University of Malakand

The green synthesis of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) using mushroom biomass is an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to conventional chemical and physical methods. The bioactive compounds in the mushroom biomass act as reducing and stabilizing agents, facilitating the nanoparticle synthesis without the need for toxic reagents. This study explores the biosynthesis of Cu NPs, an aqueous mushroom extract from S. ostrea. The development of a dark ocher color confirmed the formation of SO-Cu (II) NPs. Various parameters were optimized, including concentration of CuSO4.5H2O, extract level, and procurement period to achieve enhanced nanoparticle yield. The optimal concentration of CuSO4.5H2O was 1 M, the optimal extract level was 1%, while the procurement period determined was 45 min. The synthesized Cu NPs were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and SEM. UV-vis spectroscopy showed a distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak in the range of similar to 290 nm. SEM showed the structure, FTIR revealed distinct functional groups, and the crystalline nature of myco-synthesized Cu NPs was confirmed by XRD analysis. Concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity was observed, as 10 & micro;L produced better results than 5 & micro;L. This mushroom-mediated synthesis approach aligns with green chemistry principles, offering a low-cost, nontoxic, and scalable method with promising implications in medicine.

This work presents the solvothermal synthesis of a trimetallic CuCrFe-BDC Metal-Organic Framework (CuCrFe-BDC MOF), designed for highly efficient and stable adsorption of Methyl Violet 6B (MV-6B) dye from aqueous media. Detailed characterization via SEM, XRD, FTIR, BET, TGA, zeta potential, EDX, and elemental mapping was carried out. FTIR analysis verified all pivotal functionalgroup signatures, while XRD confirmed a highly crystalline phase exhibiting sharp, well-defined diffraction peaks. TGA demonstrated exceptional thermal resilience up to 600 degrees C. BET measurements revealed a remarkable specific surface area (626 m(2)/g) with pronounced microporosity, ideal for high-performance adsorption. The material was synthesized with an average nanoscale particle size of 87 nm, forming larger aggregates around 289 nm. Under optimized conditions of 0.01 g adsorbent dosage, 333 K, pH 8, and a 60 min contact time, the trimetallic CuCrFe-BDC MOF achieved over 91 % removal of MV-6B dye. Adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-secondorder model (R-2 > 0.99), indicating chemisorption dominance. Equilibrium data conformed closely to the Langmuir isotherm (R-2 = 0.99), with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 416 mg/g at 333 K. Thermodynamic analysis revealed an endothermic process, by positive enthalpy change (Delta H degrees = 17.79 kJ/mol ) that is spontaneous across the temperature range studied, as evidenced by consistently negative Delta G degrees values. The adsorption mechanism likely includes chemisorption combined with pi-pi stacking, pore-filling, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonding. Importantly, the CuNiZnBDC MOF maintained its structural integrity and recyclability over seven adsorption-desorption cycles, retaining 65 % removal efficiency. These findings underline the potential of this robust, high-capacity MOF as an effective adsorbent for industrial wastewater applications.

The superluminal solitonic propagation behavior of left- and right-circularly polarized (LCP/RCP) light beams is investigated in a chiral medium. RCP and LCP beam absorption exhibits super-Gaussian-type peak behavior with spatial coordinate fluctuation around the origin. The RCP beam's subluminal phase velocity is v p ( + ) = c / n r ( + ) , and its refractive index is 5.47. On the other hand, the LCP beam's superluminal phase velocity is v p ( - ) = c / n r ( - ) , and its refractive index is -3.65. Both LCP and RCP beams propagate at superluminal group speeds in the medium. The RCP and LCP beams' maximum group index values are determined to be N g ( + ) = - 33522 and N g ( - ) = - 1305 . The group velocities that correspond to this are v g ( + ) = - c / 33522 and v g ( - ) = - c / 1305 . With the position of greater nonlinearity and periodicity changing with forward time flowing, the RCP and LCP pulses E(r,t)(+) and E(r,t)(-) exhibit superluminal-peaked soliton characteristics. With increasing forward time, the LCP pulse intensity shifts to a positive position while the RCP pulse intensity shifts to a negative position. The bright superluminal solitonic intensities are modified and controlled. For both polarized light beams in a chiral atomic medium. The obtained results may be useful for soliton radar technology and time cloak equipment to reduce information hacking from outside hackers.

Soil salinity is a major constraint to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study reports the discovery and functional validation of a novel cotton-associated bacterium, Enterobacter gossypi sp. nov., (strain RT) with the ability to alleviate salinity stress through antioxidant modulation. A bacterial strain (RT), isolated from the cotton rhizosphere, was identified as a distinct new species through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis. Its salt tolerance and plant growth-promoting traits were assessed in vitro, while its salinity stress alleviation potential was evaluated in pot experiments (200 mM NaCl) in comparison with the cotton-isolated Pantoea agglomerans (CSR). Morphological, biochemical, and physiological parameters, including peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, proline, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde, were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis identified strain RT as a novel species, Enterobacter gossypi sp. nov. Strain RT exhibited multiple plant growth-promoting traits, including indole-3-acetic acid, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, catalase, and protease, and maintained growth up to 10

Green synthesis is an emerging technique for developing nanocomposites for water treatment applications. Factors such as extract type, precursor ratio, and calcination temperature can significantly influence the efficiency of the nanocomposites. Calcination temperature is an important factor used to control their properties. In this study, we synthesized ZnFe2O4@ZnO nanocomposites using chrysanthemum flower extract at three different calcination temperatures (400°C, 500°C, 600°C). The morphological, optical, magnetic, and electrical properties of the prepared nanocomposites were studied in detail. The results reveal that the crystallite size of the proposed nanomaterial increases with the increase in calcination temperature. Optical analysis suggests that the bandgap energy (Eg) increases with the calcination temperature. Additionally, the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB) was performed. The experiment shows that the sample calcined at 400°C exhibits maximum efficiency, with removal of 93.7