Orange peel-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles with antioxidant and antitumor activities.

Orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is a common fruit crop widely distributed worldwide with the peel of its fruits representing about 50% of fruit mass. In the current study, orange peel was employed to mediate the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in a low-cost green approach.

Plackett-Burman screening of physico-chemical variables affecting Citrus peel-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activity.

With the growing resistance of pathogenic microbes to traditional drugs, biogenic silver nanoparticles (SNPs) have recently drawn attention as potent antimicrobial agents. In the present study, SNPs synthesized with the aid of orange (Citrus sinensis) peel were engineered by screening variables affecting their properties via Plackett-Burman design. Among the variables screened (temperature, pH, shaking speed, incubation time, peel extract concentration, AgNO concentration and extract/AgNO volume ratio), pH was the only variable with significant effect on SNPs synthesis.

Stable polyethylene glycol/biochar composite as a cost-effective photothermal absorber for 24 hours of steam and electricity cogeneration.

Seawater desalination powered by solar energy is the most environmentally and economical solution in responding to the global water and energy crisis. However, solar desalination has been negatively impacted by intermittent sun radiation that alternates between day and night. In this study, sugarcane bagasse (SCB) was recycled the pyrolysis process to biochar as a cost-effective solar absorber.

Construction of thickness-controllable bimetallic sulfides/reduced graphene oxide as a binder-free positive electrode for hybrid supercapacitors.

Devices for electrochemical energy storage with exceptional capacitance and rate performance, outstanding energy density, simple fabrication, long-term stability, and remarkable reversibility have always been in high demand. Herein, a high-performance binder-free electrode (3D NiCuS/rGO) was fabricated as a supercapacitor by a simple electrodeposition process on a Ni foam (NF) surface. The thickness of the deposited materials on the NF surface was adjusted by applying a low cycle number of cyclic voltammetry (5 cycles) which produced a thin layer and thus enabled the easier penetration of electrolytes to promote electron and charge transfer.

Silver sulfide decorated carbonaceous sawdust/ES-PANI composites as salt-resistant solar steam generator.

Solar steam generation (SSG) is a potential approach for resolving the global water and energy crisis while causing the least amount of environmental damage. However, using adaptable photothermal absorbers with salt resistance through a simple, scalable, and cost-effective production approach is difficult. Herein, taking advantage of the ultra-fast water transportation in capillaries, and the large seawater storage capacity of wood, we develop a highly efficient natural evaporator.

Microbial Sensing and Removal of Heavy Metals: Bioelectrochemical Detection and Removal of Chromium(VI) and Cadmium(II).

The presence of inorganic pollutants such as Cadmium(II) and Chromium(VI) could destroy our environment and ecosystem. To overcome this problem, much attention was directed to microbial technology, whereas some microorganisms could resist the toxic effects and decrease pollutants concentration while the microbial viability is sustained. Therefore, we built up a complementary strategy to study the biofilm formation of isolated strains under the stress of heavy metals.

Sulfamic acid incorporated HKUST-1: a highly active catalyst and efficient adsorbent.

Herein we introduce an effective approach for incorporating sulfamic acid (SA) into HKUST-1. The synthesized materials have been characterized using XRD, XPS, BET, FT-IR, SEM, EDX and TEM. The X-ray diffraction pattern of SA@HKUST-1 is analogous to that of parent HKUST-1 in line shape and -spacing, proving that chemical modification could be obtained without damage to structural solidity.

Characterization of Aspergillus niger siderophore that mediates bioleaching of rare earth elements from phosphorites.

Siderophores are extra-cellular inducible compounds produced by aerobic microorganisms and plants to overcome iron insolubility via its chelation and then uptake inside the cell. This work aims to study the characteristics of siderophore that is produced by a rhizosphere-inhabiting fungus. This fungus has been morphologically and molecularly identified as Aspergillus niger with the ability to produce 87% siderophore units.