Fullerenol nanoparticles as a new delivery system for doxorubicin

Doxorubicin is a very potent chemotherapeutic drug, however its side effects limit its clinical use. The aim of this research was to investigate the properties of a fullerenol/doxorubicin nanocomposite, its potentially cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on malignant cell lines, as well as its toxicity towards zebra fish embryos. Chromatographic, NMR and mass spectral analysis of the nanocomposite imply that interactions between doxorubicin and fullerenol are non-covalent bonds. The stability of the nanocomposite was confirmed by the use of atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The nanocomposite, compared to the free doxorubicin at equivalent concentrations, significantly decreased the viability of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The flow cytometry results indicated that doxorubicin-loaded fullerenol could remarkably increase the uptake of doxorubicin suggesting that fullerenol might be a promising intracellular targeting carrier for the efficient delivery of antitumor drugs into tumor cells. The nanocomposite also affected cell cycle distribution. A genotoxicity test showed that the nanocomposite at all examined concentrations on MCF-7 and at lower concentrations on MDA-MB-231 cells caused DNA damage. Consequently, cell proliferation was notably reduced when compared with controls. Results of the zebrafish embryotoxicity assay showed a decreased overall toxicity, particularly cardiotoxicity and increased safety of the nanocomposite in comparison to doxorubicin alone, as manifested by a higher survival of embryos and less pericardial edema

Mineral Characterization of Soil Type Ranker Formed on Serpentines Occurring in Southern Belgrade Environs Bubanj Potok

The paper addresses the issue of health risk associated with the presence of chrysotile in the soil type ranker formed on massive serpentines occurring in the area of Bubanj Potok, a settlement located in the southern Belgrade environs, Serbia. Characterization of the ranker soil was conducted by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy and transmission Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy figures showed regular shaped smectite (montmorillonite) particles, aggregates of chlorite, and elongated sheets of serpentines minerals antigorite. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of detrital mineral quartz polymorph as well as minor amounts of other mineral species. Micro-Raman spectroscopy identified the presence of dominant minerals, such as montmorillonite, kaolinite, muscovite, gypsum, calcite, albite, amphiboles (hornblende/kaersutite) and orthoclase. Important polymorph silica modifications of quartz, olivine (forsterite), pyroxene (enstatite/ferrosilite, diopside/hedenbergite), and serpentine (antigorite/lizardite/chrysotile) were identified

Potential of TiO2 with various au nanoparticles for catalyzing mesotrione removal from wastewaters under sunlight

Nowadays, great focus is given to the contamination of surface and groundwater because of the extensive usage of pesticides in agriculture. The improvements of commercial catalyst TiO2 activity using different Au nanoparticles were investigated for mesotrione photocatalytic degradation under simulated sunlight. The selected system was 2.43 × 10−3% Au–S–CH2–CH2–OH/TiO2 (0.5 g/L) that was studied by transmission electron microscopy and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. It was found that TiO2 particles size was ~20 nm and ~50 nm, respectively. The Au nanoparticles were below 10 nm and were well distributed within the framework of TiO2 . For 2.43 × 10−3% Au–S–CH2–CH2–OH/TiO2 (0.5 g/L), band gap energy was 2.45 eV. In comparison to the pure TiO2, addition of Au nanoparticles generally enhanced photocatalytic removal of mesotrione. By examining the degree of mineralization, it was found that 2.43 × 10−3% Au–S–CH2–CH2–OH/TiO2 (0.5 g/L) system was the most efficient for the removal of the mesotrione and intermediates. The effect of tert-butanol, NaF and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt on the transformation rate suggested that the relative contribution of various reactive species changed in following order: h+ >•OHads >•OHbulk. Finally, several intermediates that were formed during the photocatalytic treatment of mesotrione were identified. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Removal of cationic pollutants from water by xanthated corn cob: optimization, kinetics, thermodynamics, and prediction of purification process

The removal of Cr(III) ions and methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions by xanthated corn cob (xCC) in batch conditions was investigated. The sorption capacity of xCC strongly depended of the pH, and increase when the pH rises. The kinetics was well fitted by pseudo-second order and Chrastil’s model. Sorption of Cr(III) ions and MB on xCC was rapid during the first 20 min of contact time and, thereafter, the biosorption rate decrease gradually until reaching equilibrium. The maximum sorption capacity of 17.13 and 83.89 mg g-1 for Cr(III) ions and MB, respectively was obtained at 40 °C, pH 5 and sorbent dose 4 g dm-3 for removal of Cr(III) ions and 1 g dm-3 for removal of MB. The prediction of purification process was successfully carried out and the verification of theoretically calculated amounts of sorbent was confirmed by using packed-bed column laboratory system with recirculation of the aqueous phase. The wastewater from chrome plating industry was successfully purified, i.e. after 40 min concentration of Cr(III) ions was decreased lower than 0.1 mg dm-3. Also, removal of MB from the river water was successfully carried out and after 40 min removal efficiency was about 94 %

Preliminary geochemical investigation of karst barre from eastern Serbia Sokobanja basin

Karst bare is a hydrogeological phenomenon which denotes a karst terrain of limited area completely surrounded by rocks of low permeability, i.e. whose lower part is enclosed and bordered by more or less impervious rocks impeding ground water flowing out of the karst area. Sokobanja basin is one of the first localities where this kind of karst was detected. This study represents a preliminary geochemical analysis of karst bare samples from this locality. Atomic absorption spectrometric analysis shows that the studied samples are composed predominantly of Ca and contain minor amounts of Mg, probably in form of carbonate minerals obtained by dissolving with mineral acids. There are no detailed geochemical data about karst barre from this or any other locality in the available literature to date

Preliminary geochemical investigation of karst barre from eastern Serbia Sokobanja basin

Karst bare is a hydrogeological phenomenon which denotes a karst terrain of limited area completely surrounded by rocks of low permeability, i.e. whose lower part is enclosed and bordered by more or less impervious rocks impeding ground water flowing out of the karst area. Sokobanja basin is one of the first localities where this kind of karst was detected. This study represents a preliminary geochemical analysis of karst bare samples from this locality. Atomic absorption spectrometric analysis shows that the studied samples are composed predominantly of Ca and contain minor amounts of Mg, probably in form of carbonate minerals obtained by dissolving with mineral acids. There are no detailed geochemical data about karst barre from this or any other locality in the available literature to date

Bioimpact of Carbon Nanomaterials

The unique size-dependent properties of carbon nanomaterials (CNMs)- graphene, nanotubes (CNTs) and fullerenes- make them very attractive for diagnostic and therapeutic application. This chapter presents possible application of CNMs. Graphene with extraordinary chemical and physical properties has already revealed a great number of potential applications such as environmental toxic material removal, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and fl uorescence-based biomolecular sensing. The CNT derivatives have many interesting properties which make them potentially useful in a living system as biosensors, bioelectronic devices based on enzyme-nanotube or antibody-nanotube conjugates, chemotherapeutic agents, hyperthermia therapy and immunotherapy agents, agent in treatment of central nervous system disorders, and tissue engineering agent. Fullerene C60 derivatives have been used as: drug and gene delivery vectors, magnetic resonance imaging agents, radio protectors, antioxidants, HIV-1 protease inhibitors, antigenotoxic agents, and phototherapy agents. Fullerenols are polyhydroxylated derivatives of fullerene (C60(OH)n) with remarkable antioxidant, xenobiotic-protective, radioprotective, nanodrug and endohedral gadolinium carrier properties

Short QT interval is unreliable marker of anabolic androgenic steroid abuse in competitive athletes

Introduction. Previous animal and human studies provided the evidence that testosterone may affect ventricular repolarization by shortening of the QT interval. Synthetic derivatives of testosterone, modified to enhance its anabolic properties, are occasionally abused by some competitive athletes. Objective. We assessed whether the QT interval duration could discriminate androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS)-using strength athletes (SA) from drug-free endurance athletes (EA), by comparing 25 formulas for QT interval correction. Methods. We recruited 22 elite male athletes involved in long-term strength or endurance training and 20 sedentary controls. All elit

Characteristics of mineral, thermal and thermomineral waters of Carpatho-Balkanides Region (Eastern Serbia): The potentials and possibilities of their exploitation

Hydropower, biomass, biogas, biofuels, wind power, solar energy and geothermal energy are the major resources to provide the Republic of Serbia with most of renewable energy in the future. In this paper, the focus will be on renewable sources, specifically on thermomineral, thermal and mineral waters in the Carpatho-Balkanides Region (Eastern Serbia). The territory of Serbia is very rich in sources of mineral, thermal and thermomineral water. These numerous sources differ in their physico-chemical properties. Thus, they represent a very important natural resource with versatile possibilities for their usage. Region of Carpatho-Balkanides (Eastern Serbia) is highlighted in this regard. The distribution of mineral, thermal and thermo-mineral waters in this region is very significant, both by the number of known occurrences and deposits, as well as by the presence of certain types or classes and subclasses of water. This potential, at the same time, represents the basis for the development of various activities in the fields of medicine, tourism, sport and recreation, water bottling industry, as well as in processing of various mineral, agriculture etc. All these facts imply on the need for detailed and complex investigations in the field of hydrogeology of this natural wealth which offers, in economic terms, the great opportunities for the development and growth. However, the practice, on studied territory, showed neither proper understanding nor proper approach to the exploitation of this raw potential

Ftir spectroscopic characterization of bituminous limestone: Maganik mountain (Montenegro)

FTIR spectroscopy has been used to detailed study of bituminous limestone samples from two different locations at Maganik Mountain (Montenegro). Bituminous limestone at Maganik Mountain occurs as carbonate sediments in three levels and belongs to the early Cretaceous. Our specimens come from the oldest sediments of this limestone belonging to Barremian age. Particular attention has been given to investigation of isolated asphaltenes and kerogens. The FTIR technique provides fine determination of various organic and inorganic functional groups, as well as aliphatic and aromatic carbon and hydrogen. Due to the structural complexity of kerogens and asphaltenes, in this study we have done correlations of particular infrared absorptions to various functional groups. The asphaltenes of studied samples show higher contribution of aromatic structures than the kerogens. Notable differences in FTIR spectra of some samples that are reflected as shift of peak locations and a variety of intensities are attributed to eventual differences in the microbial precursors and/or depositional environments, conditions of sedimentation and/or genesis