Article
Environmental Sciences
Xi Zhang, Xiaobin Yu, Xingyue Yu, Mohammadreza Kamali, Lise Appels, Bart Van der Bruggen, Deirdre Cabooter, Raf Dewil
Summary: This study investigated the efficiency and kinetics of the photoactivated periodate process for degrading 2,4-dichlorophenol in water, finding that UV/IO4- had a higher degradation rate than UV alone, regardless of pH. By adjusting the concentration of periodate and 2,4-DCP, the degradation rate and removal efficiency could be controlled effectively.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shuo Sun, Yaru Wang, Chenfei Xu, Chenlu Qiao, Shuiquan Chen, Chaocheng Zhao, Qiyou Liu, Xiuxia Zhang
Summary: Biodegradation of toxic chlorophenols and crude oil was analyzed using the composite microbial agent B-Cl, composed of Bacillus B1 and B2. The study assessed the biodegradation mechanism of B-Cl through whole genome sequencing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatographic analyses. B-Cl proved to be effective in reducing Cl- concentrations and crude oil biodegradation, and in reconstructing soil microbial communities for the degradation of various compounds. The presence of 2,4-DCP was found to hinder the observed effects. This study highlights the importance of using B-Cl for in-situ bioremediation of chlorophenols and oil-contaminated soil.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianqiang Shi, Guichen Zhang, Shaojun Zhang, Run Lu, Mengwei Chen
Summary: Bilge water, a major source of pollution in the marine environment, can be efficiently degraded by a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) combined with Bacillus licheniformis as the inoculum. The optimization of the SBR system through response surface methodology (RSM) allows for the maximum removal of COD.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianqiang Shi, Guichen Zhang, Shaojun Zhang, Run Lu, Mengwei Chen
Summary: This study evaluated the biodegradation of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) from bilge water using a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) combined with Bacillus licheniformis strain S2. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the influencing variables of temperature, pH level, and inoculum concentration on the SBR system. The results showed efficient COD removal at optimal operating conditions with a high R-2 value in the biodegradation kinetics of COD.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhaobo Wang, Dajun Ren, Yongwei Huang, Shuqin Zhang, Xiaoqing Zhang, Wangsheng Chen
Summary: Researchers have successfully synthesized Fe-Cu-MOF@C nanocatalyst and found that it exhibits excellent catalytic activity and stability in the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. The study also reveals the possible mechanism and pathway of degradation for 2,4-dichlorophenol.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Seyed Hassan Ahmadi, Tayebeh Tabatabaie, Bahman Ramavandi, Seyed Enayat Hashemi
Summary: This study investigated the enzymatic biodegradation of amoxicillin in wastewater. The results demonstrated that under appropriate conditions, a high removal rate of amoxicillin can be achieved.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fatimah S. Al-Khattaf, Mysoon M. Al-Ansari, Murali Kannan Maruthamuthu, L. Dyona, Paul Agastian
Summary: The study aimed to degrade poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (P(3HB)) in the sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) using biocatalyst, with enrichment method successfully isolating P(3HB) degrading bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa KS10 and Nitrobacter vulgaris SW1. Results showed that these bacteria were effective in degrading P(3HB), reducing environmental pollution associated with petroleum-based polymers.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Meguovilie Sachu, Balakyntiewshisha Lyngdoh Kynshi, Mayashree B. Syiem
Summary: Excessive use of herbicides in agricultural fields has negative effects on the ecosystem. Microbial degradation is an effective approach for combating non-natural substances in soil. In this study, the degradation of 2,4-D by a cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum Meg 1 was investigated, and the effects of 2,4-DCP on the organism were studied. The results showed that 2,4-DCP caused cellular injury and oxidative stress in the organism. However, at lower concentrations, the organism was able to mitigate oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant levels.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY C-TOXICOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
J. N. Neetha, P. Ujwal, K. Girish Kumar, B. Chidananda, Louella Goveas, K. Sandesh
Summary: This study aims to explore endophytic bacteria for degrading the organic pollutant 2,4-D, and identifies an Enterobacter hormaechei strain with high tolerance and degradation capability. Optimization using the OFAT approach, the isolated strain can effectively degrade the dye even at high concentrations of 2,4-D.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alfonso Garcia, Edgardo Valenzuela, Alejandro Vargas, Ignacio de Godos, Raul Munoz, Meng Wang, Miguel Vital-Jacome, Guillermo Quijano
Summary: A photo-sequencing batch bioreactor (PSBR) was used to treat medium- and low-strength wastewaters, achieving a high removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand. However, photoinhibition of nitrifying activity occurred under high irradiance conditions. A short settling time promoted the rapid formation of microalgal-bacterial aggregates (MABAs), and simulation of light penetration profiles proved to be a useful tool for identifying photoinhibition of nitrifying activity.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Rafal Madaj, Witold Sroczynski, Michal Sojka, Tomasz P. Olejnik, Elzbieta Sobiecka
Summary: A new batch mode reactor was constructed for the continuous biodegradation of 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid. Through parameter optimization and statistical calculations, the results showed a significant correlation between initial pH, medium composition, and process time on the degradation effectiveness of the substrate.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Susan N. James, Arya Vijayanandan
Summary: An anoxic-aerobic-anoxic process was established in a sequencing batch reactor to simultaneously remove organic carbon and nitrogen from wastewater. The study found that the optimum conditions for the process were achieved with a dissolved oxygen level of 1.5 mg/L and 1 hour pre-anoxic and post-anoxic periods. Under these conditions, the removal efficiencies of TOC, NH4+-N, and TN were 98.76%, 98.52%, and 88.23% respectively. Breakpoints in the pH, DO, and ORP curves provided insights into the biochemical reactions occurring in the reactor. Inhibition studies revealed that nitrogen removal pathways such as heterotrophic nitrification or direct conversion contributed to the removal of 27.69% of NH4+-N, while aerobic denitrification accounted for the removal of 20.55% of TN. Microbial community analysis confirmed the presence of heterotrophic nitrifiers and aerobic denitrifiers. The study emphasized the benefits of the varied redox conditions provided by limited aeration for nitrogen removal, leading to reduced energy usage and operating costs.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
P. Roszkowska, A. Dickenson, J. E. Higham, T. L. Easun, J. L. Walsh, A. G. Slater
Summary: Non-thermal plasma (NTP) is a promising state of matter for chemical reactions, providing high densities of reactive species without the need for a catalyst at atmospheric pressure and moderate temperature. However, a better understanding of the complex interactions between NTP and liquids is needed for comprehensive use of NTP in reactions. This study details the construction of a microfluidic reactor and a corresponding batch setup for NTP chemical reactions in organic solvents, enabling controlled generation of NTP and inline data collection. The developed frameworks contribute to the potential applications of NTP in chemical synthesis.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yifan Zhang, Jiahao Yu, Guijun Liu, Xiaoyue Jin, Ruihong Liu, Jiancheng Du, Wenbin Xue
Summary: In this study, cathodic microarc plasma electrolysis (CMPE) was used to degrade 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in simulated wastewater. Higher bath voltage and alkaline condition were found to be more suitable for 2,4-DCP decomposition. The presence of Cl(-) played a significant role in the opening of the benzene ring and promoted ortho-substitutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ali Assadi, Roya Alimoradzadeh, Hossein Movahedyan, Mohammad Mehdi Amin
Summary: This study investigated the microbial and biodegradation kinetics of acclimated-mixed sludge to 4-chlorophenol in an aerobic sequencing batch reactor. The biodegradation kinetics were predicted accurately using the Haldane formulae. However, pure strains isolated from mixed sludge did not show higher 4-CP-removal efficiency due to the presence of an intermediate meta-cleavage product.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sawaira, Mabkhoot Alsaiari, Mushtaq Ahmad, Mamoona Munir, Muhammad Zafar, Shazia Sultana, Sumreen Dawood, Abdulaziz Ibrahim Almohana, M. H. Al-Marzouki Hassan, Abdulrahman Faraj Alharbi, Zubair Ahmad
Summary: A novel green bismuth oxide nanocatalyst derived from plant extract was synthesized and applied for sustainable biofuel synthesis from Cannabis sativa seed oil. The synthesized biodiesel showed comparable fuel properties with internationally set parameters.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Rozina, Mushtaq Ahmad, Nasib Qureshi, Muhammad Zafar, Sheikh Zain Ul Abidin, Sher Aman Ullah
Summary: This study focuses on the production of biodiesel from non-edible Cordia dichotoma seed oil using a NiO nanocatalyst prepared with aqueous leaf extract of Anagallis arvensis L. Various analytical techniques were used to analyze the nanoparticles and confirm the production of methyl ester. The results showed a high biodiesel yield of 94% with fuel properties comparable to international standards.
Article
Water Resources
Ankit Singh, Soubhik Mondal, Nibedita Samal, Sanjeev Kumar Jha
Summary: This study addresses input and model uncertainty in a five-day streamflow forecasting system in the Narmada River Basin and evaluates rainfall forecasts obtained from three different meteorological forecast agencies. The results indicate that the forecast accuracy of NCMRWF is better than other forecasting products, and the streamflow generated using the VIC model produces better results.
HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abrar U. U. Hassan, Sajjad H. H. Sumrra, Ghulam Mustafa, Muhammad F. F. Nazar, Muhammad N. N. Zafar
Summary: In this study, a series of non-fullerene acceptor organic dyes were designed and their structures and properties were investigated for organic solar cells. The key properties including bandgap, ionization potential, maximum absorption wavelength, and electron injection were calculated and analyzed. The intramolecular charge transfer process and stability were also studied. It was found that some dyes exhibited promising nonlinear optical properties, providing a reference for the research and development of new organic optoelectronic materials.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MODELING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Huma Kausar, Anees Ahmad, Mohd Shoeb Khan, Hesam Salimi Shahraki, Abdul Hakeem Anwer, Mohammad Zain Khan, Shahab A. . A. . Nami
Summary: This work presents the synthesis of bismuth molybdosulphosalicylate cation exchanger Bi-MoS and its polypyrrole (Ppy) nanocomposites with different weight percentages of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via a sol-gel approach. The ternary nanocomposites, BiMoS-Ppy, BiMoS-Ppy-0.1MWCNTs, and BiMoS-Ppy-0.2MWCNTs, were characterized by various techniques and showed successful polymerization and formation. The addition of MWCNTs improved the thermal stability of the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the ternary nanocomposites were evaluated for their lead sensing application, and the detection mechanism of Pb2+ ions in BiMoS-Ppy-0.2MWCNTs nanocomposite was discussed.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Abrar U. U. Hassan, Sajjad H. H. Sumrra, Wardha Zafar, Muhammad Imran, Sadaf Noreen, Muhammad Irfan
Summary: Nine new dyes were designed by end-capped modelling of a dithiophene-based 6,6 '-di(thiophen-2-yl)-4,4 '-bipyrimidine (DTB) moiety. These dyes exhibited smaller energy gaps and significant nonlinear optical response, making them potential contenders for nonlinear optical applications.
Article
Plant Sciences
Salman Majeed, Mushtaq Ahmad, Fethi Ahmet Ozdemir, Azize Demirpolat, Zeynep Sahan, Trobjon Makhkamov, Muhtor Nasirov, Muhammad Zafar, Shazia Sultana, Ghulam Yaseen, Nabila
Summary: Micromorphological and ultrastructural data have been used to study the evolution, classification, ecology, and phylogeny of seed plants. In this study, we conducted a comparative morphometric analysis of seed features in 16 dicot species from the Thal desert using scanning electron microscopy. We identified micromorphological similarities and differences among these species and determined their systematic relationships.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Waris, Abdul Hakeem Anwer, Fahad Abdulaziz, Salman Latif, Abdulaziz Alanazi, Saima Sultana, Mohammad Zain Khan
Summary: The present study synthesized rGO nanosheets and TiO2 nanoparticles by a green method using aloe vera and gram seeds, respectively. A simple microwave-assisted approach was used to prepare the TiO2/rGO nanosheets composite. The as-prepared materials were characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy. The TiO2/rGO-NS composite exhibited a sheet-like nature and was used as the cathode with a carbon cloth substrate. The electrochemical properties of the materials were studied using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The TiO2/rGO-NS composite coated carbon cloth cathode showed a maximum specific capacitance (599.9 Fg(-1)) and energy density (83.31 Whkg(-1)) at a current density of 1 Ag-1.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING B-ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL SOLID-STATE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Shahab Ali, Muhammad Zafar, Mushtaq Ahmad, Shazia Sultana, Amjad Khan, Salman Majeed, Jamil Raza
Summary: In this study, the taxonomic value of Asteraceae pollen from the Sikaram Mountain Pak-Afghan border was assessed. Microscopic techniques were used to observe and measure the pollen of 15 species. The study found that the pollen grains were usually Tricolporate, triangular to circular in polar view, with varying shapes and sculpturing. The research also identified differences in pollen size, spine length, and exine thickness among different species. Cluster analysis was used to classify closely related taxa. The study highlights the importance of palynological research in taxonomy and applied sciences.
MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mohanraj Karthik Ganesh, Ganesh Lakshmanan, Mohammad Zafar Iqbal Khan, Seppan Prakash
Summary: Mucuna pruriens Linn. (M. pruriens), a leguminous plant, has shown therapeutic efficacy in treating male-related infertility. It exhibits antioxidant, androgenic, aphrodisiac, and spermatogenic properties. This study investigates the rejuvenating effects of M. pruriens on the aged rat testis microenvironment.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Aqsa Aziz, Mushtaq Ahmad, Muhammad Zafar, Abdel-Rhman Z. Gaafar, Mohamed S. Hodhod, Shazia Sultana, Mohammad Athar, Fethi Ahmet Ozdemir, Trobjon Makhkamov, Akramjon Yuldashev, Oybek Mamarakhimov, Maxsuda Nizomova, Salman Majeed, Bisha Chaudhay
Summary: The study focused on the synthesis of copper oxide phyto-nanocatalyst using non-edible Citrullus colocynthis as a new renewable feedstock. Under optimized conditions, the maximum biodiesel yield of 95% was achieved. The synthesized phyto-nanocatalyst showed high efficiency and stability, even after being reused five times, thus proving to be a promising alternative for the future biodiesel industry.
Article
Agronomy
Maria Ameen, Muhammad Zafar, Mushtaq Ahmad, Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan, Heba F. Eid, Trobjon Makhkamov, Akramjon Yuldashev, Oybek Mamarakhimov, Maxsuda Nizomova, Rima J. Isaifan, Shaista Jabeen, Salman Majeed
Summary: The research aimed to investigate and identify the micro-morphological characteristics of selected seed-bearing crops using scanning electron microscopy. Chemical extraction via Soxhlet apparatus resulted in estimating the oil content and FFA content, with a maximum biodiesel yield of 98% achieved. Multivariate analysis using PCA revealed similarities and differences among factors/variables, and SEM examination exhibited ultra-morphological characters and distinct variation in cell-wall ornamentation.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ribaha Manzoor, Muhammad Zafar, Tayyaba Yaqoob, Mushtaq Ahmad, Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan, Ashwaq T. Althobaiti, Azize Demirpolat, Duygu Nur Cobanoglu, Shazia Sultana, Trobjon Makhkamov, Oybek Mamarakhimov, Akramjon Yuldashev, Dilabza Khakimova, Maxsuda Nizomova, Ulugbek Ochilov, Salman Majeed
Summary: This study examines the role of light microscopic (LM) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) micromorphological traits of the epidermis in identifying and classifying invasive plants. The results showed that various micromorphological features are very useful for species' accurate identification. Leaf epidermal morphology contains numerous useful systematic features for accurate identifications of plant species.
MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Waris, Abul Hasnat, Shumaila Hasan, Sayfa Bano, Saima Sultana, Alex Omo Ibhadon, Mohammad Zain Khan
Summary: Since 1970, many artificial enzymes that mimic natural enzymes have been discovered. Nanozymes, a type of nanomaterials, have enzyme-like properties and can catalyze natural enzyme processes. They have attracted great interest in biomedicine due to their stability, reactivity, and cost-effectiveness. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the advances in nanozymes and their biological applications, as well as discusses future perspectives and barriers for their therapeutic use.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wasi Ur Rahman, Mohammad Danish Khan, Benazir Khurshid, Mohammad Zain Khan, Gopinath Halder
Summary: Increasing population has led to water and energy crises, requiring the treatment of wastewater for human use. This study focuses on degrading wastewater with hazardous toluene and simultaneously recovering energy through anaerobic digestion. The optimal degradation efficiency was achieved when 200 mg/L toluene was degraded with 1 g/L of glucose.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
