Bacterial Reduction of Cr(VI) at Technical Scale—The Malaysian Experience

The bacterial reduction of Cr(VI) from industrial wastewater was evaluated using a 2.0-m³ bioreactor. Liquid pineapple waste was used as a nutrient for the biofilm community formed inside the bioreactor. The use of rubber wood sawdust as packing material was able to immobilize more than 10⁶?CFU?mL^?1 of Acinetobacter haemolyticus cells after 3?days of contact time. Complete reduction of 15?C240?mg?L^?1 of Cr(VI) was achieved even after 3?months of bioreactor operation. Cr(VI) was not detected in the final effluent fraction indicating complete removal of Cr from solution from the flocculation/coagulation step and the unlikely re-oxidation of Cr(III) into Cr(VI). Impatiens balsamina L. and Gomphrena globosa L. showed better growth in the presence of soil?Csludge mixture compared to Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth. Significant amounts of Cr accumulated at different sections of the plants indicate its potential application in Cr phytoremediation effort. The bacterial-based system was also determined not to be detrimental to human health based on the low levels of Cr detected in the hair and nail samples of the plant operators. Thus, it can be said that bacterial-based Cr(VI) treatment system is a feasible alternative to the conventional system especially for lower Cr(VI) concentrations, where sludge generated can be used as growth supplement for ornamental plant as well as not detrimental to the health of the workers.     

A novel one-pot isocyanide-based four-component reaction: synthesis of highly functionalized 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-1,2-dicarboxylates and 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine-1,2-dicarboxylates

A new protocol has been developed for the efficient synthesis of structurally diverse 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-1,2-dicarboxylates and 1H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine-1,2-dicarboxylates via a four-component reaction of hydrazine hydrate, dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates, isocyanides and various cyclic anhydrides such as succinic anhydride, maleic anhydride and phthalic anhydride in ethanol/acetone (1:1) at room temperature in good to moderate yields.     

An efficient,expeditious, and diastereoselective one-pot pseudo-five-component reaction for the synthesis of new bis-Betti bases under catalyst-free conditions

A novel, diastereoselective, one-pot synthesis of new bis-Betti bases via condensation of dihydroxynaphthalene, two equivalents of aryl aldehydes, and two equivalents of 3-amino-5-methylisoxazole is reported. Conversion into the adducts was almost quantitative without the use of solvent or catalyst. The reaction conditions are very simple and enable easy isolation of the product.     

Variation in fat soluble vitamins (A,D, E,K) in in vitro and ex vitro germinated chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seedlings,as revealed by high performance liquid chromatography

In present communication, effect of in vitro and ex vitro culture conditions was investigated on the yield of fat soluble vitamins in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seedlings analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Amongst the tested culture conditions (in vitro and ex vitro); in vitro condition proved to be highly effective compared to ex vitro. We noticed a significant difference in vitamins D (ergocalciferol), E (α-tocopherol) and K (phylloquinone) yields in chickpea seedlings grown in two different conditions. Maximum yield with a linear increase in vitamins D and E was noticed upto 9 days old in vitro grown seedlings. Vitamin K yield was also high in in vitro grown seedlings with a linear increase upto 11 days. Although, vitamin A was not detected, the vitamin production in germinating seeds was, therefore, age and culture condition dependent. The study revealed that, in in vitro condition, the level of fat soluble vitamins enhanced in seedlings, which could be used for human consumption with value addition in the diet of vegetarians.     

[PZnMo2W9O39]5− immobilized on ionic liquid-modified silica as a heterogeneous catalyst for epoxidation of olefins with hydrogen peroxide

The epoxidation of alkenes with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by [PZnMo₂W₉O₃₉]^5-, ZnPOM, supported on ionic liquid-modified silica, Im-SiO₂, is reported. The immobilized catalyst, [ZnPOM@Im-SiO₂] was characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR and UV–Vis spectroscopic methods. This new synthesized hybrid catalyst was applied for efficient epoxidation of various olefins with aqueous H₂O₂ in acetonitrile under reflux conditions. This solid catalyst can be easily recovered by simple filtration and reused several times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.     

Thermal analysis characterization of PAAm-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-MC hydrogels

This paper reports the thermal characterization of polyacrylamide-co-methylcellulose hydrogels and the constituent monomers (acrylamide and methylcellulose). Polymeric materials can be used to produce hydrogels, which can be natural, synthetic, or a mixture. The hydrogels described here were obtained by free radical polymerization, in the presence of N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide as a cross-linker agent. Four acrylamide concentrations were used for the synthesis of hydrogels: 3.6, 7.2, 14.7, and 21.7% (w/v). The materials so obtained were analyzed by TG, DTG, DSC, and FT-IR. The TG curves of acrylamide and methylcellulose showed three mass loss events. In DSC curves, the acrylamide exhibited one melting peak at 84.5 °C, and methylcellulose indicated one exothermic event. Nevertheless, acrylamide was considered more stable than methylcellulose. The TG curves of the hydrogels exhibited three mass loss events, and on the DSC curves, three endothermic events were observed. It was verified that the different acrylamide proportions influenced the thermic behavior of hydrogels, and that the authors considered the 7.2% hydrogel a promising drug carrier system. The absorption bands were well defined, confirming the presence of the functional groups in the samples.     

Optical and electrochemical DNA nanobiosensors

In the past two decades, nanoscale advanced materials have been explored for biosensing molecules, so new horizons have opened up for identifying and quantifying biomolecules, and possible early diagnosis of diseases.DNA nanobiosensors show promise. This article provides an overview on their optical and electrochemical aspects. We discuss recent progress in this field, describing basic concepts of molecular beacons and quantum dots as optical nano-imaging systems. Also, carbon nanotubes provide a platform for development and advancement of electrochemical DNA nanobiosensors, which are increasingly being implemented as robust tools for detection in biomedical sciences.