Efficient extraction of Uranium (VI) from aqueous solution by LDH/MOF composites

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Efficient extraction of Uranium (VI) from aqueous solution by LDH/MOF composites


Study on uranium adsorption materials is crucial in addressing uranium pollution and safeguarding water resources. In this paper, a novel Ni/Co-LDH@ZIF-67/8-MOF (LDH/MOF) composite was fabricated by loading ZIF-67/8-MOF on the surface of Ni/Co-LDH with silane coupling group as bonding agent. The LDH/MOF composite was tested by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TGA, and XPS methods. The LDH/MOF composite exhibited exceptional uranium (U (VI)) adsorption capacity, with the Langmuir isotherm model estimating a maximum adsorption capacity of 617.33 mg/g, and the adsorption process followed quasi-second-order kinetics. Notably, ultrasonic mixing achieved equilibrium in a mere 5 minutes, outperforming traditional oscillation mixing by a considerable margin, offering new possibilities for enhancing uranium removal efficiency. Furthermore, thermodynamic analysis revealed the spontaneous and endothermic nature of U (VI) adsorption onto LDH/MOF. In addition, XPS investigations provided valuable insights into the adsorption mechanisms, primarily involving surface complexation, chelation, and ion exchange. These innovative findings open new avenues for the development of highly selective and efficient uranium separation methods, highlighting the promising potential of LDH/MOF as a highly prospective material for uranium separation in diverse applications, including environmental remediation and nuclear waste management.

Biological synthesis of manganese oxide nanoparticles from aerial parts of Prunus dulcis and their in vitro investigation of medical properties

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Biological synthesis of manganese oxide nanoparticles from aerial parts of Prunus dulcis and their in vitro investigation of medical properties

Research article emphasizes the biological synthesis, characterization, and in vitro investigation of manganese oxide nanoparticles using aerial parts of Prunus dulcis and gives significant activity against cervical cancer cells.


The field of functional nanohybrid material is an emerging research area in material science due to its vast range of applications. The use of novel technology and innovative therapeutics has led to potent applications, including controlling the size of nanoparticles (NPs). This has resulted in a novel report on the synthesis of manganese oxide NPs using aerial parts of queen of roses Prunus dulcis (almond) leaves, seed, and seed oil (using Clevenger apparatus), which functions as a reducing agent. Manganese sulfate was used as a precursor in the synthesis process. The synthesized nanohybrid Mn3O4 NPs were studied using different characteristics techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The photoluminescence spectra display the blue emission ranging from 483.2 to 486.5 nm. The biosynthesized Mn3O4 NPs were tested for bactericidal activity and showed tremendous inhibition against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The antioxidant activity of Mn3O4 NPs was enhanced using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, which revealed the higher activity of Mn3O4 NPs from P. dulcis leaf extract. In vitro cytotoxicity of hybrid Mn3O4 NPs was examined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against cervical cancer (HeLa cell line) with different concentrations. The results showed an IC50 value of 61.97 μg mL−1 for Mn3O4 NPs from P. dulcis leaf extract. In general, the phytosynthetic route with synergistic effect of nanohybrid demonstrated an interaction with cancer cells, highlighting a pioneering optimum approach in synthesis of Mn3O4 NPs from aerial parts of P. dulcis.

Probing the Visible Light Driven Geometrical Isomerization of 4‐Arylbut‐3‐ene‐2‐amines

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A series of thirteen 4-arylbut-3-ene-2-amines were prepared and subjected to photosensitization experiments to interrogate their photostationary state (PS) composition of geometrical olefin isomers (E and Z). The amine PS compositions were found to depend on arene structure and temperature, while being largely independent of nitrogen substitution, solvent, or presence of triplet-quenching oxygen. Photonic efficiency of isomerization (ζp) was found to depend on amine structure, solvent choice, and presence of quencher.

N‐Sulfonyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroisoquinoline Derivatives: Synthesis, Antimicrobial Evaluations, and Theoretical Insights

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Microbial contamination remains a significant economic challenge in the food industry, emphasizing the need for innovative antimicrobial solutions. In this study, we synthesized N-sulphonyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines (NSTHIQ) derivatives using an environmentally friendly Preyssler heteropolyacid catalyst, obtaining moderate to high yields (35-91%) under mild conditions. Two derivatives (5 and 6) exhibited significant antifungal properties against various fungal species, including Aspergillus spp, Penicillium spp, and Botrytis cinerea. ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) analysis revealed the absence of hepatic toxicity in all compounds, making derivatives 2, 3, 4, and 5 potential candidates for further development. However, derivatives 6 and 7 exhibited immunotoxicity. In support of our experimental findings, reactivity indices were computed using Density Functional Theory principles, deriving valuable insights into the chemical properties of these derivatives. This study underscores the potential of NSTHIQ compounds as potent antifungal agents, coupled with the importance of employing environmentally friendly catalysts in drug discovery.

Nanotechnology‐Based Strategies for Extended‐Release Delivery of Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs): A Comprehensive Review

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There has been a significant shift in the perception of hypertension as an important contributor to the global disease burden. Approximately 6% and 8% of pregnancies are affected by hypertension, which can adversely affect the mother and the fetus. Furthermore, a hypertensive individual is at increased risk of developing kidney disease, arterial hardening, eye damage, and strokes. Using angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) is widespread in treating hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and diabetic nephropathy. Despite this, some ARBs have limited use due to their poor oral bioavailability and water solubility. To tackle this, a variety of nanoparticle (NP)-based systems, such as polymeric NPs (i.e., dendrimers), polymeric micelles, polymer-drug conjugates, lipid NPs, nanoemulsions, self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS), solid lipid NPs (SLNs), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), carbon-based nanocarriers, inorganic NPs, and nanocrystals, have been recently developed for efficient delivery of losartan, Valsartan (Val), Olmesartan (OLM), Telmisartan (TEL), Candesartan, Eprosartan, Irbesartan, and Azilsartan to target cells. This review article provides a literature-based comparison of the various classes of ARBs, their mechanisms of action, and an overview of the nanoformulations developed for ARB delivery and successfully applied to managing hypertension, diabetic complications, and other conditions.

Site Selectivity of Peptoids as Azobenzene Scaffold for Molecular Solar Thermal Energy Storage

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Storing solar energy is a key challenge in modern science. MOlecular Solar Thermal (MOST) systems, in particular those based on azobenzene switches, have received great interest in the last decades. The energy storage properties of azobenzene (t1/2 < 4 days; DH~270 kJ/kg) must be improved for future applications. Herein, we introduce peptoids as programmable supramolecular scaffolds to improve the energy storage properties of azobenzene-based MOST systems. We demonstrate with 3-unit peptoids bearing a single azobenzene chromophore that dynamics of the MOST systems can be tuned depending on the anchoring position of the photochromic unit on the macromolecular backbone. We measured a remarkable increase of the half-life of the metastable form up to 14 days at 20 °C for a specific anchoring site, significantly higher than the isolated azobenzene moiety, thus opening new perspectives for MOST development. We also highlight that liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry does not only enable to monitor the different stereoisomers during the photoisomerization process as traditionnaly done, but also allows to determine the thermal back-isomerization kinetics.