February 9, 2018
Modern vehicles equipped with Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine have emerged as an important source of particulate emissions potentially harmful to human health. We collected and characterized gasoline exhaust particles (GEPs) produced by neat gasoline fuel (E0) and its blends with 15% ethanol (E15), 25% n-buta...
January 15, 2018
Antimicrobial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane modified by dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) has been electrospun using simple one-step technology, where the modifying agent DTAB is dissolved in spinning solution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrokinetic analysis confirm reliably the presenc...
December 31, 2017
The present study describes a pilot remediation test of a co-mingled plume containing BTEX, chlorinated pollutants and pharmaceuticals. Remediation was attempted using a combination of various approaches, including a pump and treat system applying an advanced oxidation process and targeted direct push injections of ...
December 15, 2017
Abstract Persulfate decontamination technologies either utilizing radical driven processes or direct electron transfer are very powerful tools for the treatment of a broad range of impurities, including halogenated olefins, BTEXs (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes), perfluorinated chemicals, phenols, pharma...
December 8, 2017
Nonwoven polyamide nanofibers have extensive applications in a wide range of areas. However, a general problem of polyamide nanofiber is a poor adhesion to other materials or to microorganisms. In this work, we exposed nonwoven polyamide nanofibers to ultraviolet, long-wave (UV-A) radiation for different times and s...
December 8, 2017
The interaction of a double stranded small interference RNA (siRNA Nef) with cationic carbosilane dendrimers of generations 1–3 with two different ammonium functions at the periphery ([−NMe2R]+, R = Me, (CH2)2OH) has been studied by experimental techniques (zeta potential, electrophoresis, single molecule pulling ex...
November 27, 2017
Single layer graphene (SLG) and two-dimensional (2-D) plasmonic Ag nanoparticle arrays assembled by chemisorption of ethanethiol (ET) molecules (AgNPs-ET) were employed as components of two types of hybrid systems designed for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectral probing of SLG localized in the vicinity...
November 9, 2017
Antibacterial nylon 6 (PA6) nanofibers have been prepared in one-step procedure using Nanospider technology. Chlorhexidine (CHX), 1-dodecyltrimethylamonium bromide (DTAB) and benzyltrimethylamonium bromide (BTAB) have been used as antibacterial agents. Samples were characterized by a series of analytical and testing...
November 7, 2017
The long-term stabilities of a group of iron zeolites with MFI, *BEA, and FER structures and similar Fe/Al ratios were evaluated to assess their performance as catalysts for N2O decomposition. Conditions relevant for the application of the catalyst at the secondary level for N2O elimination, i.e., directly after the...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Activated sludge biocenoses were compared on waste-water treatment plants in the city of Kazan, Russian Federation and the city of Teplice, Czech Republic. Based on Palia-Kovnatski index, Acanthamoeba in Kazan, Epistylis in Teplice, and Acanthamoeba and Centropyxis were dominant genera in both plants. The m...
November 2, 2017
Abstract This paper studies electro-coagulation (EC) as a potential alternative to chemical coagulation for the treatment of water and wastewater. Prior research around this technology has been centred on application-specific research leading to a lack of fundamental studies and understanding of the process principl...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Electro-coagulation (EC) is an alternative method to standard chemical coagulation, which is one of the most common water and wastewater treatment processes, employed to remove a wide range of contaminants through (co)precipitation processes. Despite the attention EC has received over the last decade, misco...
November 2, 2017
Abstract The undemanding water-based synthesis was employed for the preparation of TiO2/CeO2 composites supported on Montmorillonite (MT). The prior plasma treatment of Montmorillonite led to significantly faster dispergation in water during the synthesis. The composites were used as reactive adsorbents against toxi...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS)-supported copper oxides (CuO/HMS) have been prepared by a sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N-2 sorption, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), H-2 temperatureprogr...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Nitrogen doping opens possibilities for tailoring the electronic properties and band gap of graphene toward its applications, e.g., in spintronics and optoelectronics. One major obstacle is development of magnetically active N-doped graphene with spin-polarized conductive behavior. However, the effect of ni...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Graphene possesses unique features that make it attractive for nanotechnology. Functional devices often require combination of several materials with specific functions, and graphene-polymer composites are one of them. Herein, we report on the preparation of PEDOT:Graphene bilayers by in situ polymerization...
November 2, 2017
Abstract This study was performed to test the feasibility of several decontamination methods for remediating heavily contaminated groundwater in a real contaminated locality in the Czech Republic, where a pharmaceuticals plant has been in operation for more than 80 years. The site is polluted mainly by recalcitrant ...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron (nZVI) represents a promising material for subsurface water remediation technology. However, dry, bare nZVI particles are highly reactive, being pyrophoric when they are in contact with air. The current trends of nZVI manufacturing lead to the surface passivation of dry nZVI parti...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Halogenated graphenes have been attracting great attention in the recent years. The currently used methods are usually non-specific, and halogen groups are randomly distributed over the graphene. Here we demonstrate a selective graphene functionalization based on a well known reaction mechanism—Hunsdiecker ...
November 2, 2017
Abstract The covalent functionalization of graphene enabling to overcome its hydrophobicity and still keeping a high conductivity is a challenging task, particularly for advanced biosensing applications. We present a facile strategy towards water dispersible nanocarbon with excellent conductive and sensing propertie...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Solid-state luminophores operating in the near-infrared (NIR) region may have applications in sensing, communication, and medicine. We report environmentally protected solid-state NIR-emitting luminophores fabricated by embedding CdHgTe colloidal quantum dots (QDs) into a NaCI matrix, with remarkable photo-...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Herein, a strategy for improving both the stability and the emission intensity of Cu nanoclusters based on their entrapment into metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is demonstrated. The latter effect reaches 20 times and is ascribed to a confinement-assisted emission enhancement similar to the aggregation induc...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Two sizes of iron/iron-oxide (Fe/Fe-oxide) nanoclusters (NCs) of 10 and 35 nm diameters were prepared using a cluster deposition technique. Both these NCs displayed X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks due to body-centered cubic (BCC) Fe-0 and magnetite-like phase. Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy measurements confirm...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Magnetic carbon nanocages (Mag@CNCs) were synthesized via a green one-step process using pine resin and iron nitrate salt as a carbon and iron source, respectively. To produce Mag@CNCs, pristine materials have been carbonized at high temperature under inert atmosphere. The structural, textural, and surface ...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Arsenites and arsenates are carcinogenic to humans and are typically removed from contaminated water using various sorbents. However, these treatment methods result in the secondary release of weakly bound As species and require large amounts of sorbents. Here, we introduce a groundbreaking method involving...
November 2, 2017
Abstract An efficient maghemite-ZnO nanocatalyst has been synthesized via a simple coprecipitation method, where ZnO nanoparticles are uniformly decorated on the maghemite core and characterized by XRD, SEM-EDS, ICP-AES, XPS, TEM, HRTEM, and Mossbauer spectroscopy; maghemite nanoparticles are in the typical size ran...
November 2, 2017
Abstract The goal of this study was to assess the biosorption of Amido black 10B dye from aqueous solutions on magnetically modified sheaths of Leptothrix sp. in a batch system. The magnetic modification of the sheaths was performed using both microwave synthesized iron oxide nano- and microparticles and perchloric ...
November 2, 2017
Abstract A versatile and facile synthetic route toward a ultralight hierarchical porous hybrid composed of metal-organic gels and fluorinated graphene oxide is reported. The composite gels show excellent absorbency of oil and various organic solvents due to their prominent meso/macropores, notable hydrophobicity, an...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Engineering of controlled hybrid nanocomposites creates one of the most exciting applications in the fields of energy materials and environmental science. The rational design and in situ synthesis of hierarchical porous nanocomposite sheets of nitrogen-doped graphene oxide (NGO) and nickel sulfide (Ni7S6) d...
November 2, 2017
Abstract We report on the facile preparation of versatile MoS2 thiobarbituric acid conjugates, which, in addition to excellent electrochemical behavior, can serve as nanosheet platforms for further functionalization in a multitude of applications. We show that chemically exfoliated MoS2 was extensively modified with...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Efficient and high-yield functionalization of graphene represents a significant challenge in graphene chemistry, particularly due to low graphene reactivity. We report on a facile and effective method for the covalent grafting of hydrocarbon chains onto graphene surface leading to high-degree of functionali...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Materials based on metallic elements that have d orbitals and exhibit room temperature magnetism have been known for centuries and applied in a huge range of technologies. Development of room temperature carbon magnets containing exclusively sp orbitals is viewed as great challenge in chemistry, physics, sp...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Nanoscale biocompatible photoluminescence (PL) thermometers that can be used to accurately and reliably monitor intracellular temperatures have many potential applications in biology and medicine. Ideally, such nano thermometers should be functional at physiological pH across a wide range of ionic strengths...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Layered double hydroxides have been proposed as effective sorbents for As(V), but studies investigating adsorption mechanisms usually lack a comprehensive mechanistic/modeling approach. In this work, we propose coupling surface complexation modeling with various spectroscopic techniques. To this end, a seri...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Bacterial cellulose (BC) produced by Komagataeibacter sucrofermentans was magnetically modified using perchloric acid stabilized magnetic fluid. Magnetic bacterial cellulose (MBC) was used as a carrier for the immobilization of affinity ligands, enzymes and cells. MBC with immobilized reactive copper phthal...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Smart materials of biological origin are attracting a lot of attention nowadays, especially as catalysts, carriers or adsorbents. Among them, magnetically modified biomaterials are especially important due to their response to external magnetic field. This report demonstrates that naturally occurring microm...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Cancer accounts for a number of deaths each year. Consequently, prevention of this deadly disease is more challenging and hence the invention of new anticancer agents is of utmost importance. The current review elaborates the importance of indole designs as patented in the form of anticancer drug-like molec...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Core shell nanocatalysts are a distinctive class of nanomaterials with varied potential applications in view of their unique structure, composition-dependent physicochemical properties, and promising synergism among the individual components. A one-pot microwave (MW)-assisted approach is described to prepar...
November 2, 2017
Abstract Graphene oxide is one of the most studied nanomaterials owing to its huge application potential in many fields, including biomedicine, sensing, drug delivery, optical and optoelectronic technologies. However, a detailed description of the chemical composition and the extent of oxidation in graphene oxide re...
November 2, 2017
Abstract: We report the fabrication of 3D hierarchical hetero-nanostructures composed of thin α-Fe2O3 nanoflakes branched on TiO2 nanotubes. The novel α-Fe2O3/TiO2 hierarchical nanostructures, synthesized on FTO through a multi-step hydrothermal process, exhibit enhanced performances in photo-electrochemical water s...
October 20, 2017
Design and synthesis of ordered, metal-free layered materials is intrinsically difficult due to the limitations of vapor deposition processes that are used in their making. Mixed-dimensional (2D/3D) metal-free van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures based on triazine (C3N3) linkers grow as large area, transparent yello...
October 19, 2017
The most challenging task in the preparation of magnetic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (Fe3O4-PNIPAAm) nanocomposites for bio-applications is to maximise their reactivity and stability. Emulsion polymerisation, in situ precipitation and physical addition were used to produce Fe3O4-PNIPAAm-1, Fe3O4-PNIPAAm-2 and Fe3O4-...
October 18, 2017
PqqE is a radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) enzyme that catalyzes the initial reaction of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) biosynthesis. PqqE belongs to the SPASM (subtilosin/PQQ/anaerobic sulfatase/mycofactocin maturating enzymes) subfamily of the radical SAM superfamily and contains multiple Fe–S clusters. To ch...
October 17, 2017
Metal halide perovskite nanocrystals are promising materials for a diverse range of applications, such as light-emitting devices and photodetectors. We demonstrate the bandgap tunability of strongly emitting CH3NH3PbBr3 nanocrystals synthesized at both room and elevated (60 °C) temperature through the variation of t...
October 16, 2017
Here we show scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), noncontact atomic force microscopy (AFM), and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) measurements on an organic molecule with a CO-terminated tip at 5 K. The high-resolution contrast observed simultaneously in all channels unambiguously demonstrates the com...
October 11, 2017
Recently electrospinning has gained significant attention due to unique possibilities to produce novel natural nanofibers and fabrics with controllable pore structure. The present study focuses on the fabrication of electrospun fibres based on gum karaya (GK), a natural tree gum, with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and f...
September 28, 2017
The local entrapment of the spin crossover complex Fe(II)-tris[2-(2′-pyridyl)benzimidazole] into the pluronic polymeric matrix (P123, PEG20–PPG70–PEG20, MW ∼ 5800) yielded the formation of magnetic nanoparticles of ∼26 nm (SCO-Np). Formation of SCO-Np was driven by the emergence of noncovalent interactions between t...
September 22, 2017
We describe the benign wet chemical synthesis, characterization, and third-order nonlinear optical properties of hydrogenated fluorographene, namely, of a new 2D counterpart of hydrogenated graphene (graphane). The presence of hydrogen in hydrogenated fluorographene was confirmed using infrared spectroscopy, X-ray p...
September 8, 2017
Abstract: This paper illustrates a method for the stabilization of nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) suspensions with a “green” biopolymer, Gum Karaya (GK). The stability, sedimentation, aggregation behavior and reactivity towards Cr(VI) and volatile organic compounds using NZVI–GK (GK stabilized NZVI) and bare NZVI,...
September 7, 2017
Abstract: Thin films of Ba2Zn2Fe12O22(Y) ferritewere prepared on SrTiO3(111) single crystal substrates using chemical solution deposition method and two-step crystallization process. A polycrystalline film of seeding phase was deposited first and then heated to break it up into isolated grains that acted as nucleati...
September 7, 2017
Abstract: High surface area mesoporous ceria-titania binary materials with high Lewis acidity and improved reduction properties were synthesized using template assisted hydrothermal technique. The obtained materials were characterized by low temperature nitrogen physisorption, XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman, UV–vis, XPS, FTIR...
September 5, 2017
We present a facile synthetic method that yields Ag@CoxP core–shell-type heterogeneous nanostructures with excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity. This nanocatalyst can deliver a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at a small overpotential of 310 mV and exhibits high catalytic stability. Additionally, the catal...
August 30, 2017
We present an approach that allows for the preparation of well-defined large arrays of graphene wrinkles with predictable geometry. Chemical vapor deposition grown graphene transferred onto hexagonal pillar arrays of SiO2 with sufficiently small interpillar distance forms a complex network of two main types of wrink...
August 29, 2017
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is a valuable tool for inspection of trace concentrations of various molecules; hence, this method has a great potential for characterization of functionalised graphene. However, to make this method a reliable analytical tool, the influence of the metal–graphene interactions on Ra...
August 26, 2017
This paper reviews the current understanding of the toxicity of selenium (Se) to terrestrial mammalian and aquatic organisms. Adverse biological effects occur in the case of Se deficiencies, associated with this element having essential biological functions and a narrow window between essentiality and toxicity. Seve...
August 23, 2017
The monolayer form of CVD graphene is imposing crucial challenges in characterization of the targeted covalent functionalization due to the low amount of grafting moieties on the surface, which in turn hampers drawing conclusions about reactivity-properties relationships. Due to the growing interest in chemically mo...
August 21, 2017
Abstract: The TNU-9 zeolite (TUN framework) is one of the most complex zeolites known. It represents a highly promising matrix for both acid and redox catalytic reactions. We present here a newly developed approach involving the use of 29Si and 27Al (3Q) MAS NMR spectroscopy, CoII as probes monitored by UV/Vis and F...
August 21, 2017
Abstract: This paper describes a study of the nature and the accessibility of the acid sites in micromesoporous mordenite zeolites obtained by desilication and dealumination and analysis of their activity and selectivity in the hydroisomerization of n-hexane. Alkaline–acid, acid–alkaline–acid, and fluorination–alkal...
August 21, 2017
Abstract: Very thin TiO2 blocking layers (BLs) are important components for achieving high solar power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) in the dye-sensitized solar cells, and particularly perovskite solar cells (PSCs). When reasonably thin, TiO2 BLs prevent recombination of photogenerated charges at the conductive flu...
August 21, 2017
Abstract: Titanium dioxide is the most important photocatalyst used for purifying applications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the photocatalytic activity of the commercial product Protectam FN2, containing Evonik P25 titanium dioxide nanopowder, with regard to NO and NO2 abatement. Photocatalytic expe...
August 21, 2017
Abstract: Graphene is a material of great potential in a broad range of applications, for each of which specific tuning of the material's properties is required. This can be achieved, for example, by covalent functionalization. We have exploited two protocols for surface grafting, either by diazonium salts or by nuc...
August 21, 2017
Abstract: The reactivity of hydrogenated graphene when treated with oxidising agents, KMnO4 and KIO4, as well as alkylated with benzyl bromide (BnBr) was studied. The probed reactions are strictly limited to the partly hydrogenated form of graphene in which most of the hydrogen atoms are located in activated benzyli...
August 21, 2017
Abstract: Single layer graphene (SLG) is envisaged to improve significantly the substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering of planar aromatic molecules as it can ensure a more even enhancement at different places of the substrate. For this purpose, the role of SLGas a spacer in such SERS platforms has to be ad...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: Soil microbial community interacts with a range of particulate material in the soil, consisting of both inorganic and organic compounds with different levels of water solubility. Though sparingly water-soluble and insoluble organic compounds in the soil may affect living organisms, they are difficult to in...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: Background: Gas sensors are very important in several fields like gas monitoring, safety and environmental applications. In this approach, a new gas sensing concept is investigated which combines the powerful adsorption probability of metal oxide conductive sensors (MOS) with an optical ellipsometric reado...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: High surface area mesoporous ceria-titania binary materials with high Lewis acidity and improved reduction properties were synthesized using template assisted hydrothermal technique. The obtained materials were characterized by low temperature nitrogen physisorption, XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman, UV–vis, XPS, FTIR...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: We report on the evolution of the microstructure of Tb-Fe-Ga films deposited by co-sputtering from Tb33Fe67 and Fe72Ga28 targets. The sputtering power was fixed (90 W) in the Fe72Ga28 whereas it was increased from 50 to 90 W in the Tb33Fe67 target resulting on TbxFe73Ga27x layers with 7 x 11. The loca...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: A Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) system with the coupling between surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) supported by a gold grating and localized surface plasmons (LSPs) excited on grafted copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) was designed and characterized. The excitation of copper nanoparticles– molecules...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: We report the synthesis and cytotoxicity evaluation of a completely new class of cationic carbosilane dendrimers functionalized with several different phosphonium peripheral groups and an ammonium functionalised one as a reference. The carbosilane dendrimers with NMe3, PMe3, P(Et2)2(CH2)3OH, PBu3, P(C6H4-O...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: Regardless of the route of administration, some or all of a therapeutic agent will appear in the blood stream, where it can act on blood cells and other components of the plasma. Recently we have shown that poly(ethylene imines) (PEIs) which interact with plasma proteins are taken up into erythrocyte membr...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: A new kind of magnetically separable composite consisting initially of magnetite and cerium carbonate nanograins was investigated using magnetic and Mössbauer methods at room and low temperatures. Various stages of calcination treatment in air resulted in a transformation of the cerium carbonate into ceriu...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: The unusual ability of cerium oxide to cleave phosphoester bonds under relatively mild (ambient) conditions was demonstrated using thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) as model compounds. This phosphatase-mimetic ability can be exploited in biology or medicine, e.g., for...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: AlSiN coatings were prepared by the cathodic arc deposition method at a temperature of 400 °C and pressure of 2.6 Pa. The chemical composition, determined by SEM/EDS analysis, shows that the AlSiN coating presented here has a stoichiometry structure (Al40Si9N51). XPS and XRD analyses indicated AlN in both...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: Ecology of hypogeic mycorrhizal fungi, such as truffles, remains largely unknown, both in terms of their geographical distribution and their environmental niches. Occurrence of true truffles (Tuber spp.) was therefore screened using specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and subsequent PCR amplico...
August 7, 2017
Abstract: The photocatalytic activity of kaolin/ZnO composites prepared by calcination was investigated. The proposed synthesis procedure comprises the reaction of ZnCl2 with Na2CO3 in water dispersion of kaolin KKAF. Precursor sodium zinc carbonate Na2Zn3(CO3)4·3H2O is formed and after its thermal decomposition the...
August 2, 2017
Background: Conversely to common coated iron oxide nanoparticles, novel naked surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs) can covalently bind DNA. Plasmid (pDNA) harboring the coding gene for GFP was directly chemisorbed onto SAMNs, leading to a novel DNA nanovector (SAMN@pDNA). The spontaneous internalization of...
July 31, 2017
The dielectric behaviours of organically modified montmorillonite (Cloisite-20) and nanosized tubular halloysite (Dragonite-HP) were investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) under dehydration conditions up to 200 °C. The thermal and structural properties of both tested clay minerals were also initi...
July 31, 2017
The effect of the amount of sp3 defects in graphene on the graphene enhanced Raman scattering (GERS) is studied using gradual fluorination of chemical vapour deposition grown graphene covering the Rhodamine 6G molecules. While upon a mild fluorination the GERS effect is preserved, the GERS enhancement disappears in ...
July 22, 2017
Two types of nano-scale zero-valent iron (nZVI-B prepared by borohydride reduction and nZVI-T produced by thermal reduction of iron oxide nanoparticles in H2) and a micro-scale ZVI (mZVI) were compared for PCB degradation efficiency in water and soil. In addition, the ecotoxicity of nZVI-B and nZVI-T particles in tr...
June 30, 2017
The 2,6-di(1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine (H2dimpy) ligand is synthesized and suggested as an alternative ligand for copper mediated catalysis. A Cu(II) complex was obtained with this ligand and characterized via ESI-MS, FT-IR, UV–vis and the structure was confirmed by single crystal XRD. The crystal showed the [Cu2(H2di...
June 26, 2017
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study is to investigate the impact of the type of delivery - vaginal vs. cesarean section on oxidative damage determined as the lipid peroxidation (15-F2t-isoprostane (15-F2t-IsoP) in the cord blood of newborns and venous blood from mothers in two localities with different levels...
May 24, 2017
The preparation and characterization of highly conductive carbon inks is described based on nanocomposites that combine a polystyrene-acrylic resin or water-soluble polymers with a hydrophilic graphene/carbon nanotube hybrid. The water-based carbon inks showed high electrical conductivity and could be effectively us...
May 22, 2017
Accurate and rapid diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is vital for rational and effective therapeutic management of this condition. Several diagnostic strategies have been developed for discriminating between infected and noninfected cases. However, none of them can reliably diagnose the whole spectrum of...
May 13, 2017
Nanoremediation with iron (Fe) nanomaterials opens new doors for treating contaminated soil and groundwater, but is also accompanied by new potential risks as large quantities of engineered nanomaterials are introduced into the environment. In this study, we have assessed the ecotoxicity of four engineered Fe nanoma...
April 19, 2017
Mesoporous silica particles have been synthesized by sol–gel method from tetraethoxysilane (tetraethylorthosilicate, TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES), in ethanol and water mixture, at different ratios of the of the silica precursors. Ammonia was used as catalyst at room temperature and hexadecyltrimethylammoni...
April 15, 2017
Abstract Chemical oxidations by hydrogen peroxide and/or persulfate represent promising pretreatment step foregoing bioremediation for removal of hydrophobic contaminants. The feasibility of hydrogen peroxide-based and sodium persulfate-based oxidation treatments on the real contaminated soil collected from petroleu...
April 9, 2017
The widespread use of cytotoxic drugs in the treatment of cancer has led to the production of large amounts of contaminated wastes with high exposure risk of medical staff handling cytostatics. For this reason it is essential to use a highly effective and fast decontaminating agent for the decontamination process. C...
March 31, 2017
Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a bacterial storage polyester, which is produced directly in the activated sludge process. In the present study, PHB was tested as a scaffold material for stabilization of nanosized zero-valent iron (nZVI). The morphology of the resulting composite was assessed using transmission electro...
March 27, 2017
Graphene oxide/MnO2 nanocomposite was prepared by thermal hydrolysis of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and 2-chloroacetamide aqueous solutions with graphene oxide (GO) suspension. The synthesized samples were characterized by specific surface area (BET) and porosity determination (BJH), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and h...
March 24, 2017
Developments in filling technologies have led to a reduction in oxygen content in beer, thus producing an anaerobic environment suitable for the growth of anaerobic beer-spoiling microorganisms. Anaerobic bacteria survive well in a biofilm that provides protection against environmental stress factors. The initial st...
March 21, 2017
We present the first bottom-up approach to synthesize Fe(III)-functionalized carbon dots (CDs) from molecular precursors without the need of conventional thermal or microwave treatment and additional reagents. Specifically, sonication of xylene in the presence of anhydrous FeCl3 results in oxidative coupling of the ...
March 6, 2017
Abstract: Many materials of general interest, which they are frequently employed in common life, industry, biotechnology, tissue engineering studies, medicine, have many excellent properties, but their inert nature may limit their wider usage in some cases. Many modification techniques have been therefore developer ...
March 5, 2017
Skeletal isomerization of linear alkanes, an essential reaction for the production of gasoline, relies on environmentally questionable chlorinated catalysts, whose activity exceeds that of alternative zeolite catalysts. This work describes an attempt to understand relations between the local arrangement of active si...
March 1, 2017
2D-Titanium dioxide nanosheets modified by the addition of Nd, Au and Ag dopant in the first reaction step were synthesized from the lyophilized aqueous colloids of peroxo titanic acid by high-temperature treatment. The concentration of the dopant in the sample was 1 at.% towards Ti. The results of their detailed mo...
February 17, 2017
Abstract: Chlorované uhlovodíky (CIU) patří mezí nejčastější kontaminanty životního prostředí. Posun od mechanických způsobů jako je odtě chemických (oxidativní í reduktivní) forem čištění směrem ke kombinovaným, tj. chemicko-biologickým nebo čistě biologickým pos vytvořil prostor pro uplatně ni molekulární genetiky...
February 16, 2017
Abstract: The recent advances and potential applications of nanoparticles and nanofibres for energy, water, food, biotechnology, the environment, and medicine have immensely conversed. The present review describes a ‘green’ method for the synthesis and stabilization of nanoparticles and ‘green electrospinning’ both ...
February 16, 2017
Efficient and selective methods for covalent derivatization of graphene are needed because they enable tuning of graphene’s surface and electronic properties, thus expanding its application potential. However, existing approaches based mainly on chemistry of graphene and graphene oxide achieve only limited level of ...
February 14, 2017
Abstract: Skeletal isomerization of linear alkanes, an essential reaction for the production of gasoline, relies onenvironmentally questionable chlorinated catalysts, whose activity exceeds that of alternative zeolitecatalysts. This work describes an attempt to understand relations between the local arrangement ofac...
February 14, 2017
Abstract: Chemical oxidations by hydrogen peroxide and/or persulfate represent promising pretreatment step foregoing bioremediation for removal of hydrophobic contaminants. The feasibility of hydrogen peroxidebased and sodium persulfate-based oxidation treatments on the real contaminated soil collected from petroleu...
February 14, 2017
Abstract: Tuning the local reactivity of graphene is a subject of paramount importance. Among the available strategies, the activation/passivation of graphene by copper substrate is very promising because it enables the properties of graphene to be influenced without any transfer procedure, since graphene can be gro...
February 14, 2017
Abstract: Graphene possesses unique features that make it attractive for nanotechnology. Functional devices often require combination of several materials with specific functions, and graphene-polymer composites are one of them. Herein, we report on the preparation of PEDOT:Graphene bilayers by in situ polymerizatio...
February 13, 2017
Abstract: The unique surface properties of some nanocrystalline metal oxides and their application for removal of various toxic compounds were reported in early 1990s. Recently, a reliable method for the preparation of reactive cerium dioxide sorbent and its application for degradation of the organophosphate pestic...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: tIn this study, thickness related changes of the optical properties of doped tin oxide were studied. Twodifferent sets of samples were prepared. The first set was doped with iron or nickel on silicon substratewith thicknesses of 29–56 nm, the second was iron doped on gold/glass substrate with 1.6–6.3 nm. T...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: A magnetic ZSM-5 zeolite with a core–shell type structure was synthesized, fully characterized and had its catalytic activity evaluated on the valorization of bio-derived furfuryl alcohol. The catalytic system displayed a tuneable selectivity to γ-valerolactone, alkyl levulinates and even levulinic acid by...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: We present a simple approach for the preparation of UV light-switchable transparent composite polymer films and invisible luminescent inks based on the combination of carbon dots (CDs) and trisdipicolinate lanthanide complexes. The emission colors of the resulting polymer films and inks can be switched fro...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: Herein we report the hydrothermal synthesis of yellow emitting carbon dots, CDs, in high salinity water and compare them with those prepared in distilled water. The saline environment significantly affects the surface chemistry and charge of the CDs. We also present data on their long-term colloidal and ph...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: An efficient and expedient protocol for the synthesis of benzyl phosphonates using KI/K2CO3 as a catalytic system and PEG-400 as benign solvent has been developed. The reaction proceeds smoothly at room temperature achieving excellent selectivity and yield of the corresponding products. The combination o...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: A novel core–shell hybrid nanomaterial composed of peculiar maghemite nanoparticles (surface-active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs)) as the core and tannic acid (TA) as the shell was developed by self-assembly of ferric tannates onto the surface of SAMNs by simple incubation in water. The hybrid nanomateri...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: The sensing and accurate determination of antibiotics in various environments represents a big challenge, mainly owing to their widespread use in medicine, veterinary practice, and other fields. Therefore, a new, simple electrochemical sensor for the detection of antibiotic chloramphenicol (CAP) has been d...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: Superparamagnetism is a phenomenon caused by quantum effects in magnetic nanomaterials. Zero-valent metals with diameters below 5 nm have been suggested as superior alternatives to superparamagnetic metal oxides, having greater superspin magnitudes and lower levels of magnetic disorder. However, synthesis ...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: Nanofluids for high voltage insulation systems have emerged as a potential substitute for liquid dielectrics in industrial applications. Nevertheless, the sedimentation of nanoparticles has been so far a serious barrier for their wide and effective exploitation. The present work reports on the development ...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: A new type of hybrid nanomaterial composed of magnetic FePt nanoparticles grown on the surface of nanodiamond nanotemplate assemblies is described for the first time. Post annealing in vacuum of the as-made nanomaterial bearing cubic A1 soft magnetic FePt nanoparticles leads to the development of FePt nano...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: Doping of graphene materials with heteroatoms is important as it can change their electronic and electrochemical properties. Here, graphene is co-doped with n-type dopants such as phosphorus and halogen (Cl, Br, I). Phosphorus and halogen are introduced through the treatment of graphene oxide with PX3 gas ...
February 10, 2017
Abstract: Iron humate (IH) produced as a waste by-product during the industrial manufacture of humic substances from young brown coal was tested as a new cost-effective sorbent for the removal of inorganic arsenic from waters. Its removal efficiency was compared with that of two other non-conventional sorbents-magne...
February 9, 2017
Abstract: Recently, cerium oxide has been used in many exciting applications in biology and medicine, where its enzyme-mimetic abilities can be exploited. A more in-depth understanding of its interactions with biologically relevant molecules is highly desirable. It is shown in this study that certain forms of cerium...
February 9, 2017
Abstract: The uniform Sn-doped CuO nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple solution method at a low temperature. The prepared samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron microscopy techniques (HRSEM, HRTEM, SAED, STEM and EDS elemental mapping), atomic fo...
February 9, 2017
Abstract: Groundwater is an extremely important resource that may, however, contain a variety of toxic and bioaccumulative contaminants. Traditional “Pump and Treat” technologies for treating contaminated groundwater are no longer time- or cost-effective; therefore, new technologies are needed. In this work, we synt...
February 9, 2017
Abstract: TiO2 nanoparticles are suitable building blocks nanostructures for the synthesis of porous functional thin films. Here we report the preparation of films using brookite, P25 titania and anatase pristine nanoparticles and of nanocomposite layers combining anatase nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotu...
January 20, 2017
Structure and phase composition of titania aerogels can be substantially influenced simply by the process of drying their parent water colloid suspensions prepared by the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with suspension of precipitates obtained by neutralization of solution of titanyl sulfate with ammonia. Two methods ...
January 12, 2017
Tuning the local reactivity of graphene is a subject of paramount importance. Among the available strategies, the activation/passivation of graphene by copper substrate is very promising because it enables the properties of graphene to be influenced without any transfer procedure, since graphene can be grown directl...
January 10, 2017
The scope of the study was to identify the performance and long-term stability of Fe-FER for N2O decomposition under conditions relevant for use as a secondary-level catalyst for N2O decomposition in the production of HNO3, i.e., in a complex gas phase mixture produced by NH3 oxidation and at temperatures between 75...
December 13, 2016
Abstract: In a series of our previously published papers, we reported a broad range of experiments and theoretical studies devoted to the interaction of carbon dioxide with the anatase titania surface. In the current study, we demonstrate oxygen mobility between gaseous carbon dioxide and solid natural clay mineral...
December 13, 2016
Abstract: Synthesis of hollow spheres consisting of ZSM-5 zeolite crystals, prepared by a cost- and time-saving self-templating process, requires neither a hard/soft template for sphere formation nor tetraalkylammonium compound as a zeolite structure-directing agent. A preshaped aluminosilicate precursor, obtained ...
December 13, 2016
Abstract: The proximity of protons (∼5 Å) derived from the distribution of Al atoms in the H-ZSM-5 framework has been shown to substantially affect the rate of propene oligomerization. Two sets of H-ZSM-5 zeolites (Si/Al 13–30) greatly differing in the occurrence of Al pairs (AlSiSiAl sequences in 6MRs) or distant ...
December 3, 2016
Abstract: Despite the importance of phosphorus as a nutrient for humans and its role in ecological sustainability, its high abundance, resulting in large part from human activities, causes eutrophication that negatively affects the environment and public health. Here, we present the use of ferrate(VI) as an alternat...
December 3, 2016
Abstract: Herein, the formation and selective organic derivatisation of graphene nanobud, an all carbon nanohybrid comprised by C60 and graphene, are presented. C60 cages are directly attached to the graphenic surface with stable covalent bonds. Importantly, prepared graphene nanobud shows remarkable dispersibility...
November 20, 2016
Abstract: We investigated the toxicity of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) and 3-nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA) in A549 cells. Cells were treated for 4 h and 24 h with: B[a]P (0.1 and 1 μM), 1-NP (1 and 10 μM) and 3-NBA (0.5 and 5 μM). Bulky DNA adducts, lipid peroxidation, DNA and protein oxidation and mRNA ...
November 20, 2016
Abstract: Internal combustion engine emissions belong among the major anthropogenic sources of air pollution in urban areas. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there is sufficient evidence of the carcinogenicity of diesel exhaust in humans. Although alternative fuels, mainly biodies...
November 20, 2016
Abstract: This study used toxicogenomics to identify the complex biological response of human lung BEAS-2B cells treated with organic components of particulate matter in the exhaust of a diesel engine. First, we characterized particles from standard diesel (B0), biodiesel (methylesters of rapeseed oil) in its neat f...
November 20, 2016
Abstract: Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced by fermentation of dietary fiber, is an important regulator of colonic epithelium homeostasis. In this study, we investigated the impact of this histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor on expression/activity of cytochrome P450 family 1 (CYP1) and on metabolism of ca...
November 20, 2016
Abstract: The scope of the study was to identify the performance and long-term stability of Fe-FER for N2O decomposition under conditions relevant for use as a secondary-level catalyst for N2O decomposition in the production of HNO3, i.e., in a complex gas phase mixture produced by NH3 oxidation and at temperatures ...
November 20, 2016
Abstract: Iron-titanium binary oxides were synthesized by template-assisted hydrothermal method. The effect of the variation in the Fe/Ti ratio and the temperature of hydrothermal treatment on the phase composition, structural, textural and redox characteristics of thus obtained materials was studied by Nitrogen ph...
November 20, 2016
Abstract: A simple nanoprecipitation method was used for preparation of stable photoactive polystyrene nanoparticles (NPs, diameter 30 ± 10 nm) from sulfonated electrospun polystyrene nanofiber membranes with encapsulated 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) or platinum octaethylporphyrin (Pt-OEP). The NPs prepare...
September 26, 2016
The present paper is devoted to detailed study of the magnetically separable sorbents based on a cerium dioxide/iron oxide composite annealed at temperatures Ta = 773 K, 873 K, and 973 K. The X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy are used to determine the phase composition and micro...
September 6, 2016
Abstract: This paper presents solid state synthesis and characterization of tetra-oxy iron(iv) and iron(v) species in their salt forms (Na4FeO4-Fe(IV) and K3FeO4-Fe(V)). Stability of the synthesized salts, commonly called ferrates, in water was determined by applying the (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy technique. Wit...
September 6, 2016
Abstract: Imprinting ferromagnetism to a graphene structure by substitution of carbon atoms with sulfur is reported. S-doped graphene (4.2 at%) shows strong ferromagnetic properties with saturation magnetization exceeding 5.5 emu g−1 at 2 K, which is among the highest values reported for any sp-based system. The rem...
September 6, 2016
Abstract: Photoluminescent nanosized allotropes of carbon have attracted considerable interest because of their diverse optical properties depending on their crystal structure, size, and morphology, and chemical functionalization. Here, we present the first critical review covering the photoluminescence (PL) propert...
September 6, 2016
Abstract: The use of magnetic nanoparticles as a solid support material for the development of magnetically retrievable catalytic systems has led to a dramatic expansion of their potential applications as they enable environmentally-friendly and sustainable catalytic processes. These quasi-homogeneous catalysts poss...
September 6, 2016
Abstract: In this work, we demonstrate a significant improvement in the electrical conductivity of carbon nanostructured thin films, composed of graphene nanosheets and multiwalled carbon nanotubes, by compression/polishing. It is shown that the sheet resistance of compressed thin films of carbon nanostructures and ...
September 6, 2016
Abstract : Soil is a key part of a biotope and microorganisms are dominant components contributing to soil functions. Conversely, established methods for valuation of biotopes according to Natura 2000 rely predominantly on the communities living on the surface. Here, we aimed to assess soil microbial biomass and com...
September 6, 2016
Abstract : Living cells of the lux-based bioluminescent bioreporter Pseudomonas putida TVA8 were encapsulated in a silica hydrogel attached to the distal wider end of a tapered quartz fiber. Bioluminescence of immobilized cells was induced with toluene at high (26.5 mg/L) and low (5.3 mg/L) concentrations. Initial b...
September 6, 2016
Abstract: Cerium oxide with an excellent glass polishing efficiency was prepared by annealing carbonate or oxalate precursors. The temperature of calcination was identified as a critical parameter that governs the key properties, including the polishing efficiency, of the polishing powders; conversely, the time of ...
September 6, 2016
Abstract: Recently, cerium oxide has been used in many exciting applications in biology and medicine, where its enzyme-mimetic abilities can be exploited. A more in-depth understanding of its interactions with biologically relevant molecules is highly desirable. It is shown in this study that certain forms of cerium...
September 5, 2016
Abstract: Novel organic/inorganic hybrid materials with carbosilane fillers were developed. New carbosilane dendrimers of the first (Dm1) and second (Dm2) generations bearing four and eight cationic ammonium groups on their periphery were synthesized first. Their structure was elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and ESI-...
September 2, 2016
Abstract: Multicomponent iron-titanium-hafnium oxide materials with different compositions were prepared by combination of homogeneous precipitation with urea and incipient wetness impregnation techniques and tested as catalysts for ethyl acetate oxidation as representative VOCs. Nitrogen physisorption, XRD, Raman,...
September 2, 2016
Abstract: Cerium oxide with an excellent glass polishing efficiency was prepared by annealing carbonate or oxalate precursors. The temperature of calcination was identified as a critical parameter that governs the key properties, including the polishing efficiency, of the polishing powders; conversely, the time of ...
September 2, 2016
Abstract: Recently, cerium oxide has been used in many exciting applications in biology and medicine, where its enzyme-mimetic abilities can be exploited. A more in-depth understanding of its interactions with biologically relevant molecules is highly desirable. It is shown in this study that certain forms of ceriu...
September 2, 2016
Abstract: The uniform Sn-doped CuO nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple solution method at a low temperature. The prepared samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron microscopy techniques (HRSEM, HRTEM, SAED, STEM and EDS elemental mapping), atomic f...
September 2, 2016
Abstract: Multicomponent iron-titanium-hafnium oxide materials with different compositions were prepared by combination of homogeneous precipitation with urea and incipient wetness impregnation techniques and tested as catalysts for ethyl acetate oxidation as representative VOCs. Nitrogen physisorption, XRD, Raman,...
September 2, 2016
Abstract: Electrospun polyetherimide (PEI) nanofibres were fixed on a steel wire solid phase microextraction (SPME) assembly. The basic properties of the prepared nanofibres were determined by thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, adsorption, and SEM. The analytical performance of prepared PEI SPME ...
September 1, 2016
Abstract: In this work, we demonstrate a significant improvement in the electrical conductivity of carbon nanostructured thin films, composed of graphene nanosheets and multiwalled carbon nanotubes, by compression/polishing. It is shown that the sheet resistance of compressed thin films of carbon nanostructures an...
July 25, 2016
Abstract: TiO2 nanoparticles are suitable building blocks nanostructures for the synthesis of porous functional thin films. Here we report the preparation of films using brookite, P25 titania and anatase pristine nanoparticles and of nanocomposite layers combining anatase nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanot...
July 25, 2016
Abstract: A new type of hybrid nanomaterial composed of magnetic FePt nanoparticles grown on the surface of nanodiamond nanotemplate assemblies is described for the first time. Post annealing in vacuum of the as-made nanomaterial bearing cubic A1 soft magnetic FePt nanoparticles leads to the development of FePt nan...
July 25, 2016
Abstract: This paper presents the research activity on Ion Beam Analysis methods performed at Tandetron Laboratory (LT) of the Institute of Nuclear Physics AS CR, Rez, Czech Republic. Recently, many groups are paying attention to implantation by laser generated plasma. This process allows to insert a controllable a...
