Green synthesis,characterization, and biological activities of saffron leaf extract-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles: A sustainable approach to reuse an agricultural waste

To increase the profitability and sustainability of agricultural waste, a facile green approach was established to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using saffron leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Structural characteristics of NPs were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and UV–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. Characterization results revealed that ZnO NPs is highly crystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and spherical particles with diameter less than 50 nm, as confirmed by XRD and FESEM techniques. UV–Vis absorption spectra depicted an absorption peak at 370 nm, which confirms the formation of ZnO NPs. FTIR spectral analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups and metal oxygen groups. The biological activities of ZnO NPs were also investigated. The antibacterial effect of ZnO NPs was investigated against selected food pathogens (Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterococcus faecalis). The study results prove that the green synthesized ZnO NPs show enhanced antibacterial activity against S. Typhimurium when compared with other strains. A dose-dependent free radical scavenging activity was observed for ZnO NPs in both 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) assays. The ZnO NPs were evaluated for their photocatalytic activity during the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in aqueous solutions. The maximum removal of MB achieved was 64% with an initial ZnO NP concentration of 12 mg/mL under UV light. The present study revealed that the agricultural waste (saffron leaf) provides a simple and eco-friendly option to sustainably synthesize ZnO NPs for use as a photocatalyst. In addition, this is the first report on saffron leaf-mediated synthesis of ZnO NPs.     

On the phase field modeling of crack growth and analytical treatment on the parameters

Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics - A thermodynamically consistent phase field model for crack propagation is analyzed. The thermodynamic driving force for the crack propagation is derived...     

Excess Molar Enthalpies of Monoethanolamine (MEA) + Primary Alkan-1-ols (C3–C6) and their Fitting with Wilson,NRTL and UNIQUAC Models at 298.15 K

Journal of Solution Chemistry - Excess molar enthalpies, $${H}_{\text{m}}^{\text{E}}$$ of binary mixtures of monoethanolamine (MEA) with propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol, pentan-1-ol and hexan-1-ol were...     

A cell-permeable green fluorescent probe for dsDNA

The sensitive and selective detection of nucleic acids is important for basic research and many applied fields. Herein, a novel green DEAB-TO-1 was designed and synthesized. DEAB-TO-1 shows significant fluorescence enhancement (800-fold) when bound to ctDNA and a distinct selectivity for dsDNA over RNA (5.9 times). Moreover, the limit of detection is 0.57 ng/mL. It is live-cell-permeant DNA intecalator, indicating a promising candidate for nucleus-specific imaging and a good counter-stain compatibility with other dyes.     

Usage of deep eutectic solvents for the digestion and ultrasound-assisted liquid phase microextraction of copper in liver samples

In this study, we used deep eutectic solvents for digestion and ultrasound-assisted emulsification liquid phase microextraction (UA-ELPME) of copper in liver samples. Different types of DESs were prepared for digestion and microextraction steps. DESs consisting of lactic acid and choline chloride for the digestion step and DESs consisting of tetrabuthylamonium chloride and decanoic acid for ultrasound-assisted emulsification liquid phase microextraction were used in this method. The liver samples were digested by using DES-based digestion method. After digestion step, Cu(II) ions in aqueous phase were complexed with sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate (NaDMDTC) and the obtained hydrophobic complex was extracted to tetrabuthylamonium chloride-decanoic acid DES phase. A microsample injection system coupled with flame atomic absorption spectrometer (MS-FAAS) was used in the detection of copper. LOD, LOQ, PF and % RSD were determined as 4.00, 13.2 µg L^??1, 10 and 3.2%, respectively. The proposed microextraction procedure was successfully applied to copper contents of the liver samples.     

Isolated resonances and nonlinear damping

We analyze isolated resonance curves (IRCs) in single-degree-of-freedom systems possessing nonlinear damping. Through the combination of singularity theory and the averaging method, the onset and merging of IRCs, which coincide to isola and simple bifurcation singularities, respectively, can be analytically predicted. Numerical simulations confirm the accuracy of the analytical developments. Another important finding of this paper is that we unveil a geometrical connection between the topology of the damping force and IRCs. Specifically, we demonstrate that extremas and zeros of the damping force correspond to the appearance and merging of IRCs. Considering a damping force possessing several minima and maxima confirms the general validity of the analytical result. It also evidences a very complex scenario for which different IRCs are created, co-exist and then merge together to form a super IRC which eventually merges with the main resonance peak.     

Reflections on and of minor-closed classes of multisorted operations

The minor relation of functions is generalized to multisorted functions. Pippenger’s Galois theory for minor-closed sets of functions is extended to multisorted functions and multisorted relation pairs. Reflections of minor-closed sets are again minor-closed, and the effect of reflections on the invariant relation pairs of minor-closed sets of multisorted functions is described.     

Self-supported metal sulphide nanocrystals-assembled nanosheets on carbon paper as efficient counter electrodes for quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells

Developing efficient counter electrodes (CEs) and quantum dots made of earth-abundant and non-toxic elements is essential but still challenging for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). Here, we report a facile strategy to prepare self-supported and robust CoS₂ and NiS nanocrystals-assembled nanosheets directly grown on carbon paper (MSx NS@CP) as efficient counter electrodes for QDSSCs. Such CEs integrate the merits of fast electron transfer from interconnected conductive scaffold, efficient mass transfer from hierarchically vertical nanosheet on 3D open substrate, as well as abundant highly active catalytic sites from metal sulphide nanocrystal units. As a result, QDDSCs based on such CoS₂ NS@CP and NiS NS@CP CEs achieve a PCE of 8.88% and 7.53%, respectively. The detailed analyses suggest that CoS₂ NS@CP has the highest catalytic activity and shows the lowest charger transfer resistance, leading to the highest PCE. These findings may inspire the design and exploration of other self-supported efficient CEs by integrating highly active catalysts onto 3D conductive networks for efficient QDSSCs.