Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) have recently attracted significant interest due to their low human toxicity, potential antibacterial properties, excellent thermal stability, biocompatibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, their bioavailability in target cells is decreased by their restricted membrane permeability, hindering their potential as sustainable medicines. To address this issue, we suggest magnesium oxide nanoparticles doped with cerium (MgOCeNPs) as a promising alternative. This study compares the membrane permeability and antibacterial activity of MgOCeNPs with pure MgO nanoparticles. Various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques were used to analyze both types of nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction revealed lattice patterns in the doped nanoparticles, while Atomic Force Microscopy provided details on their height and three-dimensional (3D) structure. Ce doping does not alter the crystal structure of MgO (FCC), but it significantly affects microstructural characteristics such as lattice parameters, crystallite size and biological activity. The antimicrobial efficacy of MgOCeNPs was tested against the pathogenic bacteria E. coli and P. aeruginosa and the fungal strain THY-1. MgOCeNPs showed strong antibacterial and antifungal activity, evidenced by increased zones of inhibition, a shorter growth curve, a lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₅₀), and enhanced cytotoxicity. Growth curve analysis revealed early and extended stationary phases and an earlier decline in the log phase. Large Unilamellar Vesicles (LUVs), in conjunction with the egg-phosphatidylcholine model, demonstrated dose-dependent cytotoxicity, increased production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and membrane perforation. The observed membranolytic activity and ROS generation suggest that MgOCeNPs cause cytotoxicity through oxidative stress. These results highlight MgOCeNPs as a novel and highly effective antibacterial agent with significant potential for managing and treating various microorganisms.

Metronidazole, an antibiotic widely used in human and veterinary medicine, poses significant environmental risks when discharged into aquatic environments. This study explores the potential of functionalized graphene membranes for the removal of metronidazole from industrial and pharmaceutical wastewater. Employing molecular simulations and the AM1 semi-empirical calculation method, we designed and simulated functionalized membranes to enhance metronidazole removal efficiency. Pharmaceutical effluent containing metronidazole can have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems, including toxicity to aquatic organisms and the potential development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Our findings show that specific functionalized membranes exhibit selective adsorption for metronidazole, indicating promising results for efficient wastewater treatment. In gas phase simulations, the aldehyde function demonstrates the superior selective adsorption of metronidazole over water, suggesting a lower affinity for water. In aqueous phase simulations, although the adsorption strength of the aldehyde function weakens in the presence of water, functionalization of the membrane surface enhances its overall affinity for metronidazole. Furthermore, the presence of metronidazole in water bodies can lead to bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms, posing risks to human health and the environment. The discharge of pharmaceutical effluent into water bodies can also contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, further exacerbating the environmental impact. Functionalized graphene membranes offer a promising solution for the efficient removal of metronidazole from wastewater due to their high surface area and tunable properties. This study highlights the importance of developing sustainable solutions for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment to protect aquatic ecosystems and human health. In conclusion, the use of functionalized graphene membranes for metronidazole removal shows great potential in mitigating the environmental risks associated with pharmaceutical effluent. By improving our understanding of adsorption processes and membrane interactions, we can develop more effective wastewater treatment technologies to safeguard our environment.

The need for innovative, sustainable materials for electrochemical devices and catalysts highlights V₂O₅-based materials as particularly promising. They can serve as cathodes for Li-ion, Na-ion, and all-solid-state batteries due to their high safety, energy density, and long life cycles. Additionally, they function as catalysts in oxidation reactions, especially fatty acid decarboxylation, which is crucial for biodiesel production—a renewable, lower-toxicity alternative to petroleum diesel that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and addresses environmental challenges. V₂O₅-rich glasses and glass–ceramics (GCs) stand out due to their dense, uniform microstructures and exceptional mechanical, thermal, electrical, dielectric, and catalytic properties. Furthermore, GCs are particularly interesting because they offer unique control over composition, crystallographic structure, and microstructure, including the type and quantity of crystalline phases within the residual glassy phase, all of which can be finely adjusted through heat treatment conditions such as temperature and duration. In light of these factors, this study examines how the controlled crystallization of V₂O₅-rich parent glass affects its structural, dielectric, and catalytic properties. The composition of prepared samples is analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), while their (micro)structural properties are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and infrared attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (IR-ATR). Dielectric properties are investigated via solid-state impedance spectroscopy (SS-IS) across a broad frequency range (0.01 Hz to 1 MHz) and temperature range (–90 °C to 210 °C). Additionally, catalytic activity in fatty acid decarboxylation is evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC). The results demonstrate significant improvements in both dielectric and catalytic performance, highlighting the versatile potential of V₂O₅-rich glass–ceramics for advanced electronic applications and sustainable biodiesel production.

This work is supported by the Croatian Science Foundation under the projects IP-2018-01-5425 and DOK-2021-02-9665 and partially funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

Hydantoins are a class of five-membered heterocyclic compounds with a cyclic ureide structure, and thiohydantoins represent their sulphur analogues, where a sulphur atom replaces one or both carbonyl group oxygens. Anticancer, antimicrobial, anticonvulsant and anti-inflammatory are some of many biological activities that hydantoins possess and are the reason why this class of compounds has been and continues to be the topic of research in medicinal chemistry. Some hydantoins have found use as clinically approved commercially available drugs, while many others have found applications in various branches of industry. As determination of the chromatographic parameters is an important step in drug discovery, the aim of this study was to examine the retention behaviour of 13 arylidene 2-thiohydantoin derivatives using the HPLC technique. Also, the potential in terms of the hydrophobicity index φ₀ was examined to approximate the lipophilicity of the analysed compounds. The HPLC analysis was performed using an F5 column. The mobile phase was a binary mixture of the solvents acetonitrile and water (ACN-W). The retention behaviour of the compounds was observed using various proportions of acetonitrile (φ), starting with 20% and increasing it in increments of 5% to a final amount of 50% acetonitrile in the mobile phase. The retention coefficients logk were calculated using the retention times and death times collected from all of the chromatograms. Furthermore, logk was fitted to φ. The fittings were linear within an R² (coefficient of determination) range of 0.98265–0.99998. The hydrophobicity index φ₀ of all of the examined compounds was calculated by dividing the intercept (logk₀) by the slope (S) of the obtained linearities. To approximate the lipophilicity, φ₀ has to show a correlation with the generally accepted lipophilicity coefficient logP. The fitting of φ₀ and logP was linear, with an R² value of 0.8416. The obtained results indicate that the hydrophobicity index φ₀ has the potential to be used to approximate the lipophilicity of the examined arylidene 2-thiohydantoin derivatives.

Introduction: The growing emphasis on sustainability and waste management has led to innovative approaches in utilizing agricultural waste. This study explores the use of local palm tree waste for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and nanocomposite beads, aiming to create value-added materials for biomedical and environmental applications.

Methods: Palm tree waste was collected and processed to extract cellulose, which served as a substrate for ZnO NP synthesis. Zinc acetate was used as the zinc precursor, and a green synthesis approach was employed, utilizing the reducing and stabilizing properties of palm waste-derived cellulose. The ZnO NPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The ZnO NPs were then embedded into alginate beads to form nanocomposite beads, which were evaluated for their structural integrity and functional properties.

Results: The green synthesis method successfully produced ZnO NPs with a mean diameter of 20-30 nm, as confirmed by TEM analysis. XRD patterns indicated the crystalline nature of the ZnO NPs. The nanocomposite beads exhibited enhanced mechanical stability and were effective in various applications. In biomedical assays, the beads demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. For environmental applications, the beads showed promising results in the adsorption of heavy metals from aqueous solutions, indicating their potential for water purification.

Conclusions: This study highlights the dual benefits of waste valorization and sustainable material production. The successful incorporation of palm tree waste into ZnO NPs and nanocomposite beads underscores the potential of these materials in addressing biomedical and environmental challenges. Future research will focus on optimizing the synthesis process and expanding the application scope of these eco-friendly nanomaterials.

Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have garnered significant interest in the field of advanced adsorbent materials due to their exceptional surface areas, customizable pore sizes, and diverse chemical functionalities. Recent advancements in MOF research have focused on enhancing their adsorption capabilities, selectivity, and robustness, making them highly effective for applications in gas storage, environmental remediation, and related areas. This paper explores the latest progress in the synthesis, alteration, and application of MOFs as adsorbents, including advancements in high-pressure gas storage, the selective separation of gases, and the removal of heavy metals and organic pollutants from water. Improvements in MOF production, incorporating environmentally friendly techniques and scalable manufacturing processes, have increased their feasibility and reduced their environmental impact. Advancements in functionalization strategies, such as post-synthetic modifications and the incorporation of functional groups, have enhanced the selectivity and adsorption capacity of MOFs for specific adsorbates such as CO₂, CH₄, and various contaminants. This study also examines the integration of green chemistry principles, the scalability of MOF production, and the use of advanced analytical techniques like real-time analysis and computational simulations. Furthermore, this paper highlights future prospects in the field, including targeted adsorption applications in healthcare and energy storage, as well as strategies to improve the sustainability and recyclability of MOF-based adsorbents. The development of water-resistant and acid/base-tolerant MOFs, along with the creation of hybrid composite materials, presents promising avenues for expanding the use of MOFs in various industrial and environmental settings. The combination of advanced characterization techniques and computational modeling will further drive the design of next-generation MOFs with tailored properties for a wide range of industrial and environmental uses.

Introduction : Testing blood sugar levels can be painful and uncomfortable due to the need for blood draws. Nanoparticle studies have demonstrated unique properties that enable them to interact with glucose in ways larger molecules cannot. Our project is an attempt to show that glucose levels can be accurately measured from human saliva using nanoparticles.

Method :Gold and silver nanoparticles were synthesized using gold salts and silver nitrate, with sodium borohydride used as the reducing agent and sodium citrate as the stabilizer. Glucose solutions were mixed with gold nanoparticles in a 1:1 ratio. Heat was applied to accelerate the reaction before silver nanoparticles were introduced. Various tests were conducted, including comparing samples with and without heat, different concentrations of nanoparticles, and using a reducing agent without a stabilizer. The UV absorption spectra of the resulting solutions were measured to evaluate the outcomes.

Results : Gold and silver nanoparticles were stable, showing interaction with glucose via decreased UV absorption. The UV spectrum displayed peaks for both metals. Higher glucose concentrations led to lower absorbance. Heating before adding silver enhanced the gold–glucose reaction, reducing the gold peak and increasing the silver peak due to less glucose availability for the silver reaction.

Conclusion: This project enabled the detection of blood glucose levels using saliva rather than the usual method, which can be uncomfortable. We added gold and silver nanoparticles to different glucose concentrations, and analyzed the UV absorption spectra. This offers a less intrusive approach for obtaining blood sugar levels.

The agrifood industries generate tremendous amounts of waste. The valorisation of these wastes is of the utmost importance. Here, spent coffee ground (SCG) and Cistus ladanifer L. leaf (CLL) post-distillation residues were used to prepare 50:50 (v/v) hydromethanolic extracts for green zero-valent iron nanoparticle (nZVI) production. Then, the nZVIs’ size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential (ZP) were determined through dynamic light scattering (DLS). Since nZVIs are known to be heavily reactive and display a tendency to agglomerate, dispersant influence (water or methanol) and surfactant addition (Tween® 20) were studied. SCG NPs dispersed in water displayed a size of 565.6 ± 80.84 nm, with a PDI of ± 0.084, and a ZP of -19.57 ± 0.95 mV. Adding Tween®-20 resulted in much lower sizes for these NPs (14.64 ± 0.76 nm with a PDI of 0.238 ± 0.066) and an increase in ZP (-5.99 ± 1.71 mV). CLL nZVIs dispersed in water displayed similar results, with lower size and higher ZP after surfactant addition (766.43 ± 129.49 nm, 0.684 ± 0.151 PDI vs. 13.4 ± 4.26 nm, 0.31 ± 0.042 PDI, -5.51 ± 0.86 mV). Using methanol as the dispersant for nZVIs displayed far worse results, which shows that nZVIs are better dispersed in water, and the addition of Tween® 20 highly reduced agglomeration, increasing the zeta potential. These results allow for better understanding of the importance of dispersant and surfactant usage for an accurate characterization by DLS.

The green synthesis of nanoparticles is a process where there is nothing environmentally unfriendly. Nanoparticles can be produced from plant and other biological waste materials. Many research was done before by using reducing agents such as NaOH, NaHCO3 etc. These materials cause the environment pollution. Using NaHCO3 result in producing CO2 also. But by using different organic waste materials the synthesis procedure can be turned into green synthesis. This study provides a detailed analysis of nanoparticle synthesis using a variety of plant-based materials, such as peels, leaves, and other biological waste. By comparing different plant extracts, we aimed to identify the most effective options for nanoparticle production, focusing on factors like yield and surface to volume ratio. The nanoparticles in this research were created using green methods, and we investigated how the type of plant material influenced the characteristics of the resulting nanoparticles, including size consistency and efficiency of synthesis. Our results of cross sectional analysis will indicate that certain plant sources are more effective at producing nanoparticles with desirable properties. It was never examined by the statistical analysis. There are also other metallic wastes from where various metal oxide nanoparticles could be extracted, resulting in a downfall to environmental pollution. The analysis revealed important patterns that helped in selecting the best plant materials for green nanoparticle synthesis. This study highlights the potential of plant waste as a sustainable resource for nanoparticle production, advancing the fields of green chemistry and nanotechnology.

Humans are exposed to plastic particles through several pathways, including through food contaminated by plastics derived from packaging. This is a major challenge to overcome, as plastics are extremely useful for food industry (e.g., transport and prevention of food spoilage). In this sense, the plastic industry is aiming at improving the sustainability and safety of their products. The present work involved the collaboration of producers and academia to develop new strategies in food packaging, namely the incorporation of recycled material into water bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and yogurt cups made of polypropylene (PP). An evaluation of the toxicity profiles of microplastics originated from the new materials in comparison to commercial plastic materials already in use, was made using human cell lines as biological model, namely PNT-2, HepG2 and HCT116. The test materials were mechanically degraded and two different size ranges of particles were obtained by differential filtration, micro(nano)particles below 25 µm and 1.6 µm. Cells were exposed to different concentrations (1.28 µg/L up to 100 mg/L) and cell viability was assessed at 24, 48 and 72h of exposure, using the MTT assay. In general, the new materials presented lower impact in cell viability in the 3 tested cell lines, with lower IC₅₀. PNT-2 was the less sensitive cell (for both commercial and new materials), regardless of size. HCT116 was the most sensitive cell line, and plastic toxicity was modulated by the exposure duration. Overall, incorporation of recycled proved valuable, allowing reduction of production costs and biological impact.