Publications by authors named "Ahed Zyoud"

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services play a crucial role in promoting public and environmental health as well as social and economic development. At the global level, particularly in the developing world, WASH issues continue to present significant challenges. These challenges have been further intensified by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating conflicts, climate change, water scarcity, and rising inequality.

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A novel insoluble Ca-Alginate created from soluble Na-Alginate was used as a support substrate for ZnO nanoparticles producing ZnO@Ca-Alginate composite photocatalyst. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis techniques were used in the characterization of the prepared ZnO@Ca-Alginate. The ZnO@Ca-Alginate was tested for its potential use in the photodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB) from an aqueous solution under solar-simulated light.

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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely prescribed for the treatment of various types of inflammatory conditions. Diclofenac is a very common NSAID that is utilized to relieve pain and reduce fever and, most importantly, inflammation. However, it suffers from low water solubility and a low dissolution profile.

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Drinking-water contamination with nitrate ions is inevitable and wide spreading, which demands feasible removal. Water de-nitration by potentiostatic electroreduction is described here. A novel electrocatalyst based on nano-copper particles, supported onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and spray-deposited onto fluorine doped tin oxide-glass substrates, is described.

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Interests and concerns on environmental issues have attracted much attention over the past few decades. This is in harmony with the growing understanding of environmental impacts associated with human activities and their role in degrading ecosystems. In line with these concerns, considerable advances in science and technology to assess, mitigate, or lessen these adverse impacts have emerged (i.

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Prediction of performance of traditional, reformulated, and novel oral formulations in adults and pediatrics is of great importance. This study was conducted to assess solubility of celecoxib in age-appropriate fasted- and fed-state gastric and intestinal biorelevant media, classify celecoxib into biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS), and assess the effects of age-related developmental changes in the composition and volume of gastrointestinal fluids on the solubility and performance of oral formulations containing celecoxib. Solubility of celecoxib was assessed at 37°C in the pH range specified by the BCS-based criteria in 13 age-appropriate biorelevant media reflective of the gastric and proximal small intestinal environment in both fasted and fed states in adults and different pediatric subpopulations.

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Saliva is a biofluid that can easily be obtained and used for biomonitoring lead levels in occupationally and environmentally exposed individuals. The aims of this study were to determine salivary lead levels among workers in different industrial areas in the West Bank of Palestine and investigate the association between sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of the workers and their salivary lead levels. Salivary samples were obtained from workers in different industrial areas in metal-free polyethylene tubes.

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A coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) caused by a novel coronavirus has appeared in China by the end of 2019 and later recognized as a global pandemic. This pandemic has evolved as a global public health menace. It has affected every aspect of human life.

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Background: Hen eggs contaminated with lead can be harmful to the health of children and adults. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate if sub-chronic treatment with ascorbic acid can reduce lead levels in the different parts of hen eggs after intentionally exposing the laying hens to a concentrated source of lead.

Methods: Clinically normal mixed-breed egg laying hens (n = 18) were used in this pilot study.

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Background: The effect of storage time on the fluorescence emission intensity and physico-chemical properties of olive oil from the Palestinian cultivar Nabali Mohassan was investigated. Olive oil samples stored up to 7 years were obtained from different olive orchards in Palestine, where prolonged storage is still in use.

Results: As a result of oxidation, all fluorescent minor compounds (tocopherols, chlorophylls, pheophytins and phenolic compounds) of olive oil significantly decreased as the storage time increased, whereas viscosity increased (P < 0.

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Photocatalytic degradation of waste pharmaceutics, with solar radiation, is described here as a feasible method to purify pre-contaminated soils. Phenazopyridine has been used as a model soil contaminant. Two different nano-size powders have been first examined as catalysts, namely commercial TiO (anatase) and commercial ZnO.

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Pregnant and nursing women are at higher risk of zinc deficiency which can have detrimental consequences on health. We assessed blood zinc levels in 72 nursing women from the West Bank of Palestine and investigated the association between sociodemographic variables and blood zinc levels. Blood samples were analyzed for their zinc contents using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

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Background: Lead is a neurotoxic pollutant that is ubiquitously spread in our environment. Breast milk contaminated with lead poses a potential risk of exposing a recipient infant to lead.

Objectives: The primary aims of this study were to evaluate the breast milk lead levels (BMLLs) in breastfeeding mothers in 3 major regions of the West Bank of Palestine and to investigate the effects of some sociodemographic variables on the BMLLs.

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Background: Metalloporphyrin ions, with planar shape, have been known to intercalate horizontally and diagonally between montmorillonite layers. Perpendicular intercalation inside montmorillonite has not been reported earlier. This work aims at achieving perpendicular intercalation inside montmorillonite in natural clays.

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Background: Photo-degradation of organic contaminants into non-hazardous mineral compounds is emerging as a strategy to purify water and environment. Tremendous research is being done using direct solar light for these purposes. In this paper we report on optimum conditions for complete mineralization of aqueous methyl orange using lab-prepared ZnO nanopowder catalyst under simulated solar light.

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This communication describes how olive solid wastes can be used to prepare activated carbon (AC), with soundly high surface areas, suitable to remove nitrite ions from water. Solid olive wastes, so called Jeft, separated as unwanted bi-products from olive oil mills, have been converted into charcoal. The charcoal was then physically and/or chemically activated using different compounds namely conc.

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Mineralization of phenazopyridine, 1, in water, under solar-simulator radiation was efficiently achieved using nanoparticle CdS-sensitized rutile TiO(2), TiO(2)/CdS, 2, as photo-catalysts. Despite that, 2 showed two main drawbacks. Firstly, the system was difficult to recover by simple filtration, and demanded centrifugation.

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