In this study, graphene-type biochar was synthesized from agricultural waste (oil palm seed shells of the hybrid dura x pisifera variety) and utilized as an adsorbent bed for cyanide removal from synthetic aqueous solutions. The material was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Operational parameters, including column flow rate, initial cyanide concentration, and adsorbent mass, were examined. The Bohart-Adams, Thomas, and Young-Nelson models were applied to the experimental results. The synthesized adsorbent has a low moisture content, high ash content, and a neutral surface charge (pH 7.3). Its iodine number (Id) is 389.21 mg/g, indicating moderate porosity. The models showed that the theoretical saturation (N0) decreases with increasing mass and flow rate while these parameters remain favorable. The theoretical capacity (Qtheo) predicted by the Thomas model rises with both the initial concentration and the adsorbent mass. This study demonstrates the effective elimination of cyanide using the synthesized biochar, with strong predictive capabilities for column operation.
The manufacture of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) involves significant energy consumption, dust emission into the atmosphere, and the release of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) release. This leads to climate change and environmental concerns. A geopolymer binder is an inorganic polymer produced when aluminosilicates and alkalis undergo a polycondensation reaction. They have three-dimensional aluminosilicate frameworks that are amorphous or semi-crystalline and are made by the accompanying tetrahedral (SiO4)4- and (AlO4)5-. They can be synthesized using a variety of industrial by-products and natural aluminosilicate materials such as blast furnace slag, fly ash, rice husk ash, and metakaolin. Geopolymers exhibit excellent mechanical properties such as compressive strength and resistance to chemical attack. Geopolymers' durability and mechanical performance have attracted a lot of attention recently in the building and research sector because utilizing geopolymers as a sustainable alternative to OPC would significantly reduce GreenHouse Gases (GHG) emissions. Numerous studies have reported that geopolymer cement is a possible substitute for OPC in sustainable building materials since it has been shown to have better mechanical qualities, increased durability, and reduced carbon emissions. The present review highlights the synthesis techniques and classification of geopolymer cement based on materials utilized in their production, geopolymer concrete characterization techniques based on fresh and mechanical properties, and the durability performance since the last decade. The review also features the current development and applications of geopolymer cement. This review will provide the need for continuous research and development efforts to maximize geopolymer performance, enhance its properties, and expand its application ranges in the construction industry.
In this study, a simple and efficient preparation method of wood-plastic composites (WPC) from maple wood flour (filler) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) through extrusion was conducted, and the effects of low concentration (2% w/w) coupling agent addition (maleated polyethylene, MAPE) on their physical and mechanical properties were tested. Tensile test, dimensional stability (water absorption) test, melt flow rate test, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis were utilized to assess the physicomechanical properties of the finished composite products. The tensile test quantified the ability of the materials to withstand pulling forces and resulting deformation prior to breakage. An improvement in terms of stiffness and resistance to breaking under stress was observed. There was a statistically significant difference between WPC and WPC+MAPE in terms of flexural strength and modulus (p < 0.05), but no statistically significant difference between the same samples in terms of strain at breakage (p > 0.05). There was also no observed difference in the melt flow rate and enthalpy functions of WPC and WPC+MAPE. The minimal addition of a coupling agent (MAPE) to WPC resulted in significantly improved dimensional stability, as evidenced by 13% lower thickness swelling and 3% lower mass gain through water absorption.
Bioactive ligands are a large range of compounds that are identified by the involvement of a double bond between the C and N atoms. Their versatility stems from combining them with different aryl or alkyl substituents. These kinds of compounds are produced in the lab and occur naturally. For many years, chemists and biochemists have found great inspiration in bioactive ligands. In order to highlight the significance of bioactive ligands, this study offers a new perspective on this class of chemicals in this article. A new bioactive ligand 2-((5-bromo-2-methoxybenzylidene) amino)-6-choloro-4-nitrophenol (L) were synthesized from 5-bromo-2-methoxybenzaldehyde and 2-Amino-6-chloro-4-nitrophenol. Corresponding mononuclear Ni(Ⅱ) and Cu(Ⅱ) complexes were synthesized and spectrochemically characterized by FT-IR, NMR, UV-visible, ESI-MS, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The band appearance at 1668 cm-1 is assigned to azomethine ʋ(C=N), which moves towards a lesser frequency region for both the metal complexes. The CV suggests a quasi-reversible one-electron transfer reaction. Metal complexes show six-coordinate distorted octahedral geometry. All the complexes are completely soluble in DMSO and DMF. Bioactive ligands and their metal complexes are biologically active. Metal complex Cu (Ⅱ) shows better biomedical applications i.e., antifungal at 75% concentration and antibacterial at 50% concentration.
This study aimed to determine the effect of packaging and storage temperature on the chemical characteristics of Pistacia lentiscus seed oil. This work highlights the impact of environmental factors on the oxidative stability and nutritional composition of lentisk oil, which is relevant for food preservation strategies. The oil was extracted from mature fruits using a pressing method. To assess the effects of temperature and light, the extracted oil was placed at two different temperatures: 40°C and 25°C. At each temperature, three bottles were used: transparent, semi-transparent, and opaque. Three replicates for each treatment were removed after 30, 60, and 90 days of storage. Free fatty acids (FFA), Peroxide value, and total phenol content were analyzed. Results showed a minimum increase in free fatty acids in all oils studied. The results of changes in peroxide values of oils studied showed a slight increase over the first 40 days, followed by a decrease in all values. All studied oils showed a reduction in total phenol content during storage. The decrease of this parameter was more critical at 40°C.
Ficus bubu Warburg is a member of the Moraceae family, which includes species of the same genus with numerous therapeutic virtues. To date, no chemical or biological studies other than antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity have been carried out on Ficus bubu Warburg. These studies aim to observe the influence of circadian rhythm on qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening and to evaluate the antioxidant activities of ethanol extracts from leaves, stem bark, and roots harvested at 6 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm, yielding 9 samples treated separately. Secondary metabolites were qualitatively identified using insoluble complex formation or color reactions. The concentration of secondary metabolites in the extracts was determined using a spectrophotometer at specific wavelengths. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical-trapping assay, the iron-reduction (FRAP) assay, and the phosphomolybdenum method. Alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenoids, tannins, saponins, coumarins, and anthraquinones were present in all extracts. Alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and terpenoids were most concentrated in the leaves at 6 am, while the concentrations of tannins and saponins were high in the stem bark at 6 am and 6 pm. Extracts from leaves (10L1Fb), stem bark (10B3Fb), and roots (10R2Fb) showed interesting antioxidant power. The biological clock thus indicates the best times to harvest each part of the plant, and the circadian rhythm revealed that the leaves in the morning showed the best results, followed by the stem barks in the evening, and finally the roots at midday. These results show that ethanol extracts of Ficus bubu possess antioxidant properties, likely due to their high levels of secondary metabolites (alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols), and could provide a natural alternative for the discovery of new antioxidant drugs essential for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc.
This study investigated the electrochemical oxidation of amoxicillin using a platinum-ruthenium oxide (Pt-RuO₂) electrode in various supporting electrolytes: KClO₄, HClO₄, H₂SO₄, and NaOH. The Pt-RuO₂ electrode exhibited a robust electrochemical response across all tested media, with higher catalytic activity observed in acidic environments. A surface inhibition effect was observed with increasing amoxicillin concentration, limiting the availability of active sites on the electrode. Additionally, the pH of the medium impacted the reduction peaks, with a consistent decline in intensity correlating with increased acidity. Chloride ions (Cl⁻) further improved the oxidation peak, indicating a catalytic role in the oxidation process. These findings provide insights into optimizing the electrochemical degradation of amoxicillin and highlight the importance of medium composition in influencing electrode performance. Chronoamperometry confirmed the formation of an inhibitory surface layer. These results underscore the role of medium composition in optimizing electrochemical degradation efficiency.
In this study, a powder of two stable forms of copper oxide (Cu2O and CuO) was utilized for the photocatalytic degradation of Methylene blue (MB). Various attempts were made to determine the optimal conditions for degradation, including liquid-phase adsorption, initial dye concentration, catalyst weight loading, pH variation, H2O2, and NaI concentration. The results demonstrated that the photocatalytic degradation of MB by the Cu₂O-CuO mixture achieved efficiencies of 87.9% and 97.1%, respectively, in the presence of 0.01 M NaI and 2 mL of H₂O₂. A degradation rate of 97.92% was obtained at pH 12 after 2 hours. However, increasing the amount of dye is significantly reduced the degradation rate value, as the dye molecules blocked the light intensity required for photocatalyst activation. Liquid-phase adsorption studies showed that the adsorption efficiency of MB increased as its initial concentration decreased.Additionally, an acidic medium (pH 2) was found to be optimal for adsorption at 95.69%. The addition of NaI to the reaction medium significantly enhanced the adsorption of MB on the catalyst mixture. In addition, the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) investigations showed the crystalline system of monoclinic CuO and cubic Cu2O. The morphological analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed irregular shapes of nanostructures. Furthermore, investigations on the catalyst weight effect were investigated.
This work used Boundiali and Man clays to eliminate methyl orange in an aqueous medium. These clays were activated with hydrochloric acid and then characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractogram, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, and zero charge pH. Methyl orange concentration was monitored during adsorption using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. Characterization showed that the clays have many micropores, mesopores, and few macropores. The specific surface areas of these clays are equal to 39,084 m2 g-1 and 39,722 m2 g-1 for Boundiali and Man clays, respectively. These clays are composed of kaolinite, illite, and quartz. They have non-uniform morphologies and display irregularly shaped flaky particles of different sizes. The surface pH of Boundiali clay is neutral, while Man clay's is essential. Adsorption of methyl orange on these clays conforms to pseudo 2nd order kinetics with 60 minutes as the equilibrium time. Adsorption is favorable in acidic media and spontaneous at room temperature with both types of clay. The Boundiali clay has an adsorption capacity of 40.486 mg g-1, and the Man clay has an adsorption capacity of 38.610 mg g-1.
Both rubber physics and chemistry are utilized for the manufacturing of spacecraft treads, tires, vehicle mats, conveyor belts, etc., in industries related to the automobile. This versatile rubber technology is devoted to vast and excellent mechanical features like hardness, modulus, tensile strength, elongation at break, and thermal aging. The science and practice of rubber compounding during the processing of tires provided rheological, mechanical properties, and stress-strain properties with aging are discussed in this technical review. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) reveals intricate phase transitions of microstructural changes. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) offers information on the thermal stability of chemical compositions and the glass transition point, establishing operational flexibility for rubber characteristics in this investigation. However, these combined resources will thoroughly grasp the material's features, facilitating improved tire product design and quality assurance.
This study proposes an approach for manufacturing wall tiles from raw clayey material from Burkina Faso for use in the local ceramic industry. To this end, a clay sampled of Kodeni (KOD), primarily composed of kaolinite (62 wt.%), quartz (31 wt.%), and goethite (3 wt.%), with contents of 60.79 wt.% SiO₂ and 24.36 wt.% Al₂O₃ was used for wall tile manufacture. All the results of the physico-mechanical tests on the tiles developed at temperatures of 1150°C, 1200°C, and 1250°C show that these tiles meet the standards for mechanical strength of water absorption and thermal conductivity for ceramic applications. The formulation of the samples enriched with feldspar (25 wt.%) and fired achieved maximum flexural strengths of 22.58 MPa at 1250°C for the formulation containing no feldspar (F0) and 25.69 MPa at 1200°C for the formulation containing 25 wt.% feldspar (F1), confirming the densifying effect of feldspar at moderate temperatures. In addition, the water absorption and porosity of the tiles decreased progressively with increasing temperature, ensuring properties in line with ISO 13006 for wall use. The tiles also exhibited low thermal conductivity (≤ 1 W/(m.K)), limited and controllable linear shrinkage, and reduced deformation. These results suggest that KOD clay, amended with 25 wt.% feldspar at 1200°C temperature, is suitable for manufacturing wall tiles. Scanning electron microscopy analysis is planned to explore the evolution of the microstructure and viscous phase as a function of firing temperature to understand better the sintering processes and the interactions between the different stages.
It has been a custom in many developing countries to put beverages into display under sunlight. The photostability as well as dark degradation of the titled color dyes used in the commercial beverages Fanta® and Mirinda® have been therefore investigated in the presence of food acids citric and ascorbic acids. The degradation products have been identified in case of Sunset Yellow as sulfanilic acid and the 2-sulfonic acid-5-amino-6-hydroxyl naphthalene sodium salts. The degradation products of Carmoisine are naphthionic acid (1-sulfonic acid sodium salt-4-amino-naphthalene) and 1-naphthalene sulfonic acid-3-amino-4-hydroxyl naphthalene sodium salts. A third food coloring dye, Tartarzine, has also been studied for comparison. The dark reactivity of the studied dyes in the presence of citric or ascorbic acids was confirmed to obey second-order kinetic model. The stability of the dyes goes in the order Tartarzine > Sunset Yellow > Carmoisine with evaluated values of energies of activation (Ea) of 19.9, 16.5 and 14.8 kJ mol-1, respectively. The Photochemical quantum yield (jc) for the three dyes have been determined showing that Carmoisine in the presence of ascorbic acid has the highest photostability when compared with the other two dyes.
The emergence of the industrial revolution has led to an enormous increase in heavy metal pollution of the biosphere which subsequently became a threat to the environment and human life. Heavy metal pollution has been recognised as one of the most critical threats to soil and water resources, together with human health. The potential of Jatropha curcas, Ixora coceinea, Codiaeum variagatum(male and female), Andropogum tectorium, Panicum maximum, Zea mays and Cajanus cajan as suitable phytoremediators for soil matrix polluted with Zinc (Zn), Cobalt (Co), Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) at 0.1M and 0.5M concentrations, and at 8 and 12 weeks of inoculation is the aim of this work.The plants were grown in soils polluted with 0.1m and 0.5M solutions of Pb2+, Cd2+, Co2+ and Zn2+, harvested after 8 and 12 weeks of inoculation. They were washed, air-dried, ashed, digested and concentrations of the metal ions in the plants were analysed. The results showed that there were significant interaction effects between the plants and the concentration of metal ions in the absorption of Pb2+(P< 0.01), Cd2+(P< 0.01), Co2+ (P< 0.01) and Zn2+ (P< 0.001). There was also significant interaction effects plants and the time of harvest in absorption of Pb2+(P< 0.01), Cd2+(P= 0.02) and Zn2+ (P< 0.001). No significant interaction was observed for absorption of Co (P= 0.36). At 0.5M concentration of Pb2+ and Cd2+, the mean Pb2+ and Cd2+absorptions in Codiaeum variagatum (female) were significantly higher than those of other plants. Also Ixora coceinea had the highest mean absorption of Co2+ when inoculated with 0.5M of the metal ion and at 8 weeks. While the mean Zn2+ absorption in Codiaeum variagatum (male) was significantly than those of other plants when inoculated with 0.5M Zn2+ and at 12 weeks. The flowering plants- Codiaeum variagatum (male and female) and Ixora coceinea showed better absorption of the metal ions than all other plants. These potentials shown by the flowering plants indicated that the plants could serve both aesthetic and phytoremediating functions at the same time.
Essential oils (EO) of Mentha piperita L. and Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf is a potential source of molecules with bioparasiticidal activity. The development of optimized combinations of these natural substances would allow them to be used as biopesticides. Thus, the objective of this study is to determine the biopesticide efficacy of EO obtained by co-distillation of these two plants from western Burkina Faso. GC/MS analyses show that the EO obtained by co-distillation of the dry leaves of C. citratus and M. piperita (CC/MP: 80/20) contains mainly citral (49.26%), β-myrcene (10.98%), menthol (5.90%) and menthone (4.50%). The EO of C. citratus contains mainly citral (74.32%) and β-myrcene (13.66%) while that of M. piperita contains mainly menthol (37.4%), menthyl acetate (17.4%), menthone (12.7%), limonene (6.9%), menthofuran (6.8%) and 1,8-cineole (5.6%). All major constituents of the two pure EOs were identified in the component of their mixture (CC/MP*: 80/20), but at lower levels. All EOs inhibited 100% of the mycelial growth of Macrophomina phaseolina and Phoma sorghina at doses of 0.6 and 0.2%. At the lowest dose tested (0.05%), inhibition rates were 49.63; 39.52 ; 39.52% and 26.33% on M. phaseolina; 41.13 ; 40.90 ; 19.67% and 21.50% on P. sorghina for EO/CC/MP, C. citratus, M. piperita and CC/MP*, respectively. All EOs, with the exception of M. piperita, resulted in 100% mortality of the susceptible strain of Anopheles gambiae at a dose of 1%. However, at the same dose, on the resistant strain, the mortality rates were 21.11; 2.47 ; 8.56% and 3.33% for EO, CC/MP, C. citratus, M. piperita and CC/MP*, respectively. This study shows that the co-distillation of C. citratus and M. piperita improves the biopesticide efficacy of their EOs. Keywords: C. citratus; M. piperita; co-distillation; essential oil; Efficacy of biopesticides
The dynamism of cancer and its side effects related to different treatments are real questions for humankind to solve. Thus, this manuscript aims to explore the photochemical and photo-physical properties of two coumarin molecules due to their multiple biological and spectroscopic activities 1 in the framework of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a photosensitizer (PS). For our aim fulfillment, quantum chemical methods such as DFT and TD-DFT at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level were used in different media 2 to determine the parameters quoted above. The obtained results show that the solvent's nature influences the compounds' photosensitivity 3. Thus, both compounds M1 and M2 are coumarins. M1 and M2 belong to benzocoumarin and simple coumarin families, respectively. In other words, the coumarin ring of M1 is attached to a benzene ring. Apart from this difference, compound M1 contains a triazol ring, and compound M2 contains an oxadiazol ring. These compounds produce charged radicals. Moreover, compound M1 presents the lowest values of VIP and the energy of the excited state ET necessary for producing charged radicals. Therefore, it is assumed to be the most photosensitive, and this photosensitivity is more accentuated in polar solvents. In sum, studied coumarins, in addition to being used in chemotherapy, can also be used in PDT as PS. However, the theoretical improvement of the studied parameters would be a significant advance for the experimenter.
It is known that nociceptins are a new type of regulatory peptide. Knowledge of these peptide molecules' structural and functional properties is of great practical importance for medicine and pharmacology. Their mechanisms of action are considered anti-opioid. This scientific work is devoted to studying the spatial structure of the heptapeptide H-Phe1-Gly2-Gly3-Phe4-Val5-Gly6-Pro7-OH. It examines the conformational capabilities of this heptapeptide molecule. This neuropeptide molecule is a stable analog of the nociceptin. The biologically active conformation of the peptide molecule, which is realized upon interaction with the receptor, is included in the set of low-energy structures. Therefore, studying the spatial structure of peptide molecules is of great interest. Theoretical conformational analysis about nonvalent, electrostatic, and torsional interactions, the energy of the hydrogen bonds, and a special computer program carried out the calculations. The 10 low-energy conformations of this molecule and the values of the dihedral angles of the main chain and side chains are found, and the energy of the intra- and inter-residue interactions is estimated. It is revealed that low energy conformations of this molecule have the half-folded and folded type of backbone. The side chains of the Phe1 and Phe4 amino acids in low-energy conformations carry out effective interactions and are conformationally labile amino acids; they bring together the regions of the main chain and the side chains of the amino acids included in the heptapeptide. These folded forms bring parts of the backbone and the amino acids' side chains together, resulting in important interactions.
Schiff base ligands and their 3d-metal chelates have gained significant attention due to various applications in various scientific platforms. Due to their chelating propensity, they possess a wide range of biological, biochemical, catalytic, clinical, dying, and pharmacological properties. Here, in present studies, two novel Ni(II) and Zn(II) transition metal chelates have been synthesized by condensing their metal salts with Schiff base ligand 4-chloro-2-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylideneamino)-5-nitrophenol originated from 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde and 2-amino-4-chloro-5-nitrophenol. The synthesized Schiff base ligand and its metal chelates have been Spectro-chemically examined by FT-IR, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry, 1HNMR, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Powdered-XRD. These compounds are biologically reactive and exhibit antifungal, antioxidant, and DNA-binding activity. The Ni(II) metal chelate gives better biological activity than the Zn(II) metal chelate and parent Schiff base ligand.
An X-ray study of the phase composition of Mo-W-O, Ti-W-O, and Cu-W-O catalysts was carried out. Analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns of the Mo-W-O catalytic system showed that in all samples, mainly the phases of molybdenum and tungsten oxides, namely MoO3 and WO3, are formed. It is shown that, in contrast to Mo-W-O catalysts, in addition to the initial titanium and tungsten oxides, the samples of the Ti-W-O catalytic system also contain phases of chemical compounds. So, in Ti-W-O samples, there are phases of titanium oxide (anatase), titanium oxide (rutile), and tungsten oxide. It has been established that the degree of crystallinity of binary titanium-tungsten oxide samples decreases with increasing titanium content in the catalyst composition from 83.4% to 70.2%. In the case of copper-tungsten oxide catalysts, in addition to the initial oxides of copper and tungsten also contain phases of the chemical compound of copper tungstate, and crystallinity degrees of binary copper-tungsten oxide samples changes in the ranges from 85.7% to 41.3%.
The current study involved synthesizing Schiff base ligand, 2-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide (L) by combining thiosemicarbazide (Th) with 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (2,5-Dmb), and synthesizing its novel complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) ions. Elemental analysis, conductance measurements, magnetic susceptibility, molecular weight estimations, FT-IR, ESI-Mass, and UV-Vis spectrum analysis have confirmed the ligand and its metal complexes. The experiment data demonstrated that the ligand binds to the metal atom in a bidentate manner through the N and S atoms. The cytotoxic activity of the synthesized complexes was tested against brine shrimp. All the complexes showed cytotoxic activity; among them, ligands showed a better result with LC50 value of 36.93 µg/mL than complexes. Using disc diffusion, the antibacterial action was tested against two Gram-positive bacteria and two Gram-negative bacteria. [Ni(L)2] was more effective against E. coli than the other compounds. The results verified the formation of the novel complexes, and the Ni-complex has the potential to generate novel antibacterial compounds for use in biomedical applications.
The study investigates the corrosion inhibition properties of Trithiocyanuric Acid (TTCA) on Aluminum and mild steel using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. The electronic properties of TTCA, including the highest occupied molecular orbital (EHOMO) of -7.617 eV and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (ELUMO) of -4.301 eV, yield an energy gap of 3.316 eV. The calculated absolute electronegativity was 5.959 eV, global hardness obtained was 1.658 eV, global softness was 0.603136 eV, global electrophilicity index was 1.449891 eV, and nucleophilicity was 0.689707 eV. The energy of back donation was also 0.689707 eV. The charge transfer parameters, ΔNFe and ΔNAl, are also 0.862989 eV and -0.21653 eV, respectively, indicating effective interaction with both metal surfaces. Functional groups in TTCA contribute significantly to its corrosion inhibition performance by facilitating alignment on the metal surfaces. The interaction mechanism is characterized as physisorption, with binding energy values falling within the range typical for this adsorption type. The results suggest that TTCA is a suitable corrosion inhibitor for Aluminum and mild steel, making it a promising molecule for industrial applications where metal protection is essential.
