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Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are becoming increasingly important for various crucial applications, including antimicrobial, anticancer, catalytic, and anti-inflammatory. AgNPs biosynthesized from plant extracts have attracted considerable attention because of their eco-friendliness, simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and stability. This study investigated the potential of using fruit and leaf extracts of the medicinal plant Azadirachta indica as a capping and reducing agent for the biosynthesis of AgNPs. The size, shape, and optical properties of AgNPs significantly affect their chemical, physical, and biological activity. Therefore, this study optimized the biosynthesis conditions as a first attempt for A. indica fruit extracts to produce AgNPs with precise morphology. Subsequently, the biologically manufactured AgNPs were characterized using suitable techniques. Their potential anticancer activities were examined against in vitro human lung and breast cancer (H1975 and MCF-7) cell lines. The AgNPs were stable, with a high yield and a spherical shape, ranging in size from 14 to 19 nm and exhibiting an absorption band between 420 and 440 nm. The AgNPs biosynthesized using A. indica fruit and leaf extracts were shown to be highly toxic against in vitro H1975, with IC50 of 62.2 and 91 µg/mL, respectively. The IC50 values were 67.5 and 68.7 µg/mL when testing against the MCF-7 cells. These findings suggest that plant-derived nanoparticles have enormous potential for future biomedical applications, which warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rapidly evolving field of medical diagnosis, the accurate and prompt interpretation of heartbeat electrocardiogram (ECG) signals have become increasingly crucial. Despite the presence of recent advances, there is an exigent need to enhance the accuracy of existing methodologies, especially given the profound implications such interpretations can have on patient prognosis. To this end, we introduce a novel ensemble comprising Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models to enable the enhanced classification of heartbeat ECG signals. Our approach capitalizes on LSTM's exceptional sequential data learning capability and CNN's intricate pattern recognition strength. Advanced signal processing methods are integrated to enhance the quality of raw ECG signals before feeding them into the deep learning model. Experimental evaluations on benchmark ECG datasets demonstrate that our proposed ensemble model surpasses other state-of-the-art deep learning models. It achieves a sensitivity of 94.52%, a specificity of 96.42%, and an accuracy of 95.45%, highlighting its superior performance metrics. This study introduces a promising tool for bolstering cardiovascular disease diagnosis, showcasing the potential of such techniques to advance preventive healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green synthesis has attracted significant attention as an eco-friendly, low-cost, energy-efficient, and non-toxic method for preparing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for cancer therapy. This study optimized the green synthesis of AgNPs using Olea europaea extracts and evaluated their anticancer potential. The biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized using various methods, showing stable AgNPs with a desirable morphology and high yield, improving the properties of AgNPs for various medicinal applications. The biosynthesized AgNPs were predominantly spherical, with small sizes ranging from 13 to 21 nm and highly stable at −23 and −24 mV. The findings of this study suggest that green-synthesized AgNPs using Olea europaea and sunlight possess significant anticancer activity against cancer cells in vitro. Further investigation of green synthesis would help to form high-quality AgNPs that have promising potential in treating disease and fighting undesirable pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of α‐(hetero)aryl ethenesulfonyl fluorides was achieved via a Pd‐catalyzed Suzuki coupling of arylboronic acids with 1‐bromoethene‐1‐sulfonyl fluoride (1‐Br‐ESF). The novel α‐aryl ethenesulfonyl fluorides were found to be another selectively addressable bis‐electrophile for wide diversification through SuFEx click chemistry, or Michael addition with excellent chemical discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Two-step water electrolysis has been proposed to tackle the ticklish H 2 /O 2 mixture problems in conventional alkaline water electrolysis recently. However, low buffering capacity of pure nickel hydroxide electrode as redox mediator limited practical application of two-step water electrolysis system. A high-capacity redox mediator (RM) is urgently needed to permit consecutive operation of two-step cycles and high-efficiency hydrogen evolution. Consequently, a high mass-loading cobalt-doped nickel hydroxide/active carbon cloth (NiCo-LDH/ACC) RM is synthesized via a facile electrochemical method. The proper Co doping can apparently enhance the conductivity and simultaneously remain the high-capacity of the electrode. Density functional theory results further confirms more negative values in redox potential of NiCo-LDH/ACC than Ni(OH) 2 /ACC on account of the charge redistribution induced by Co doping, which can prevent the parasitic O 2 evolution on RM electrode during decoupled H 2 evolution step. As a result, the NiCo-LDH/ACC combined the superiorities of high-capacity Ni(OH) 2 /ACC and high-conductivity Co(OH) 2 /ACC, and the NiCo-LDH/ACC with 4:1 ratio of Ni to Co presented a large specific capacitance of 33.52F/cm2 for reversible charge–discharge and high buffering capacity with two-step H 2 /O 2 evolution duration of 1740 s at 10 mA/cm2. The necessary input voltage (2.00 V) of the whole water electrolysis was broken into two smaller ones, 1.41 and 0.38 V, for H 2 and O 2 production, respectively. NiCo-LDH/ACC provided a favorable electrode material for the practical application of two-step water electrolysis system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photo-transformation of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheet and the photo-reduction of uranyl ion (U(VI)) have been widely studied separately. However, little attention has been given to the simultaneous photo-degradation of GO nanosheets and the photochemical reduction of U(VI) under ultraviolet (UV) illumination. In this study, the relationships among the UV-induced degradation of GO, the U(VI)-induced aggregation of GO, the adsorption of U(VI) on GO, and the UV-induced reduction of U(VI) as well as their roles in the UV-induced simultaneous photo-degradation of GO and photo-reduction of U(VI) were elucidated. These results indicated that the UV-induced transformation of GO occurred more quickly than the adsorption of U(VI) on GO. The presence of low concentration of U(VI) could promote the UV-induced transformation of GO at the initial stage, while UV irradiation weaken the efficiency of U(VI) ions in destabilizing GO nanosheets at the subsequent stage. Our findings are crucial for developing a highly efficient method to accomplish the simultaneous removal of GO and U(VI) in the actual environmental cleanup. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A fascinating 3D Mo-NiCoP/NF honeycomb electrocatalyst was synthesized using polystyrene as the template. • The bifunctional 3D Mo-NiCoP/NF electrode showed superior electrocatalytic performance. • The appearance, structure and electrocatalytic mechanisms of 3D Mo-NiCoP/NF were explored in detail. • The efficiency of alkaline decoupled water splitting reach to be 95% at 10 mA/cm2. Two-step alkaline water electrolysis is considered a safe and efficient method for producing hydrogen from renewable energy. Reversal of the current polarity in a bifunctional electrocatalyst used as a gas evolution electrode (GEE) in two-step water electrolysis can generate H 2 /O 2 at different times and in different spaces. The design of a bifunctional electrocatalyst with high durability and excellent activity is imperative to achieving continuous, safe, and pure H 2 generation via two-step alkaline water electrolysis. Here, we present for the first time a novel 3D Mo-doped NiCo phosphide honeycomb electrocatalyst that was grown on nickel foam (3D Mo-NiCoP/NF) and fabricated using polystyrene as a template. The electrocatalyst exhibited extremely low overpotentials in both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER; 117 mV at 10 mA/cm2) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER; 344 mV at 100 mA/cm2). As a bifunctional electrocatalyst for two-step alkaline water electrolysis, the device had a 1.784 V cell voltage at 10 mA/cm2, 95% decoupling efficiency, and ∼83% energy conversion efficiency. Taken together, the use of 3D Mo-NiCoP/NF as a GEE reduced the complexity and lowered the cost of the electrolyzer. The latter could be used to construct highly competitive water-splitting systems for continuous H 2 production and green energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated microbial denitrification using electrochemical sources to replace organic matter as reductant. The work also involved developing a system that could be optimised for nitrate removal in applied situations such as water processing in fish farming or drinkingwater, where high nitrate levels represent a potential health problem. Consequently, the study examined a range of developments for the removal of nitrate from water based on the development of electrochemical biotransformation systems for nitrate removal. This also offers considerable scope for the potential application of these systems in broader bionanotechnology based processes. Furthermore, the work discussed the context of improved microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance, potential analytic applications, and further innovations using a bionanotechnology approach to analyse cell-electrode interactions. High nitrate removal rate of more than 95% was successfully achieved by using a MFC system modified with carbon nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI or Fe0) can rapidly reduce Cr(VI) contaminants in the water environment, but the agglomeration and passivation of the Fe0 system have adverse effects on its application. In this study, a novel mesoporous Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 supported Fe/Ni bimetallic composite (SBA-15@Fe/Ni) is proposed to remove Cr(VI). The proposed material can enhance the stability and removal capacity of the nZVI system. The results show that the unique six-way through-hole structure of SBA-15 provides a place for the dispersion of Fe0 particles. Meanwhile, SBA-15 effectively alleviates the accumulation of Fe0 particles. The removal efficiency of SBA-15@Fe/Ni is better than two single systems (SBA-15 and Fe/Ni). The removal efficiency of SBA-15@Fe/Ni towards Cr(VI) can reach 97.62% after 60 min at pH 4.0. SBA-15@Fe/Ni still maintains excellent performance in the presence of various competitive ions (Cl-, SO 4 2-, CO 3 2–, NO 3 –). At 298 K, the maximum removal capacity of SBA-15@Fe/Ni towards Cr(VI) is 180.99 mg/g. The possible removal process of SBA-15@Fe/Ni towards Cr(VI) is divided into the following steps: First, Cr(VI) is attracted into the vicinity of the SBA-15@Fe/Ni channel by the electrostatic attraction; Second, the reduction of Cr(VI) occurs after contacting with the Fe/Ni system, and its driving force mainly comes from nZVI and Fe(II); Furthermore, the introduction of Ni can promote Cr(VI) reduction through electron transfer and catalytic hydrogenation. In conclusion, adopting SBA-15@Fe/Ni to treat chromium contamination is an effective and promising approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a robust H ∞ design approach is proposed to accomplish the state estimation task for a class of continuous-time gene regulatory networks (GRNs) in the finite-time framework. For the GRNs under investigation, the distributed inter-node time delays and intra-node time delays are, respectively, taken into account in the feedback regulation function and the translation process. Moreover, the parameter uncertainty with convex polytopic constraint is introduced to characterize the unavoidable modeling errors induced by parameter sensitivity, calibration accuracy, abrupt structural changes and failures, etc. The primary objective of this paper is to design a robust state estimator for the considered GRNs based on the measured concentrations of messenger ribonucleic acid and protein such that the finite-time boundedness and the H ∞ performance are guaranteed. By resorting to the Lyapunov stability theory, the Jensen's inequality and the Gronwall inequality, some sufficient conditions are established in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Subsequently, a set of parameter matrices with special structures is designed by means of the convex optimization techniques. Finally, a numerical example is provided to demonstrate the finite-time boundedness and the robust performance of the developed state estimation approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The worldwide increase of AIDS, an epidemic infection in constant development has an essential and still requires potent antiretroviral chemotherapeutic agents for reducing the integer of deaths caused by HIV. Thus, there is an urgent need for new anti -HIV drug candidates with increased strength, new targets, superior pharmacokinetic properties, and compact side effects. From this viewpoint, we first review present strategies of anti -HIV drug innovation and the synthesis of heterocyclic or natural compound as anti -HIV agents for facilitating the development of more influential and successful anti -HIV agents. Image 1 • We have reported different classes of potent HIV inhibitors. • The development of new classes of anti -HIV drugs are still needed. • We have briefly explained the SAR of anti -HIV agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ni@IHC hybrids were synthesized by combining the solvothermal method with a one-step pyrolysis. • Ni@IHC hybrids held extraordinary structural merits. • Ni@IHC hybrids showed the superior catalytic performance for Cr(VI) reduction with formic acid. • The magnetically separable Ni@IHC hybrids were very cheap and scalable. Magnetic carbon materials promise distinct advantages in the decontamination of heavy metal ions. In this work, a novel interconnected hierarchical nickel-carbon (Ni@IHC) hybrid was synthesized by combining the solvothermal method with a one-step pyrolysis under argon atmosphere. Benefitting from 3D flower-like morphology, interconnected porous nanosheets, large surface area, and abundant Ni nanoparticles, Ni@IHC hybrids can remove Cr(VI) within 25 min by using formic acid (FA) as a reductant at 25 ℃. Furthermore, the experimental parameters that can affect the material catalytic performance such as initial Cr(VI) concentration, catalyst dosage, FA concentration, and temperature were also investigated in detail. It was found that highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles contributed significantly to the reduction process. More importantly, the embedded Ni nanoparticles favor fast separation by a magnet and were helpful for the recycles use. This Ni@IHC hybrid was obtained by a facile and easy scale-up method, resulting in the fast transformation of Cr(VI) into Cr(III). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CoO x /Fe-CoP nanowires are designed by O 2 plasma strategy. • Interface effect optimizes H* adsorbed energy and enhances catalytic activity. • CoO x /Fe-CoP exhibits excellent activity and durability for HER and OER. • Assembled electrolyzer displays excellent performance in seawater electrolyte. Reasonable design of bifunctional catalysts with prominent catalytic activity and excellent stability is regarded as essential and valuable for alkaline seawater electrolysis. Herein, homogenous iron-incorporated cobalt oxides/phosphides nanowires (CoO x /Fe-CoP) were innovatively constructed with oxygen plasma oxidation-induced surface reconfiguration strategy. Benefiting from the abundant homogeneous interface, high intrinsic activity, and fast reaction kinetics, the CoO x /Fe-CoP demands only an ultra-low overpotential of 139 and 267 mV to achieve 100 mA/cm2 for hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction in 1 M KOH, respectively. Furthermore, the assembled two-electrode configuration requires a cell voltage of 1.73/1.78 V at 100 mA/cm2 with outstanding durability for overall alkaline freshwater/seawater splitting, which is more remarkable than the mature Pt/C||RuO 2 pair and many previously reported non-noble electrocatalysts. Hence, this research presents a promising approach to designing and fabricating efficient electrocatalysts by oxygen plasma surface reconstruction engineering toward alkaline freshwater and seawater electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) based advanced oxidation processes have gained widespread attention in refractory antibiotics treatment. In this study, Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles anchored nitrogen-doped porous carbon microspheres (Fe 3 O 4 /NCMS) were synthesized and applied to PMS heterogeneous activation for doxycycline hydrochloride (DOX-H) degradation. Benefitting from synergy effects of porous carbon structure, nitrogen doping, and fine dispersion of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, Fe 3 O 4 /NCMS showed excellent DOX-H degradation efficiency within 20 min via PMS activation. Further reaction mechanisms revealed that the reactive oxygen species including hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and singlet oxygen (1O 2) played the dominant role for DOX-H degradation. Moreover, Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox cycle also participated in the radical generation, and nitrogen-doped carbonaceous structures served as the highly active centers for non-radical pathways. The possible degradation pathways and intermediate products accompanying DOX-H degradation were also analyzed in detail. This study provides key insights into the further development of heterogeneous metallic oxides-carbon catalysts for antibiotic-containing wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] • Fe 3 O 4 /NCMS significantly enhanced DOX-H removal by activating PMS. • Both radical and nonradical processes contributed to the degradation of DOX-H. • The PMS activation coordinated with the Fe valence change, carbonaceous structures, and nitrogen doping. • A possible pathway for DOX-H degradation in the Fe 3 O 4 /NCMS/PMS system was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 3D flower-like few layer MXene modified NiFe-LDH (MNFL) composites were fabricated. • The added amount of MXene played a significant role in the physicochemical properties of MNFL. • MNFL-60 has excellent removal performance for both Cr(VI) and 1-naphthol. • The addition of LDH decreased the bio-toxicity of MXene. The application of few-layer MXene combined with layered double hydroxides (LDH) as adsorbent for the removal of pollutant is scarce. Herein, a series of novel flower-like MXene modified NiFe-LDH composites (MNFL) were fabricated via in situ growth of LDH on the MXene substrate. The results demonstrated that the added amount of MXene played a significant role in the physicochemical properties of MNFL. Among them, the formed MNFL-60 possessed wonderful dispersion, appreciable surface area (64.04 m2/g) and saturation magnetization (∼10 emu/g). The maximum removal capacities of MNFL-60 were highest, with the value of 372.9 mg/g for Cr(VI) and 201.8 mg/g for 1-naphthol at 288 K. Furthermore, the removal capacities of MNFL-60 for Cr(VI)/1-naphthol increased with the rise of temperature, indicating that the adsorption processes were more favorable under a higher temperature. The addition of LDH decreased the bio-toxicity of MXene, with mortality rates of more than 76 % for E. coli and 48 % for S. aureus at 100 mg/L MNFL-60 and 80 % for E. coli and 57 % for S. aureus at 200 mg/L MNFL-60. Based on the results of XPS, the removal of 1-naphthol was ascribed to the inter-reaction with N/O–containing groups, whereas the eliminate of Cr(VI) was attributed to the electrostatic attraction, complexation and partial reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). Additionally, the outstanding reusability and easy recyclability could make MNFL-60 can be a promising material for remediating organic and inorganic pollutants from wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bimetallic FeNi nanoparticles/straw-derived biochar was synthesized. • biochar reduces the aggregation of Fe0. • Ni doping promotes the formation of Fe(II) and H atoms. • BC@Fe/Ni is a promising material for controlling Cr(VI) pollution. Nano-zero-valent iron (nZVI) can efficiently control Cr(VI) pollution in groundwater, but its application is hindered by the tendency of Fe0 to agglomerate and form a passivation layer. In this study, to increase the reactivity of Fe0, biochar (BC) -supported Fe/Ni bimetal nanoparticles (BC@Fe/Ni) were developed to promptly remove Cr(VI) from water. The results demonstrated that the mesoporous structure of BC can provide a supportive environment for Fe0 and reduce the aggregation of Fe0. The removal efficiency of BC@Fe/Ni was found to be better than that of BC and Fe/Ni. Good performance was achieved when the Ni content was approximately 5%. At pH 2.0, the removal rate of Cr(VI) reached 99.62%. A higher temperature was found to be favorable for the reaction, indicating that BC@Fe/Ni is endothermic in removing Cr(VI). The mechanism of BC@Fe/Ni and Cr(VI) is as follows. First, a part of Cr(VI) is adsorbed on BC@Fe/Ni via electrostatic attraction; then, the driving force for Cr(VI) reduction is mainly the continuous electron transfer of Fe0 and Fe(II); moreover, Ni promotes the formation of Fe(II) and H atoms. In conclusion, this work demonstrates that BC@Fe/Ni is a promising material for controlling Cr(VI) pollution. This work will serve as a reference for the improvement of bimetallic nanomaterials and the treatment of Cr(VI) contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a general framework of user-based collaborative filtering (CF) is developed with a new p -moment-based similarity measure. The p -moment-based statistics (PMS) of individual rating data are employed to analyze the user rating habit, thereby facilitating the performance improvement of the CF algorithm. On the basis of the PMS, a new yet comprehensive similarity measure is proposed to quantify the distance between two users with focus on both the users' preferences on items and their rating habits. Compared with the traditional ones, our proposed similarity measure is more general with clearer application insights in complicated situations. Furthermore, the weights of different statistics are regarded as adjustable parameters that are determined by utilizing the particle swarm optimization technique so as to achieve good prediction performance. Based on the proposed similarity measure with optimized weights, the neighborhood set consisting of similar users is formed and then the user-based rating prediction is eventually provided. The developed CF algorithm has advantages of high prediction accuracy and wide application potential. Moreover, this CF algorithm is applied on a real-world disease (Friedreich's ataxia) assessment system in order to assist diagnosis for patients with uncertain/missing information. Experimental results demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A fascinating magnetic gray flower-shaped yolk-shell like structure composite was synthesized successfully. • The FNCM has magnificent adsorption performance for As(V) and Re(VII). • The appearance, structure and adsorption mechanisms of FNCM were explored in detail. A novel magnetic flower-shaped yolk-shell like structure composite Fe 3 O 4 @NC@MnO 2 (Fe 3 O 4 nanostructures coupled with N-doped carbon and MnO 2 , denoted as FNCM) was successfully fabricated through a facile and scalable tactic. By batch experiments, the maximal removal capacites of FNCM towards Re(VII) and As(V) can reach 110.9 and 236.3 mg/g at 293 K, respectively. Besides, the formed FNCM had excel dispersion, moderate specific surface area (46.23 m2/g) and saturation magnetization (∼20 emu/g). Next, the adsorption performance of FNCM towards Re(VII) and As(V) was investigated as function of contact time, pH, interfering ions and solution temperature. It was indicated that FNCM possessed wonderful adsorption performance towards Re(VII) and As(V) elimination under the acidic condition, rarely affected by other co-existing ions under the same concentration, and exhibited higher removal capacity. Furthermore, On the base of zeta potential and microscopic spectra analysis, the adsorption mechanism of FNCM towards Re(VII) and As(V) can be drown to three aspects: complexation between Re(VII)/As(V) and oxygen-containing functional groups (oxide–metal bonds (O–M bonds)), electrostatic interaction, and protonated N adsorption. In all, these results imply that the FNCM could be as a potential candidate for remediating water contaminated with practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A plasma-light-amidoxime-cellulose (PLAOC) adsorbent was fabricated by plasma induced grafting technology. • The key active particle types and energies that triggered grafting were analyzed. • PLAOC showed good adsorption performance for the enrichment of uranium. The efficient enrichment of uranium from the seawater is urgently required for the long-term development of nuclear energy. Here, a plasma-light-amidoxime-cellulose (PLAOC) adsorbent formed by introducing functional groups onto cellulose has been designed for the environmental friendliness of amidoxime materials. In the presence of Na 2 CO 3 , this composite exhibited excellent uranium enrichment performance up to 101.15 mg·g−1 at 303 K and pH 6.0. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models. The results indicated that U(VI) adsorption on PLAOC could depend on the chelation of oxy-nitrogen elements in the amidoxime group. Furthermore, PLAOC showed good adsorption selectivity. Most importantly, the enrichment of uranium on PLAOC was excellent in the simulated seawater. These findings demonstrate that employing plasma technology to prepare uranium-rich adsorbents can be a promising and viable approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of (hetero)arylethenesulfonyl fluorides (1 – 58) were synthesized and evaluated. • EWGs (Cl, Br, F and NO 2) on the aromatic ring increase the anti-inflammatory activity. • EDGs (OH and OMe) on the aromatic ring increase antioxidant activity. • The presence of sulfonyl fluoride moiety is critical. A series of (hetero)arylethenesulfonyl fluorides (1 – 58) were synthesized and screened for their in vitro antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS and DMPD methods) and anti-inflammatory activities. The results revealed that compounds 4 , 15 , 16 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 38 , 39 , 40 , and 54 exhibited excellent antioxidant activity using all the three performed antioxidant methods, which were superior to the standard antioxidants ascorbic acid and gallic acid. Compounds 6 – 9 , 11 , 18 , 19 , 21 , 22 , 30 , 39 , 40 , 44 , 45 , 48 – 50 , 54 , 55 and 57 displayed promising anti-inflammatory activity, which were better than the reference drug indomethacin. Preliminary structure–activity relationship (SAR) revealed that compounds containing electron donating (OH and OCH 3) groups on the phenyl ring possessed excellent antioxidant properties while compounds containing electron-withdrawing (Cl, NO 2 , F and Br) groups on the phenyl ring were found to be most potent anti-inflammatory agents. The presence of SO 2 F group played a crucial role in increases both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we propose a strategy of rapid assembly of Ag3PO4 nanoparticles (NPs) within three dimensional (3D) keratin–inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (keratin-NF@Ag3PO4) with a facile in situ ion sedimentation approach. The 3D porous networks greatly prevent polycondensation of Ag3PO4 NPs because of the porous and interconnected microstructures, which enhanced the catalytic activity in the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into a blue colored product (oxTMB) in the presence of H2O2. However, the addition of uric acid (UA) could lead to the reduction of oxTMB, resulting in fast fading of the blue color. Inspired by this finding, a simple and sensitive colorimetric assay for uric acid (UA) has been developed with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.94 μM. Furthermore, this strategy has been successfully applied to the detection of UA in practical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple, practical and gram-scale process for direct transformation of primary alcohols or silyl ethers to ammonium salts was developed. This method has the feathers of easy work-up (a simple filtration), mild condition, high yield, great practicality and robustness. And the application of the ammonium salts in Suzuki coupling reaction was also accomplished. Image 1 • A simple, practical and gram-scale process for direct transformation of alcohols or silyl ethers to ammonium salts. • Easy work-up (a simple filtration), mild condition, high yield, great practicality and robustness. • Application of the ammonium salts in Suzuki coupling reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of (Z)‐(hetero)arylethenesulfonyl fluorides was achieved utilizing Iridium photoredox catalysis under UV‐light irradiation. This protocol provided a diverse range of (Z)‐(hetero)arylethenesulfonyl fluorides in moderate to good yields under mild conditions without external additives. The late‐stage transformation of the (Z)‐(hetero)arylethenesulfonyl fluorides comparing with their E‐configuration counterparts was also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present more than 250 FDA approved chlorine containing drugs were available in the market and many pharmaceutically important drug candidates in pre-clinical trials. Thus, it is quite obvious to expect that in coming decades there will be an even greater number of new chlorine-containing pharmaceuticals in market. Chlorinated compounds represent the family of compounds promising for use in medicinal chemistry. This review describes the recent advances in the synthesis of chlorine containing heterocyclic compounds as diverse biological agents and drugs in the pharmaceutical industries for the inspiration of the discovery and development of more potent and effective chlorinated drugs against numerous death-causing diseases. Image 1 • The applications of chlorine in medicinal chemistry is one of the fastest growing hot research areas in the chemistry community. • More than 250 FDA approved chloro-containing drugs are in the market. • This review summarizes nearly 130 FDA approved drugs against diverse biological agents. • Discussions of the SAR of potent drugs were included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • SnO 2 /NaNbO 3 nanocomposite humidity sensor was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. • SnO 2 /NaNbO 3 had a high surface area because of a micro-sized urchin-like structure. • SnO 2 /NaNbO 3 exhibited remarkable sensitivity much higher than that of pure SnO 2. • SnO 2 /NaNbO 3 showed rapid response and recovery times and excellent selectivity. • SnO 2 /NaNbO 3 sensors have potential applications in the humidity-sensing field. Abstract An urchin-like nano-composite of SnO 2 /NaNbO 3 was fabricated by the hydrothermal method and the influence of the Sn/Nb ratio in the samples on their humidity-sensing properties was investigated. The phases and morphologies of these composites and their elemental distributions were analyzed by X-ray diffraction scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The sensor based on the optimum Sn/Nb ratio of 1:0.4 exhibited remarkable humidity-sensing properties, including a good response (S = 4823.8) that was 8.72 times higher than that of the pure SnO 2 sensor (S = 553.01). The composites showed rapid response and recovery times (3/9 s), as well as good stability, linearity, and excellent selectivity. The fabrication and humidity-sensing mechanisms were systematically analyzed using analog computations and Nyquist diagrams, respectively. Compared with pure NaNbO 3 and SnO 2 sensors, our easily prepared SnO 2 /NaNbO 3 sensor demonstrates good sensing properties and holds great promise for use in humidity-sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract One dimensional Au nanoparticles-functionalized magnetic N-doped carbon nanotubes have been fabricated, which was employed as a novel matrix for enzyme immobilization to develop highly sensitive biosensors. Highlights • A convenient and efficient method was developed to prepare magnetic NCNTs@Fe 3 O 4 supported Au NPs. • One-dimensional NCNTs@Fe 3 O 4 @Au composite was exploited as a biosensing scaffold to entrap cyt c. • The magnetic NCNTs@Fe 3 O 4 @Au based sensor could avoid the modification on the electrode and realize the direct detection in the solution. • The resultant biosensors displayed good performance for the detection of H 2 O 2 with a low detection limit of 0.3 μM. Abstract In recent years, the fabrication of noble metal functionalized magnetic carbon nanotubes for a variety of novel biosensors has aroused considerable interest owing to their synergistic improved sensitivity. In the paper, the Fe 3 O 4 and Cu nanoparticles (NPs) were integrated into the NCNTs to obtain N-doped carbon@Fe 3 O 4 -Cu nanotubes (NCNTs@Fe 3 O 4 @Cu) through a one-pot high temperature decomposition procedure. Then, Au NPs were assembled on the magnetic NCNTs to obtain NCNTs@Fe 3 O 4 @Au composite by galvanic replacement with Cu NPs. The resultant composite had provided a friendly platform for enzyme immobilization to develop highly sensitive biosensors. After the cytochrome c(cyt c) was accumulated by NCNTs@Fe 3 O 4 @Au composite, the cyt c/NCNTs@Fe 3 O 4 @Au gathered to the surface of electrode with an external magnet. Thus, the sensitivity of designed biosensor could be further improved, and most of electrochemical interferences could be excluded. Benefiting from the unique hybrid structure of the composite, the direct electron transfer of cyt c was highly facilitated and the constructed biosensors exhibited good performance for the detection of H 2 O 2 with an extraordinary low detection limit of 0.3 μM, which revealed potential application for fabricating novel electrochemical biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly emissive three-coordinate copper(i) complexes have received much attention. Here, a new synthetic strategy for the preparation of a bulky terphenyl bidentate phosphine ligand mpdp is presented. A series of mononuclear three-coordinate Cu(i) halide complexes [CuX(mpdp)] (mpdp = 4,4′,4′′,5,5′,5′′–hexamethyl-(1,1′:2′,1′′-terphenyl)-2,2′′-bis(diphenylphosphine), X = I (1), Br (2) and Cl (3)), were synthesized. This method provides a three-coordinate linkage between the bulky bidentate phosphine ligand and CuX. These complexes exhibit green to yellow green emission in the solid state at room temperature and have peak emission wavelengths at 493–533 nm with microsecond lifetimes (τ = 7.2–415.9 μs). Small S1–T1 energy gaps in the solid state indicate that the emission occurs from a thermally activated excited singlet state at ambient temperature. The emission of complexes 1–3 mainly originates from MLCT and XLCT transitions. The solution-processed devices of complex 1 exhibit yellow emission with a CIE (x, y) of (0.44, 0.47). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Cubic perovskite was successfully synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. • Inner-sphere complexation dominated U(VI) sequestration under neutral condition. • Carbonate inhibited the sequestration and photocatalytic reduction of U(VI). Abstract Cubic perovskite (CaTiO 3) was successfully synthesized by a facile solvothermal method and was utilized to sequestrate U(VI) from aqueous solutions. The batch experiments revealed that carbonate inhibited U(VI) sequestration at pH > 6.0 due to the formation of uranyl-carbonate complexes. The maximum sequestration capacity of U(VI) on perovskite was 119.3 mg/g (pH 5.5). The sequestration mechanism of U(VI) on perovskite were investigated by XPS and EXAFS techniques. According to XPS analysis, the presence of U(IV) and U(VI) oxidation states revealed the photocatalytic reduction of U(VI) by perovskite under UV–vis irradiation. In addition, photocatalytic reduction performance significantly decreased in the presence of carbonate. Based on EXAFS analysis, the occurrence of U-Ti and U-U shells revealed the inner-sphere surface complexation and reductive precipitation of U(VI) on perovskite. These findings herein are crucial for the application of perovskite-based composites in the decontamination of U(VI) in aquatic environmental cleanup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Hybrid CF@C-Ni has been synthesized by an extended Stöber approach combined with a pyrolysis process, which was convenient to collect and recycle during the application. Highlights • Hybrid CF@C-Ni can be easily obtained with an extended stöber approach and subsequent carbonization treatment in nitrogen atmosphere. • The size and density of nickel NPs on the carbon fabric could be finely controlled by adjusting the carbonization temperature. • The nickel NPs endowed the CF@C-Ni composites with magnetism, exhibiting catalytic performance on the reduction of 4-NP. • The hybrid CF@C-Ni can be easily recycled in the catalytic process due to its cloth structure. Abstract One-dimensional (1D) carbon fabric (CF) anchored with high-density of nickel nanoparticles (NPs) has been successfully fabricated by combining an extended Stöber approach with a carbonization process. Hybrid CF@PDA-Ni2+ was first synthesized by the coating of the polydopamine-Ni2+ (PDA-Ni2+) layer on carbon fabric in a Stöber condition. After carbonizing in an inert atmosphere, the CF@C-Ni hybrid in which plenty of Ni NPs embedded in PDA-derived carbon shell on carbon fabric was obtained. Thus, the prepared CF@C-Ni composites can be employed as the catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Additionally, the size and density of Ni NPs could be finely controlled via changing the carbonization temperature. Moreover, the CF@C-Ni composites can be easily collected and recycled with little loss because of their unique structures, which is important for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A well-organized quasi-solid-state electrolyte is formed by binary mixtures of bisamide and valine as co-gelator via intermolecular hydrogen bonds. It is interesting that the ratio of the two components of quasi-solid-state electrolyte can be tuned to shift the position of TiO 2 conduction band edge, which can obviously enhance the driving force of electron injection process. Consequently, compared with the liquid electrolyte based dye-sensitized solar cell DSSC, the short-circuit current density (J sc) of solar cellassembled by this quasi-solid-state electrolyte is increased about 12%. Moreover, the intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy/intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy (IMPS/IMVS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are carried out to investigate the influences of gelation on the kinetic processes of electron transport and recombination in DSSC. It is found that with the increasing of valine, the 3D network of quasi-solid-state electrolyte becomes looser and the electron transportation process is accelerated, meanwhile, the electron recombination lifetime is prolonged. As result, the quasi-solid-state solar cells (QS-DSSCs) employed with the bi-component quasi-solid-state electrolytes obtained a higher efficiency of 6.1% at AM 1.5 (100 mW cm2), but the efficiency of QS-DSSC based on the unitary component quasi-solid-state electrolyte formed by bisamide is only 5.3%. More importantly, these QS-DSSCs exhibit more excellent photo-thermal stability than the liquid electrolyte based DSSC. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • The quasi-solid-state electrolyte formed by bisamide and valine. • The conduction band of TiO 2 can be shifted by changing the components of gel electrolyte. • The photogenerated electron injection efficiency enhanced obviously in the QS-DSSC. • The QS-DSSC exhibits high photocurrent and more stability than the corresponding liquid DSSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of three-coordinate dinuclear copper halide complexes containing acarbazolyl monodentate phosphine ligand, [CuX(dppc)]2 (dppc =3,6-di-tert-butyl-9-[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]carbazole, X = I (1), Br (2), and Cl (3)), were synthesized, and their molecular structures and photophysical properties were investigated. The structural analysis reveals that two copper(I) centers are bridged by two halogen ligands to form a dinuclear structure with a four-membered Cu2X2 ring. Crystal structures of 1-3 contain 1-D supramolecular arrays constructed by intermolecular C-H···π interactions. These complexes exhibit blue to green emission in the solid state at room temperature and have peak emission wavelengths at 492-495 nm with microsecond lifetimes and low emission quantum yields (< 0.01%). The emission of 1-3 mainly originates from MLCT, XLCT, and IL (intraligand) transitions. The three complexes displayed good thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is highly desirable but challenging to fabricate a unique hybrid material comprising nanosized copper/cobalt/nickel nanoparticles (NPs) uniformly distributed on magnetic supports. Herein in this work, hierarchical magnetic metal silicate hollow microtubes were prepared using silica coated magnetic N-doped carbon microtubes (NCMTs@Fe3O4@SiO2) as a chemical template; then polydopamine (PDA) was employed to coat onto magnetic metal silicate carbon microtubes (NCMTs@Fe3O4@CuSNTs/CoSNTs/NiSNTs), which can be carbonized to form hierarchical hybrid composites with uniformly-dispersed metallic copper/cobalt/nickel NPs embedded in PDA-derived carbon layers (NCMTs@Fe3O4@SiO2@C/Cu–Co–Ni). Owing to its hierarchical structure, large specific surface area as well as the high density of metal NPs, the resultant NCMTs@Fe3O4@SiO2@C/Ni–Co–Cu could be applied as catalysts towards the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Furthermore, the NCMTs@Fe3O4@SiO2@C/Ni–Co–Cu catalysts could be easily collected and separated by applying an external magnetic field. In particular, it was found that NCMTs@Fe3O4@SiO2@C/Ni exhibited ultra-high catalytic activity on 4-NP reduction in comparison with Cu and Co supported catalysts. In addition, this unique hierarchical structure combined with magnetic recyclability make NCMTs@Fe3O4@SiO2@C/Ni a highly promising candidate for diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-cyclodextrin decorated graphene oxides (β-CD-GO) was prepared by using an in - situ aggregation treatment, and used to remove inorganic (Pb(II)) and organic pollutants (1-naphthol) from water environment. The batch adsorption experiments of as-prepared β-CD-GO were carried out as a function of pH values, initial Pb(II) and 1-naphthol concentration, ionic strength, contact time and temperature. β-CD-GO kinetic results indicated that the adsorption was dominated by chemisorptions and followed a pseudo-second order model. The maximum adsorption capacities of β-CD-GO toward Pb(II) and 1-naphtholon the base of the Langmuir model were 149.56 and 207.6 mg·g −1 at 293 K, respectively. The thermodynamic experiments revealed that the adsorption of Pb(II) and 1-naphthol was spontaneous and endothermic. The surface compexation, hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions contributed to Pb(II) and 1-naphthol adsorption by means of the hydroxy and carboxyl functional groups on the surface of the β-CD-GO. The experimental results indicate that the β-CD-GO is an excellent composite for the elimination of Pb(II) and 1-naphthol from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • X-CS/NIPAAm composite hydrogel was fabricated as a good adsorbent for adsorption of Cu(II), Pb(II) and Ni(II). • The adsorption data fitted well to Langmuir model and the adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order model. • Thermodynamics indicated the adsorption was an exothermic and spontaneous process. • X-CS/NIPAAm could be reused and regenerated at least five recycles. Abstract A novel xanthate-modified chitosan/poly(N -isopropylacrylamide) (X-CS/NIPAAm) composite hydrogel was fabricated by a facile two-step method for the selective adsorption of Cu(II), Pb(II) and Ni(II) metal ions from aqueous solutions. The equilibrium adsorption data fitted well to the Langmuir model and the adsorption kinetic data followed the pseudo-second-order model. The maximum equilibrium adsorption capacities of composite hydrogel to Cu(II), Pb(II) and Ni(II) at 293 K were about 115.1, 172.0 and 66.9 mg g−1, respectively. The thermodynamics parameters showed that the adsorption processes to Cu(II), Pb(II) and Ni(II) were spontaneous and exothermic. The interactions between metal ions for multi-components systems were evaluated by the values of Q b /Q s and Q t /Q s. The adsorption mechanism was analyzed by XPS spectra and the Hard–Soft, Acids–Bases (HSAB) theory. The X-CS/NIPAAm composite hydrogel could be regenerated and repeatedly utilized at least five cycles without obvious adsorption capacity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A new environmentally friendly and low–cost adsorbent was produced from the camphor tree leaves (BC@CTL) and used to remove U(VI) from waste water via batch capture experiments under varying pH, time, and U(VI) concentration. The resultant biochar was characterized by SEM, BET, zeta-potentials, and FTIR spectroscopy. The capture process was strongly dependent on pH and independent of ionic strength. The capture experimental results indicated that U(VI) was quickly captured to BC@CTL with a maximum capture capacity of 0.41 mmol U(VI) g−1 obtained by Langmuir model fitting. The results of EXAFS analysis revealed that the interaction mechanism of U(VI) on the BC@CTL was primarily controlled by inner-sphere surface complexation. The investigation was meaningful for the "treating wastewater with wastes" strategy implementation, especially biochar can be regarded as a promising candidate for the pre-concentration and immobilization of radionuclides from aqueous solutions in environmental remediation. Highlights • The BC@CTL was produced and used to remove U(VI) from waste water. • Effect of environmental parameters on BC@CTL-U(VI) interactions • Analysis of the interaction mechanism of BC@CTL-U(VI) by EXAFS • The findings will help in designing the treating wastewater with wastes strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NiAl layered double hydroxides (NiAl-LDHs) as well as NiAl layered double oxides (NiAl-LDO T , T: 300, 400, 500, 600 °C) were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal process and calcination treatment, and served as adsorbents for the efficient uptake of arsenate (As(V)) from aqueous solutions. Batch experiments were carried out at various solution pH, original As(V) concentration, contact time and calcination temperature. It was found that As(V) adsorption capacity on these composites can be changed by controlling the calcination temperature, and followed the order NiAl-LDO 500 (198.1 mg/g) > NiAl-LDO 400 (180.9 mg/g) > NiAl-LDO 300 (160.2 mg/g) > NiAl-LDO 600 (121.4 mg/g) > NiAl-LDH (60.7 mg/g), which could be ascribed to abundant surface adsorption sites and a “memory effect” provided by “Ni-O or Al-O” bonds. The thermodynamic experiments revealed that the elimination of As(V) was spontaneous and endothermic. In addition, multiple characterizations and batch experiments have been carried out to prove the surface adsorption and intercalation by rebuilding of primary layered structure contributed to As(V) adsorption. This discovery can provide a new insight into the elimination of As(V) from wastewater for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, highly emissive neutral copper halide complexes have received much attention. Here, a series of four-coordinate mononuclear Cu(i) halide complexes, [CuX(dpqu)(dpna)] (dpqu = 8-(diphenylphosphino)quinoline, dpna = 1-(diphenylphosphino)naphthalene, X = I (1), Br (2) and Cl (3)), were synthesized, and their molecular structures and photophysical properties were investigated. These complexes exhibit near-saturated red emission in the solid state at room temperature and have peak emission wavelengths at 669–691 nm with microsecond lifetimes (τ = 0.46–1.80 μs). Small S1–T1 energy gaps in the solid state indicate that the emission occurs from a thermally activated excited singlet state at ambient temperature. The emission of the complexes 1–3 mainly originates from MLCT transition. The solution-processed devices of complex 1 exhibit stable red emission with a CIE(x, y) of (0.62, 0.38) for a doped device and (0.63, 0.37) for a non-doped device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discharge of microplastics into aquatic environment poses the potential threat to the hydrocoles and human health. The fate and transport of microplastics in aqueous solutions are significantly influenced by water chemistry. In this study, the effect of water chemistry (i.e., pH, foreign salts and humic acid) on the surface charge and aggregation of polystyrene microsphere in aqueous solutions was conducted by batch, zeta potentials, hydrodynamic diameters, FT-IR and XPS analysis. Compared to Na + and K + , the lower negative zeta potentials and larger hydrodynamic diameters of polystyrene microspheres after introduction of Mg 2+ were observed within a wide range of pH (2.0–11.0) and ionic strength (IS, 0.01–500 mmol/L). No effect of Cl − , HCO 3 – and SO 4 2− on the zeta potentials and hydrodynamic diameters of polystyrene microspheres was observed at low IS concentrations (<5 mmol/L), whereas the zeta potentials and hydrodynamic diameters of polystyrene microspheres after addition of SO 4 2− were higher than that of Cl − and HCO 3 – at high IS concentrations (>10 mmol/L). The zeta potentials of polystyrene microspheres after HA addition were decreased at pH 2.0–11.0, whereas the lower hydrodynamic diameters were observed at pH < 4.0. According to FT-IR and XPS analysis, the change in surface properties of polystyrene microspheres after addition of hydrated Mg 2+ and HA was attributed to surface electrostatic and/or steric repulsions. These investigations are crucial for understanding the effect of water chemistry on colloidal stability of microplastics in aquatic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic nickel- or cobalt-based composites with hollow nanostructures such as nanocages can serve as both advanced catalysts and protein adsorbents owing to their high surface area and increased active sites; hence, they have aroused great interest. Herein, we report a facile route to synthesize hollow carbon spheres (HCS) embedded with bimetallic NiCo nanoparticles (NPs) with hollow structures by using NiCo hydroxide layered nanosheet functionalized carboxyl polystyrene spheres (CPS) as a template and polydopamine (PDA) as both the carbon precursor and reductant. This unique hierarchical architecture, including meso- and macro-pores, provides a large specific surface area (244 m2 g−1) and efficient channels for the diffusion of small molecules and biomacromolecules (protein). These features greatly facilitate the excellent performances of C@CoNi for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and His-rich protein adsorption. Moreover, the size of the surficial CoNi NPs can be facilely modulated by changing the calcination temperature, which can effectively control the catalytic and adsorption performances of the as-prepared nanocomposites. The as-prepared C@CoNi is employed as a catalyst to investigate its catalytic performance in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Furthermore, the nickel nanoparticles decorated on the hollow microspheres display a strong affinity to His-rich proteins (BHb and BSA) via specific metal affinity forces between the polyhistidine groups and nickel nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coadsorption of uranium and europium on magnetic attapulgite (M-ATT) was explored through batch experiments and spectroscopic tests. The adsorption processes of U(VI) and Eu(III) onto M-ATT were highly affected by the solution pH but not by the ionic strength, indicating that the adsorption of the two metals was predominated through inner-sphere surface complexation. Adsorption isotherms demonstrated that the maximum adsorption capacities of U(VI) on M-ATT in the single-solute system (e.g., 60.48 mg g-1 at pH 6.0) were lower than that in the binary-solute system (e.g., 63.03 mg g-1 at pH 6.0), and the same trend was noticed for Eu(III) adsorption due to their synergistic effect. The existence of U(VI) and U(IV) species evidenced the partial reduction of adsorbed U(VI) to U(IV) by M-ATT based on XPS tests. Hence, the enhanced adsorption of U(VI) in the existence of Eu(III) is ascribed to the primary coadsorption and then the redox of adsorbed U(VI) to U(IV) by M-ATT, as well as the formation of new sorbent active sites derived from reductive coprecipitation (e.g., UO2+x(s)), which also increased the Eu(III) adsorption on M-ATT. The findings are significant for coadsorption of radionuclides by magnetic adsorbents in environmental pollution management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, multifunctional nanotubes were prepared by directly combing iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticle(NPs) decorated carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and palladium (Pd) NPs together with polypyrrole (PPy) in a facile way. Firstly, magnetic CNT composite (CNTs/Fe 3 O 4 ) was synthesized by the high temperature decomposition process, then PPy could be easily immobilized on the magnetic CNTs. Furthermore, Pd NPs were accumulated on the surface of CNTs/Fe 3 O 4 @PPy to obtain one dimensional CNTs/Fe 3 O 4 @PPy/Pd composite. The composite extraordinary amplified the electrochemical response, providing a highly sensitive electrochemical platform for triclosan detection. This electrochemical sensors had the advantage of fast response, cheap instrument, low cost, simple operation, high sensitivity and real-time detection in situ condition. Moreover, the sensor exhibited a wide linear response range for triclosan (2.247 × 10 −9  M to 2.752 × 10 −7  M) with a detection limit of 1.417 × 10 −9  M, respectively. In addition, the electrochemical sensor reported herein was applied for the detection of triclosan in real samples, revealing promising applications in developing the sensor for environmental inspection and monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic carbon nanotubes composite (MWCNTs-Fe 3 O 4 ) was successfully prepared and characterized using different techniques. MWCNTs-Fe 3 O 4 displays entangled network of oxidized MWCNTs attached with Fe 3 O 4 clusters with specific surface area of 92 m 2 g −1 . The adsorption performance of as prepared composite was investigated for Hg(II) removal. Several experimental factors affecting Hg(II) adsorption process by MWCNTs-Fe 3 O 4 were studied including, adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH and metal ion concentration. A high adsorption capacity of 238.78 mg g −1 was obtained according to Langmuir model. In addition, pseudo-second-order and the Langmuir isotherm model were used to fit the adsorption kinetic and equilibrium data, respectively. The results recommend the successful application of MWCNTs-Fe 3 O 4 for Hg(II) removal via batch adsorption technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandwich-like structure of graphene oxide (GO) @SiO 2 @C-Ni nanosheets were prepared by combining an extended stöber method with subsequent carbonization treatment, in which polydopamine was used as reducing agent and carbon source. Firstly, the GO nanosheets were covered with SiO 2 interlayer and finally coated with a outer shell of nickel ion doped polydopamine (PDA-Ni 2+ ) with an extended stöber method. Followed by a carbonization to produce the GO@SiO 2 @C-Ni sheets with metallic nickel nanoparticles embedded in PDA-derived thin graphic carbon layer. Notably, silica interlayer played a vital role in the formation of such GO@SiO 2 @C-Ni sheets. Without the protection of SiO 2 , the hydrophobic graphene@C-Ni composites were obtained instead. While with silica layer as the spacer, the obtained hydrophilic GO@SiO 2 @C-Ni composites were not only well dispersed in the solution, but also can be adjusted in terms of the size and density of Ni nanoparticles (NPs) on surface by changing the calcination temperature or the molar ratio between dopamine and nickel salt. Furthermore, nickel nanoparticles decorated on GO@SiO 2 sheets were employed to enrich His-rich proteins (BHb and BSA) via specific metal affinity force between polyhistidine groups and nickel nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent years, the fabrication of functional nanostructures with multicomponent has received considerable attention due to their exceptional properties. Herein, we report a facile approach for the preparation of Fe3O4@C/Ni microtubes, which could be used as both a catalyst and the adsorbents. During the synthetic process, a layer of nickel ion-doped polydopamine (PDA-Ni2+) was polymerized in situ on the surface of the MoO3@FeOOH by an extended stöber method using MoO3 microrods as the sacrificing templates. Notably, the PDA-Ni2+ coating and the removal of the MoO3 cores were carried out simultaneously during the coating of the PDA-Ni2+ in an ammonia solution. Then the prepared FeOOH@PDA-Ni2+ microtubes were converted to Fe3O4@C/Ni hybrid microtubes through a pyrolysis with a thermochemical reduction process. The resulting Fe3O4@C/Ni hybrid microtubes were used as a novel catalyst towards the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in the presence of NaBH4. Moreover, they also exhibited highly selective adsorption on His-rich proteins (BHb). Moreover, the Fe3O4@C/Ni hybrid microtubes can be conveniently separated by an external magnetic field due to the presence of Ni and Fe3O4. Furthermore, they show good cyclic stability, which is important for the practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, magnetic porous nitrogen doped carbon structures containing well-dispersed active Fe nanocrystals (Fe/N-C) are fabricated conveniently via Fe 3+ -mediated polymerization of dopamine as precursor combined with in situ post carbonization process, thus allowing the entire encapsulation of active Fe nanocrystals in the interior. The obtained functional hybrid materials at 700 °C (Fe/N-C-700) show spherical structure, high proportion of metallic Fe nanocrystals, ultrahigh surface area, and easy magnetic separation property, affording excellent U(VI) removal capability (232.54 mg·g −1 ), surpassing the Fe/N-C samples pyrolyzed at different temperatures and nano zero-valent iron. During the adsorption process, effects of water chemistries ( i.e. , reaction time, pH, carbonates concentration and temperature) on U(VI) adsorption on Fe/N-C-700 are full explored, and the well-dispersed Fe nanocrystals play important role in reducing into U(IV). Meanwhile, nitrogen dopant could make function well in the electrostatic interaction and partial reduction of U(VI). The present study demonstrates that Fe/N-C-700 nanospheres derived from Fe-PDA have potential application for the preconcentration and immobilization of U(VI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The very large surface associated with aerogels made them attractive in the field of sorption. Herein, silica aerogels were characterized and used for the sorption of U(VI) in solution. The effects of specific surface area (SSA), pH and coexistent electrolyte ions on the surface site density, aggregation and sorption properties have been carefully investigated. The site distributions of silica aerogels were calculated with Visual MINTEQ. The sorption of U(VI) is affected significantly by the solution pH. The sorption increases with increasing SSA due to the increased amount of surface active sites of silica aerogels. Electrolyte ions (Na + , K + , NO 3 − , Cl − ) were added to investigate the competition ability to U(VI) adsorbed on active sites. The influence of humic acid (HA), silicate and phosphate on U(VI) sorption in multiphase systems were also discussed. The kinetics data were used to investigate the sorption process and pseudo-second-order model was used to simulate the kinetic data. Spectroscopic analyses were also utilized to explain the role of OH groups in the U(VI) sorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma-and chemical-grafted amidoxime/carbon nanotber hybrids (p-AO/ CNFs and c-AO/CNFs) were utilized to remove2-"U(VI) andL1Am(II1) from aqueous solutions, seawater, and groundwater. Characteristic results indicated more nitrogen-containing groups in p-AO/CNFs compared to c-AO/CNFs. The maximum adsorption capacities of p-AO/CNFs at pH 3.5 and T = 293 K (588.24 mg of mU(VI)/g and 40.79 mg ofw(Am(llI)/g from aqueous solutions, respectively) were sipctifcantly higher than those of c-AO/CNFs (263.18 and 22.77 mg/g for238U(VI) and24 Am(I11), respectively), which indicated that plasma-grafting was a highly effective, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method. Adsorption of 2wU(VI) on AO/CNF5 from aqueous solutions was significantly higher than that of 238U(VI) from seawater and groundwater; moreover, AO/CNF5 displayed the highest effective selectivity for 238U(VI) compared to the other radionuclides. Adsorption of U(VI) onto AO/CNFs created inner-sphere complexes (e.g., U-C shells) as shown by X-ray absorption fine structure analysis, which was supported by surface complexation modeling. Three inner-sphere complexes gave excellent fits to pH-edge and isothermal adsorption of 238U(VI) on the AO/CNFs. These observations are crucial for the utilization of plasma-grafted, AO-based composites in the preconcentration and immobilization of lanthanides and actinides in environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, titanate nanotubes (denoted as TNTs) synthesized through a simple hydrothermal approach was applied for the decontamination of Zn(II) from aqueous solution. Batch experimental results showed that the removal kinetics process was fast and reached equilibrium after 60 min. The sorption of Zn(II) on TNTs was strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength at pH < 6.0, while independent of ionic strength at pH > 6.0. Based on Langmuir model fit, the maximum sorption capacity of Zn(II) at pH 5.5 and 293 K was calculated to be 139.44 mg/g, being higher than a series of currently reported adsorbents. TNTs also exhibited a favorable recycling performance for the removal of Zn(II). According to the desorption experiments, surface complexation modeling, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis, cation exchange and/or outer-sphere surface complexation were the predominant removal mechanisms of Zn(II) at lower pH, while inner-sphere surface complexation and/or precipitation were the main driving forces at higher pH. The experimental findings herein demonstrated the application potentiality of TNTs for the highly efficient treatment of Zn(II)-bearing wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]