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Pd–Fe bimetallic sorbents were shown to be a great potential sorbent for Hg0removal from coal-derived fuel gas. In this work, activated carbon (AC), Al2O3, and Beta molecular sieve were chosen as supports to disperse Pd–Fe bimetallic components. The effects of the supports on Hg0removal of Pd–Fe bimetallic sorbents were evaluated using a fixed-bed reactor at 200 °C. The regeneration performance of sorbents was also investigated. The results showed that Hg0removal activity and regeneration performance over Pd–Fe/AC was the best, followed by Pd–Fe/Beta, and Pd–Fe/Al2O3. The Hg0removal efficiency of Pd–Fe/AC bimetallic sorbents remained above 80% within 400 min after regeneration 4 times. The Pd–Fe bimetallic sorbents were characterized by N2adsorption–desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, CO pulse adsorption, Hg temperature-programmed thermal desorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The analysis results revealed that three sorbents had a similar Hg0removal mechanism. Hg0transformed to Pd–Hg amalgam and HgS after reacting with the sorbents. Pd0and Fe2O3were the active species for the removal of Hg0. The removal performance of Hg0by Pd–Fe/Al2O3sorbents was the lowest. It is because Pd–Fe/Al2O3sorbents have the lowest specific surface area, surface content, and dispersion degree of the Pd component. Furthermore, Pd0over Pd–Fe/Al2O3sorbents was severely poisoned and transformed to PdS during the regeneration process.

Folic acid (FA)-targeted indocyanine green (ICG)-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) (FA-INPs) were developed to a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence theranostic nanoprobe for targeted imaging and photothermal therapy of cancer. The FA-INPs with good monodispersity exhibited excellent size and fluorescence stability, preferable temperature response under laser irradiation, and specific molecular targeting to MCF-7 cells with FA receptor overexpression, compared to free ICG. The FA-INPs enabled NIR fluorescence imaging to in situmonitor the tumor accumulation of the ICG. The cell survival rate assays in vitroand photothermal therapy treatments in vivoindicated that FA-INPs could efficiently targeted and suppressed MCF-7 cells and xenograft tumors. Hence, the FA-INPs are notable theranostic NPs for imaging-guided cancer therapy in clinical application.

A combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer therapy. To ensure the chemotherapeutic drug and photothermal agent could be simultaneously delivered to a tumor region to exert their synergistic effect, a safe and efficient delivery system is highly desirable. Herein, we fabricated doxorubicin (DOX) and indocyanine green (ICG) loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)–lecithin–polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles (DINPs) using a single-step sonication method. The DINPs exhibited good monodispersity, excellent fluorescence/size stability, and consistent spectra characteristics compared with free ICG or DOX. Moreover, the DINPs showed higher temperature response, faster DOX release under laser irradiation, and longer retention time in tumor. In the meantime, the fluorescence of DOX and ICG in DINPs was also visualized for the process of subcellular location in vitroand metabolic distribution in vivo. In comparison with chemo or photothermal treatment alone, the combined treatment of DINPs with laser irradiation synergistically induced the apoptosis and death of DOX-sensitive MCF-7 and DOX-resistant MCF-7/ADR cells, and suppressed MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR tumor growth in vivo. Notably, no tumor recurrence was observed after only a single dose of DINPs with laser irradiation. Hence, the well-defined DINPs exhibited great potential in targeting cancer imaging and chemo-photothermal therapy.