Volume 15, Issue 1

The article discusses current problems in the field of ecology and environmental protection related to the processing of industrial waste and the purification of sulfur dioxide. A technology has been developed for the purification of sulfur dioxide using phosphorous slag based on waste from phosphorus production as an adsorbent. Instrumental methods SEM, IR, TGA/DTA and X-ray were used to determine the physicochemical properties of the initial and final products. In the process of obtaining the adsorbent, a temperature of 500 °C was determined for 120 min, and optimal technological parameters were established during purification of sulfur dioxide: a temperature of 500 °C for 30 min, and the degree of efficiency is up to 65 %. The used adsorbent after sorption of sulfur dioxide is subjected to regeneration by thermal treatment at 800 °C for 120 min. After thermal treatment, the adsorbent is restored to its original state and is reused for purification of sulfur dioxide. The developed adsorbent based on phosphorous slag for purification of sulfur dioxide is 7.0–7.5 cheaper than analogues. The developed technology is aimed at processing accumulated industrial waste to obtain adsorbents for cleaning sulfur dioxide, which in turn improves the environmental situation in the region.

This study presents an eco-friendly synthesis of chromium oxide nanoparticles (Cr 2 O 3 NPs) using pomegranate ( Punica granatum ) husk extract as a natural reducing, capping, and stabilizing agent. The process converts agricultural waste into a valuable precursor, avoiding toxic chemicals and minimizing environmental pollution. The synthesized material was calcined at temperatures from 60 to 700 °C to assess thermal effects on its properties. Quantitative analysis revealed an average crystallite size of 21.4 nm (Scherrer equation) for the optimally calcined sample at 500 °C. Characterizations by UV–Vis, PL, FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, Raman, and XPS showed that calcination strongly affects particle morphology, crystallinity, and surface composition. Low temperatures produced amorphous, irregular aggregates with residual organics, while intermediate temperatures yielded highly crystalline, quasi-spherical particles with enhanced optical emission and minimal defects. High-temperature treatment achieved maximum purity and ordering but led to grain coarsening. This work provides a systematic correlation between structural (XRD, FTIR) and optical (UV–Vis, PL) characteristics of Cr 2 O 3 NPs synthesized through a green route – an aspect not comprehensively reported in earlier fruit-extract-based Cr 2 O 3 studies. The results highlight the potential of plant-mediated synthesis combined with controlled thermal processing to produce high-purity, tunable Cr 2 O 3 NPs for catalytic, optical, and coating applications.

The development of sustainable polymer materials remains a significant challenge, particularly in striking a balance between mechanical performance and environmental responsibility. In this work, starch–Nylon 6 nanocomposites were prepared using a solution casting method with different plasticizers and nanoclays. Plasticizers, such as propylene glycol, phthalates, trimellitic acid, acetyl tributyl citrate, and polyethylene glycol, were incorporated to improve flexibility. Meanwhile, bentonite and halloysite nanoclays were utilized as reinforcements to enhance strength and thermal stability. Mechanical analysis revealed that the phthalate–halloysite formulation achieved the highest tensile strength (8.0 ± 0.3 MPa), surpassing that of the pure starch control (5.0 ± 0.1 MPa). Thermal studies revealed a decomposition temperature of 265.0 ± 2.5 °C for halloysite-based composites, highlighting their superior stability relative to other formulations. Biodegradability testing under soil burial conditions confirmed significant weight loss within 30 days, largely due to starch degradation, while the Nylon 6 fraction remained stable. Water uptake experiments further demonstrated the barrier role of nanoclays, reducing moisture absorption. This study establishes starch–Nylon 6 nanoclay systems as partially biodegradable composites that provide a balance between enhanced material performance and reduced environmental impact, positioning them as promising candidates for applications where strength, stability, and sustainability are equally important.

For lowering energy consumption of low-concentration coal water slurry (CWS), this study investigates enhancing CWS performance through incorporation of micronized particles of coal as into the gasification raw material. Experimental results reveal that ultrafine particles of coal possess good physicochemical properties including low inherent moisture content, large specific surface area, and higher zeta potential. With the incorporation of 15 % fine coal particles, the concentration of CWS increased by 3 percentage points to 63.5 %, while the fractal dimension rose from 2.231 to 2.412, indicating improved packing efficiency of coal particles. Additionally, spread area per unit mass was increased by 21.2 %, and water separation rate was reduced by more than 50.3 %, depicting enhanced slurry stability. Further investigation indicated that fine particles lowered interparticle distance and increased ζ by 40.8 %, enhancing spatial resistance and electrostatic repulsion. The dynamic study indicated that incorporation of fine particles lowered activation energy by 1.42 %, the mean reaction rate ( K mean ) is increased by 188 %, and resulted in a forward shift in temperature of reaction. These observations reveal that incorporation of fine particles can be a means to enhance rheological and gasification properties of CWS and therefore improve energy efficiency in fuel applications on the basis of coal.

This study presents an environmentally friendly and green approach for the biosynthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) utilizing the Pleurotus florida mushroom extract. The synthesized TiO 2 NPs underwent thorough characterization using sophisticated analytical methods. In the ultraviolet-visible spectrum investigation, the absorbance peak was seen at 214 nm, and the XRD findings confirmed that the anatase phase of TiO 2 was present. Based on the assessments of cytotoxicity, it was shown that the SK-N-SH cell line, which is the neuroblastoma from humans, exhibited substantial invitro cytotoxicity effects, with an IC 50 value of 96.79 μg/mL. The synthesized nanoparticles displayed significant antibacterial efficacy with the highest significant zone of inhibition reported for Salmonella enterica (16 mm), Proteus vulgaris (15 mm), and Staphylococcus aureus sub sp. (15 mm); the efficacy was against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, in vitro antioxidant evaluation confirmed their ability of nanoparticles to scavenge the free radical. At a concentration of 1,000 μg/mL, the nanoparticles displayed 68.18 % α-amylase inhibitory activity, exceeding the standard reference, and demonstrated 86.02 % anti-inflammatory efficacy. This pioneering study underscores the potential of P. florida -mediated TiO 2 NPs as multifunctional bioactive agents, paving the way for their application as eco-friendly nanodrugs in biomedical and pharmaceutical domains.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in indoor and outdoor particulate matter pose serious health risks, particularly to children. In this study, 32 PM 2.5 and PM 10 samples were collected from two kindergartens in Hanoi, Vietnam, and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The average concentrations of 16 priority PAHs (Σ16PAHs) were 19.6 and 26.6 ng/m 3 in PM 2.5 and 24.5 and 34.1 ng/m 3 in PM 10 for indoor and outdoor environments, respectively. Significant seasonal variations were observed between the rainy and dry periods. Diagnostic ratios such as Ant/(Ant + Phe), Fla/(Fla + Pyr), and Ind/(Ind + Bper) indicated that petroleum combustion, biomass burning (grass and wood), and coal combustion were the primary sources PAHs. To evaluate health risks, carcinogenic toxicity equivalents (BaP-TEQ), mutagenic toxicity equivalents (BaP-MEQ), and benzo [a]pyrene-equivalent concentrations (B [a]Peq) were calculated. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) ranged from 6.22 × 10 −9 (inhalation, in 2023) to 1.83 × 10 −4 (dermal, in 2020), revealing that exposure through ingestion and dermal contact poses a higher cancer risk for children compared to inhalation. These findings underscore the urgent need for improved air quality management and targeted mitigation strategies in preschool environments to mitigate PAH exposure in children’s environments.

Thermochemically treated lignocellulosic biomass represents a sustainable route to high-performance activated carbons for water purification. In this study, a miscanthus-derived activated carbon (ACM) was synthesized via one-step high-temperature KOH activation and evaluated for methylene blue (MB) removal from aqueous solutions. ACM exhibits a high specific surface area (SSA BET  = 1,290 m 2 /g), dominant microporosity, and a hierarchical pore structure, enabling rapid dye diffusion. Adsorption kinetics follow a pseudo-second-order model, while intraparticle diffusion analysis reveals a two-stage mass-transfer mechanism. The weak pH dependence suggests that electrostatic interactions are not the sole controlling factor. Equilibrium data are best described by the Redlich–Peterson isotherm, indicating heterogeneous surfaces and mixed adsorption behavior. The maximum adsorption capacity increases from 410.2 to 463.8 mg/g as temperature rises from 298 to 318 K, confirming endothermic adsorption. Thermodynamic parameters indicate spontaneous, entropy-driven adsorption. FTIR analysis shows that MB uptake is predominantly governed by strong non-covalent interactions, including π–π stacking and hydrogen bonding with ACM surface functionalities, with partial contribution from pore filling rather than classical chemisorption. Reusability tests demonstrate an 80.7 % removal efficiency after three adsorption–desorption cycles without detectable mass loss, highlighting ACM as a cost-effective and sustainable sorbent for wastewater treatment.

This study presents a comparative analysis of graphite, graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to elucidate how oxidation and reduction influence their physicochemical characteristics. GO was synthesized via an eco-friendly thermal oxidation process and reduced at 300 °C to obtain rGO. Comprehensive characterization using XRD, FTIR, UV–Vis, SEM, and EDS revealed significant structural, optical, and morphological transformations. UV–Vis spectra showed absorption shifts from 284 nm (graphite) to 241 nm (GO) and 264 nm (rGO), with corresponding band gaps of 2.4, 3.0, and 2.1 eV, confirming electronic transition and partial restoration of conjugation in rGO. FTIR identified the formation of oxygenated groups in GO and their partial removal in rGO. SEM analysis showed a morphological evolution from smooth graphite layers to wrinkled GO sheets and crumpled rGO structures. XRD confirmed interlayer expansion in GO (d = 0.765 nm) and structural recovery in rGO (d = 0.385 nm), while EDS validated oxygen incorporation and reduction trends. Dielectric modulus analysis revealed distinct relaxation behavior: high conductivity in graphite, strong dipolar polarization in GO, and improved charge mobility in rGO. Controlled oxidation and reduction effectively tailor graphene-based materials for potential advanced technological applications.

Carvacrol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CCNPs) were prepared by oil-in-water emulsification followed by a fully aqueous, solvent-free ionic gelation. A two-level fractional factorial design (2 5−1 ) was used to model particle size, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency (EE), and a multi-response desirability function identified the optimum. The validated formulation showed a hydrodynamic size of 386.20 ± 50.42 nm, a zeta potential of 30.52 ± 0.67 mV, an EE of 57.93 ± 0.42 %, and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.392 ± 0.01 (overall desirability = 0.934), yielding a colloidally stable, water-dispersible nanosuspension. Carvacrol release over 72 h was pH-dependent and faster in acetate buffer (pH 3.0) than in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). Release profiles were best described by first-order and Higuchi models. Consistently, the time to 50 % DPPH inhibition (t 50 ) was shorter at pH 3.0 than at pH 7.4 (39.8 h vs 45.9 h). Dose–response assays indicated a lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) for CCNPs than for free carvacrol (0.40 vs 0.55 mg mL −1 ), whereas blank nanoparticles showed negligible scavenging (IC 50  = 132.5 mg mL −1 ). In disc diffusion tests against foodborne pathogens, CCNPs produced larger inhibition zones than blank chitosan nanoparticles. Overall, a positively charged, stable, water-dispersible nanosystem with sustained, pH-responsive release and preserved antioxidant and antibacterial activities was obtained via a green, solvent-free process.

Commiphora gileadensis (L.), a pantropical and endangered medicinal plant of the Burseraceae family, thrives in arid and semi-arid regions. This study investigates its ecological distribution and phytochemical composition across five locations in Khulais Governorate, Saudi Arabia. Ecological parameters, including topography, climate, chorology, life forms, and soil physicochemical properties, were assessed. Heavy metal concentrations and bioavailability in both soil and root samples were analyzed. Phytochemical profiling was conducted using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 94 species from 28 families were associated with C. gileadensis , with Poaceae being the most dominant. Therophytes represented the highest life form (43.62 %), and Sudano-Zambezian and Saharo-Arabian elements were the most prevalent chorotypes. Soil pH ranged from 7.1 to 7.73, and electrical conductivity from 0.89 to 1.60 mS/cm. Roots showed root coefficient factors (RCF) > 1 for Cu, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ba, and B, indicating phytostabilization potential. Harra 2 site recorded the highest proline and carbohydrate levels. GC/MS revealed 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester (Z,Z,Z) as the most abundant compound across all sites. This integrative study provides ecological and phytoremediation insights into C. gileadensis , supporting its conservation and sustainable utilization.