Molecular docking analysis on antifungal properties of acid condensate produced from palm kernel shell

The rise in the number of fungi that resisted antifungal action is of serious concern nowadays. In this study, the potential of acid condensate (AC) produced from microwave-assisted pyrolysis of palm kernel shell (PKS) was investigated for its antifungal properties through molecular docking evaluation. The phenolic-rich AC was determined for its chemical compositions using the GC–MS analysis where compounds with the highest phenolics content were further evaluated (using the Autodock Tools 1.5.7) for its potential enzymes/protein binding properties. From the GC–MS analysis, catechol, guaiacol and syringol were present at highest percentages. This directly correlates with results obtained from the molecular docking works where all these ligands managed to bind (indicated by H-bond, π-stacking, hydrophobic interaction) with some of the amino acid at the active sites which indicate its potential to inhibit substrate binding of this enzyme. As a conclusion, this study demonstrated the potential use of AC from agricultural biomass such as PKS as a natural-based antifungal agent that can reduce environmental and health impacts.     

Nature of property rights and motivation for blue growth: An empirical evidence from the fisheries industry

If unauthorized resource use is prevented, managing marine resources by allocating property rights may match economic and environmental conservation incentives. However, because of the developing exploitation of marine resources and accompanying pollution, species' living conditions in Europe's waters are changing more quickly than before. By considering the roles of fisheries productivity, intellectual property rights, intellectual capital rights, market size, governance, and economic growth from 1990 to 2022, this paper aims to investigate the dynamic effect of property rights factors on the sustainability of the fisheries industry in 27 European countries. At higher quantiles, the findings showed a significant positive association between governance and fisheries sustainability adopting a new method, the MMQR with fixed effects, the Method of Moments Quantile Regression. In addition, in EU27 nations, the impact of intellectual property rights was favorable and statistically significant from the first to ninth quantiles. The findings show that the EU14 developed nations have more excellent governance and intellectual capital rights than the EU13 developing countries, significantly benefiting fisheries sustainability. In the same way that market size and economic growth condense fisheries sustainability in EU14 developed and EU13 developing countries, it has been discovered that intellectual property rights do the same across all quantiles, supporting the growth hypothesis for fisheries-producing countries. The findings specifically show that the beneficial solid impact of intellectual property rights, market size, and economic development on the sustainability of fisheries is more significant in EU13 developing nations than in EU14 developed countries. These results provide policymakers with helpful information for promoting property rights aspects in EU14 and EU13 nations via effective green technologies in the fisheries sector to meet sustainable development objectives.     

Geochemical fractionation and spectroscopic fingerprinting for evaluation of the environmental transformation of potentially toxic metal(oid)s in surface–subsurface soils

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - The contamination of soil by toxic metal(oid)s has emerged as a major concern worldwide, particularly in developing countries. A metals behavior in the soil...     

Spatial and temporal variability of fluoride concentrations in groundwater resources of Larestan and Gerash regions in Iran from 2003 to 2010

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - There is discrepancy about intervals of fluoride monitoring in groundwater resources by Iranian authorities. Spatial and temporal variability of fluoride in...     

Cattle egrets as a biosentinels of persistent organic pollutants exposure

We investigated selected chlorinated pollutants (β-HCH, γ-HCH, DDDs, DDEs, o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDT, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, and endrin) in the Lahore and the Sialkot districts of Pakistan, using eggs of cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) collected during May and June 2007. The pollutant with highest level and frequency was ΣDDT, followed by β-HCH, γ-HCH, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, and endrin in descending order. The concentration(s) were significantly higher in Sialkot heronry for all the pollutants (except p,p′-DDT) than in Lahore. The values for DDTs, β-HCH, γ-HCH, and heptachlor were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the egg(s) than in sediment(s) and in the chicks’ diet, due to biomagnification. Among DDTs analogues, p,p′-DDD was the major contaminant with >60 % of total DDT burden, reflecting the widespread aged as well as recent use of DDT as well as anaerobic degradation (DDD/DDE > 1 in many cases) in the nearby paddy soils. In few samples, p,p′-DDT/(DDD + DDE) > 0.5 suggested the recent emission patterns from surrounding contaminated areas of demolished DDT units and obsolete pesticide stores. The higher levels of HCHs (i.e., β-HCH) in the samples collected from Sialkot indicate exposure from long-term agricultural use. Overall, concentrations of all studied POPs were less than the threshold levels known to affect reproduction. Nevertheless, total DDTs and/or HCHs burdens in some eggs contained concentrations of greater than what would educe adverse effects on birds. This is among few studies on OCPs exposure to avian species, which provide the evidence of Pakistan’s contribution toward the Global POPs emission.     

Adult respiratory distress syndrome in human organophosphate poisoning cases

Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a clinical syndrome which occurs due to various direct or indirect noxious agents and pyhsical mechanisms. One of the etiological factors is ingested chemicals (e.g. paraquat, ethylene glycol). The organophosphorous (OP) insecticides are the most toxic and frequently encountered chemicals that produce poisoning in humans. Studies were undertaken to investigate whether OP insecticides may produce ARDS. Fifteen autopsy cases due to suicidal OP insecticide poisoning were investigated. Toxicological analyses were performed with a gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorous detector (GC-NPD). Methamidophos, dimefox and dichlorvos were the detected OP. Lungs were examined macroscopically. Two cases showed features compatible with ARDS in which the only cause of death was OP poisoning. Due to the severity of ARDS it is important to assess insecticidal exposure in an attempt to enhance survival patterns following OP poisoning in patients in order to initiate therapy.     

Lead(II) and cadmium(II) removal from aqueous solution using processed walnut shell: kinetic and equilibrium study

The biosorption potential of processed walnut shell for Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from aqueous solutions was explored. The effects of pH, contact time, initial ion concentration, and amount of dried adsorbent were studied in batch experiments. The maximum adsorption was achieved within the pH range 4.0–6.0. The equilibrium data were well fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacities were found to be 32?g?kg^?1 and 11.6?g?kg^?1 for Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions, respectively. Kinetic data were best described by the pseudo-second-order model. The structural features of the adsorbent were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which confirmed the involvement of hydroxyl (–OH), carboxyl (–COO^–), and carbonyl (C=O) groups in metal sorption. This readily available adsorbent is efficient in the uptake of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from an aqueous solution and could be used for the treatment of wastewater streams bearing these metal ions.     

Application of electrochemical reactor divided by cellulosic membrane for optimized simultaneous removal of phenols,chromium, and ammonia from tannery effluents

The post treatment of simulated tannery wastewater was evaluated in an electrochemical oxidation process under galvanostatic conditions. A continuous flow reactor divided by a cellulosic membrane consisted of Ti/SnO₂–Sb anodes and iron cathodes was used. Central composite design and response surface methodology (RSM) were applied to investigate the effects of six operational parameters, namely initial concentration of total phenols (TPh), total chromium (TCr), total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), flow rate (Q), current intensity (I), and electrode surface area (A). Effectiveness of the innovative cellulosic membrane was proven by considerable pH variations in the anolyte and catholyte chambers. A faster removal rate was observed for TPh and TAN, followed by TCr. The treatment level was very sensitive to Q and I in the studied ranges. RSM showed the removal efficiencies of 78.14%, 63.42%, and 86.09% for TPh, TCr, and TAN, respectively, are achieved under optimal conditions with consumption of only 9.03 kWh m^?3 electrical energy. Chlorinated compounds such as chloroform, 2,4-dichlorophenol, and chlorobenzene were detected as the degradation intermediates. According to the obtained results, electrolysis in the divided cell with cellulosic membrane is a practical, cost-effective method for advanced treatment of tannery effluents.     

Determination of cobalt by air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction

Abstract

A rapid and selective technique for extraction, preconcentration and determination of trace amounts of cobalt in water and pharmaceutical samples by air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry is proposed. 1-Nitroso-2-naphthol is used as a complexing agent and 1-octanol as an extraction solvent. Parameters relevant for analytical effectivity, i.e. pH of sample solution, concentration of complexing agent, volume of extraction solvent, and number of extraction cycles are optimized using a Box–Behnken design. At optimum conditions, a dynamic linear range of 5–600?µg L^?1 is obtained, with a limit of detection of 1.2?µg L^?1. The method is used for determination of Co(II) in environmental water and pharmaceutical samples.