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Chronic exposure to Poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Disruption of hormonal and redox balance by toxic PAH metabolites may interfere with successful pregnancy leading to miscarriage. The association of exposure to PAH contaminated mussel via the dietary route with perturbations in reproductive hormones, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and PAH metabolites were assessed in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Furthermore, an analysis of the concentration of PAHs in environmentally relevant bivalve animals was performed to preliminary get insights into the levels of these pollutants in the environment. Seventy-six women (20–35 years) were categorized into 18 fertile women without RPL (control), and Groups I, II, and III comprising 24, 18, and 16 women with RPL (2, 3, and > 3 abortions respectively) were studied. Whole blood samples were collected for the estimation of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), progesterone (P4), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), benzo[a]pyren-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide-albumin adduct (BPDE-albumin) and urine for α-naphthol and β-naphthol. Two species of mussel Donax trunculus and Andar aduloii samples were collected for the estimation of 16 priority PAHs. The concentration of PAHs exceeding the maximum limits was observed in the two species of mussels studied. Higher levels of BPDE-albumin, MDA, GST, α and β-naphthol and lower GSH, catalase, FSH, and P4 were observed in women with RPL (Groups I-III) compared to controls (p = p = 0.036), and GSH (r = − 0.331, p = − 0.011) only in women with RPL. Collectively, our findings indicate a possible association of chronic PAH accumulation with recurrent pregnancy loss in women. Graphical abstract High PAH exposure in pregnant women is associated with 10-epoxide-albumin adduct formation and high MDA levels in their sera. On the other hand, PAH exposure in those women led to a decrease in their GSH, catalase, P4, and FSH sera levels. These findings indicate that PAH exposure can exert different physiological effects in pregnant women leading to a high level of abortion in those women.

Background Environmental pollution with heavy metal (HM) may be associated with human reproductive failure where pollutants are accumulated in marine organisms and sediment and subsequently transferred to man through food chain. Oxidative stress and disruption of homeostatic regulation of reproductive hormones has been implicated in HM induced reproductive toxicity. The HM, indices of oxidative stress, reproductive hormone and red cell indices in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) were assessed in this study. Methods Seventy-six women (20–35 years) categorized into 18 fertile women without RPL (control group), and Groups I, II and III comprising 24, 18 and 16 women with RPL (2, 3, and > 3 abortions respectively) were studied. Whole blood samples were collected for the estimation of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), metallothionein (rbcMT), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), progesterone, haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH). Mussel samples were collected for Cd, Pb and metallothionein (MT) estimation. Results The cadmium content of mussels were above the maximum limit. Women with RPL (Groups I-III) had higher Cd, Pb, rbcMT and MDA and lower catalase, GSH, P4, Hb, MCV and MCH compared to Group I (p =

This attempt has been made to synthesis the cellulose di-acetate in solvent-free acetylation system of cotton Giza 86 cellulose with Ac2O (200 and 300 ml) in the presence of NiCl2.6HO (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 g) as an effectively available and new catalyst by the conventional reflux and microwave irradiation methods. This study, also illustrates the preparation of dialysis membrane which made from a cellulose di-acetate–dichloromethane- methanol-polyethylene glycol (MW: 200) casting solution. The microwave irradiation method for synthesis of cellulose di-acetate showed excellent yields and short reaction time, which is the important feature of this method. The impact of the two methods on the cellulose di-acetate formation and its used in the dialysis membrane formulations was studied. The experimental degree of substitution of the prepared cellulose di-acetate values (DS = 2.00-2.7) showed an agreement with the calculated values by FTIR and 1H-NMR analysis methods. The formation of cellulose di-acetate with percentage yields varied from 62.85 to 89.85%. The applicability of the prepared membrane in dialysis operation was evaluated in terms of urea clearance, rejection of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and flux of pure water. Characterization of cellulose di-acetate was achieved through 1H-NMR, FTIR, TGA, and BET analyses. The CA-PEG blend membrane was examined by contact angle measurement, porosity, and water uptake of membrane. The cellulose acetate membrane surface morphology was determined using SEM. It is observable that, the fabricated CA-PEG blend membrane from synthesized cellulose di-acetate by using Nickel chloride as a catalyst is showing remarkably rejection of BSA and urea clearance up to 100 and 67.2%, respectively. Definitely, the present work is promising and also, applicable in dialysis membrane.

The fabrication of crosslinked polyaniline/Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon composite (CrossPANI/P-AC) at different ratios (1:0, 1:0.2, 1:0.6, and 1:1) was studied. CrossPANI/P-AC composites were fabricated by the in situ polymerization of aniline using hydrogen chloride as an acidic dopant, and ammonium persulfate as initiator, while Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon was synthesized by the chemical activation method and incorporated into the polymer matrix. The samples were characterized by the terms such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). FTIR spectroscopy showed the main characteristic peak positions of CrossPANI/P-AC; XRD showed low crystallinity of CrossPANI/P-AC. A high specific surface area for CrossPANI/P-AC was achieved at a ratio of 1:0.2 where Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, total pore volume, and mean pore diameter values were 166.10 m2/g, 0.0141 cm3/g, and 3.40 nm, respectively. The capability of CrossPANI/P-AC (1:0.2) composite as adsorbent for Direct blue-86 (DB-86) dye from aqueous solution was investigated. The impact of initial dye concentration, temperature, pH, and contact time on the DB-86 dye adsorption from its water solution was examined. The equilibrium adsorption data were well represented by the Langmuir isotherm achieving maximum monolayer capacity (Qm) of 163.93 mg/g at a dose of 0.5 g/L. In contrast, the kinetic adsorption data were well fit by the pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that DB-86 dye adsorption occurs spontaneously, endothermically, and physically in nature. The results demonstrated that these composites effectively removed DB-86 dye from aqueous solutions and could be recycled. Graphical abstract

Background: Environmental pollution with heavy metal (HM) have been associated with human reproductive failure. Oxidative stress and disruption of homeostatic regulation of reproductive hormones has been implicated in HM induced reproductive toxicity. The HM, indices of oxidative stress, reproductive hormone and red cell indices in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in relation to exposure to HM contaminated mussels were assessed in this study. Methods: Seventy-six women (20-35 years) categorized into 18 fertile women without RPL (control group), and Groups I, II and III comprising 24, 18 and 16 women with RPL (2, 3, and >3 abortions respectively) were studied. Whole blood samples were collected for the estimation of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), metallothionein (rbcMT), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), progesterone, haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH). Mussel samples were collected for Cd, Pb and metallothionein (MT) estimation. Results: The cadmium content of mussels were above the maximum limit. Women with RPL (Groups I-III) had higher Cd, Pb, rbcMT and MDA and lower catalase, GSH, P4, Hb, MCV and MCH compared to Group I (p=Conclusion: Elevated cadmium levels in mussels in conjunction with increased HM, metallothionein, MDA and reduced antioxidants, progesterone and red cell indices observed in women with RPL suggest that HM induced oxidative stress and hormonal imbalance may be implicated in recurrent pregnancy loss.

By polymerizing acrylonitrile in the presence of ammonium persulfate as an initiator and Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon (P-AC) as a filler, a composite material polyacrylonitrile/Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon (PAN/P- AC) was developed. By reacting hydroxylamine with the composite's nitrile groups, the prepared composite was functionalized by amidoximation. FTIR spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis were all applied to thoroughly characterize the fabricated adsorbent. For the treatment of Cr(VI) ions from synthetic solutions, the adsorption properties of amidoximated polyacrylonitrile/Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon (PAO/P-AC) were investigated. The pH effect, uptake kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and thermodynamics studies were used to characterize adsorption properties. As a kinetic model analysis, the data confirmed that the pseudo-second-order rate equation matched well the adsorption process. With coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.9998, the Tempkin isotherm model had the lowest error, suggesting that it is the best fitted model to describe this adsorption mechanism. Thermodynamic parameters demonstrated that Cr(VI) adsorption was endothermic.

Sugarcane bagasse has been used as a substrate for the development of microporous nano-activated carbons for the treatment and elimination of dissolved materials from aquatic environment. The activated carbon was produced using chemical activation in one-step method with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as the activating agent at a carbonization temperatures range from 500 to 900 °C. The effects of temperature and time of carbonization on the activated carbon product properties were thoroughly studied. The activated carbons that resulted were characterized using the N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method (BET), pore property analysis, micropore (MP) surface area, t-plot surface area, TGA, FTIR, SEM, TEM, and EDX analyses. The prepared activated carbon's point of zero charge, Boehm titration process, iodine removal percentage, and methylene blue number were also investigated. The prepared activated carbon's maximum surface area was achieved using a 2/1 impregnation ratio (dried sugarcane bagasse/ZnCl2) at 600 °C temperature of carbonization and 60 min residence time. 1402.2 m2/g, 0.6214 and 1.41 cm3/g, respectively, were the largest surface area, total pore volume, and micropore volume. As the activation temperature increased, the total pore volume increased and the BET study measured a pore diameter of 0.7 nm and a mean pore diameter of 1.77 nm.

Starch-g-poly(acrylic acid)/Pterocladia capillacea–derived activated carbon (St-g-P(AA)/P-AC) composites were prepared via aqueous solution graft copolymerization using starch, acrylic acid, and activated carbon of red alga Pterocladia capillacea (0–10%) with N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (NH4)2S2O8 initiator. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize St-g-P(AA)/P-AC composites. Additionally, St-g-P(AA)/P-AC composites were investigated for methylene blue (MB) dye removal from water. The impact of the beginning concentration of MB dye, temperature, pH, and adsorption time on MB dye removal was examined. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained at pH 8 was 496.29 mg/g at 0.02 mg/L composites dose and 100 mg/L MB dye. The properties of adsorption were studied by the adsorption isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic models. The pseudo-first-order and Freundlich isotherm models demonstrated the kinetics and equilibrium adsorptions data, respectively. The maximum monolayer capacity (qm) was 1428.57 mg/g from Langmuir isotherm. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that the MB dye adsorption is exothermic physisorption and spontaneous. The results show that St-g-P(AA)/P-AC composites were effective for MB dye adsorption from water solution and could be recycled.

Heavy metal pollution may affect the aquatic organisms at the cellular level through the changing production of mRNA and proteins. To prove the extent of pollution in the study area; seven heavy metals: Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Fe, Ni, and Mn were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometer in Rhabdosargus haffara (haffara seabream) fish liver, muscle, and gills tissues collected from northern of Suez Gulf in Egypt during winter and summer seasons. The field study area was divided according to the degree of heavy metal pollution in less and highly polluted areas. Elevated values of most studied metals concentrations were detected in fish tissues belong to the high polluted sites as compared to the less polluted sites. A study was performed between high and less polluted areas samples; to evaluate the effect of heavy metal pollution on Cytochrome c oxidase mRNA expression and alkaline phosphatase enzymatic activity in fish liver tissue. Using qRT- PCR, evidence of an increase in Cytochrome c oxidase in fish livers was detected in the highly polluted areas samples than those from less polluted. Relative quantitation of COX-1 was significantly highly expressed in liver tissue sampled from high polluted sources in response to heavy metal pollution as compared to less polluted sources for mRNA. Moreover, there was a high significant difference between winter and summer seasons in high polluted study areas than less polluted source samples

The production of macroalgae-derived adsorbent is of great importance to realize the idea of treating pollutants with invaluable renewable materials. Herein, a novel meso-micro porous nano-activated carbon was prepared from green alga Ulava lactuca in a facile way via chemical activation with zinc chloride. The resultant activated carbon possesses a significant specific surface area 1486.3 m2/g. The resulting activated carbon was characterized and investigated for the adsorption of Direct Red 23 (DR23) dye from an aqueous environment. Batch method was conducted to study the effects of different adsorption processes on the DR23 dye adsorption from water. Isotherms and kinetics models were investigated for the adsorption process of DR23 dye. It was found that the adsorption data were well fitted by Langmuir model showing a monolayer adsorption capacity 149.26 mg/g. Kinetic experiments revealed that the adsorptions of DR23 dye can be described with pseudo-second-order model showing a good correlation (R2 > 0.997). The prepared activated carbon from Ulava lactuca was exposed to a total of six regeneration experiments. The regeneration result proved that the fabricated activated carbon only loses 19% of its adsorption capacity after six cycles. These results clearly demonstrated the high ability of the obtained active carbon to absorb anionic dyes from the aqueous environment.

A comparative field study was performed to assess the heavy metals contamination in surficial sediments of highly and less polluted zones at the northern part of the Suez Gulf. In addition, to highlight the relationship among metal contamination and enzyme activity. Seven heavy metals Mn, Fe, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni, and Cu were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The activity of enzymes (alkaline phosphatase and urease) was estimated in the sediment samples. The statistical results showed that there were high significant differences at p ≤ 0.01 among Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, Mn and Zn between highly polluted and less polluted sediments. Urease activity had no significant relationship with the tested metals concentrations. Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn may inhibit alkaline phosphatase activity. Alkaline phosphatase activity showed high significant difference at p ≤ 0.01 between summer and winter seasons in highly polluted sediment. Moreover, there was significant seasonal difference in Pb concentration at p ≤ 0.01 in the same category. Correlations of the enzymes with each metal showed that alkaline phosphatase activity had significant negative correlation coefficients (r = −0.55, −0.49, −0.27, −0.37, −0.37, and −0.60) with Cu, Cd, Fe, Ni, Zn and Pb respectively in winter, but only with Zn (r = −0.46) in summer season. As a result, ALP activity can possibly be used as a predictor and sensitive indicator of heavy metals bioavailability in marine sediments.

Orange (Citrus aurantium) peel was investigated for producing microporous nano activated carbons (OPAC). One-step chemical activation process by zinc chloride as an activating agent and a carbonization temperatures ranging from 500 to 900 °C was used to produce OPAC having high surface area of type I. The effects of carbonization temperature, impregnation ratio, and impregnation time on the properties of the OPAC were studied. The prepared activated carbons were characterized by FTIR; Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET); TGA; TEM, SEM, and EDAX analyses; the point of zero charge; and Boehm titration method. The maximal surface area of OPAC was activated by using the impregnation (orange peel/ZnCl2) ratio of 2:1, 700 °C carbonization temperature, and a 30-min holding time. The BET surface area, the total pore volume, and the micropore volume were 1228.2 m2/g, 0.5516, and 0.5482 cm3/g, respectively. The total pore volume increased with the increase of the activation temperature. The minimum pore diameter was 0.7 nm and the mean pore diameter was 1.797 nm. The results proved that the ZnCl2 chemical activation is a useful technique to prepare high surface area activated carbon from Citrus aurantium peels with nano pore size structure.

In this work, low-cost microporous nano-activated carbon (MNSAC) was prepared from sugarcane bagasse using chemical activation with zinc chloride. The activated carbon prepared MNSAC was characterized using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX). MNSAC had BET, micropore analysis (MP), and t-plot surface area 1174.1, 1322.2, and 1401.5 m2/g, respectively, and was essentially microporous. Batch experiment was used to investigate the efficiency of MNSAC to remove toxic Cr(VI) ions from an artificial wastewater. Different adsorption behaviors towards toxic Cr(VI) ions have been studied to optimize adsorption status such as pH, initial concentration, absorbent dose, contact time, and temperature. Langmuir isothermal well fits experimental data compared to Freundlich isothermal model, which indicates that Cr(VI) ion adsorption process may be monolayer adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) of MNSAC obtained from Langmuir isotherm model was 277.78 mg/g. The regeneration of MNSAC was studied and the maximum removal of Cr(VI) ion was 93.61%, 82.38%, and 64.11% in the consequent three cycles. The pseudo-second-model kinetic well described the experimental data of hexavalent chromium adsorption (R2> 0.9900) compared to the other kinetic models studied. Thermodynamic parameters expose that adsorption process is endothermic, spontaneous, and appropriate in nature. A negative ∆G° value of Cr(VI) ion adsorption was found, which confirmed the spontaneous probability of the adsorption process.

Mesoporous nano-activated carbon was prepared from green algae Ulva lactuca using zinc chloride impregnation as the activation process. The obtained activated carbon was tested as a cationic dye adsorbent which is the aim of this research work. Prepared activated carbon was characterized by FTIR, BET, t-plot, BJH, TGA, SEM, TEM and EDAX. The obtained activated carbon has 84.37% carbon content, 1486 m2/g specific surface area, 0.8891 cm3/g total pore volume, and 2.32 nm average pore diameter. The adsorption properties of the prepared activated carbon were tested using Methylene blue (MB) dye. Batch experiments were applied under different adsorption parameters like pH, adsorbent dose, initial MB dye concentration, and agitation time. Different known isotherms and kinetics models were applied to the batch experimental data of MB dye removal. It was found that the adsorption data was well fitted by Langmuir model showing a monolayer adsorption capacity of 344.83 mg/g of MB dye. Kinetic studies revealed that the MB dye adsorption by Ulva lactuca activated carbon followed pseudo-second-order model with very high correlation coefficient (R2 > 0.998). The prepared activated carbon was subjected to a total of five adsorption-desorption regeneration cycles with very small loss of its dye-adsorption capacities.

Activated carbon with high specific surface area has been produced from green alga Ulva lactuca by using zinc chloride (ZnCl2) solution as an activating agent under carbonization temperature ranged from 500 to 900 °C. The effects of carbonization temperatures, holding time, and amount of ZnCl2 followed by soaking in hydrochloric acid on the specific surface area, pore morphology, and mass yield of the prepared activated carbon were investigated. In this work, the activated carbon with high specific surface area was achieved using 1:2 (ZiCl2: Ulva lactuca) impregnation agent, 700 °C as activation temperature, 30 min as holding time, and soaking with 3.0 M hydrochloric acid as the optimum conditions. This condition produced an activated carbon with specific surface area (SBET) and micropore surface area (Smi) of 1486.3 and 1582.04 m2/g, respectively, with mean pore diameter (DP) of 2.39 nm. The results showed that the chemical activation by ZnCl2 is a useful technique for obtaining activated carbon from Ulva lactuca with desired pore size distributions and morphology at moderate activation temperatures.

Activated carbon materials with high specific surface area have been produced from red alga Pterocladia capillacea using zinc chloride as an activating agent at impregnation ratio 0.5 and carbonization temperature that ranged from 500 to 900 °C. The effects of activation temperatures, activation holding time, and soaking in different concentrations of HCl on the specific surface area, pore morphology, and activated carbon yield were tested. A high specific surface area for activated carbon was achieved under the optimized conditions of activation temperature 600 °C, holding time 30 min, and 1 M HCl soaked. The obtained Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, total pore volume, and mean pore diameter were 1202.70 m2/g, 0.5797 cm3/g, and 1.93 nm, respectively. The prepared activated carbon surface area analysis showed mainly type IV shape. Examination of the morphology of produced activated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope revealed a honeycomb morphology and proved the presence of micropores. The adsorption properties toward iodine removal were 86.54% with 0.25 g, and the maximum capacity of methylene blue was 185.23 mg/g indicating a higher surface area and the presence of largely micro- and mesoporous structures.

Stockholm Convention defined polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as a group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxin/furan, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, aldrin, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and organometallic compounds (such as organotin and organomercury) which share the same characteristics of being persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic and can travel long distance through various media. They have diverse health impacts with different underlined molecular mechanisms. Recently, PCBs were referred as potent carcinogens with persistent existence in the environment. As the liver is the organ of detoxification, it is the major target organ for toxic effects induced by environmental contaminants, including PCBs. PCBs, furan and dioxin exert their hepatocarcinogenic effect through different mechanisms such as induction of oxidative stress, an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mutagenic induction to oncogenes and epigenetic alteration to hepatic cells. In this chapter, we will provide an updated overview about PCBs, furan and dioxins, their impact on liver cancer initiation and progression on various in vivo and in vitro systems and its underlined molecular mechanisms. Also, a special emphasis will be directed to highlight zebrafish as in vivo model system to analyse the hepatocarcinogenic effect of these pollutants.

One of the dominant species of green algae growing along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt is Ulva lactuca. Pretreatment can have a major effect on biogas production because hydrolysis of the algae cell wall structure is a rate-limiting stage in the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. The use of ozone, a new pretreatment, to boost biogas production from the green algae Ulva lactuca was investigated in this study. Ozonation at various dosages was used in contrast to untreated biomass, and the effect on the performance of subsequent mesophilic AD using two separate inoculums (cow manure and activated sludge) was examined. The findings indicated that, in different studies, ozonation pretreatment showed a substantial increase in biogas yield relative to untreated algae. With an ozone dose of 249 mg O3 g–1 VS algal for Ulva lactuca, the highest biogas output (498.75 mL/g VS) was achieved using cow manure inoculum. The evaluation of FTIR, TGA, SEM, and XRD revealed the impact of O3 on the structure of the algal cell wall and integrity breakage, which was thus established as the main contributor to improving the biogas production.

Background. Metals pollution plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression through interference with signal transduction pathways which are important for cell bioactivity. Objectives. The present study was conducted to estimate metallothionein levels in mussels as a biomarker of exposure to heavy metals in order to monitor the pollution of Abu Qir Bay, Egypt (El-Maadiya region) and to evaluate the impact of heavy metals on human health by examining insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-2) gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Methods. One hundred and forty mussel samples (Andara dulofii) were collected from Abu-Qir Bay, stored in bags, preserved in an ice box, and then transported to the laboratory to acclimatize at 20°C for three days in ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA)-free synthetic sea water to determine the presence of metallothionein and five other metals (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn)). Results. Results showed that mussels collected from the study area contained a measurable amount of metallothionein. In addition, results revealed an increased level of malondialdehyde coinciding with a decreased level of antioxidants, leading to oxidative stress in local fishermen. Conclusions. The present data demonstrated a significant increase in the gene expression of IGF-2 and a positive correlation between IGF-2 gene expression and the enzymatic activity of glutathione peroxidase in male subjects. Participant Consent. Obtained Ethics Approval. Written consent was provided by the study participants and study approval was given by the ethics committee of Alexandria University (US Department of Health and Human Services, Registration of an Institutional Review Board, IORG0008812 Medical Research Institute, Expires 4/8/2019, OMB No:0990-0279). Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests

This research sought to determine optimal conditions to maximize prodigiosin production by an indigenous Egyptian marine bacterial strain Serratia rubidaea RAM_Alex. Serratia rubidaea RAM_Alex isolated from bivalve samples of Temsah Lake, Ismailia, Egypt was used to investigate the production of the natural red pigment prodigiosin. Pigment production was assayed in different growth conditions using Nutrient broth as production medium. The water insoluble red pigment was extracted using ethanol and further purified by organic solvents. The pigment extract showed absorbance with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 535 nm and further characterized using TLC, FTIR and 1H-NMR. A statistical screening procedure was adopted to select the main factors affecting production. Analyses of Plackett- Burman design results demonstrated that peptone, NaCl, and culture volume were the most important independent variables. The near optimum medium contained (g/L): peptone 7, beef extract 5, yeast extract 1, NaCl 10, pH 6, using 25 ml culture volume, 100 ¼l inoculum size and incubation statically for 48 h at 30oC. When this condition was employed, a two fold increase in pigment yield was achieved reaching ~1600.511 mg/l.

A highly rapid process is described for the preparation of cellulose triacetate and its effect on particle size and surface area of the product. The process involves microwave-assisted rapid synthesis of cellulose triacetate with very low amount of acetic anhydride (10–15% of acetic anhydride is used in conventional methods) in the presence of iodine as a catalyst using a designed reaction vessel. The technique used is simple and rapid; it is also characterized by a high conversion ratio (yield 100%). A small amount of iodine (115 and 230 mg, 1.15 and 2.3% of cellulose weight) was found to be effective in the production of cellulose triacetate using 25, 30 to 40 mL acetic anhydride for 10 g cellulose under microwave irradiation for 2–4 min. The production of cellulose triacetate and the degree of substitution were confirmed by FTIR, Raman, 1H NMR, and thermogravimetric analysis. The optimal reaction condition was discovered to be 3 min microwave radiation and 30 mL acetic anhydride in the presence of 230 mg iodine for 10 g cellulose. The effects of the amount of acetic anhydride, and amount of catalyst and reaction time on the specific surface area, pore volume, mean pore diameter, and particle size distribution were investigated. The highest surface area obtained was 39.63 m2/g. The specific surface area and particle size distribution are highly dependent on the amount of acetic anhydride and I2 catalyst. About 10% of the synthesized cellulose acetate showed particle size less than 200 nm.

Deposits of the endemic Mediterranean seagrass, Posidonia oceanica, are usually found covering the fronts of sandy beaches. In Egypt, these deposits are thought of as waste and subjected to removal by heavy machinery. The current study provides the first report on the status and distribution of P. oceanica deposits along the Mediterranean Coast of Egypt, in addition to an assessment of trace elements (TE), organic carbon (OC), and nutrient contents of some of their banquettes. The results indicate that TE concentrations of P. oceanica litter and associated sediments and water are acceptable according to the international limits. The results also show that organic matter constituted >10% of P. oceanica litter dry weight, while OC constituted 1.9% similar to that reported for P. oceanica living tissue. A research strategy is needed to assess carbon stocks of P. oceanica meadows and their deposits along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, in order to set strategies to mitigate climate change based on their carbon storage capacity. Local campaigns should be conducted to increase people's awareness of the importance of P. oceanica to the environment and consequently to their livelihood.

This research demonstrates the effect of ZnCl2 as a catalyst on the esterification of commercial cotton cellulose using acetic anhydride in order to obtain di- and tri-cellulose acetates under microwave irradiation. It was discovered that microwave irradiation significantly increased the yield and reduced the reaction time. It was found that the maximum yield for cellulose triacetates was 95.83% under the reaction conditions that were as follows: 3min reaction time, 200mg of ZnCl2 catalyst and 20ml of Ac2O for 5g cellulose. However, the cellulose acetate obtained in this manner had the highest DS (2.87). The cellulose di-acetate was produced with the maximum yield of 89.97% and with the highest DS (2.69) using 25ml Ac2O, 200mg of ZnCl2 for 5g cellulose and in 3min reaction time. The effect of some factors such as the amount of used catalyst, the quantity of acetic acid anhydride and the reaction time of the esterification process have been investigated. The production of di- and tri-cellulose acetate and the degree of substitution were confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The thermal stability was investigated using thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The molecular weight and the degree of polymerization were obtained using Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). The analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of di- and tri-cellulose acetate without degradation during the reaction; these results were found to be in contrast to some recent studies. The present study reveals that ZnCl2 is a new catalyst; it is effective as well as inexpensive and is a low toxicity catalyst for usage in cellulose esterification.

Nano-chitosan coating nano-iron oxide was prepared and its surface was modified with two different compounds (crotonaldehyde and succinic anhydride). The prepared nano-materials (Nano-CI, nano-CIC and nano-CIS) were characterized by FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, TEM and BET analyses. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were exhibit average size between 9.32–20.57 nm for nano-materials. Nano-CI, nano-CIC and nano-CIS sorbents were studied for adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II). The adsorption process of heavy metal ions was investigated by batch equilibrium technique and several controlling factors were studied. The maximum adsorption capacity values were distinguished in the following order Cu(II) > Pb(II) > Cd(II) as 4700, 2700, and 1800 μmol g–1, respectively. The adsorption equilibrium time was found at (10−30) min for studied heavy metal ions. The applicability of nano-CI, nano-CIC and nano-CIS sorbents to absorb toxic heavy metal ions from sea water and wastewater samples was tested by using micro-column technique. The effect of adsorption temperature (25, 35, 45 and 55 ± 1 °C) on the adsorption of heavy metals by nano-CI, nano-CIC and nano-CIS adsorbents was also investigated. The pseudo-second order is the best and more fitted for the adsorption reactions. Langmuir is the best fitted for removal of the studied metals.

Background. When heavy metals accumulate in air, soil, and water, the risk of human exposure increases among industrial workers, as well as in people living near polluted areas. Heavy metals adversely affect a variety of bodily systems such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, immune, and reproductive systems. In addition, long-term exposure and accumulation of heavy metals in the body may disturb oxidative stress genes and thus increase the susceptibility to various diseases. Objectives. The aim of this study is to estimate the metallothionein concentration in both mussel samples from Abu Qir Bay, Egypt and the blood of local fishermen as a biomarker of exposure to metal pollution. Methods. Levels of metallothionein and heavy metals were measured in mussels. Blood levels of metallothionein and heavy metals of local fishermen were measured and compared with a control group. The effect of heavy metal exposure on oxidative stress status was investigated through the determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase and glutathione content. Results. The results of this study showed high concentrations of metallothionein in mussels and in fishermen’s blood, accompanied by high concentrations of metals such as cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), and zinc (Zn). At the same time, a significant decrease in glutathione content and catalase enzyme activity was associated with a significant increase in the malondialdehyde concentrations in sera of fishermen. Conclusions. The present study found that the El Maadiya region is polluted with heavy metals, inducing oxidative stress in fishermen in the vicinity. These results reveal the necessity of further environmental monitoring in the study area in order to evaluate other types of pollutants and their effects on human health. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests. Informed Consent. Obtained Ethical Approval. Ethical approval was given by the ethics committee of Alexandra University (US Department of Health and Human Services, Registration of an Institutional Review Board, IORG0008812 Medical Research Institute, Expires 4/8/2019, OMB No: 0990-0279).

Pterocladia capillacea, a red marine macroalgae, was tested for its ability to remove toxic hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution. A new activated carbon obtained from P. capillacea via acid dehydration was also investigated as an adsorbent for toxic chromium. The experiments were conducted to study the effect of important parameters such as pH, chromium concentration and adsorbent weight. Batch equilibrium tests at different pH conditions showed that at pH 1.0, a maximum chromium uptake was observed for both inactivated dried red alga P. capillacea and its activated carbon. The maximum sorption capacities for dried red alga and its activated carbon were about 12 and 66 mg g−1, respectively, as calculated by Langmuir model. The ability of inactivated red alga P. capillacea and developed activated carbon to remove chromium from synthetic sea water, natural sea water and wastewater was investigated as well. Different isotherm models were used to analyze the experimental data and the models parameters were evaluated. This study showed that the activated carbon developed from red alga P. capillacea is a promising activated carbon for removal of toxic chromium.

The gravimetric method was used to study the inhibitory properties of four direct dyes (Direct Black 22, Direct Red 23, Direct Yellow 12, and Direct Black 101), two acid dyes (Methyl Orange and Methyl Red) and one reactive dye (Reactive Black 5) during the corrosion of aluminum in 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solutions at room temperature. The effects of halide salts addition (0.1 M NaCl or KI) to dye solutions were also investigated. The inhibition efficiency of these dyes increased with the concentration and addition of halide salts. The activation energy values calculated for the corrosion process suggested that the inhibitor molecules were physically adsorbed on the Al surface. Corrosion inhibition efficiency increased with dye concentration, with a maximum value of 77% obtained for 2.5 mM Direct Yellow 12 (DY12) in the presence of 0.1 M KI. Corrosion inhibition is attributed to the adsorption of dye onto the Al surface via a physical adsorption mechanism. Quantum chemical calculations using the density functional theory (DFT, B3LYP/6-31G) and semi-empirical AM1 and PM3 methods were performed on the 7 studied dyes to determine the relationship between their molecular structure and corrosion inhibition efficiencies. Also, the calculation was made for Bismarck Brown to use it as a model quality test.

Background. Biological mechanisms contribute to the relationship between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure and infertility in males by altering semen quality. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of PAHs on male infertility using the sperm chromatin dispersion test (Halo sperm assay). Methods. Sixty-six (66) infertile males under 45 years of age were examined for the determination of urinary metabolite and oxidative stress by measuring lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity of glutathione and glutathione-s-transferase, as well as hormonal activity of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone and prolactin and semen quality. Results. There was an increased level of urinary metabolite of 1-hydroxy pyrene, 1-hydroxy naphthalene and 2-hydroxy naphthalene in the urine of the infertile group. In addition, elevated concentrations of malondialdehyde coincided with a decreased level of antioxidants, leading to oxidative stress in the infertile group. Semen samples showed 30% sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation. Conclusions. The data provide strong evidence of a statistical threshold for semen samples containing 30% sperm DNA fragmentation resulting in a reduced level of pregnancy success. Participant consent. Obtained Ethics Approval. Study approval was given by the ethics committee of Alexandria University (United States Department of Health and Human Services, institutional review board registration (IRB), IORG0008812 Medical Research Institute, expires 4/8/2019, OMB No: 0990-0279). Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and aliphatic hydrocarbon were analyzed in sediments collected from the Suez Gulf, Aqaba Gulf and the Red Sea proper stations Egypt. A geological study demonstrated that the sediments in the studied area have a nature from very fine sand to very coarse sand, mainly biogenic fragments, and carbonate aggregates. Total aliphatic hydrocarbon concentrations (C14–C32) ranged from 33.97 to 553.48ng/g with a mean value of 174.8±167.06. The highest and lowest alkane concentrations are recorded at El-Tour and Ras Mohamed, respectively. Accordingly, the variation in n-alkanes content may refer to the anthropogenic sources (sewage, industrial discharges, and shipping activities) and natural inputs (submerged/floating macrophytes and emergent terrestrial plants and microbial activity). Meanwhile, ΣPAH concentrations were in the range of 0.74–456.91ng/g, with the mean value of 32.94ng/g. The highest concentration of total PAHs is recorded in sediments collected from El-Quseir (456.91ng/g), followed by that in Sharm El Mayaa (100.05ng/g) and Suez 10 (97.19ng/g); while lower concentrations are detected in Sheraton (0.74ng/g), Ras Mohamed and Na’ama Bay (0.74, 6.86 and 11.1ng/g, respectively). In this context, ratio of low molecular weight of PAHs (2- and 3-rings) to high (4- to 6-rings) has been used to differentiate between the pyrogenic and petrogenic sources of PAHs in the studied samples. In all studied stations, ΣLPAHs/ΣHPAHs ratios were

Canned fish (tuna and sardine) of different geographical regions were collected randomly from supermarkets and were analyzed for heavy metal contents (Hg, Cd and Pb) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and pesticides. Canned fish samples (two brands of sardines, six brands of tuna) that were purchased from Egyptian cities between 2009 and 2010, represent four countries (Morocco, Republic of Yemen, Indonesia and Thailand). Health risks on humans via dietary intake of seafood were assessed by the target hazard quotients (THQs), potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects. The contents of trace metals in canned tuna and canned sardines were found as: 0.149-0.218 μg/g for Cd; 0.312-0.937 μg/g for Pb and 0.053-0.022 μg/g for Hg. Canned sardines fluctuated between 0.55 and 1.82, 1.08 and 1.64, 11.91 and 26.24 ng/g for total HCHs, Total cyclodienes and DDTs respectively while the corresponding concentrations in canned tuna were 0.24-1.85, 0.24-1‥85 and 6.56-49.73 ng/g, respectively. Total PCBs fluctuated between 21.75 and 55.10 for canned sardines and 8.56-208.11 ng/g for canned tuna. On the other hand the total PAHs fluctuated between 0.006-9.775 and 1.556-2.686 ng/g for tuna and sardines. From the human health point of view, there is no adverse health effect for both PAHs and heavy metals content on consumers.

Coastal marine sediment samples collected from 17 locations along the Egyptian Red Sea coast in June 2009 were analyzed for aliphatic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and total organic carbon (TOC). Total concentrations of 16 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons-Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-PAHs) in the studied sediment samples varied from 0.132 to 5.182 μg g−1 with an average value of 1.628 μg g−1 (dry weight). The total aliphatic concentrations fluctuated between 4.232 and 71.874 μg g−1 with an average value of 23.022 μg g−1 (dry weight). The carcinogenic PAHs (PAHCARC) concentrations were ranged between 0.063 and 3.522 μg g−1 (dry weight). The highest PAHs contents found in the samples from Ras Suder (∑5.182 μg g−1), El-Tour (4.052 μg g−1), and Sharm (3.367 μg g−1) locations. Good correlations were observed between the individual PAHs concentrations. The average total organic carbon percent (TOC%) varied between not-detected and 0.35%. The concentration of total pyrolytic hydrocarb...

The corrosion inhibition of water extract of Cassia fistula L. pods and o-phenanthroline on mild steel in acid solution in the absence and presence of 0.1 M NaCl have been investigated using weight loss measurements in addition to the potentiodynamic polarization technique. FTIR and GC-mass were used to identify the chemical composition of C. fistula L. pods. The inhibition efficiencies of C. fistula L. pods were 95.19% in 2 M H2SO4 and 86.13% in 0.5 M nitric acid solutions in the presence of chloride ions, while o-phenanthroline recorded 86.09 and 72.76% for the above acid solutions, respectively. All the ΔGads were negative which indicates spontaneous adsorption on the steel surface. Consequently the relationship between log (c/) and log c indicates that the adsorption of inhibitor onto steel surface follows the Langmuir adsorption isotherm.

The analyses of environmentally persistent pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites in surficial sediment samples collected from 17 locations along with the coast of the Red Sea in Egypt were carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Several potential organic contaminants from agricultural (e.g., DDT and its breakdown products, lindane, endrin, dieldrin, and endosulfan) and industrial (PCBs) sources were measured. The levels of 20 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and ten PCB congeners in sediment collected from 17 stations along ~1,200 km were investigated. Concentrations of PCBs, HCHs, DDTs, and cyclodienes ranged from 0.40 to 6.17, 0.01 to 0.09, n.d. to 0.46, and 0.08 to 0.90 ppb dry weight. Two statistical programs were applied on the data (principal component analysis, PCA, and cluster analysis, CA), and it was concluded that it is impossible to predict the distribution patterns of the OCPs in a contaminated area. Risk assessment of the organochlorines contaminated in the sediments of the studied area was investigated.

An assessment of marine contamination by eight heavy metals (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) made along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast. Also, risk probability due to heavy metals contamination in bivalve was investigated. The bivalve samples collected in April 2007 from nine hot spot locations started at El-Mex and ended at Port-Said along Mediterranean coast. The recorded average concentrations of Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 137.8 ± 147.4, 0.09 ± 0.04, 2.45 ± 1.29, 8.49 ± 5.19, 3.82 ± 2.21, 10.28 ± 4.09, 0.24 ± 0.15, and 21.87 ± 21.38 μg g−1 dry weight, respectively. In spite of the mollusks species, El-Mex exhibited the highest metal pollution index (MPI), which is expected due to the presence of industrials and agriculture drain near El-Mex location, followed by Port-Said and Abu-Qir stations that suffer from many industrials, marine transportation, fisheries and human activities. Western Harbor and Damietta stations recorded the lowest MPI. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were applied to highlight the relationships between metals. The dendrograms of the cluster analysis confirm the results obtained with PCA. Indeed, depending on the statistical analysis, the studied metals were grouped into two groups, the first group contains Co, Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd and Ni, and the second group includes the remaining two studied metals (Al and Cr). Risk probability study showed that the risk quotients for Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in both the best-case and worst-case scenarios do not cause adverse effect for either low or high consumption groups. Only chromium recorded a risk quotient three times greater than the worst-case scenarios, which may associate health problem for the heavy shellfish consumers groups.