BACKGROUND: Although the development of antibiotic and antioxidant manufacturing, the problem of bacterial resistance and food and/or cosmetics oxidation still needs more efforts to design new derivatives which can help to minimize these troubles. Benzimidazo[1,2-c]quinazolines are nitrogen-rich heterocyclic compounds that possess many pharmaceutical properties such as antimicrobial, anticonvulsant, immunoenhancer, and anticancer.
RESULTS: A comparative study between two methods, (microwave-assisted and conventional heating approaches), was performed to synthesise a new quinazoline derivative from 2-(2-aminophenyl)-1H-benzimidazole and octanal to produce 6-heptyl-5,6-dihydrobenzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline (OCT). The compound was characterised using FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR, DIMS, as well as X-ray crystallography. The most significant peak in the 13C NMR spectrum is C-7 at 65.5 ppm which confirms the cyclisation process. Crystal structure analysis revealed that the molecule grows in the monoclinic crystal system P21/n space group and stabilised by an intermolecular hydrogen bond between the N1-H1A…N3 atoms. The crystal packing analysis showed that the molecule adopts zig-zag one dimensional chains. Fluorescence study of OCT revealed that it produces blue light when expose to UV-light and its' quantum yield equal to 26%. Antioxidant activity, which included DPPH· and ABTS·+ assays was also performed and statistical analysis was achieved via a paired T-test using Minitab 16 software with P
Ultraviolet radiation is at shorter wavelengths than the visible spectrum (400 to 700 nm) and is divided into three components: UV-A (315 to 400 nm), UV-B (280 to 315 nm), and UV-C (less than 280 nm). Global increases in UV-B fluxes from decreasing stratospheric ozone amounts caused by anthropogenic chlorine releasing gases (mostly chlorofluorocarbons) have been a matter of public concern for the past 20 years. This surface UV irradiance data retrieved from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) from AURA spacecraft with the filename OMUVB. OMUVB contains surface UV irradiance data along with supplementary information generated using the OMI global mode measurements. In this mode each file contains the sunlit portion of a single orbit from pole-to-pole, with an approximately 2600 km wide swath composed of 60 ground pixels. The OMI measurements are used to estimate the ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. The product contains spectral irradiances at 305.1, 310.1, 324.1, and 380.1 nm corresponding to both the overpass time and the local solar noon. Using the correspondence latitude and longitude of Peninsular Malaysia, we can develop the pattern of distribution of UV irradiance interpolations using Sigma Plot and Adobe Photoshop.
NiS-SiO2 and Cr2S3-TiO2 synthesized by Ultrasound-Microwave method was tested for the photo-degradation of methyl red as azo dye under ultraviolet (UV) light. The structure and morphology of the synthesized materials were examined through scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and the band gap energy differences were determined through diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The crystallite size and band gap values of SiO2, TiO2, NiS-SiO2 and Cr2S3-TiO2-1 were obtained from XRD and UV-vis DRS analysis and found insignificant 44.22, 54.11, and 57.11 nm, and 8.9, 3.2, 3.0, 2.7 eV, respectively. The NiS-SiO2 and Cr2S3-TiO2 nanocomposites exhibited good stability and catalytic performance in the azo dye degradation; the composite provides a complete degradation after 50 min under UV irradiation. The effects of different quencher compounds on the Methyl red dye degradation were also investigated. The result for this experiment shows the system without the quencher was highly degradation of Methyl red. The antibacterial influence of the SiO2, TiO2, NiS-SiO2 and Cr2S3-TiO2-1 were studied versus two species bacteria. The antifungal performance of this nanoparticle was analyzed versus two species fungi as the C. albicans and P. funiculosum. Biological data demonstrated that the prepared catalyst has great bactericidal and fungicidal properties.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes damage in all living organisms, including DNA damage that leads to cell death. Herein, we provide a new technique for UV radiation protection through intracellular short peptide expression. The late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) peptide, which functions as a shield that protects macromolecules from various abiotic stress, was obtained from the Polypedilum vanderplanki group 3 LEA protein. Recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) expressing functional LEA short peptide in vivo were exposed to UVA and UVC radiation for 4, 6, and 8 h. E. coli transformants expressing the LEA peptide showed higher cell viability under both UVA and UVC treatment at all time points as compared with that of the control. Furthermore, the cells expressing LEA peptide showed a higher number of colony-forming units per dilution under UVA and UVC treatment. These results suggested that expression of the short peptide could be useful for the development of genetically modified organisms and in applications that require resilience of organisms to UV radiation.
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is added in sunscreens due to its ability to absorb ultraviolet (UV) light. However, upon irradiation of UV light, reactive oxygen species particularly hydroxyl radical which can damage human skin will be generated. In this study, lignin/TiO2 composites were employed to quench the hydroxyl radicals generated by the TiO2. The lignin was extracted from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) via kraft and soda pulping processes. The kraft lignin composite was labelled as KL/TiO2 whereas the soda lignin composite was labelled as SL/TiO2. The lignins and the composites were characterized by FTIR, UV spectroscopy, 13C NMR, SEM, EDX, and XRD. The relative hydroxyl radical production of composites and TiO2 were compared through photo-oxidation of coumarin to 7-hydroxycoumarin as a test medium. The effect of types and amounts of lignin used were studied. The KL/TiO2 composite showed the least radical production due to higher phenolic hydroxyl content of kraft lignin. The activity of the hydroxyl radicals will be quenched when it abstract hydrogen atoms from the phenolic hydroxyl groups.
Natural rubber is one of the most important renewable biopolymers used in many applications due to its special properties that cannot be easily mimicked by synthetic polymers. To sustain the existence of natural rubber in industries, modifications have been made to its chemical structure from time to time in order to obtain new properties and to enable it to be employed in new applications. The chemical structure of natural rubber can be modified by exposure to ultraviolet light to reduce its molecular weight. Under controlled conditions, the natural rubber chains will be broken by photodegradation to yield low-molecular-weight natural rubber. The aim of this work was to obtain what is known as liquid natural rubber via photodegradation, with titanium dioxide nanocrystals as the catalyst. Titanium dioxide, which was firstly synthesized using the sol⁻gel method, was confirmed to be in the form of an anatase, with a size of about 10 nm. In this work, the photodegradation was carried out in latex state and yielded low-molecular-weight natural rubber latex of less than 10,000 g/mol. The presence of hydroxyl and carbonyl groups on the liquid natural rubber (LNR) chains was observed, resulting from the breaking of the chains. Scanning electron microscopy of the NR latex particles showed that titanium dioxide nanocrystals were embedded on the latex surface, but then detached during the degradation reaction.
Results from a 6-year study of solar ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation measurements at the equatorial location of Penang (5 degrees N) are presented. On clear days, the diurnal flux reaches a very high dosage of about 3.0 x 10(-2) KWHM-2 around midday. The average daily total flux is in the range of 1.6 x 10(-1) KWHM-2 and does not change much seasonally. The high 83% cloud cover only reduces the incoming flux to about half. The radiation flux represents a lower limit of the incident UVA radiation applicable to much of the equatorial/tropical region.
Elbow length PVC gloves are often recommended for protection against organophosphorus pesticide (OP) exposure in agriculture. However, performance may be reduced due to high temperature, UV exposure and abrasion. We sought to assess these impacts for two OPs under normal use and reasonable worst-case scenarios. Glove permeation tests were conducted using ASTM cells with two PVC glove brands at 23°C and 45°C for up to 8 h. Technical grade dichlorvos and formulated diazinon were used undiluted and at application strength. Breakthough of undiluted dichlorvos occurred at both 23°C and 45°C, but only at 45°C for application strength. Breakthrough of diazinon was not achieved, except when undiluted at 45°C. UV-exposed and abraded gloves showed reduced performance, with the effect being approximately two-fold for dichlorvos. Only small differences were noted between glove brands. Extra precautions should be taken when handling concentrated OPs at high temperature, or when using abraded or sunlight-exposed gloves.
Visible light-responsive Pt-loaded coral-like BiFeO3 (Pt-BFO) nanocomposite at different Pt loadings was synthesized via a two-step hydrothermal synthesis method. The as-synthesized photocatalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and magnetic hysteresis loop (M-H loop) analyses. The FESEM images revealed that Pt nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the coral-like BFO. The UV-vis DRS results indicated that the addition of Pt dopant modified the optical properties of the BFO. The as-synthesized Pt-BFO nanocomposite was effectively applied for the photodegradation of malachite green (MG) dye under visible light irradiation. Specifically, 0.5 wt% Pt-BFO nanocomposite presented boosted photocatalytic performance than those of the pure BFO and commercial TiO2. Such a remarkably improved photoactivity could be mainly attributed to the formation of good interface between Pt and BFO, which not only boosted the separation efficiency of charge carriers but also possessed great redox ability for significant photocatalytic reaction. Moreover, the strong magnetic property of the Pt-BFO nanocomposite was helpful in the particle separation along with its great recyclability. The radical scavenger test indicated that hole (h+), hydroxyl (·OH) radical, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were the main oxidative species for the Pt-BFO photodegradation of MG. Finally, the Pt-BFO nanocomposite was revealed high antibacterial activity towards Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) microorganisms, highlighting its potential photocatalytic and antibacterial properties at different industrial and biomedical applications.
Demand for medical implants is rising day by day as the world becomes the place for more diseased and older people. Accordingly, in this research, metallocene polyethylene (mPE), a commonly used polymer was treated with UV rays for improving its biocompatibility. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images confirmed the formation of crests and troughs, which depicts the improvement of surface roughness of mPE substrates caused by UV etching. Accordingly, the contact angle measurements revealed that the wettability of mPE-2.5 J/cm2 (68.09º) and mPE-5 J/cm2 (57.93º) samples were found to be increased compared to untreated mPE (86.84º) indicating better hydrophilicity. Further, the UV treated surface exhibited enhanced blood compatibility as determined in APTT (untreated mPE- 55.3 ± 2.5 s, mPE-2.5 J/cm2 - 76.7 ± 4.1 s and mPE-5 J/cm2 - 112.3 ± 2 s) and PT (untreated mPE - 24.7 ± 1.5 s, mPE- 2.5 J/cm2 - 34.3 ± 1.1 s and mPE-5 J/cm2 - 43 ± 2 s) assay. Moreover, the treated mPE-2.5 J/cm2 (4.88%) and mPE-5 J/cm2 (1.79%) showed decreased hemolytic percentage compared to untreated mPE (15.40%) indicating better safety to red blood cells. Interestingly, the changes in physicochemical properties of mPE are directly proportional to the dosage of the UV rays. UV modified mPE surfaces were found to be more compatible as identified through MTT assay, photomicrograph and SEM images of the seeded 3T3 cell population. Hence UV-modified surface of mPE may be successfully exploited for medical implants.
Three strains of Spirulina platensis isolated from different locations showed capability of synthesizing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] under nitrogen-starved conditions with a maximum accumulation of up to 10 wt.% of the cell dry weight (CDW) under mixotrophic culture conditions. Intracellular degradation (mobilization) of P(3HB) granules by S. platensis was initiated by the restoration of nitrogen source. This mobilization process was affected by both illumination and culture pH. The mobilization of P(3HB) was better under illumination (80% degradation) than in dark conditions (40% degradation) over a period of 4 days. Alkaline conditions (pH 10-11) were optimal for both biosynthesis and mobilization of P(3HB) at which 90% of the accumulated P(3HB) was mobilized. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the mobilization of P(3HB) involved changes in granule quantity and morphology. The P(3HB) granules became irregular in shape and the boundary region was less defined. In contrast to bacteria, in S. platensis the intracellular mobilization of P(3HB) seems to be faster than the biosynthesis process. This is because in cyanobacteria chlorosis delays the P(3HB) accumulation process.
Disposal of dye wastewater into water streams without treatment endangers human and marine lives. This work focused on the second largest class of textile dyes after azo dyes due to its high resistivity to biodegradation and high toxicity. The photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Blue 4 (RB4), an anthraquinone dye, has been investigated using pure anatase nano titanium (IV) oxide (TiO2). The dye molecules were fully degraded and the addition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) enhanced the photodegradation efficiency. It is found that the degradation as the hydroxyl radicals in the bulk solution is sufficient for complete mineralisation. The disappearance of the dye follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. The effect of pH, amount of photocatalyst, UV-light intensity, light source and concentration of hydrogen peroxide was ascertained.
In the environment, sunlight or ultraviolet (UV) radiation is considered to be the primary cause of plastic aging, leading to their fragmentation into particles, including micro(nano)plastics (MNPs). Photoaged MNPs possess diverse interactive properties and ecotoxicological implications substantially different from those of pristine plastic particles. This review aims to highlight the mechanisms and implications of UV-induced photoaging of MNPs, with an emphasis on various UV sources and their interactions with co-occurring organic and inorganic chemicals, as well as the associated ecological and health impacts and factors affecting those interactions. Compared to UV-B, UV-A and UV-C were more widely used in laboratory studies for MNP degradation. Photoaged MNPs act as vectors for the transportation of organic pollutants, organic matter, and inorganic chemicals in the environment. Literature showed that photoaged MNPs exhibit a higher sorption capacity for PPCPs, PAHs, PBDEs, pesticides, humic acid, fulvic acid, heavy metals, and metallic nanoparticles than pristine MNPs, potentially causing significant changes in associated ecological and health impacts. Combined exposure to photoaged MNPs and organic and inorganic pollutants significantly altered mortality rate, decreased growth rate, histological alterations, neurological impairments, reproductive toxicity, induced oxidative stress, thyroid disruption, hepatotoxicity, and genotoxicity in vivo, both in aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Limited studies were reported in vitro and found decreased cellular growth and survival, induced oxidative stress, and compromised the permeability and integrity of the cell membrane. In addition, several environmental factors (temperature, organic matter, ionic strength, time, and pH), MNP properties (polymer types, sizes, surface area, shapes, colour, and concentration), and chemical properties (pollutant type, concentration, and physiochemical properties) can influence the photoaging of MNPs and associated impacts. Lastly, the research gaps and prospects of MNP photoaging and associated implications were also summarized. Future research should focus on the photoaging of MNPs under environmentally relevant conditions, exploiting the polydisperse characteristics of environmental plastics, to make this process more realistic for mitigating plastic pollution.
Microalgae are important microorganisms which produce potentially valuable compounds. Astaxanthin, a group of xanthophyll carotenoids, is one of the most powerful antioxidants mainly found in microalgae, yeasts, and crustaceans. Environmental stresses such as intense light, drought, high salinity, nutrient depletion, and high temperature can induce the accumulation of astaxanthin. Thus, this research aims to investigate the effect of black light, also known as long-wave ultraviolet radiation or UV-A, as a stressor on the accumulation of astaxanthin as well as to screen the antioxidant property in two tropical green algal strains isolated from Malaysia, Coelastrum sp. and Monoraphidium sp. SP03. Monoraphidium sp. SP03 showed a higher growth rate (0.66 day-1) compared to that of Coelastrum sp. (0.22 day-1). Coelastrum sp. showed significantly higher accumulation of astaxanthin in black light (0.999 g mL culture-1) compared to that in control condition (0.185 g mL-1). Similarly, Monoraphidium sp. SP03 showed higher astaxanthin content in black light (0.476 g mL culture-1) compared to that in control condition (0.363 g mL culture-1). Coelastrum sp. showed higher scavenging activity (30.19%) when cultured in black light condition, indicating a correlation between the antioxidant activity and accumulation of astaxanthin. In this study, black light was shown to possess great potential to enhance the production of astaxanthin in microalgae.
The efficiency of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), enzymatic treatment and combined enzymatic/AOP sequences for the colour remediation of soda and chemimechanical pulp and paper mill effluent was investigated. The results indicated that under all circumstances, the AOP using ultraviolet irradiation (photo-Fenton) was more efficient in the degradation of effluent components in comparison with the dark reaction. It was found that both versatile peroxidase (VP) from Bjerkandera adusta and laccase from Trametes versicolor, as pure enzymes, decolorize the deep brown effluent to a clear light-yellow solution. In addition, it was found that in the laccase treatment, the decolorization rates of both effluents were enhanced in the presence of 2, 2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate), while in the case of VP, Mn(+2) decreased the efficiency of the decolorization treatment. The concomitant use of enzymes and AOPs imposes a considerable effect on the colour remediation of effluent samples.
Lignin depolymerization for the purpose of synthesizing aromatic molecules is a growing focus of research to find alternative energy sources. In current studies, the photocatalytic depolymerization of lignin has been investigated by two new iso-propylamine-based lead chloride perovskite nanomaterials (SK9 and SK10), synthesized by the facile hydrothermal method. Characterization was done by Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), UV-Visible (UV-Vis), Photoluminescence (PL), and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and was used for the photocatalytic depolymerization of lignin under UV light. Lignin depolymerization was monitored by taking absorption spectra and catalytic paths studied by applying kinetic models. The %depolymerization was calculated for factors such as catalyst dose variation, initial concentration of lignin, and varying temperatures. Pseudo-second order was the best suited kinetic model, exhibiting a mechanism for lignin depolymerization that was chemically rate controlled. The activation energy (Ea) for the depolymerization reaction was found to be 15 kJ/mol, which is remarkably less than conventional depolymerization of the lignin, i.e., 59.75 kJ/mol, exhibiting significant catalytic efficiencies of synthesized perovskites. Products of lignin depolymerization obtained after photocatalytic activity at room temperature (20 °C) and at 90 °C were characterized by GC-MS analysis, indicating an increase in catalytic lignin depolymerization structural subunits into small monomeric functionalities at higher temperatures. Specifically, 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (39%), benzene (17%), phenol (10%) and catechol (7%) were detected by GC-MS analysis of lignin depolymerization products.
Nanoparticles (NPs) are, frequently, being utilized in multi-dimensional enterprises. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted researchers in the last decade due to their exceptional efficacy at very low volume and stability at higher temperatures. Due to certain limitations of the chemical method of synthesis, AgNPs can be obtained by physical methods including sun rays, microwaves and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In the current study, the synthesis of pullulan mediated silver nanoparticles (P-AgNPs) was achieved through ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, with a wavelength of 365 nm, for 96 h. P-AgNPs were formed after 24 h of UV-irradiation time and expressed spectra maxima as 415 nm, after 96 h, in UV-vis spectroscopy. The crystallographic structure was "face centered cubic (fcc)" as confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Furthermore, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) proved that P-AgNPs were covered with a thin layer of pullulan, with a mean crystalline size of 6.02 ± 2.37. The average lattice fringe spacing of nanoparticles was confirmed as 0.235 nm with quasi-spherical characteristics, by selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis. These green synthesized P-AgNPs can be utilized efficiently, as an active food and meat preservative, when incorporated into the edible films.
The physicochemical and functional properties of ultraviolet (UV)-treated egg white protein (EW) and sodium caseinate (SC) were investigated. UV irradiation of the proteins was carried out for 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. However, the SC samples were subjected to extended UV irradiation for 4 and 6 h as no difference was found on the initial UV exposure time. Formol titration, SDS-PAGE, and FTIR analyses indicated that UV irradiation could induce cross-linking on proteins and led to improved emulsifying and foaming properties (P < 0.05). These results indicated that the UV-irradiated EW and SC could be used as novel emulsifier and foaming agents in broad food systems for stabilizing and foaming purposes.
The impact of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the physicochemical and functional properties of gum arabic was investigated. Gum arabic samples were exposed to UV irradiation for 30, 60, 90, and 120 min; gum arabic was also treated with formaldehyde for comparison. Molecular weight analysis using gel permeation chromatography indicated that no significant changes occurred on the molecular structure on the samples exposed to UV irradiation. Free amino group analysis indicated that mild UV irradiation (30 min) could induce cross-linking on gum arabic; this result was comparable with that of samples treated with formaldehyde. However, viscosity break down was observed for samples exposed to UV irradiation for longer times (90 and 120 min). All irradiated and formaldehyde-treated samples exhibited better emulsification properties than unirradiated samples. These results indicate that UV-irradiated gum arabic could be a better emulsifier than the native (unmodified) gum arabic and could be exploited commercially.
To examined the immediate and 24 hours post- irradiation germicidal effects of UV-C lamp on eggs and adults of house dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus) and Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae).