Biosynthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles as Efficient Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Agent

This work reports an innovative, effortless and inexpensive method for the preparation of ZnO nanoparticles by green approach using leaf extract of Piper betleas a reducing-stabilizing negotiator. The prepared ZnO NPs were characterized through XRD, FTIR, UV–Visible spectroscopy, and EDX etc. The band gap energy of the sample was estimated as 3.41 eV which is larger than the bulk ZnO (E_g?=?3.37 eV). The observed blue shift is attributed to the quantum confinement of excitons. FTIR analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and terpenoid. TEM analysis showed that each nanoparticle comprised of 1 to 2 nano-crystallites. Photocatalytic activity results revealed that ZnO-NPs prepared through green synthesis route were found to be efficient in the degradation of toxic reactive red dye with degradation efficiency of 96.4% having high photodegradation rate-constant of 1.6?×?10^–2 min^?1. As an antimicrobial agent, the ZnO NPs are effective against both gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), with the zones of clearance as 16.4 and 14.3 mm, respectively. Therefore, present research signifies an effective approach to utilize as-prepared ZnO NPs as efficient photocatalysts as well as antimicrobial agent.

     

Polymers from renewable resources. II. A study in the radio chemical grafting of poly(styrene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) onto cellulose extracted from pine needles

A binary mixture of styrene and maleic anhydride has been graft copolymerized onto cellulose extracted from Pinus roxburghii needles. The reaction was initiated with gamma rays in air by the simultaneous irradiation method. Graft copolymerization was studied under optimum conditions of total dose of radiation, amount of water, and molar concentration previously worked out for grafting styrene onto cellulose. Percentage of total conversion (Pg), grafting efficiency (%), percentage of grafting (Pg), and rates of polymerization (R_p), grafting (R_g), and homopolymerization (R_h) have been determined as a function of maleic anhydride concentration. The high degree of kinetic regularity and the linear dependence of the rate of polymerization on maleic anhydride concentration, along with the low and nearly constant rate of homopolymerization suggest that the monomers first form a complexomer which then polymerizes to form grafted chains with an alternating sequence. Grafting parameters and reaction rates achieve maximum values when the molar ratio of styrene to maleic anhydride is 1 : 1. Further evidence for the alternating monomer sequence is obtained from quantitatively evaluating the composition of the grafted chains from the FT‐IR spectra, in which the ratio of anhydride absorbance to aromatic (CC) absorbance for the stretching bands assigned to the grafted monomers remained constant and independent of the feed ratio of maleic anhydride to styrene. Thermal behaviour of the graft copolymers revealed that all graft copolymers exhibit single stage decomposition with characteristic transitions at 161–165°C and 290–300°C. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1763–1769, 1999     

pH-Dependent self-assembly of water-soluble sulfonate-tetraphenylethylene with aggregation-induced emission

The fabrication of well-defined nanostructures with luminescent properties in the solid or aggregated state is of intense interest due to their applications in nano- and biotechnology. We report the synthesis of water-soluble tetraphenylethylene bearing four sulfonate groups as a sodium salt (Su-TPE), and investigations concerning its AIE characteristics by the addition of organic solvent into the aqueous solution, which is the reverse procedure to conventional AIE-active TPE derivatives. The resultant compound is weakly emissive in pure water, however, emits strongly upon addition of THF solvent (with THF fraction > 60%). The emission properties and the morphologies of the aggregates were greatly dependent upon the solution pH. Su-TPE self-assembled into variety of structures in water/THF mixture with pH control, for the first time. Well-defined uniform nanorods with a width of about 200 nm and a length of up to 10 μm were obtained at solution pH of 1. The Su-TPE showed very good mechanochromic properties were observed during the process of grounding and fuming.     

Biogenesis of copper nanoparticles using peel extract of Punica granatum and their antimicrobial activity against opportunistic pathogens

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were biologically synthesized using peel extract of Punica granatum as reducing agent as well as capping agent. On treatment of aqueous solutions of CuSO₄·5H₂O with peel extract of P. granatum, stable CuNPs were formed. UV-Visible spectrophotometer analysis confirmed the formation of CuNPs. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, particles size analyzer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electron microscopy analysis of CuNPs indicated that they ranged in size from 15 to 20?nm. The biologically synthesized CuNPs demonstrated high antibacterial activity against opportunistic pathogens, that is, Micrococcus luteus MTCC 1809, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 424, Salmonella enterica MTCC 1253 and Enterobactor aerogenes MTCC 2823 in vitro. Nanoparticles synthesized biologically using plant extracts have the potential to serve as possible ecofriendly alternatives to chemical and physical methods for biomedical applications and research.!     

Effects of substituents and charge on the RCHO⋯X–Y {X = Cl,Br, I; Y = –CF3, –CF2H, –CFH2, –CN, –CCH, –CCCN; R = –OH, –OCH3, –NH2, –O−} halogen-bonded complexes

Structural Chemistry - Noncovalent interactions involving halogen bonding interactions, one of the emerging interactions due to its directionality, have been a subject of interest for various...     

Comparison of hydrogen- and halogen-bonding interactions in the complexes of the substituted carbonyl compounds with hypohalous acids and monohaloamines

Structural Chemistry - An ab initio study of the complexes formed by hypohalous acids and monohaloamines (designated as HAX where A = O or NH and X = Cl, Br, or I) with RCHO (R = H, CH3, OCH3, and...     

Aptamer based voltammetric biosensor for the detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</Emphasis> antigen MPT64

The authors report an aptaelectrode based on graphene modified iron-oxide chitosan hybrid (CHIT-IO-GR) nanocomposite film deposited on fluorine tin oxide (FTO) for the detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis specific antigen MPT64. The biotinylated DNA aptamer sequence specific to the MPT64 was immobilized onto the CHIT-IO-GR/FTO electrode by using streptavidin-biotin interactions. XRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM and electrochemical studies were applied to monitor the steps of the fabrication. The aptaelectrode, operated best at typical voltage of 0.44 V, exhibited a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.9 fg?mL^?1 within 20 min. The biosensor retained about 80% of its initial activity after 10 uses. The potential application of the aptasensor was established by spike-in studies to obtain recoveries between 83 and 95%.

Open image in new window

Graphical abstract An electrochemical aptaelectrode based on nanocomposite consisting of chitosan (CHIT), iron-oxide nanoparticles (IO) and functionalized graphene (GR) has been fabricated to detect M. tb antigen MPT64 with an LOD of 0.9 fg?mL^?1 within 20 min.

     

Graphene oxide: A carbocatalyst for the one-pot multicomponent synthesis of highly functionalized tetrahydropyridines

A simple, straightforward and efficient methodology is described for the synthesis of polysubstituted tetrahydropyridine via one-pot multicomponent reaction of β-ketoester, aldehyde and aniline in presence of catalytic amount of graphene oxide in acetonitrile. Graphene oxide is a versatile carbocatalyst and this is the first report on its application in a five component reaction. Good yield, usage of readily available starting material, operational simplicity, easy work-up and eco-friendly re-usable catalyst are the key features of this protocol.     

Ruthenium(II) complexes of aroylhydrazones: structural,electrochemical and electrostatic interactions with DNA

Four Ru(II) complexes with tridentate ligands viz. (4-hydroxy-N′-(pyridin-2-yl-ethylene) benzohydrazide [Ru(L¹)(PPh₃)₂(Cl)] (1), N′-(pyridin-2-yl-methylene) nicotinohydrazide [Ru(L²)(PPh₃)₂(Cl)] (2), N′-(1H-imidazol-2-yl-methylene)-4-hydroxybenzohydrazide [Ru(L³)(PPh₃)₂(Cl)] (3), and N′-(1H-imidazol-2-yl-methylene) nicotinohydrazide [Ru(L⁴)(PPh₃)₂(Cl)] (4) have been synthesized and characterized. The methoxy-derivative of L³H (abbreviated as L³H*) exists in E configuration with torsional angle of 179.4° around C₇-N₈-N₉-C₁₀ linkage. Single crystal structures of acetonitrile coordinated ruthenium complexes of 1 and 3 having compositins as [Ru(L¹)(PPh₃)₂(CH₃CN)]Cl (1a) and [Ru(L³)(PPh₃)₂(CH₃CN)]Cl (3a) revealed coordination of tridentate ligands with significantly distorted octahedral geometry constructed by imine nitrogen, heterocyclic nitrogen, and enolate amide oxygen, forming a cis-planar ring with trans-placement of two PPh₃ groups and a coordinated acetonitrile. Ligands (L¹H-L⁴H) and their ruthenium complexes (1–4) are characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P NMR, and IR spectral analysis. Ru(II) complexes have reversible to quasi-reversible redox behavior having Ru(II)/Ru(III) oxidation potentials in the range of 0.40–0.71 V. The DNA binding constants determined by absorption spectral titrations with Herring Sperm DNA (HS-DNA) reveal that L⁴H and 1 interact more strongly than other ligands and Ru(II) complexes. Complexes 1–3 exhibit DNA cleaving activity possibly due to strong electrostatic interactions while 4 displays intercalation.     

Simple and rapid determination of phthalates using microextraction by packed sorbent and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry quantification in cold drink and cosmetic samples

A simple and rapid method using microextraction by packed sorbent coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry has been developed for the analysis of five phthalates, namely, diethyl phthalate, benzyl‐n‐butyl phthalate, dicyclohexyl phthalate, di‐n‐butyl phthalate, and di‐n‐propyl phthalate, in cold drink and cosmetic samples. The various parameters that influence the microextraction by packed sorbent performance such as extraction cycle (extract–discard), type and amount of solvent, washing solvent, and pH have been studied. The optimal conditions of microextraction using C₁₈ as the packed sorbent were 15 extraction cycles with water as washing solvent and 3 × 10 μL of ethyl acetate as the eluting solvent. Chromatographic separation was also optimized for injection temperature, flow rate, ion source, interface temperature, column temperature gradient and mass spectrometry was evaluated using the scan and selected ion monitoring data acquisition mode. Satisfactory results were obtained in terms of linearity with R² >0.9992 within the established concentration range. The limit of detection was 0.003–0.015 ng/mL, and the limit of quantification was 0.009–0.049 ng/mL. The recoveries were in the range of 92.35–98.90% for cold drink, 88.23–169.20% for perfume, and 88.90–184.40% for cream. Analysis by microextraction by packed sorbent promises to be a rapid method for the determination of these phthalates in cold drink and cosmetic samples, reducing the amount of sample, solvent, time and cost.