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Due to the rising demand for energy and the imperative to achieve netzero carbon emissions, there is a growing focus on nuclear energy for its high efficiency as a clean energy source with minimal direct greenhouse gas emissions. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has set forth ambitious plans to construct multiple nuclear power plants in the near future. It is worth noting that phosphate rocks and desalination concentrate both contain relevant concentrations of naturally occurring uranium, presenting potential domestic uranium sources for the envisaged nuclear reactor fleet. This study offers a first systematic overview of the potential quantities of uranium that could theoretically be recovered during seawater desalination and phosphoric acid production in Saudi Arabia using best available technologies. It was found that in 2021 approximately 447-596 t natural uranium could have theoretically been recovered during phosphoric acid production in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition, there were also 6.5 t uranium associated with seawater that was desalinated in 2021. If recovered the amounts would theoretically be able to provide 12%-16% (uranium from phosphoric acid) and 0.2% (uranium from seawater desalination) of the annual uranium requirements of the projected Saudi nuclear power plant fleet in 2040. As a result, we strongly recommend fostering research on unconventional uranium recovery during phosphoric acid production by promoting public-private partnerships that have the potential to develop industrial scale solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer microgels are smart materials used to fabricate and encapsulate different enzymes. Encapsulation of enzymes in the polymer gel particles prolong their life span, enhance and tune their activity in biomedical field to prevent cell damage and make possible tunable drug delivery. Enzymes are natural catalysts and have prodigious ability to make the reaction kinetically feasible. Enzymes encapsulated polymer microgels gained much attention due to their synergistic properties. Here, different methods adopted for the synthesis of enzyme encapsulated polymer microgels, their properties, and classification based on responsive behavior have been described in detail. Applications of these enzyme encapsulated polymer microgels in sensing, catalysis, environmental remediation, useful product formation, and biomedical field to prevent disabilities have also been elaborated with future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research aimed to evaluate in vitro biological activities of green-synthesized silver nanoparticles using the Allium sativum clove extract. The stability of green-synthesized silver nanoparticles was evaluated via storage at 4°C, room temperature (37°C), and calcined at 300°C, 500°C, and 700°C. The antibacterial effect was evaluated using agar well, spread plate, biofilm reduction, and cell proliferation inhibition assays. The cytotoxic and antidiabetic effects were determined via brine shrimp lethality, protein kinase inhibition, and α-amylase inhibition assays. DPPH scavenging, iron-chelating, anticoagulant, and hemolytic effects were evaluated. The highest inhibition of Klebsiella pneumoniae was observed when freshly prepared, calcined (300°C), and stored nanoparticles (4°C and 37°C) were applied (9.66, 9.55, 7.33, and 6.65 mm) against freshly prepared and calcined at 700°C which showed the highest inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.55 and 7.66 mm). Cell viability assay, biofilm reduction assay, and spread plate method showed a significant antibacterial effect of freshly prepared silver nanoparticles. Freshly prepared and calcined nanoparticles at 300°C and 500°C possessed strong antioxidant and iron-chelating activity. Among all the synthesized silver nanoparticles, freshly prepared and calcined nanoparticles (300°C and 500°C) increases the prothrombin time. Silver nanoparticles possessed significant anticoagulant properties and less toxic at least concentration toward human RBCs. In brine shrimp lethality assay, freshly prepared nanoparticles showed a stronger toxic effect and caused high mortality of larvae. Protein kinase inhibition assay revealed that freshly prepared nanoparticles had the highest zone of inhibition (18.0 mm) at 50 µg/disc. Green-synthesized nanoparticles would be used as potential therapeutic agents to overcome both infectious and noninfectious diseases.

Efficient and cost-effective biosorbents derived from biowaste are highly demanding to handle various environmental challenges, and demonstrate the remarkable synergy between sustainability and innovation. In this study, the extraction of uranium U(VI) was investigated on biowaste activated carbon (BAC) obtained by chemical activation (phosphoric acid) using Albizia Lebbeck pods as biowaste. The biowaste powder (BP), biowaste charcoal (BC) and BAC were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) with nitrogen adsorption for thermal properties, chemical structures, porosity and surface area, respectively. The pHPZC for acidic or basic nature of the surface and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were performed for BAC. The morphological and elemental analysis were performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The extraction of uranium U(VI) ions from aqueous solutions using BAC as sorbent was investigated by using different variables such as pH, contact time, initial uranium U(VI) concentration and BAC dose. The highest adsorption (90.60% was achieved at 0.5 g BAC dose, 2 h contact time, pH 6, 10 ppm initial U(VI) concentration and with 200 rpm shaking speeds. The production of this efficient adsorbent from biowaste could be a potential step forward in adsorption of uranium to meet the high demand of uranium for nuclear energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]