Preparation of catalyst from natural montmorillonite mineral and its application in the synthesis of carbon nanosphere

In developed countries, nanoparticles derived from natural minerals and high-purity chemicals both are widely studied, while in developing countries like Mongolia, the natural minerals-based nanoparticles have more interest because of the low production cost and applicability of domestic natural minerals for their production. For the synthesis of natural mineral-based nanomaterials, it is important first to define the chemical composition and physical structure of local minerals and their possible processing route. We employed an environmentally friendly alkaline leaching procedure to recover silica from the clay mineral at 90°C for 24 hours. We applied an organic surfactant (CTAB) and a simple coprecipitation approach to form iron-doped silica nanoparticles. Consequently, we used iron-doped silica nanoparticles as a substrate and catalyst for the synthesis of carbon nanosphere at 750 °C for 1 hour in an argon and acetylene gas atmosphere. As a result, vast quantities of superhydrophobic carbon nanospheres (CNS) were obtained. The physicochemical properties of nanosilica substrate, non-functionalized carbon nanosphere, and functionalized carbon nanosphere (CNS) samples were characterized using XRD, XRF, SEM, EDS, TEM, and FTIR spectrometer. Iron-doped mineral-derived nanosilica particles demonstrated high catalytic efficiency and the potential to produce a large amount of value-added carbon nanospheres. Superhydrophobic CNS can be used in a variety of applications, particularly drug delivery; however, to use CNS in both aqueous and non-aqueous media, the superhydrophobic properties of CNS can be modified using different oxidizers. The changes in hydrophobicity of the CNS were examined and suggested possible oxidizing agents

Frontline Mongolian Healthcare Professionals and Adverse Mental Health Conditions During the Peak of COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The relatively young and inexperienced healthcare professionals in Mongolia faced with an unprecedent service demand in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the small size of the healthcare workforce the Mongolian Health Ministry had no choice but to mandate continuous and long workhours from the healthcare workforce. Many of the healthcare professionals exhibited signs and symptoms of mental health disorders. This study aimed to discern the prevalence various mental health concerns, i.e., depression, anxiety and stress, insomnia, and to discern the factors that increased susceptibility to mental health disorders among frontline healthcare professionals providing healthcare services for COVID-19 patients in Mongolia. Methods: A Cross-sectional research design was implemented. We collected data from 965 healthcare professional, randomly selected from 18 government hospitals, in four regions of Mongolia. Data were collected using the Depression Anxiety Stress-21, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Insomnia Severity Index instruments. We constructed the scale of Pandemic Response Symptoms (PaReSy) which captured stress, depression, and anxiety. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis statistical test and multinominal logistic regression analysis. Results: Prevalence of depression (52.3%, CI 95%: 49.1–55.5%), anxiety (70.2%, CI 95%: 67.2–73.0%), and stress (35.8%, CI 95%: 32.7–38.9%) was documented among Mongolian healthcare professionals. Perception of self-efficacy reduced susceptibility to PaReSy either at mild/moderate (OR = 0.948, 95% CI = 0.911–0.988, P = 0.011) or severe/extremely severe level (OR = 0.911, 95% CI = 0.861–0.963, P = 0.001). Within each stratum of insomnia, the risk of experiencing PaReSy increased almost linearly both in the category of mild/moderate PaReSy and in the category of severe/extremely severe PaReSy. Conclusion: Improving self-efficacy and sleeping quality can assist healthcare workers to manage depression, anxiety, and stress. Findings provide important evidence to implement measures and strategies to assist healthcare professionals in low- and middle-income countries to constructively address their mental health concerns and needs