Effect of Nitrogen Doping On The Structural Surface And Optical Properties Of ZnO Thin Film Prepared By Spraypyrolysis

Pure and Nitrogen doped ZnO thin films were fabricated using spray pyrolysis method. The influence of doping on the structural, optical and morphological properties of prepared films were studied. The prepared samples were characterized through XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), FT-RAMAN (Fourier Transform Raman), optical transmittances of prepared films were studied as a function of wavelength using UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). Absorption coefficient and Extinction coefficient values were calculated. Thickness of the films were found increasing with increasing doping concentrations. Structural studies confirmed that the prepared films were highly crystalline and predominantly orientation along (0 0 2) direction. On varying the doping concentration of N, a shift in the (0 0 2) peak was observed. FTIR and Raman spectral investigations revealed bands at specified wavenumber regions corresponding to stretching and bending vibrations of Zn and O. High resolution SEM images proved the presence of regular distribution of grains and the surface was found continuous, free from crack and holes. EDAX spectrum shows the attained films contain of Zinc, Oxygen and Nitrogen elements. Present investigations confirmed the fusion of nitrogen into ZnO lattice and modified the structural, optical and morphological properties of ZnO films.

Polymers Sorption Properties towards Photosynthetic Pigments and Fungicides

In the present work, extraction with a solvent (cold acetone) was used to extract the assimilation pigments from spinach leaves. Then, the sorption capacity of selected plastics granules (polyvinyl chloride—PVC, polypropylene—PP, polyethylene—PE of different densities) was tested for the selective isolation of chlorophylls. Quantification of chlorophylls by HPLC (Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C18 column, the mobile phase: Acetonitrile/methanol/ethyl acetate 6:2:2, v/v) was based on chlorophyll-a content as the most common chlorophyll. The performed experiments prove that PVC containing electronegative chlorine exhibits favorable interactions toward chlorophyll by creating stable molecular complexes. The Fourier Transform Raman Spectroscopy (FT-Raman) and the molecular modeling were used to elucidate the structure of the created complexes. The optimal extraction requirements, the mass of sorbent, water-acetone ratio, time, and the composition of the elution solvent were all established. The optimized extraction conditions ensured a maximum extraction yield of chlorophylls of 98%. The chlorophyll-rich sorbent was re-extracted by acetone, leading to the recovery of 91% of chlorophylls in one step, adding the possibility of its re-use. The proposed effective and ecological method of obtaining the green dye from plants is cheap, simple, and efficient, avoiding organic solvents, utilizing the most widely used synthetic polymers in the world, being products difficult for utilization. The possibility to remove chosen fungicides cyprodinil, chlorothalonil, and thiabendazone from plant extract by PVC was also examined. The described method proposes a new application of synthetic polymers, which meets the criteria of sustainable green chemistry, simultaneously reaching the growing demand for pure natural compounds in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Renocardiac Syndrome Induced by Renal Ischemia and Reperfusion: Vibrational Markers

Renal injury caused by renal ischemia and reperfusion is capable to change heart morphology, electrophysiology, and redox unbalance. The so-called cardio-renal syndrome is an important class of dysfunction since heart and kidneys are responsible for hemodynamic stability and organ perfusion through a complex network. In the present work we investigate the Fourier-Transform Raman vibrational spectral features of cardiac hypertrophy induced by renal ischemic reperfusion. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to unilateral occlusion of the renal pedicle for 60 minutes and reperfused for 5 days, 8 days, and 15 days. It was observed that bands around 540, 1100, 1300, 1450, 1650, and 2500 cm-1 dominates the spectra. They are associated to stretching of S-S in Cysteine amino acid, stretching of C-C in lipids, twisting of CH2 in collagen and phospholipids, bending modes of CH3 in lipids and amino acids side chains, Amide I vibration of proteins. The intensities of these vibrations are modulated during renocardiac syndrome. We find that tyrosine, tryptophan, cystine/cysteine, fibroblast growth factors, collagen III alterations from homeostasis were the metabolites associate with these changes. These findings are clinically relevant once the presented bands can be used as molecular markers of preventing cardiac diseases’ development in patients with renal injury.