Sorptive Interactions of Fungicidal 2-(4'-Thiazolyl) Benzimidazole with Soils of Divergent Physicochemical Composition

Thiabendazole, 2-(4'-thiazolyl) Benzimidazole fungicide is rampantly used in Pakistan for controlling fungalgrowth in addition to combating various fungus driven diseases. Thiabendazole leaching and mobility patterns can beeasily predicted through investigation of Thiabendazole adsorption and desorption behavior in soils. Present work iscarried out by conducting a batch equilibration experiment for evaluation of Thiabendazole adsorption and desorption insoils from four diverse Pakistani climatological regions. Data revealed Thiabendazole had moderate to weak adsorption inselected soils with distribution co-efficient Kd(ads) ranging from 13.33 to 24.04 µg/ml in selected soils. The TBZ adsorptionin soils best fitted with Freundlich model (R2>0.87). The Freundlich adsorption coefficient (Kf(ads)) values ranged from4.51 to 8.90 µg/ml. Thiabendazole adsorption trends in the selected soils were positively influenced by the clay contentand soil organic matter while it was negatively influenced by soils’ pH. The Freundlich desorption coefficient (Kf(des))values spanned over a range of 1.03 to 6.43 µg/ml indicating decreased desorption from soils with creditable affinities forThiabendazole adsorption. The adsorptive interactions between Thiabendazole and selected soils were primarily physicalconfirmed through lower values of Gibbs free energy ∆G ≤ - 40kJ/mol. Thiabendazole desorption was highly hysterical inall soils with profound irreversibility. Thiabendazole possessed medium mobility patterns in selected soils. The loweradsorptive capability of Thiabendazole in selected soils points towards its lower application rates for combating long termenvironmentally perilous implications

Sorptive Interactions Evaluation of Benomyl Metabolites Mecarzole with the Varyingly Selected Minerals

Soil and soil minerals are the primary recipients of different contaminates coming in immediate contact.Agricultural practices which are dominated by use of different agrochemicals have further aggravated the soil quality.Fungicides, aimed at the extermination, inhibition and growth retardation of fungal species in agricultural crops havebeen used frequently. Among such fungicides, Benzimidazole based fungicides are of prime significance due to theircomparatively improved annihilatory activity. Despite such frequent utilization, the reports on the reception andconsequent sorption of Benzimidazole fungicides are scarce. Current work has, for the first time, investigated theinteraction of Benzimidazole based fungicide, Mecarzole (metabolite of Benomyl fungicide and also known asCarbendazim) in the selected minerals i.e. corundum (alumina), silica, muscovite and montmorillonite. The interactionwas studied via standard equilibration method established in batches. Adsorption and desorption of Mecarzole in theselected minerals was evaluated by multilayer Linear and Freundlich model for different parameters i.e. Kd, Kf, Kfdesand Kdes. Linearity was exhibited by the minerals for attachment of Mecarzole. The highest values of Kd (6.93 mL. µg-1) and Kf (7.99 mL. µg-1) obtained for muscovite are indicative of the higher affinity of muscovite for Mecarzole incomparison to other three minerals. Excellent adsorption of Mecarzole in muscovite is suggestive of the fact thatMecarzole interacting with muscovite is not a threat towards lower soil profiles since there is a stronger bonding. Incontrast to muscovite, Mecarzole poorly adsorbed in alumina represents a threat to soils due to possible percolation ofpoorly adsorbed Mecarzole molecules

Foliar-mediated Ag:ZnO nanophotocatalysts: green synthesis, characterization, pollutants degradation, and in vitro biocidal activity

A green, biomimetic, and one-pot synthesis of silver-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Ag) nanoparticles via hydrothermal route utilizing Prunus cerasifera leaf extract has been reported for the first time. Synthetic route involved optimization for leaf extract. Doped nanoparticles were characterized for crystalline, optical, compositional, and morphological makeup via X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Direct energy bandgap was calculated through Tauc plot. The incorporation of Ag+ into Zn2+ sites within ZnO crystal was obtained using leaf extract as a reducing agent. Ag inculcated positional modifications in ZnO structure confirmed via XRD-shifted peaks. Ag:ZnO nanoparticles were found to be an efficient nanophotocatalyst against bromocresol green and bromophenol blue (R2=0.83 and 0.95, respectively) in direct solar irradiance. Degradation efficiencies up to 86% and 95% in less than 15min were achieved. Furthermore, the synthesized doped nanoparticles expressed highly active to active zones of inhibition against nine microbes of pathogenic nature toward human and crops. Doped nanoparticles inhibitory activity was found to exceed standard antibiotic drugs ampicillin and amphotericin B in a standard Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay. Creditable photocatalytic and antimicrobial activities of synthesized doped nanoparticles signify their prospects in commercialization into nanophotocatalyst and bactericidal/fungicidal agent at industrial scale

Analysis of Fuel Alternative Products Obtained by the Pyrolysis of Diverse Types of Plastic Materials Isolated from a Dumpsite Origin in Pakistan

The current energy crisis and waste management problems have compelled people to find alternatives to conventional non-renewable fuels and utilize waste to recover energy. Pyrolysis of plastics, which make up a considerable portion of municipal and industrial waste, has emerged as a feasible resolution to both satisfy our energy needs and mitigate the issue of plastic waste. This study was therefore conducted to find a solution for plastic waste management problems, as well as to find an alternative to mitigate the current energy crisis. Pyrolysis of five of the most commonly used plastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high- and low-density polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS), was executed in a pyrolytic reactor designed utilizing a cylindrical shaped stainless steel container with pressure and temperature gauges and a condenser to cool down the hydrocarbons produced. The liquid products collected were highly flammable and their chemical properties revealed them as fuel alternatives. Among them, the highest yield of fuel conversion (82%) was observed for HDPE followed by PP, PS, LDPE, PS, and PET (61.8%, 58.0%, 50.0%, and 11.0%, respectively). The calorific values of the products, 46.2, 46.2, 45.9, 42.8 and 42.4 MJ/kg for LPDE, PP, HPDE, PS, and PET, respectively, were comparable to those of diesel and gasoline. Spectroscopic and chromatographic analysis proved the presence of alkanes and alkenes with carbon number ranges of C9–C15, C9–C24, C10–C21, C10–C28, and C9–C17 for PP, PET, HDPE, LDPE, and PS, respectively. If implemented, the study will prove to be beneficial and contribute to mitigating the major energy and environmental issues of developing countries, as well as enhance entrepreneurship opportunities by replicating the process at small-scale and industrial levels

Semi-conducting Ni/Zn nano-hybrids’ driven efficient electro-catalytic performance: fabrication, characterization, and electrochemical features’ elucidation

The current work reports the synthesis, analytical evaluation, and electrochemical performance investigation of green bio-factories’ triggered mixed metal oxides’ nano-hybrids comprising of nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) for the first time. Modified sol–gel synthetic route used for the synthesis of NiO/ZnO green nano-hybrids ([NiO/ZnO]-GNH) is devoid of utilization of any chemical-reducing agents. Efficient [NiO/ZnO]-GNH electro-catalysts were characterized for various aspects using Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR), gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), field emission scanning electron micrographs (FE-SEM), UV-Visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) steps of water splitting reactions were evaluated via linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) via fabrication of modified Ni-foam electrode through decoration of [NiO/ZnO]-GNH. The as-synthesized [NiO/ZnO]-GNH promises electro-catalytic performance with a small over-potential of 0.42 V and 264 mV for OER and HER, respectively, for the achievement of a current density of 10 mA/cm2. Results of the current work can be extended to the practical scale adoption of the fabricated electro-catalysts through optimized investigation and economical evaluation for the consolidation of environmental sustainability and green energy production