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In this study, the polar root extract of Cyperus scariosus R.Br. was used for the biogenic synthesis of ZnO NPs. The results of this study show that ZnO NPs have a spherical structure with an average size of 85.4 nm. The synthesized catalysts were tested for their photocatalytic activity by degrading methyl orange and methylene blue under sunlight. Improved degradation efficiencies of 79.44% and 84.92% were achieved within 120 min. ZnO NPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive Listeria monocytogenes (18 mm) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (20 mm) and Gram-negative strains of Escherichia coli (16 mm) and Bordetella bronchiseptica (14 mm), as shown by the inhibition zones, which were comparable to the positive control (ceftriaxone) but larger than the plant root extract. ZnO NPs showed high antioxidant activity, as a ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay value of 66.29 µg (AAE µg·mL−1) and a DPPH value of 57.44 µg (AAE µg·mL−1) were obtained at a concentration of 500 µL, which was higher than those of the C. scariosus root extract. Quantification of the total phenolic and flavonoid content yielded values of 57.63 µg (GAE µg·mL−1) and 70.59 µg (QCE µg·mL−1), respectively. At a concentration of 500 μL (1 mg·mL−1), the tested nanoparticles (NPs) showed a greater anti-inflammatory effect (84.12%) compared to the root extract of C. scariosus (34.39%). Overall, our findings highlight the versatile properties of green synthesized ZnO NPs and demonstrate their potential for environmental remediation and antimicrobial formulations, as well as promising candidates for further investigation in biomedical fields such as drug delivery and therapy.

The aim of this study is to purify industrial textile effluents by treating two types of commonly encountered dyes: blue maxilon (BM), of cationic nature, and black eriochrome (NE), of anionic nature. We intend to employ an innovative approach based on the adsorption of these dyes onto a novel vegetal biomaterial derived from Aleppo pine fibers (FPAs). A kinetic and thermodynamic study was conducted. The effect of some physicochemical parameters on both dye adsorption and FPAs was also evaluated. The modeling of the adsorption results was performed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms. The results indicate that the equilibrium time strongly depends on the initial concentration of the two dyes, being 60 min with pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics for both dyes. Adsorption isotherms under the optimal conditions of adsorbent mass, temperature, medium pH, and dye concentration were used to determine the maximum adsorption efficiency, which was close to 93% and 98% for BM and NE, respectively. The results also show that the adsorption of both dyes on FPAs fits well with Langmuir's model. The thermodynamic study indicates that the adsorption of both dyes on FPAs is spontaneous and exothermic in nature for BM and endothermic for NE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The city of Taza, situated in Morocco, boasts a significant ecological heritage. However, a concerning practice of discharging untreated wastewater into the nearby Oueds has raised apprehensions about potential threats to public well-being. This research endeavors to discern the locations most adversely affected by pollution and subsequently assess their environmental condition. By conducting an extensive year-long analysis encompassing physicochemical and bacteriological aspects, we gathered a comprehensive dataset for appraising the surface water quality, utilizing the SEQ-WATER system as the evaluation framework. Four distinct sites emerged as particularly impacted: upstream of Oueds Jaouna and Taza, downstream of Oued Larbâa and adjacent to the "Julien" public dump, and at the confluence of Oueds Rhouireg and Dfali. Employing the GIS-SEQ integration, we meticulously gauged the physicochemical and bacteriological attributes of these sites. Our assessment unveiled readings that surpassed the established Moroccan benchmarks for surface water quality. Notably, the water exhibited pronounced turbidity and elevated levels of suspended particles, including nitrites and sulfates. Additionally, a notable organic load and microbial contamination involving fecal coliforms (E. coli) and intestinal enterococci were observed. These findings underscore the critical necessity for the implementation of efficient wastewater treatment measures within Taza, which would substantially safeguard both the populace and the surrounding ecosystem. It is imperative to conduct further in-depth investigations to validate these outcomes and devise comprehensive strategies aimed at mitigating the potential hazards linked with the compromised state of surface water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present review article, a soil from the region of Fez-Sefrou Morocco was screened for some physicochemical characteristics using the Plackett-Burman model in order to determine the most important factors that promote its fertility. Five independent variables were selected: pH, electrical conductivity, humidity, organic matter, and C/N ratio. These variables were evaluated by statistical analysis, based on their significance, the value of the coefficient of determination and the Pareto chart. The results suggest that humidity and C/N ratio have an influence with a high level of confidence, while the other three show no significant effect on the content of nutrients in the soil. The analysis of the R² variance value also showed that the models used for prediction were large and significant factors (p less than 0.05). Pareto chart plots for each response and its characteristics provided accurate data to select well-fitting variables for further optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to assess groundwater pollution in the city of Taza, Morocco. This was accomplished through hydrochemical and biological investigations, focusing on analyzing the physicochemical and bacteriological parameters of groundwater. Water samples were collected from wells and sources within Taza City on a monthly basis during the spring and summer of 2023. These samples were subjected to analysis to identify physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics. The findings revealed multiple contaminations, primarily stemming from two sources: significant microbial pollution observed in 100% of samples due to runoff percolation and discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater, and varying degrees of chemical pollution observed across all samples. The results underscored deviations from national standards, notably in parameters such as dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and nitrite concentrations. These parameters exhibited values either lower or higher than the established norm., Competing Interests: The authors declare there is no conflict., (© 2024 The Authors This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits copying and redistribution for non-commercial purposes with no derivatives, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)