scholarly journals A Novel Nanocomposite of Activated Serpentine Mineral Decorated with Magnetic Nanoparticles for Rapid and Effective Adsorption of Hazardous Cationic Dyes: Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moaaz K. Seliem ◽  
Mariusz Barczak ◽  
Ioannis Anastopoulos ◽  
Dimitrios A. Giannakoudakis

A widely distributed mineral, serpentine, obtained from Wadi Ghadir (Eastern Desert in Egypt) was studied as a potential naturally and abundantly available source for the synthesis of an efficient adsorbent for aquatic remediation applications. A novel nanocomposite was synthesized after the exfoliation of the layered structure of serpentine by hydrogen peroxide treatment (serpentine (SP)), followed by decoration with magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNP). The goal behind the utilization of the latter phase was to increase the environmental remediation capability and to incorporate magnetic properties at the final adsorbent, toward a better separation after the use. The fabricated composite (MNP/SP) was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The composite’s potential adsorption application toward the removal of two cationic dyes, methylene blue (MB) and malachite green (MG), was investigated. The observed adsorption kinetics was fast, and the highest uptake was observed at pH = 8, with the capacities to reach 162 and 176 mg g−1 for MB and MG, respectively, values significantly higher than various other materials tested against these two cationic dyes. Compared to hydrogen peroxide-treated serpentine, the removal efficiency of the composite was higher by 157 and 127% for MB and MG, respectively. The MB and MG were adsorbed because of the favorable electrostatic interactions between MNP/SP active sites and the cationic dyes. The close value capacities suggest that the difference in chemistry of the two dyes does not affect the interactions, with the later occurring via the dyes’ amine functionalities. With increasing ionic strength, the adsorption of the studied basic dyes was slightly decreased, suggesting only partial antagonistic ion effect. The sorbent can be easily regenerated and reused without significant deterioration of its adsorption efficiency, which makes MNP/SP a promising adsorbent for the removal of hazardous pollutants from aquatic environments.

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Carlos Martínez-Hernández ◽  
Iris N. Serratos ◽  
César Millán-Pacheco ◽  
Arturo Rojo-Domínguez ◽  
Jaqueline Padilla-Zúñiga

Human cathepsins K, L, and S, which are involved in the development of several serious diseases, are strongly inhibited by their related prosegments, to which they are covalently bound or simply forming complexes. In this work, three-dimensional structures of the three natural complexes of these enzymes with their related proregions were constructed, as well as six chimeric complexes of the same three prosegments with their non-cognate enzymes. We made a comparative study of the contacts in all nine structures throughout their active sites. The analysis was performed looking for a structural parameter that could agree with the values of the inhibition constants reported experimentally for each of the nine complexes. We found that this correlating parameter was the difference of the electrostatic energy (involving hydrogen bonds and ion pairs) at the binding interface of a 13-amino acid fragment of the prosegments. We used the results of this work, on the one hand, to identify the key residues involved in the electrostatic intermolecular recognition in each studied complex and, on the other, to explain some results achieved by different research groups on the inhibition of the same enzymes analyzed here. It was found that the natural cathepsin L complex showed a higher number of electrostatic interactions, some of them interconnected, when compared to the other two natural complexes. In addition, the chimeric contacts revealed binding sites that could be used to achieve a more potent inhibition of these cathepsins, avoiding cross-interactions.


Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengcheng Li ◽  
Delun Chen ◽  
Yuanyuan Wang ◽  
Xiaoyong Lai ◽  
Juan Peng ◽  
...  

In this paper, Au and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were successively deposited on fluorine-doped SnO2 transparent conductive glass (FTO, 1 × 2 cm) via a facile and one-step electrodeposition method to form a clean interface and construct a three-dimensional network structure for the simultaneous detection of nitrite and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). For nitrite detection, 3D Au-rGO/FTO displayed a sensitivity of 419 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a linear range from 0.0299 to 5.74 mM, while for the detection of H2O2, the sensitivity was 236 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a range from 0.179 to 10.5 mM. The combined results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD) and electrochemical tests demonstrated that the properties of 3D Au-rGO/FTO were attributabled to the conductive network consisting of rGO and the good dispersion of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) which can provide better electrochemical properties than other metal compounds, such as a larger electroactive surface area, more active sites, and a bigger catalytic rate constant.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maren T. Kuchenbrod ◽  
Ulrich S. Schubert ◽  
Rainer Heintzmann ◽  
Stephanie Hoeppener

This review revisits staining protocols for electron microscopy focussing on the visualization of active sites, i.e. enzymes, metabolites or proteins, in cells and tissues, which were never established as standard protocols in electron microscopy.


Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 608
Author(s):  
Jinkun Lu ◽  
Haichun Jiang ◽  
Lingying Ye ◽  
Daxiang Sun ◽  
Yong Zhang ◽  
...  

The effect of aging time on the crushing performance of Al-0.5Mg-0.4Si alloy used for safety components of automobile was investigated by tensile test and crush test. Moreover, the microstructure of the alloy was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the localized deformation ductility index, ΔAabs, which is defined as the difference between total elongation and uniform elongation, of Al-0.5Mg-0.4Si alloy is 6.5%, 7.0% and 8.5%, respectively, after being aged at 210 °C for 1, 3 and 6 h, and this tendency is the same as that of the crushing performance. The spacing of grain boundary precipitates (GBPs) from TEM results are found to be 94.9, 193.6 and 408.2 nm after being aged at 210 °C for 1, 3 and 6 h, respectively, and this tendency is same to that of ΔAabs. A mechanism about the relation between the spacing of GBPs and the ductility index ΔAabs has been proposed based on localized deformation around GBPs. With the increase of GBPs spacing, the ΔAabs increases, and the crushing performance is improved.


2015 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 836-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oindrila Mondal ◽  
Manisha Pal ◽  
Ripandeep Singh ◽  
Debasis Sen ◽  
Subhasish Mazumder ◽  
...  

The effect of dopant size (ionic radius) on the crystal growth, structure and optical properties of nanocrystalline calcium titanate, CaTiO3(CTO), have been studied using small-angle neutron scattering. X-ray diffraction, along with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, confirms the growth of pure nanocrystalline CTO. Rietveld analysis reveals that the difference of ionic radii between dopant and host ions induces strain within the lattice, which significantly affects the lattice parameters. The induced strain, due to the difference of ionic radii, causes the shrinkage of the optical band gap, which is manifested by the redshift of the absorbance band. Mesoscopic structural analysis using scattering techniques demonstrates that the ionic radius of the dopant influences the agglomeration behaviour and particle size. A high-resolution transmission electron microscopy study reconfirms the formation of pure highly crystalline CTO nanoparticles.


Development ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-232
Author(s):  
John F. Fallon ◽  
Robert O. Kelley

The fine structure of the apical ectodermal ridge of five phylogenetically divergent orders of mammals and two orders of birds was examined using transmission and freeze fracture electron microscopy. Numerous large gap junctions were found in all apical ectodermal ridges studied. This was in contrast to the dorsal and ventral limb ectoderms where gap junctions were always very small and sparsely distributed. Thus, gap junctions distinguish the inductively active apical epithelium from the adjacent dorsal and ventral ectoderms. The distribution of gap junctions in the ridge was different between birds and mammals but characteristic within the two classes. Birds, with a pseudostratified columnar apical ridge, had the heaviest concentration of gap junctions at the base of each ridge cell close to the point where contact was made with the basal lamina. Whereas mammals, with a stratified cuboidal to squamous apical ridge, had a more uniform distribution of gap junctions throughout the apical epithelium. The difference in distribution for each class may reflect structural requirements for coupling of cells in the entire ridge. We propose that all cells of the apical ridges of birds and mammals are electrotonically and/or metabolically coupled and that this may be a requirement for the integrated function of the ridge during limb morphogenesis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 3858
Author(s):  
Milan Hodošček ◽  
Nadia Elghobashi-Meinhardt

A combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and computational analyses uncovers structural features that may influence substrate passage and exposure to the active sites within the proteolytic chamber of the 20S proteasome core particle (CP). MD simulations of the CP reveal relaxation dynamics in which the CP slowly contracts over the 54 ns sampling period. MD simulations of the SyringolinA (SylA) inhibitor within the proteolytic B 1 ring chamber of the CP indicate that favorable van der Waals and electrostatic interactions account for the predominant association of the inhibitor with the walls of the proteolytic chamber. The time scale required for the inhibitor to travel from the center of the proteolytic chamber to the chamber wall is on the order of 4 ns, accompanied by an average energetic stabilization of approximately −20 kcal/mol.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 7404-7409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aihua Jing ◽  
Gaofeng Liang ◽  
Hao Shi ◽  
Yixin Yuan ◽  
Quanxing Zhan ◽  
...  

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene with high specific surface area, excellent conductivity and designed porosity is essential for many practical applications. Herein, holey graphene oxide with nano pores was facilely prepared via a convenient mild defect-etching reaction and then fabricated to 3D nanostructures via a reduction method. Based on the 3D architectures, a novel enzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensor was successfully fabricated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the 3D holey graphene oxide architectures (3DHGO). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to evaluate the electrochemical performance of 3DHGO at glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Excellent electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of H2O2 was observed, and a linear range of 5.0×10-8~5.0×10-5 M with a detection limit of 3.8×10-9 M was obtained. These results indicated that 3DHGO have potential as electrochemical biosensors.


1989 ◽  
Vol 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winnie Wong‐Ng ◽  
Lawrence P. Cook ◽  
Michael D. Hill ◽  
Boris Paretzkin ◽  
E.R. Fuller

AbstractThe influence of the ionic size of the lanthanides R on melting relations of Ba2RCu3O6+x, where R=Y, Eu and Nd, was studied and compared with that of a high Tc superconductor mixed‐lanthanide phase Ba2(Y.75Eu.125Nd 125)Cu3O6+xThese materials have been characterized by a variety of methods including differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X‐ray powder diffraction. Single phase samples of Ba2(Y.75Eu.125Nd.125)Cu3O6+x were annealed at 1004, 1040, 1052, 1060, 1078, 1107 and 1160°C and quenched into a helium gas container cooled by liquid nitrogen. The SEM micrographs of these samples showed the progressive chnages in features of the microstructures from sintering and grain growth through melting and then recrystallization from the melt. The addition of the SEM technique in conjunction with X‐ray diffraction has been helpful in the study of phase equilibria in this system.


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