Engineered Geomedia Kaolin Clay-Reduced Graphene Oxide-Polymer Composite for the Remediation of Olaquindox from Water.

Globally, there is an upsurge in the use of unregulated veterinary pharmaceuticals with enhanced release into the environment, resulting in water pollution, which is difficult to remediate. To address this issue, we synthesized and characterized highly hydrophobic three-dimensional ordered engineered geomedia with multiple channels. Kaolin clay (K) was functionalized with either graphene oxide (GO) synthesized via Tour's method or reduced GO in situ with covalently linked methoxyether polyethylene glycol (GO-PEG) using a simple and easily scalable amidation reaction.

Dataset prepared for characterization of three South African manganese ores before or after preheating in laboratory-scale rotary kiln.

Manganese ores are the major raw materials utilized in the production of manganese ferroalloys. A common problem in the production of manganese ferroalloys is the lack of knowledge regarding mineralogical and metallurgical properties of manganese ores. Decrepitation, which is described as the breakage or disintegration of the ore particles upon heating, is an important quality parameter of these ores.

Allostery Inhibition of BACE1 by Psychotic and Meroterpenoid Drugs in Alzheimer's Disease Therapy.

In over a century since its discovery, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has continued to be a global health concern due to its incurable nature and overwhelming increase among older people. In this paper, we give an overview of the efforts of researchers towards identifying potent BACE1 exosite-binding antibodies and allosteric inhibitors. Herein, we apply computer-aided drug design (CADD) methods to unravel the interactions of some proposed psychotic and meroterpenoid BACE1 allosteric site inhibitors.

Production and Optimization of Biodiesel in a Membrane Reactor, Using a Solid Base Catalyst.

The commercial Calcium oxide was successfully embedded on activated carbon surfaces to increase the reactive surface area of a composite catalyst material CaO/AC. The composite catalyst material was also successfully packed in the tubular titanium dioxide/Aluminum dioxide ceramic membrane reactor used to separate the biodiesel produced. Virgin soybean oil was used as precursor feedstock for the reaction.

Effect of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles on Bacterial Biofilm Changes in and .

One approach for solving the problem of antibiotic resistance and bacterial persistence in biofilms is treatment with metals, including silver in the form of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Green synthesis is an environmentally friendly method to synthesize nanoparticles with a broad spectrum of unique properties that depend on the plant extracts used. AgNPs with antibacterial and antibiofilm effects were obtained using green synthesis from plant extracts of (AgNPs_LI), (AgNPs_AS), and (AgNPs_AM).

Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles against Selected Waterborne Bacterial and Yeast Pathogens.

The disinfection of wastewater using nanoparticles (NPs) has become a focal area of research in water treatment. In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs were synthesized using the microwave heating crystallization technique and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Qualitative well diffusion and quantitative minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests were conducted to determine the antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs against selected waterborne pathogenic microbes.

Biopriming of Durum Wheat Seeds with Endophytic Diazotrophic Bacteria Enhances Tolerance to Fusarium Head Blight and Salinity.

There is growing interest in the use of bio inoculants based on plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to promote plant growth under biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we provided a detailed account of the effectiveness of a number of endophytic PGPB strains, isolated from the roots of the halophyte Salicornia brachiata in promoting durum wheat growth and enhancing its tolerance to salinity and fusarium head blight (FHB) disease. Bacillus spp.

Method to determine the decrepitation index of South African manganese ores when heating in a rotary kiln.

Manganese ores are the major raw materials utilized in the production of manganese ferroalloys. Decrepitation, which is described as the breakage or disintegration of the ore particles upon heating in a rotary kiln, is an important quality parameter of these ores. The Decrepitation Index (DI), the parameter used to describe the extent of decrepitation, is described as the ratio of the mass of particles <6 mm after pre-heating to the total mass of the sample.

Scavenging of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution by Macadamia nutshell biomass modified with diethylenetriamine and maleic anhydride.

Based on the premise that aqueous anions of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) are capable of electrostatic interaction with cationic and polar active sites, acid-washed Madacamia nutshell biomass was sequentially treated with diethylenetriamine (DETA) and maleic anhydride (MA) to graft poly(diethylenetriamine-co-maleic anhydride). By displaying a new peak at 1685 cm ascribed to amide CO stretching vibrations, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy highlighted the formation of amide groups through reaction of DETA with carboxyl groups on the biomass surface. Scanning electron microscopic images of the MA-modified biomass displayed polymeric growths attributed to copolymerization of DETA with MA.

Global Warming and Its Implications on Nature Tourism at Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa.

The past decade recorded the highest number of high impact extreme weather events such as flooding, rainfall events, fires, droughts, and heatwaves amongst others. One of the key features and drivers of extreme weather events has been global warming, with record temperatures recorded globally. The World Meteorological Organization indicated that the 2010-2020 decade was one of the warmest on record.

Antithrombogenic properties of aqueous leaf extracts: assessment of platelet activation and whole blood clotting kinetics.

plant extracts have been investigated for their potential therapeutic effects in the management of various ailments, among which are cardiovascular diseases, due to the wide range of phytocompounds that the plant possesses. One of the major challenges in clinical practice is the inability to control platelet activation and clotting caused by cardiovascular disease interventions. Current treatment methods to inhibit platelet aggregation and thromboxane formation have been associated with major undesirable side effects.

Remodelling research agendas.

Our remodelled research agenda suggests setting priorities that outline a clear framework for making decisions on current and future research activities. We propose collaborative and collective global approaches to maximize our joint efforts, especially among early-career researchers (ECRs), to remodel research agendas for the ultimate benefit of humanity.

One-Step Green Synthesis of Water-Soluble Fluorescent Carbon Dots and Its Application in the Detection of Cu.

Renewable biowaste-derived carbon dots have garnered immense interest owing to their exceptional optical, fluorescence, chemical, and environmentally friendly attributes, which have been exploited for the detection of metals, non-metals, and organics in the environment. In the present study, water-soluble fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized via facile green microwave pyrolysis of pine-cone biomass as precursors, without any chemical additives. The synthesized fluorescent pine-cone carbon dots (PC-CDs) were spherical in shape with a bimodal particle-size distribution (average diameters of 15.

COVID-19 vaccine-induced recovery and the implications of vaccine apartheid on the global tourism industry.

According to United Nations, World Tourism Organization COVID-19 has had the most devastating impact on the entire global tourism value chain, which resulted in a 74% decline in international passenger arrival, a US$1.3 trillion loss in international tourism receipts, over the US $ 2trillion loss of global domestic product and placing between 100 and 120 million jobs at risk globally. While the initial impact of the pandemic was uniform across the world, the recovery was expected to be varied across the region due to inequitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Determinants of Solid Fuel Use and Emission Risks among Households: Insights from Limpopo, South Africa.

Emissions from residential solid fuels reduce ambient air quality and cause indoor air pollution resulting in adverse human health. The traditional solid fuels used for cooking include coal, straws, dung, and wood, with the latter identified as the prevalent energy source in developing countries. Emissions from such fuel sources appear to be significant hazards and risk factors for asthma and other respiratory diseases.

Continuous fixed-bed column study and adsorption modeling removal of Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd ions from synthetic acid mine drainage by nanocomposite cellulose hydrogel.

Heavy metal ions are widely recognized for their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Heavy metal ions removal using nanocomposite hydrogel is a promising method for industrial applications and process development owing to their utilization in both kinematic and dynamic adsorption process. There is a need to develop simple, low-cost water purification techniques that use biodegradable bio-based natural polymers like cellulose nanocrystal that have been modified with nanomaterials.

Pharmacophore mapping of the crucial mediators of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase dual inhibition in Alzheimer's disease.

Optimization and re-optimization of bioactive molecules using in silico methods have found application in the design of more active ones. Herein, we applied a pharmacophore modeling approach to screen potent dual inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) aimed at Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment. The investigation entails molecular dynamics simulation, docking, pharmacophore modeling, drug-like screening, and binding energy analysis.

Magnetic Ion Imprinted Polymers (MIIPs) for Selective Extraction and Preconcentration of Sb(III) from Environmental Matrices.

Antimony(III) is a rare element whose chemical and toxicological properties bear a resemblance to those of arsenic. As a result, the presence of Sb(III) in water might have adverse effects on human health and aquatic life. However, Sb(III) exists at very ultra-trace levels which may be difficult for direct quantification.

L. Essential Oil: Odorant Binding Protein Efficiency Using Molecular Docking Approach and Studies of the Mosquito Repellent.

(1) Background: Malaria fever affects millions of people yearly in Africa and Asia's tropical and subtropical areas. Because there is no effective vaccine, malaria prevention is solely dependent on avoiding human-vector interaction. (2) Aim: This study examines the interaction between the constituents of essential oil and Odorant Binding Proteins (OBP) as well as the compositional variation, repellent efficacy, and toxicity profile.

Application of neural network techniques to predict the heavy metals in acid mine drainage from South African mines.

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is the formation and movement of highly acid water rich in heavy metals. Prediction of heavy metals in the AMD is important in developing any appropriate remediation strategy. This paper attempts to predict heavy metals in the AMD (Zn, Fe, Mn, Si and Ni) from South African mines using Neural Network (NN) techniques.

Application of polymer-coated Macadamia integrifolia nutshell biomass impregnated with palladium for chromium(VI) remediation.

Freely suspended and porous basket restrained granules of palladium nanoparticles supported on polymer-grafted Macadamia nutshell biomass (Pd@Polym-MNS) composite were used for the treatment chromium(VI)-containing water. In the presence of formic acid, the Pd@Polym-MNS demonstrated its activity in the adsorption-reduction-based conversion of noxious chromium(VI) to less toxic chromium(III) with a low activation energy of 13.4 kJ mol, ΔH (+ 10.

A Review on Conventional and Advanced Methods for Nanotoxicology Evaluation of Engineered Nanomaterials.

Nanotechnology can be defined as the field of science and technology that studies material at nanoscale (1-100 nm). These nanomaterials, especially carbon nanostructure-based composites and biopolymer-based nanocomposites, exhibit excellent chemical, physical, mechanical, electrical, and many other properties beneficial for their application in many consumer products (e.g.

Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers for extraction of fluoroquinolones in environmental, food and biological samples.

In recent years, fluoroquinolones have been found present in important water resources and food sources which compromises the food quality and availability, thereby, causing risks to the consumer. Despite the recent advancement in the development of analytical instrumentation for routine monitoring of fluoroquinolones in water, food, and biological samples, sample pre-treatment is still a major bottleneck of the analytical methods. Therefore, fast, selective, sensitive, and cost-effective sample preparation methods prior to instrumental analysis for fluoroquinolones residues in environmental, food and biological samples are increasingly important.

A Review on the High Temperature Strengthening Mechanisms of High Entropy Superalloys (HESA).

The studies following HEA inceptions were apparently motivated to search for single-phase solid solution over intermetallic phases, accordingly made possible by the concept of high configurational entropy. However, it was realised that the formation of intermetallic phases in HEAs is prevalent due to other criterions that determine stable phases. Nonetheless, recent efforts have been directed towards attributes of microstructural combinations.

Rejection Capacity of Nanofiltration Membranes for Nickel, Copper, Silver and Palladium at Various Oxidation States.

Electroplating and metalworking industries produce enormous amounts of waste containing heavy metals in their effluents, leading to potential threats to biotic and abiotic life. According to regulation, heavy metal contamination must be kept within the regulated standard of a few parts per million, which has led to a recent pique in interest in the utilization of nanofiltration technology for metal recovery. The effect of feed pH, pressure, metal concentration, and oxidation of metal on the rejection of heavy metal ions using three commercial nanofiltration membranes (NF, NF90, and NF270) were explored.