• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1171-1184
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• 2020

The green synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) using biomaterials has garnered considerable attention in recent years because of its eco-friendly, non-toxic, simple, and low-cost nature. In this study, we synthesized NPs of noble metals, such as Ag and Au using an aqueous extract of a marine seaweed, Ecklonia cava. The formation of AgNPs and AuNPs was confirmed by the presence of surface plasmon resonance peaks in UV-Vis absorption spectra at approximately 430 and 530 nm, respectively. Various properties of the NPs were evaluated using characterization techniques, such as dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Phytochemicals in the seaweed extract, such as phlorotannins, acted as both reducing and stabilizing agents for the growth of the NPs. The green-synthesized AgNPs and AuNPs were found to exhibit high catalytic activity for the decomposition of organic dyes, including azo dyes, methylene blue, rhodamine B, and methyl orange.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.402-411
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• 2022

In this study, the channels-contained hybrid membranes have been fabricated through the incorporation of glass fibers and GO sheets (GO/glass fibers, GG), or a mixture of chitosan/GO (CS/GO/glass fibers, CGG), as hybrid membranes using in organic dye removal. The material properties are well investigated the terms in the morphological, chemical, crystal, and thermal characterizations for verifying interactions in their formed structure. These hybrid membranes have been fitted well in pseudo-second order and Langmuir models that are associated with chemical adsorption and a monolayer approach, respectively. The highest adsorption ability of methylene blue and methyl orange reached 59.40 mg/g and 229.07 mg/g (GG); and 287.47 mg/g and 252.91 mg/g (CGG), which is more enhanced than that of previous GO-based other adsorbents. Moreover, the dye separation on these membranes could be favorable to superb sealing and trapping dye molecules from water instead of only the dye connection occurring on their surface, regarding the physically sieving effect. The membranes can also be reused within two and three adsorbing-desorbing cycles on the GG and CGG ones, respectively. These membranes can become future adsorbents to be applied for wastewater treatment due to their structural features.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.121-128
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• 2023

This study introduces a NaOH/Zn-assisted hydrothermal method for the synthesis of zeolites derived from coal ash (CA). A zeolite/Zn adsorbent is successfully prepared by the activation of CA with NaOH and Zn; it is characterized by a high surface area and a negative surface charge.Methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) are selected as dye pollutants, and their adsorption onto the zeolite/Zn adsorbent is investigated. Results show the high adsorption capacities of MB and MO and that the negative surface charge facilitates electrostatic interactions between the adsorbates and adsorbents. The zeolite/Zn adsorbents shows the selective adsorption of positively charged dye MB via electrostatic interactions between the =NH+ group (positive dipole) and the oxygen functional group of the adsorbents (negative dipole). The selectivity for the positively charged dye is sufficiently high, with the removal efficiency reaching 99.41% within 10 min. By contrast, the negatively charged dye MO exhibits negligible absorption. These findings confirm the role of electrostatic interactions in the adsorption of MB, in addition to the effect of a large surface area. The results of this study are expected to facilitate the development of simple, eco-friendly, and cost-effective zeolite-based adsorptive composites from CA residuals for the selective removal of dye pollutants from CA waste.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2024

Nanorod graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was synthesized by reacting melamine (C₃H₆N₆) with trithiocyanuric acid (C₃H₃N₃S₃) in distilled water for 10 h at room temperature. The resulting mixture was calcined at 550℃ for 2 h in an electric furnace under an air atmosphere. Nanorod g-C₃N₄/Ag₃PO₄ composites were prepared by adding nanorod graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) powder, silver nitrate (AgNO₃), ammonia (NH₃·H₂O, 25.0-30.0%), and sodium hydrogen phosphate (Na₃HPO₄) to distilled water. The samples were characterized via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the nanorod g-C₃N₄/Ag₃PO₄ composites were demonstrated via the degradation of organic dyes, such as methylene blue and methyl orange, under blue light-emitting diode irradiation and evaluated using UV-vis spectrophotometry.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2006

Early diagnosis and medical intervention are critical for the treatment of patients with metabolic disorders. A rapid analytical method was developed for simultaneous quantification of organic acids and amino acids in urine without labor-intensive pre-extraction procedure showing high sensitivity and specificity. A new method consisted of simple two-step trimethylsilyl (TMS)-trifluoroacetyl (TFA) derivatization using GC/MS-selective ion monitoring (SIM). Filter paper urine specimens were dried under nitrogen after being fortified with internal standard (tropate) in a mixture of distilled water and methanol. Methyl orange was added to the residue as indicator reagent. Silyl derivative of carboxylic functional group was followed by trifluoroacetyl derivative for amino functional group. N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide) and N-methyl-bistrifluoroacetamide were consecutively added and heated for 15-20 min at $65^{\circ}C-70^{\circ}C$, for TMS-TFA derivative, respectively. This reactant was analyzed by GC/MS-SIM. Linear dynamic range showed 0.001-50 mg with the detection limit of (S/N=3) 10-200 ng, and the quantification limit of 80-900 ng in urine. Correlation coefficient of regression line was 0.994-0.998. When the method was applied to the patients 'urine, it clearly differentiated the normal from the patient with metabolic disorder. The study showed that the developed method could be the method of choices in rapid and sensitive screening for organic aciduria and amino acidopathy.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.74-79
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• 2002

Three different kinds of the crude vinegars obtained from oak(Quercus serrata), bamboo(Phyllostachys pubescens) and pine(Pinus densiflora) species were stored for approximately one year and periodically analyzed to monitor their physicochemical changes. Small changes in physical properties, such as the pH, specific gravity and amount of organic acids as well as water-soluble tar were observed in the entire course of aging period. However, the color difference of the vinegars showed a remarkable change between 7 and 10 months. In addition, these vinegars' colors changed from light yellowish orange to much deeper purple and orange during this period. The amount of organic acids and neutral compounds(dihydro-2(3H)-furanone, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, 2-hydroxy-1-methyl-1-cyclopenten-3-one, 1-hydroxy-2-propanone and methanol) in the vinegars increased or decreased periodically every three months. A good linear relationship (correlation coefficient of ca. 0.92) was obtained between the amount of organic acids and the amount of neutral compounds in such changes. However, although the amount of phenols increased or decreased periodically, its amount was decreased over the entire aging.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.1753-1758
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• 2012

A novel, efficient and controlled protocol for the synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic activity of $Au@TiO_2$ nanocomposite is developed. $TiO_2$ (P25) was pretreated by employing UV light (${\lambda}$ = 254 nm) and the pretreated $TiO_2$ was uniformly decorated by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in presence of sodium citrate and UV light. UV pretreatment makes the $TiO_2$ activated, as electrons were accumulated within the $TiO_2$ in the conduction band. These accumulated electrons facilitate the formation of AuNPs which were of very small size (2-5 nm), similar morphology and uniformly deposited at $TiO_2$ surface. It leads to formation of stable and crystalline $Au@TiO_2$ nanocomposites. The rapidity (13 hours), monodispersity, smaller nanocomposites and easy separation make this protocol highly significant in the area of nanocomposites syntheses. As-synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by TEM, HRTEM, TEM-EDX, SAED, XRD, UV-visible spectrophotometer and zeta potential. Dye degradation experiments of methyl orange show that type I ($Au@TiO_2$ nanocomposites in which $TiO_2$ was pretreated with UV light) has enhanced photocatalytic activity in comparison to type II ($Au@TiO_2$ nanocomposites in which $TiO_2$ was not pretreated with UV light) and $TiO_2$ (P25). This shows that pretreatment of $TiO_2$ provides type I a better catalytic activity.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2017

5-methylthioninhydrin (5-MTN) is an amino acid sensitive reagent used for the development of latent fingermarks deposited on porous surfaces such as paper and wood. The present study demonstrates that the 5-MTN can be used as a latent footwear impression enhancement reagent, by reacting with trace multivalent metal ions, which are the main components of the latent footwear impression. 5-MTN and L-alanine complex (MTN-ALA) used for the latent footwear impression development was prepared, by mixing $4.5{\times}10^{-3}M$ 5-MTN (in methanol) and $4.5{\times}10^{-3}M$ L-alanine (in methanol) in 1:1 ratio, and keeping undisturbed at room temperature for 24 h. The latent footwear impressions were deposited on white and black non-porous surfaces (glass plate, polyethylene panel, polypropylene panel, acryl panel, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) panel, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) panel, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) panel, tile), and a semi-porous surfaces (painted wood). The latent footwear impressions on these surfaces were treated with MTN-ALA complex by spraying. The fluorescence of footwear impressions (occurred due to the reaction between MTN-ALA and metal complexes) was observed under a 505 nm forensic light source and an orange barrier filter. The enhancement of latent footwear impression was achieved from black surfaces without any blurring. However, the fluorescence (enhancement) of footwear impression was not observed on the white PVC, PMMA, and ABS surfaces, because the incident light interfered and reflected on the surface. The sensitivity of MTN-ALA was superior to 2,2'-dipyridil, which is a representative non-fluorescing footwear impression enhancement reagent, and similar to 8-hydroxyquinoline, which is a representative fluorescing footwear impression enhancement reagent.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.162-169
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• 2015

Hamamelis japonica (Hamamelidaceae), widely known as Japanese witch hazel, is a deciduous flowering shrub that produces compact clumps of yellow or orange-red flowers with long and thin petals. As a part of our ongoing search for phenolic constituents from this plant, eleven phenolic constituents including six flavonol glycosides, a chalcone glycoside, two coumaroyl flavonol glycosides and two galloylated compounds were isolated from the flowers. Their structures were elucidated as methyl gallate (1), myricitrin (2), hyperoside (3), isoquercitrin (4), quercitrin (5), spiraeoside (6), kaempferol 4'-O-β-glucopyranoside (7), chalcononaringenin 2'-O-β-glucopyranoside (8), trans-tiliroside (9), cis-tiliroside (10), and pentagalloyl-O-β-D-glucose (11), respectively. These structures of the compounds were identified on the basis of spectroscopic studies including the on-line LCNMR-MS and conventional NMR techniques. Particularly, directly coupled LC-NMR-MS afforded sufficient structural information rapidly to identify three flavonol glycosides (2 - 4) with the same molecular weight in an extract of Hamamelis japonica flowers without laborious fractionation and purification step. Cytotoxic effects of all the isolated phenolic compounds were evaluated on HCT116 human colon cancer cells, and pentagalloyl-O-β-D-glucose (11) was found to be significantly potent in inhibiting cancer cell growth.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.180-186
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• 2018

The nano-composite membranes were prepared onto the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membranes through twice dip-coating known layer-by-layer method. For the first coating, poly(vinylsulfonic acid, sodium salt)(PVSA) and Poly(styrene sulfonic acid)(PSSA) were used with varying the concentration and ionic strength (IS) and the poly(ethyleneimine)(PEI) as the second coating material was fixed at 10,000 ppm and IS = 0.3. To characterize the prepared nano-composite membranes, the permeabilities and rejection ratio were measured for each 100 ppm NaCl, $CaSO_4$, $MgCl_2$, and 25 ppm MO aqueous solution. The rejections were increased as the concentrations of coating materials increased. And it was confirmed that the salt rejections for PSSA as the coating material were higher than for PVSA. Typically, the permeability, 1.848 LMH and the rejection for MO 76.3% were obtained at the coating conditions of PSSA 30,000 ppm and I.S = 1.0.