Heavy metals’ removal from aqueous environments using silica sulfuric acid

There is a growing environmental and health concern associated with contamination by heavy metals. It has also been intensified due to an increase of the exposure to such pollutants as a result of industrial and technological growth. Therefore, it is necessary to remove heavy metals in contaminated water to eliminate the associated risks. This study focused on the removal of heavy metal ions using silica sulfuric acid (SSA). A comprehensive study was conducted to assess the effect of different factors on the adsorption by SSA as well as selectivity properties of the adsorbent, kinetic and thermodynamic studies of the adsorption process. A batch test was used to remove heavy metals from a multi-element solution containing Ni(II), Pb(II), Mn(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II). The results showed that removal rate reached its peak at pH, string time, and adsorbent amount equal to 8, 60 min, and 0.04 g/mL of solution, respectively. The removal efficiency of Ni2+, Cd2+, Mn2+ dropped by increasing the volume of solution and smoothed at 150 mL while the removal of Pb2+ and Cu2+ did not vary with the volume. The removal efficiency by SSA was decreased as Pb > >Mn > >Ni ≥ Cu > Cd. In general, SSA successfully removed heavy metals from contaminated water.

A Green Synthesis of 1,5-Benzodiazepines using Reusable-Heterogeneous Silica Sulfuric Acid Catalyst under Solvent-Free Conditions and their Antileukemic Activity

1,5-Benzodiazepine derivatives are readily assembled from o-phenylene diamine and ketones containg α-hydrogen atoms by means of simple cyclocondensation via sp3 C-H activation promoted by an efficient heterogeneous silica sulfuric acid catalyst. Eco-friendliness, good yields, easy workup, reusable catalyst, short reaction times, high atom economy and solvent-free conditions are the noteworthy features of this protocol. These benzodiazepines are chosen for the evaluation of antiproliferative activity against different leukemia cell lines. Among the investigated compounds, 3g is the best antiproliferative agent against all the cell lines tested. Also, current preliminary analysis showed that compound 3g phosphorylates ERK1/2 and induces G1 arrest in K562 cells