Remediation of the dye-contaminated water has received a broad interest due to the health problems and defects in the ecological system originating from the presence of such toxic materials in water. Herein, MnO@C nanocomposites as efficient adsorbent/photocatalyst materials for the removal of cationic and anionic dyes were synthesized via a simple and new precursor-assisted method. Manganese malonate was prepared and calcined at 350 °C for 1 h under air, argon, and H₂ atmospheres. Pristine MnO was obtained under argon and H₂. The obtained nanocomposites are highly crystalline and have sphere-like shapes as evidenced by TEM, HRTEM, and SAED. EDX analysis demonstrated the presence of C in the prepared samples. The study of the surface texture via the BJH method and V_a-t plots has revealed the presence of both microporous and mesoporous pores. BET surface areas of 22.7 and 50.1 m²/g were found for MnO@C nanocomposites prepared under Ar and H₂, respectively. Removal of MB as a cationic dye from water was explored via adsorption of the dye over the surface of MnO@C nanocomposites. The MnO@C sample prepared under H₂ exhibited the largest removal efficacy, removal of 97% of the dye occurs in 6 h. Furthermore, the MnO@C nanocomposite was utilized as a photocatalyst for removal of the anionic dye, eosin Y. Complete removal of eosin Y color was achieved after exposure to sunlight for 2 h. The mechanism of the photocatalytic degradation of eosin Y was investigated. The possible degradation products were detected through HPLC-UV analysis. The prepared nanocomposite showed good recyclability and even preserving its structure after 4 cycles.

Chitinase, an enzyme that hydrolyzes glycosidic bonds in chitin, holds significant potential for industrial applications, including biological control, antifungal treatments, and antibiofilm strategies. In this study, chitinase derived from Planomicrobium sp. (PP133202) was immobilized onto a cobalt metal-organic framework (Co-MOF), and its properties were extensively analyzed using various biological, chemical, and physical characterization techniques. The microbial source was identified via 16S rRNA sequencing, and enzyme activity was optimized under submerged conditions using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Structural and morphological characterization of the chitinase/Co-MOF complex was conducted through FTIR, SEM, TEM, XPS, XRD, EDX, and surface area analyses. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity were determined to be 42 % and 20 %, respectively. Notably, the immobilized chitinase exhibited a threefold increase in enzymatic activity compared to its free form. Additionally, the chitinase/Co-MOF complex demonstrated enhanced biological control efficacy, effectively inhibiting Tribolium castaneum and multiple pathogenic microorganisms, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus, and Beauveria bassiana. These findings highlight the potential of chitinase/Co-MOF as a promising agent for antimicrobial and pest control applications.

Hydrogen gas (H₂) is an environmentally benign and sustainable energy fuel. Because of its high energy content, hydrogen presents a viable clean energy source alternative to fossil fuels and is regarded as a one of the most promising energy sources. In the current investigation, CuWO₄ was applied, for the first time, as an efficient catalyst for the green generation of H₂ from the hydrolysis of NaBH₄. CuWO₄ was fabricated via a co-precipitation assisted hydrothermal method. The synthesized catalyst was characterized by XRD, XPS, VSM, FTIR, SEM, TEM, and nitrogen sorption analyses. XRD and XPS analyses confirmed the successful formation of CuWO₄. It was estimated that, values of hydrogen generation rate (HGR) 818, 1250, 2467, and 2920 ml min⁻¹ g⁻¹ were respectively obtained at reaction temperatures of 28, 35, 40, and 45 °C. According to the pseudo-first-order equation, CuWO₄ have an estimated apparent activation energy of 59.2 kJ mol⁻¹. Thermodynamic parameters like ∆H^#, ∆S^#, and ∆G^# were also calculated. The antibacterial efficacy of CuWO₄ was evaluated against four Gram positive pathogenic strains; Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus with concentration range 0–150 µg ml⁻¹ comparing with chloramphenicol (CHL) antibacterial agent. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for CuWO₄ and CHL for the four strains. CuWO₄ clear promising antibacterial properties with growth inhibition (%) of 82.79 (49.9 CHL) %, 73.56 (67.89 CHL) %, 61.38 (58.18 CHL) %, and 50.47 (43.4 CHL) % at 150 µg ml⁻¹ of B. subtilis, S. aureus, B. cereus, and Micrococcus luteus, respectively.

Vardenafil (VRE) is one of the most important drugs in the phosphodiesterase 5-inhibitors (PDE5) group. The usage of VRE must be carefully controlled if patients are taking certain medications that interact with it. Hence, to examine this critical need, a novel ternary nanocomposite consisting of conductive acetylene black (CAB) anchored with gold nanoparticles (GNP) (GNP@CAB) incorporated composite pencil graphite paste electrode (CPGPE) was prepared (GNP@CAB/CPGPE) and used for electrochemical detection of VRE drug. The nanostructural and morphological characteristics of GNP@CAB were examined using EDX, HRTEM and TEM techniques. The electrochemical properties of GNP@CAB/CPGPE were analyzed with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). By employing the GNP@CAB/CPGPE electrode, the developed probe exhibited remarkable sensitivity and selectivity using adsorptive stripping square-wave voltammetry (AdS-SWV). The limits of detection and quantification for VRE were calculated to be 4.2 × 10⁻¹¹ M and 1.39 × 10⁻¹⁰ M, respectively. The practicality and reliability of the new electrode to determine the concentration of VRE in its commercial tablets and human biological fluids were achieved with good recoveries. To compare the electroanalytical method with an independent technique, the HPLC method was employed; nonsignificant differences were found between the two methods. Furthermore, for the first time, the interaction between VRE and the antihypertensive drug doxazosin on GNP@CAB/CPGPE was investigated using AdS-SWV. The large values of binding constants (K), ranging from 10⁶ to 10⁷, indicate a strong binding affinity between the two drugs. Additionally, thermodynamic parameters, including Gibbs free energy (ΔG), entropy (ΔS), and enthalpy (ΔH), were evaluated. The results indicate that the interaction between VRE and doxazosin is predominantly hydrophobic, with the binding process being entropy-driven, thermodynamically favorable, and spontaneous.

Bio-based polyurethanes (PUHs) derived from castor oil (CO) have emerged as promising materials due to their mechanical resistance and chemical inactivity; they have found tremendous application growth. The physical and chemical properties of polyurethane (PUH1–3) made from castor oil polyol (COP) and various polyols, such as 1,4-phenylene bis (2,4-dihydroxy benzylidene) azine (PDaz) or polyol of (epoxy castor oil (ECO) with PDaz) (Eaz) with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI), are investigated and compared for their light emission and corrosion inhibition of mild steel (MS). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) are used to assess the differences in characteristics of different PUH forms. As a result of incorporating fluorescent hard segment azine PDaz into the polymer with various preparation …

Samples for this study were collected from pristine granites and their surface-derived soils from the Um Shaddad area, central Eastern Desert, Egypt. The elemental concentration was determined using Induced Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS). The influence of the fresh peraluminous granites of Um Shaddad on the distribution of the major, trace, and rare earth elements in the derived soils was investigated. The analysis revealed that Al2O3 and Fe2O3 are immobile during weathering. The LILE elements V, Co, Cu, Sr, and Cs are mobile and the ferromagnesian elements Ni, Co, Cr, V, and Sr are mobile in the soil environment. Rb together with all the HFSE elements Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, and Hf are immobile. The normative mineralogy showed a loss of quartz (19.75–40.02) and orthoclase (11.29–31.24) with the enrichment of plagioclase (25.78–41.24) for the surface soils relative to their parent rocks. Using different weathering indices the parent rocks and their derived surface soils are classified as un-weathered to weakly weathered. REEs, Th, and U concentrations showed a sample-to-sample variation, due to the difference in the concentration of the accessory minerals present. The average concentration of the rare earth elements in the altered soils adheres to their fresh rocks. The high concentration of Ce and Th is related to the presence of monazite in the fresh rocks and altered soils. The chondrite normalized patterns reveal LREEs’ enrichment relative to HREEs for the fresh rocks and their soils, with distinct Eu anomalies. The ferromagnesian elements showed a preference in soils over fresh granite. Sphene and monazite are probably the most stable minerals in fresh granites. Many geochemical ratios were tested as weathering ratios, and only the ratios LREE/U and LREE/Th, proved to be reliable. Despite the similarity in mineral constituents, sequential mineralogical response to weathering, and geochemical composition of the fresh granites and their soils, this study enhances the understanding of chemical weathering in the arid environment.

Sixty-eight samples representing the derived soils of the Um Shaddad parent granites (Eastern desert, Egypt) were examined for their natural radioactivity and hazards assessment. For data acquisition, a NaI detector was utilized for the gamma ray measurements and the Induced Coupled Plasma Spectrometry ICP-MS and the Induced Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry ICP‐AES for elemental concentration. The radionuclides activity concentration for the weathered soils varied from 6.02 ± 6.64 to 201.26 ± 45.47, 14.13 ± 3.26 to 151.57 ± 50 and 72.84 ± 28.81 to 1624.84 ± 563.72, relative to 39.15 ± 14.3 to 211.7 ± 28.3, 23.2 ± 5.09 to 103.8 ± 29.27 and 288.4 ± 108.7 to 2585.7 ± 883.8 in the parent rocks, representing uranium ²³⁵U, thorium ²³²Th and potassium ⁴⁰K, respectively. These values are relatively lower when compared to granites from other countries and much lower than the values reported by UNCEAR for the natural building stones. The hazard indices of radium equivalent activity (Ra_eq), internal and external hazards (H_in, H_ex), indoor and outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate (AEDE), Gamma and Alpha Indices (I_γ and I_α) are within the acceptable limits. While the Absorbed Gamma Dose Rate (AGDR), Annual Gonadal Dose Equivalent (AGDE) and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) are beyond the allowable range assigned by UNCEAR. Therefore, Um Shaddad granites and their derived soils do create radiological health hazard as building material and could not be used for industrial application as they pose substantial radiological concern on human health.