Antioxidant activity of Butternut squash Skin: Effect of different extracting solvents

The goal of this work is to study the effect of different extracting solvents on antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoids content (TFC) of Butternut squash skin extracts. The solvents used for extraction were acetone, methanol, and water. The TPC was estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu method and their amounts in the extracts varied from 150.09 ± 4.89 to 359.61 ± 5.77 mg GAE/ g of extract. The TFC was determined in all extracts by colorimetric AlCl3 method and their amounts varied from 0.79 ± 0.01 to 1.18 ± 0.03 mg CE/g of extract. Antioxidant activity was estimated using DPPH method. For all extracts, the antioxidant activity was expressed as percent of inhibition and IC50 values ranged from 0.21 to 1.00 mg/l.The study showed that TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity depends on the solvent used for extraction. Interestingly, skin extracts of Butternut squash showed higher total phenolic content and higher antioxidant activities among all examined extracts. Butternut squash skin is a new precious source of phenolic compounds that can be considered as a natural antioxidant of high value for different applications

Comparative evaluation of total phenolic content, total flavonoids content and antioxidants activity in Skin & Pulp extracts of Cucurbita maxima

The aim of this study was to determine the total phenolic content, total flavonoids content, and antioxidant activity of various extracts of pumpkin Cucurbita maxima skin and pulp. The various solvents used for extraction were acetone, methanol, ethanol and water. The total phenolic content in pulp extracts ranged from 9.72 ± 0.37 to 106.92 ±0.47 mg GAE/g of extract, while in skin extracts ranged from 55.91 ± 5.67 to 336.19 ± 0.89 mg GAE/g of extract. The total flavonoids content varied from 0.13 ± 0.01 to 2.21 ±0.06 mg CE/g of extract in pulp extracts and from 1.17 ± 0.08 to 4.64 ± 0.02 mg CE/g of extract in skin extracts. Antioxidant activity of extracts was expressed as percentage of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), IC50 values (mg/ml), and radicals inhibition. The IC50 values in pulp ranged from 1.55 to 4.01 mg /ml and from 1.12 to 67.64 mg/ml in skin. The highest antioxidant scavenging activity was obtained in water skin extract (lowest IC50 value of 1.12 mg/ml). The Cucurbita maxima skin extracts contains impressively higher total phenolic and total flavonoids contents when compared to pulp extracts. The present study revealed that the skin followed by the pulp of pumpkin Cucurbita maxima could be used as an excellent natural source of antioxidant

Preparation and Characterization of α-Zinc Molybdate Catalyst: Efficient Sorbent for Methylene Blue and Reduction of 3-Nitrophenol

Zinc molybdate (ZnMoO4) was prepared by thermal decomposition of an oxalate complex under a controlled temperature of 500 °C. Analyses of the oxalate complex were carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). On the other hand, analyses of the synthesized zinc molybdate were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller technique (BET). The efficiency of the synthesized catalyst was tested with the reduction reaction of 3-nitrophenol (3-NP), and was also applied as a sorbent for methylene blue dye (MB) in aqueous solutions. The catalytic test of zinc molybdate shows a very high activity. The concentration reduction progress and adsorption of the dye were followed by an ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometer

Modified Nigella Sativa Seeds as a Novel Efficient Natural Adsorbent for Removal of Methylene Blue Dye

The aim of this work was to investigate the use of modified nigella sativa seeds (MNS) for removing of methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solution. The nigella sativa (NS) seeds have been pre-treated at different temperatures and periods of time. The maximum adsorption of MB was achieved using NS sample washed with distilled water pre-heated at 65 °C for one hour, then ground to 250 µm particle size (MNS-4). Different parameters were modified to optimize the removal process of MB using MNS-4, such as contact times, temperatures, initial dye concentrations, adsorbent doses, and pH of the solution. MNS-4 exhibited a removal efficiency of 99% for initial dye concentrations greater than 800 ppm at pH value of 11. The kinetic study indicated that the removal process follows the pseudo second order model. The removal was spontaneous, endothermic and favorable, and this was indicated by the thermodynamic study. Maximum removal capacity was 194 mg/g as deduced from Langmuir model. The removal efficiency was maintained after four recycle uses. The modified nigella sativa seeds were characterized before, and after adsorption and regeneration by Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The data suggested that nigella sativa seeds could be a prospective agent for removing MB from wastewater

Enhanced catalytic reduction of para-nitrophenol using α-MoO3 molybdenum oxide nanorods and stacked nanoplates as catalysts prepared from different precursors

Molybdenum oxide, α-MoO3, nanorods and stacked nanoplates were prepared from oxalate, citrate and tartrate precursors. These molybdenum oxides showed high efficiencies in the reduction of para-nitrophenol to para-aminophenol in the presence of NaBH4. The prepared precursors were first characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and then thermally decomposed at 350°C (oxalate precursor) and 550°C (citrate and tartrate precursors). The final oxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the Braunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) technique. The oxalate precursor is the most efficient catalyst for the reduction reaction

Iron Molybdate Fe2(MoO4)3 Nanoparticles: Efficient Sorbent for Methylene Blue Dye Removal from Aqueous Solutions

The present study investigated iron molybdate (Fe2(MoO4)3), synthesized via a simple method, as a nanosorbent for methylene blue (MB) dye removal from aqueous solutions. Investigations of the effects of several parameters like contact time, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration, temperature and pH were carried out. The results showed that MB removal was affected, significantly, by adsorbent dose and pH. Interestingly, lower values of adsorbent dose resulted in the removal of higher amounts of MB. At the optimum pH, the removal efficiency of 99% was gained with an initial MB concentration of ≤60 ppm. The kinetic study specified an excellent correlation of the experimental results with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Thermodynamic studies proved a spontaneous, favorable and endothermic removal. The maximum amount of removal capacity of MB dye was 6173 mg/g, which was determined from the Langmuir model. The removal efficiency was shown to be retained after three cycles of reuse, as proven by thermal regeneration tests. The presence and adsorption of the dye onto the Fe2(MoO4)3 nanoparticle surface, as well as the regeneration of the latter, was ascertained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). These findings are indicative that the investigated nanosorbent is an excellent candidate for the removal of MB in wastewater

High Catalytic Efficiency of Nanostructured β-CoMoO4 in the Reduction of the Ortho-, Meta- and Para-Nitrophenol Isomers

Nanostructured β-CoMoO4 catalysts have been prepared via the thermal decomposition of an oxalate precursor. The catalyst was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method (BET), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The efficiency of these nanoparticles in the reduction of ortho- and meta-nitrophenol isomers (2-NP, 3-NP, and 4-NP) to their corresponding aminophenols was tested using UV-visible spectroscopy measurements. It was found that, with a β-CoMoO4 catalyst, NaBH4 reduces 3-NP instantaneously, whilst the reduction of 2-NP and 4-NP is slower at 8 min. This difference is thought to arise from the lower acidity of 3-NP, where the negative charge of the phenolate could not be delocalized onto the oxygen atoms of the meta-nitro group

Enhancement Properties of Zr Modified Porous Clay Heterostructures for Adsorption of Basic-Blue 41 Dye: Equilibrium, Regeneration, and Single Batch Design Adsorber

Zirconium porous clay heterostructures (Zr-PCH) were synthesized using intercalated clay minerals by zirconium species with different contents of zirconium. The presence of zirconium and silica species was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, and magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance. The insertion of zirconium improved the thermal stability, the specific surface area with a maximum of 950 m2/g, and the acidity concentration of 0.993 mol of protons per g of solid. These materials were used to adsorb the basic blue-41 from aqueous solution. The adsorption efficiency was examined at different conditions, with a maximum adsorbed amount of 346 mg/g as estimated from Langmuir model. This value was dependent on zirconium content in the PCHs. The adsorption process was found to be favorable and spontaneous. The efficiency of the spent materials was maintained after five reuse cycles with a decrease by 15% of the original value for a particular Zr-PCH material with a Zr content of 6.82%. Single stage batch adsorber was suggested using the mass balance equation and Langmuir isotherm model. The amount of PCH materials required depended on the target percentage of adsorption at specific volume and initial concentration of the basic-blue-41 dye solution

Molybdenum Trioxide: Efficient Nanosorbent for Removal of Methylene Blue Dye from Aqueous Solutions

Nano Molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO3) was synthesized in an easy and efficient approach. The removal of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solutions was studied using this material. The effects of various experimental parameters, for example contact time, pH, temperature and initial MB concentration on removal capacity were explored. The removal of MB was significantly affected by pH and temperature and higher values resulted in increase of removal capacity of MB. The removal efficiency of Methylene blue was 100% at pH = 11 for initial dye concentrations lower than 150 ppm, with a maximum removal capacity of 152 mg/g of MB as gathered from Langmuir model. By comparing the kinetic models (pseudo first-order, pseudo second-order and intraparticle diffusion model) at various conditions, it has been found that the pseudo second-order kinetic model correlates with the experimental data well. The thermodynamic study indicated that the removal was endothermic, spontaneous and favorable. The thermal regeneration studies indicated that the removal efficiency (99%) was maintained after four cycles of use. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed the presence of the MB dye on the α-MoO3 nanoparticles after adsorption and regeneration. The α-MoO3 nanosorbent showed excellent removal efficiency before and after regeneration, suggesting that it can be used as a promising adsorbent for removing Methylene blue dye from wastewater

Application of Organo-Magadiites for the Removal of Eosin Dye from Aqueous Solutions: Thermal Treatment and Regeneration

Na-magadiite exchanged with cetyl-trimethylammonium cations provided organophilic silicate materials that allowed for the effective removal of the acidic dye “eosin”. The organic cations were intercalated into the interlayer spacing of the layered silicate via an exchange reaction between the organic cations from their bromide salt and the solid Na-magadiite at room temperature. Different techniques were used to characterize the effect of the initial concentration of the surfactant on the structure of the organo-magadiites. The C, H, and N analysis indicated that a maximum of organic cations of 0.97 mmol/g was achieved and was accompanied by an expansion of the basal spacing of 3.08 nm, with a tilted angle of 59° to the silicate layers. The conformation of the organic surfactants was probed using solid-state 13C, finding mainly the trans conformation similar to that of the starting cetyl trimethylammonium bromide salt (C16TMABr). Thermal gravimetric analysis was carried out to study the thermal stability of the resulting organo-magadiites. The intercalated surfactants started to decompose at 200 °C, with a mass loss percentage of 8% to 25%, depending on the initial loading of the surfactant, and was accompanied by a decrease of the basal spacing from 3.16 nm to 2.51 nm, as deduced from the in situ X-ray diffraction studies. At temperatures below 220 °C, an expansion of the basal spacing from 3.15 to 3.34 nm occurred. These materials were used as a removal agent for the anionic dye eosin. The maximum amount of the dye removed was related to the organic cation content and to the initial concentration of eosin, with an improvement from 2.5 mg/g to 80.65 mg/g. This value decreased when the organo-magadiite was preheated at temperatures above 200 °C. The regeneration tests indicated that an 85% removal efficiency was maintained after six cycles of use for the organo-magadiite using Ci of 200 mg/L