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Metal oxides comprise a large group of chemicals used in water treatment to adsorb organic pollutants. The ability of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and iron (III) oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) to reduce the chronic toxicity of (phenolic) C 6 H 6 (OH) 2 isomers, namely hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CAT) to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas (less than 24 h-old) were investigated. The toxic endpoints following metal oxide treatment were compared to endpoints of untreated CAT and HQ. In chronic toxicity testing, HQ resulted in greater toxicity than CAT for both test organisms; the median lethal concentrations (LC 50 ) for CAT were 3.66 to 12.36 mg.L -1 for C. dubia and P. promelas, respectively, while LC 50 for HQ were 0.07 to 0.05 mg.L -1 , respectively. Although both treated solutions presented lower toxic endpoints than those in the untreated solutions, Fe 2 O 3 had a better potential to reduce the toxic effects of CAT and HQ than TiO 2 ., (© 2023. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Design and synthesis of N -(trifluoromethyl)phenyl substituted pyrazole derivatives and their potency as antimicrobial agents are described. Several of these novel compounds are effective growth inhibitors of antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive bacteria and prevent the development of biofilms by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus faecalis . These compounds eradicated the preformed biofilms effectively and were found to be more effective than the control antibiotic vancomycin. Potent compounds showed low toxicity to cultured human embryonic kidney cells with a selectivity factor of >20. The most promising compound is very potent against meropenem, oxacillin, and vancomycin-resistant clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium . Investigations into the mode of action by performing macromolecular synthesis inhibition studies showed a broad range of inhibitory effects, suggesting targets that have a global effect on bacterial cell function., Competing Interests: Authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)