanthanum(III)hydroxide Nanoparticles and Polyethyleneimine-Functionalized Graphene Quantum Dot Nanocomposites in Photosensitive Silicon Heterojunctions.

Lanthanides are largely used in optoelectronics as dopants to enhance the physical and optical properties of semiconducting devices. In this study, lanthanum(III)hydroxide nanoparticles (La(OH)3NPs) are used as a dopant of polyethylenimine (PEI)-functionalized nitrogen (N)-doped graphene quantum dots (PEI-NGQDs). The La(OH)3NPs-dopedPEI-NGQDs nanocomposites are prepared from La(NO)3 in a single step by a green novel method and are characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Deposited over an n-type Si wafer, the La(OH)3NPs-dopedPEI-NGQDs nanocomposites form Schottky diodes. The I-V characteristics and the photoresponse of the diodes are investigated as a function of the illumination intensity in the range 0-110 mW cm-2 and at room temperature. It is found that the rectification ratio and ideality factor of the diode decrease, while the Schottky barrier and series resistance increase with the enhancing illuminations. As a photodetector, the La(OH)3NPs-dopedPEI-NGQDs/n-Si heterojunction exhibits an appreciable responsivity of 3.9 × 10-3 AW-1 under 22 mW cm-2 at -0.3 V bias and a maximum detectivity of 8.7 × 108 Jones under 22 mW cm-2 at -0.5 V. This study introduces the green synthesis and presents the structural, electrical, and optoelectronic properties of La(OH)3NPs-dopedPEI-NGQDs, demonstrating that these nanocomposites can be promising for optoelectronic applications.

Fabrication, physicochemical characterization and theoretical studies of some new mixed ligands complexes based on N-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-guanidine and 1, 10-phenanthroline: DNA interaction, biological applications and molecular docking approach

The fabrication and structural identification of mixed ligand chelates resulting from 1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl) guanidine (BIG = main ligand) and 1,10-Phenanthroline (phen) (secondary ligand). The tested compounds were investigated using TGA, CHN, spectra analysis (FT-IR, Mass spectra, NMR), melting point, magnetic moments, molar conductance, Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy as well computational studies. The conductance results showed that the tested Pd(II), VO(II) and Ag(I) chelates have electrolytes in fresh solutions of DMSO lies in the range 38.12–118.87 Ω−1 cm2 mol−1 except, Cu(II) chelate is a non-electrolyte it is value equal 15.16 Ω−1 cm2 mol−1. FT-IR spectrum displays that the tested main ligand is coordinated with metal ions in a bi-dentate behavior with N, N donor sites of the HN=C and C=N. While the second ligand coordinated with metal ions through its N2 atom in the pyridine ring. Moreover, the obtained analytical data regarding complexation in solution, molar ratio and continuous variation methods suggest 1M: 1 L molar ratio. Also the stability constant of tested complexes was identified in solution state and the formation constants (Kf) were evaluated by applying continuous-variation method. Stability of complexes was arranged by BIGPAg > BIGPVO > BIGPCu > BIGPPPd in agreement with Kf values. The pH profile revealed that the wide range of pH stability of the tested complexes is at pH = 4- 10 in most of them. Magnetic and electronic spectra are applied to deduce the coordinating ability of the tested ligands and the geometric structure of the studied chelates. That data of magnetic susceptibility for ternary mixed chelates are locked to an octahedral geometry for Cu(II) & VO(II) chelates due to the data of (μeff = 1.8 and 1.83 B.M) respectively and Pd(II) and Ag(I) chelates are diamagnetic with square planar and tetrahedral geometry, respectively. The TGA study of these studied complexes displays that the hydrated H2O, acetate, nitrate, and acetylacetonate anions are removed in the first (45°C-180°C) and second degradation steps followed directly by degradation of the studied ligands in the following stages. The thermodynamic factors, like ΔS*, ΔH*, E*, A and ΔG* are evaluated from the TGA curves and explained. The DFT/B3LYP computation method was applied for the estimation of the MEP, (HUMO & LUMO) energy for the studied compounds. In-silico assay was executed by two different approaches over compounds to evaluate their biological behavior and degree of interaction with biological systems, before practical application. BIGPPd complex displayed priority in interaction with various protein. In-vitro assay was then carried out for compounds against different microbes and BIGPPd showed high antimicrobial activity with inhibition zones are established to be 45.75 ± 0.10 and 41.95 ± 0.05 mm against B. Cereus and G. Candidum at 25 µg/mL. Also, their cytotoxic behavior was examined against MCF-7, HepG2 and HCT-116 carcinoma cell lines, high cytotoxicity was clearly recorded with BIGPPd complex with IC50% are established to be (5, 6.25 and 7.14 µg/mL) respectively. Furthermore, antioxidant activity was examined, and the complexes exhibited high reactivity with trapping free radicals. The BIGPPd exhibited significant free radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 20.15 μg/ml. The interaction of metal chelates with DNA was detected by gel electrophoreses, viscosity and spectral studies. Spectrophotometric titration and viscosity studies expose that each of tested complex is an avid binder to DNA. The intrinsic binding constants were calculated for all the tested compounds could bind to Ct-DNA generally through replacement, intercalative mode & minor groove binding of interactions with the sequence: BIGPVO (6.05×104) > BIGPCu > BIGPPd> BIGPAg >BIG (1.16×103). This may be due to enhanced hydrophobic & electrostatic interaction of aromatic rings. Finally, such complexes may be considered as a promising bioactive agent.

Photothermal and pyroelectric effects in hollow FeS2/CdS nanocomposites for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

In this paper, a hollow structure of FeS2/CdS is designed to improve the photocatalytic generation of hydrogen by capitalizing on the synergistic interplay between the photothermal effect of FeS2 and the pyroelectric effect of CdS. The heat generated by the photothermal effect of FeS2 provides the hot end for the pyroelectric effect of CdS, and the condensate in the photocatalytic system provides the cold end. CdS undergoes spontaneous polarization and a thermoelectric impact in response to temperature fluctuations (ΔT), releasing surface charges. This process effectively governs the direction and rate of carrier migration within the FeS2 nanoparticles. The hydrogen production test demonstrates that FeS2/CdS-3 exhibited a hydrogen production rate of 154.0 μmol·g−1·h−1, which is 5.8 times higher than that of FeS2 (23.4 μmol·g−1·h−1), and it has excellent cycle stability. Furthermore, characterization through ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and linear sweep voltammetry confirms the outstanding carrier migration capability of the composite photocatalyst.

Synthesis and Characterization of Piano-Stool Ruthenium(II)-Arene Complexes of Isatin Schiff Bases: Cytotoxicity and DNA Intercalation.

A series of aryl-isatin Schiff base derivatives (3a-d) and their piano-stool ruthenium complexes (4a-d) were synthesized and characterized via 1H and 13C NMR and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In addition, the purity of all of the compounds (3a-c and 4a-d) was determined via elemental analysis. Complex 4d was analyzed using X-ray crystallography. An in vitro antiproliferative study of the compounds (3a-c and 4a-d) against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HEPG2), human breast cancer (MCF-7), human prostate cancer (PC-3), and human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells exhibited their considerable antiproliferative activity. 4d exhibited effective cytotoxicity against HEPG2 and MCF-7. It displayed higher cytotoxicity than the reference metallo-drug cisplatin. Moreover, the stability of 4d was studied via 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the binding model between 4d and DNA was investigated via ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The lipophilicity of the synthesized complexes was determined using an extraction method.

An eco-friendly colorimetric strategy based on gold nanoparticles modified with 3-pyridinylboronic acid for detecting copper ions

Copper is an essential element in the human body. Excess accumulations of copper, however, would become a potential threat. Therefore, it is of great significance to detect copper ions. Owing to their controllable morphology, dispersal characteristics, high extinction coefficient, and easily functionalized surfaces, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been highly employed as attractive sensing probes for environmental and biological analyses. We herein propose an eco-friendly colorimetric strategy based on AuNPs modified with 3-pyridinylboronic acid (PA) for sensitive and selective detection of copper ions (Cu2+) in water at trace level. The color changes of the system from wine-red to gray-blue with increasing amounts of copper ions is due to the binding of AuNPs modified with 3-pyridinylboronic acid to copper ions, which in turn leads to the aggregation of AuNPs with fine anti-interference. Strengths of the work: 1) rapid response time without complex pre-treatment; 2) high sensitivity with low limit of detection (LOD) and the good linear relationship (R2 = 0.98, LOD = 3.0 μM by the naked eye and 72 nM by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy); 3) high selectivity under other interfering ions. In addition, the detection mechanism of this work has been successfully confirmed by density functional theory (DFT), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Zeta potential analysis and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–vis).

Molybdate-Templated Luminescent Silver Alkynyl Nanoclusters: Total Structure Determination and Optical Property Analysis.

Two novel MoO42--templated luminescent silver alkynyl nanoclusters with 20-nuclearity ([(MoO42-)@Ag20(C≡CtBu)8(Ph2PO2)7(tfa)2]·(tfa-) (1)) and 18-nuclearity ([(MoO42-)@Ag18(C≡CtBu)8(Ph2PO2)7]·(OH) (2)) (tfa = trifluoroacetate) were synthesized with the green light maximum emissions at 507 and 516 nm, respectively. The nanoclusters were investigated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, electrospray ionization mass spectrum (ESI-MS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetry (TG), photoluminescence (PL), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations (DFT). The two nanoclusters differ in their structure by a supplementary [Ag2(tfa)2] organometallic surface motif, which significantly participates in the frontier molecular orbitals of 1, resulting in similar bonding patterns but different optical properties between the two clusters. Indeed, both nanoclusters show strong temperature-dependent photoluminescence properties, which make them potential candidates in the fields of optical devices for further applications.

Development of CuO Nanoparticles from the Mucus of Garden Snail Cornu aspersum as New Antimicrobial Agents.

Several biologically active compounds involved in the green synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles have been isolated from snail mucus and characterized. This paper presents a successful method for the application of snail mucus from Cornu aspersum as a bioreducing agent of copper sulfate and as a biostabilizer of the copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs-Muc) obtained. The synthesis at room temperature and neutral pH yielded nanoparticles with a spherical shape and an average diameter of 150 nm. The structure and properties of CuONPs-Muc were characterized using various methods and techniques, such as ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1D-PAGE), up-conversion infrared spectroscopy Fourier transform (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Raman spectroscopy and imaging, thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DSC), etc. Mucus proteins with molecular weights of 30.691 kDa and 26.549 kDa were identified, which are involved in the biogenic production of CuONPs-Muc. The macromolecular shell of proteins formed around the copper ions contributes to a higher efficiency of the synthesized CuONPs-Muc in inhibiting the bacterial growth of several Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis NBIMCC2353, Bacillus spizizenii ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Listeria innocua NBIMCC8755) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli ATCC8739, Salmonella enteitidis NBIMCC8691, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ATCC 17666) bacteria compared to baseline mucus. The bioorganic synthesis of snail mucus presented here provides CuONPs-Muc with a highly pronounced antimicrobial effect. These results will expand knowledge in the field of natural nanomaterials and their role in emerging dosage forms.

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Biologically Synthesized and Antibiotic-Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles followed by Post-Synthesis Assessment for Antibacterial and Antioxidant Applications.

The paper presents the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) when conjugated with two antibiotics levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin as well as biologically synthesized nanoparticles from Moringa oleifera and Curcuma longa. Leaves of Moringa and powder of Curcuma were used in the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for the characterization of the synthesized silver nanoparticles. Comparison of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin and their conjugated AgNPs was also studied for antibacterial and antioxidant activity. The synthesis of Moringa-AgNPs, turmeric-AgNPs, levofloxacin-AgNPs, and ciprofloxacin-AgNPs was confirmed by UV spectroscopy. An absorption peak value of 400-450 nm was observed, and light to dark brown color indicated the synthesis of AgNPs. Moringa-AgNPs revealed high antioxidant activity (80.3 ± 3.14) among all of the synthesized AgNPs. Lev-AgNPs displayed the highest zone of inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus, while in Escherichia coli, Cip-AgNPs showed high antibacterial activity. Furthermore, AgNPs synthesized using green methods exhibit high and efficient antimicrobial activities against two food-borne pathogens. Biologically synthesized nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity against E. coli (13.73 ± 0.46 with Tur-AgNPs and 13.53 ± 0.32 with Mor-AgNPs) and S. aureus (14.16 ± 0.24 with Tur-AgNPs and 13.36 ± 0.77 with Mor-AgNPs) by using a well diffusion method with significant shrinkage and damage of the bacterial cell wall, whereas antibiotic-conjugated nanoparticles showed high antibacterial activity compared to biologically synthesized nanoparticles with 14.4 ± 0.37 for Cip-AgNPs and 13.93 ± 0.2 for Lev-AgNPs for E. coli and 13.3 ± 0.43 for Cip-AgNPs and 14.33 ± 0.12 for Lev-AgNPs for S. aureus. The enhanced efficiency of conjugated silver nanoparticles is attributed to their increased surface area compared to larger particles. Conjugation of different functional groups contributes to improved reactivity, creating active sites for catalytic reactions. Additionally, the precise control over the size and shape of green-synthesized nanoparticles further augments their catalytic and antibiotic activities.

Functionalization of niobium nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles with ethanolic extracts of Mentha arvensis.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles have gained significant attention due to their wide-ranging applications. This research explores an approach to functionalize Niobium Nitrogen Titanium Dioxide nanoparticles (Nb-N-TiO2 NPs) with Mentha arvensis ethanolic leaf extracts. This functionalization allows doped NPs to interact with the bioactive compounds in extracts, synergizing their antioxidant activity. While previous studies have investigated the antioxidant properties of TiO2 NPs synthesized using ethanolic extracts of Mentha arvensis, limited research has focused on evaluating the antioxidant potential of doped nanoparticles functionalized with plant extracts. The characterization analyses are employed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy to evaluate these functionalized doped nanoparticles thoroughly. Subsequently, the antioxidant capabilities through the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays have been assessed. Within functionalized Nb-N-TiO2, the FTIR has a distinctive peak at 2350, 2010, 1312, 1212, and 1010cm-1 with decreased transmittance associated with vibrations linked to the Nb-N bond. SEM revealed a triangular aggregation pattern, 500nm to 2µm of functionalized Nb-N-TiO2 NPs. Functionalized doped Nb-N-TiO2 NPs at 500µgmL-1 exhibited particularly robust antioxidant activity, achieving an impressive 79% efficacy at DPPH assessment; meanwhile, ferric reduction efficiency of functionalized doped Nb-N-TiO2 showed maximum 72.16%. In conclusion, doped Nb-N-TiO2 NPs exhibit significantly enhanced antioxidant properties when functionalized with Mentha arvensis ethanolic extract compared to pure Nb-N-TiO2 manifested that doped Nb-N-TiO2 have broad promising endeavors for various biomedicine applications.

Comparative Study of Biosynthesizing Selenium Nanoparticles by Gum Arabic and Poly Anionic Cellulose to Prevent Radiation-Induced Death in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) Cells

Purpose: In premenopausal women, abdominopelvic radiotherapy may have a direct and profound effect on ovarian function. Stabilized selenium Nanoparticles (NPs) with some natural materials have been demonstrated to have high antioxidant activity and reduce radiation damage as a radioprotector. This study was done to compare the ability for the biosynthesis of selenium NPs by Gum Arabic (Se-GA) and Polyanionic Cellulose (Se-PAC) in the protection of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells against radiation damage.
 Materials and Methods: First, Selenium Nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized in the presence of GA and PAC. Then, CHO cells were cultured in-vitro and were randomly divided into six groups in different concentrations of Se-GA and Se-PAC to measure the biocompatibility of NPs. Finally, cells were treated with NPs and radiation (6MV, 2Gy), and the percentage of cell survival was determined by MTT assay. Both NPs with an average size of 20-30 nm and an absorption absorbance peak at about 300 nm using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy.
 Results: According to the parametric t-test analysis, Se-GA nanoparticles with a concentration higher than 0.4 ppm significantly increased the radioprotective effect on CHO cells compared to the control group (P<0.05). However, Se-PAC showed no significant increase in radioprotection in contrast to the control group (P>0.05).
 Conclusion: Se-GA nanoparticles have antioxidant properties, and the radiation protection properties of Se-GA nanoparticles are significantly higher than control. Consequently, Se-GA nanoparticles showed promising results and may be able to play the role of a radioprotector.

Deciphering the therapeutic, larvicidal, and chemical pollutant degrading properties of leaves-mediated silver nanoparticles obtained from Alpinia purpurata

The aim of the study was to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Alpinia purpurata leaves and evaluate their cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, dye degradation, and larvicidal potentials. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, which confirmed AgNPs synthesis and revealed nanoparticle size (10 to 30 nm) and the presence of silver. Cytotoxicity tests showed IC50 values of 4.59 ± 0.6 µg/mL in A549 cells and 3.48 ± 0.4 µg/mL in PA1 cells, inducing apoptosis and DNA fragmentation. Flow cytometry revealed cell cycle arrest at G0-G1 phase. AgNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, with maximum inhibition zones against K. pneumoniae (23 ± 2 mm) and F. oxysporum (17 ± 2 mm), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 12.5 ± 0.25 to 75 ± 2.5 µg/mL. They also reduced bacterial and fungal biomass and showed antibiofilm effects. Photocatalytic activity degraded methylene blue dye by 88.4 ± 1.4% in 60 minutes. Larvicidal activity resulted in 100% mortality of A. aegypti larvae after 48 hours exposure to AgNPs (10 mg/L), additionally reducing chemical oxygen demand (55.1 ± 2.1% to 63.8 ± 1.5%) and microbial load in wastewater (2.5 to 10 ppm).