Waseem A. Wani

Recent advances in new generation dye removal technologies: novel search for approaches to reprocess wastewater

Dyes are an important class of organic pollutants and are well known for their hazardous effects on aquatic life in general and human beings in particular. In order to reduce the negative effects of dye contaminated wastewater on humans and the environment, the wastewater must be treated carefully before discharge into main streams. Advances in science and technology have led to the evolution of several techniques for the removal of dyes from industrial and domestic effluents. In this review, the more recent methods for the removal of dyes from water and wastewater have been discussed. Wastewater treatment techniques such as adsorption, oxidation, flocculation–coagulation, membrane filtration and biological treatment have been highlighted. In addition, efforts were made to review all the available techniques and recently published studies from 2010–2014. Furthermore, the performance and special features of these technologies have been summarised. Advantages and limitations of each technique are also presented. A thorough literature survey revealed that chemical oxidation, adsorption, and biological treatments have been the most frequently investigated techniques for dye removal over the past few years.

Ferroquine and its derivatives: new generation of antimalarial agents.

Abstract Malaria has been teasing human populations from a long time. Presently, several classes of antimalarial drugs are available in market, but the issues of toxicity, lower efficacy and the resistance by malarial parasites have decreased their overall therapeutic indices. Thus, the search for new promising antimalarials continues, however, the battle against malaria is far from over. Ferroquine is a derivative of chloroquine with antimalarial properties. It is the most successful of the chloroquine derivatives. Not only ferroquine, but also its derivatives have shown promising potential as antimalarials of clinical interest. Presently, much research is dedicated to the development of ferroquine derivatives as safe alternatives to antimalarial chemotherapy. The present article describes the structural, chemical and biological features of ferroquine. Several classes of ferroquine derivatives including hydroxyferroquines, trioxaferroquines, chloroquine-bridged ferrocenophanes, thiosemicarbazone derivatives, ferrocene dual conjugates, 4-N-substituted derivatives, and others have been discussed. Besides, the mechanism of action of ferroquine has been discussed. A careful observation has been made into pharmacologically significant ferroquine derivatives with better or equal therapeutic effects to that of chloroquine and ferroquine. A brief discussion of the toxicities of ferroquine derivatives has been made. Finally, efforts have been made to discuss the current challenges and future perspectives of ferroquine-based antimalarial drug development.

Recent advances in iron complexes as potential anticancer agents

The revelation of the anticancer properties of cisplatin has inspired research into metal complexes for the treatment of cancer. Several second and third generation cisplatin analogues were developed with claims of good anticancer properties and reduced side effects. However, the persistence of some side effects and the resistance of cancer cells have tempted scientists to explore new metal complexes as anticancer drugs. Therefore, the approach of rational drug design has been extended to the development of non-platinum anticancer drugs, and a large number of such complexes have been developed. Iron complexes are of interest to inorganic medicinal chemists for the development of anticancer agents. The anticancer potency of iron complexes was first reported in ferrocenium picrate and ferrocenium trichloroacetate salts, and was attributed to their ability to form reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative DNA damage. This review discusses the advances in iron complexes as anticancer agents. The aspects of the photocytotoxicity, redox activity and multinuclearity of anticancer iron complexes are discussed, in addition to discussing ferrocenyl derivatives and salen complexes. The legacy of nanotechnology and synergism in harnessing the potential of iron complexes is highlighted. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives of iron complexes as anticancer agents are outlined.

Cinnamaldehyde and its derivatives, a novel class of antifungal agents

The last few decades have seen an alarming rise in fungal infections, which currently represent a global health threat. Despite extensive research towards the development of new antifungal agents, only a limited number of antifungal drugs are available in the market. The routinely used polyene agents and many azole antifungals are associated with some common side effects such as severe hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Also, antifungal resistance continues to grow and evolve and complicate patient management, despite the introduction of new antifungal agents. This suitation requires continuous attention. Cinnamaldehyde has been reported to inhibit bacteria, yeasts, and filamentous molds via the inhibition of ATPases, cell wall biosynthesis, and alteration of membrane structure and integrity. In this regard, several novel cinnamaldehyde derivatives were synthesized with the claim of potential antifungal activities. The present article describes antifungal properties of cinnamaldehyde and its derivatives against diverse classes of pathogenic fungi. This review will provide an overview of what is currently known about the primary mode of action of cinnamaldehyde. Synergistic approaches for boosting the effectiveness of cinnamaldehyde and its derivatives have been highlighted. Also, a keen analysis of the pharmacologically active systems derived from cinnamaldehyde has been discussed. Finally, efforts were made to outline the future perspectives of cinnamaldehyde-based antifungal agents. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of current knowledge about the antifungal properties and antifungal mode of action of cinnamaldehyde and its derivatives and to identify research avenues that can facilitate implementation of cinnamaldehyde as a natural antifungal.

Pharmacological evaluation of poly(3-methylthiophene) and its titanium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite: DNA interaction, molecular docking, and cytotoxic activity.

Cancer and pathogenic microbial diseases have terribly affected human health over a longer period of time. In response to the increasing casualties due to cancer and microbial diseases, unique poly(3-methylthiophene) and poly(3-methylthiophene)-titanium(IV)phosphate composite were prepared via in-situ oxidative chemical polymerization in this work. The poly(3-methylthiophene) and poly(3-methylthiophene)-titanium(IV)phosphate composite were well characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. DNA binding studies by UV-Visible and fluorescence spectroscopic investigations indicated strong binding affinities of poly(3-methylthiophene) and poly(3-methylthiophene)-titanium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite; leading to structural damage of DNA. Poly(3-methylthiophene)-titanium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite showed stronger interactions with DNA as compared to poly(3-methylthiophene) and from dye displacement assay it was confirmed that mode of binding of both the formulations was intercalative. The antimicrobial screening revealed that polymer and its composite displayed stronger antibacterial effects than ampicillin against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium. Besides, the poly(3-methylthiophene) and poly(3-methylthiophene)-titanium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite showed dose dependent effects towards estrogen receptor positive breast cancer (MCF-7) and estrogen receptor negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell lines; with poly(3-methylthiophene)-titanium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite showing better activities against both cell lines. In all in-vitro biological investigations, poly(3-methylthiophene)-titanium(IV)phosphate composite showed superior properties to that of the pure poly(3-methylthiophene), which encouraged us to suggest its potential as future therapeutic gear in drug delivery and other allied fields.

Design, facile synthesis, molecular docking, DNA binding, and cytotoxic activity of polythiophene and polythiophene-titanium(IV) phosphate nanocomposite

ABSTRACT The present article reports the synthesis of polythiophene-titanium(IV) phosphate nanocomposite (PTh-TiP) by a simple in situ titanium(IV) phosphate assisted chemical polymerization of thiophene. The structure and formation of polymer and its nanocomposite was confirmed by FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, and TGA techniques. UV-Visible, fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectrophotometry as well as viscometry and DNA melting studies were used to investigate the DNA binding of PTh and PTh-TiP with calf-thymus DNA. The anticancer activities of these materials against MCF-7 and MDA-MB- 231 cancer cells indicated both PTh and PTh-TiP are moderately active, with the latter being more active than the former. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Facile synthesis of an electrically conductive polycarbazole–zirconium(IV)phosphate cation exchange nanocomposite and its room temperature ammonia sensing performance

In this study, we reported the synthesis of an electrically conductive polycarbazole–zirconium(IV)phosphate (PCz–ZrP) cation exchange nanocomposite as a new sensing material. Zirconium(IV)phosphate (ZrP) assisted in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of carbazole was used for the synthesis of PCz–ZrP. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis were applied to characterize the PCz–ZrP cation exchange nanocomposite. Strong interactions between the inorganic particles (ZrP) and organic polymer (PCz) were observed. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the PCz–ZrP nanocomposite had higher thermal stability than pure PCz. Moreover, the composite showed good ion-exchange capacity, electrical conductivity and isothermal stability in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention under ambient conditions below 100 °C. A nanocomposite based sensor was fabricated for sensing aqueous ammonia at room temperature. An increase in resistivity on exposure to ammonia at room temperature was observed with a direct relationship between response and ammonia concentration. The PCz–ZrP nanocomposite-based sensor showed a quick and reversible response towards aqueous ammonia.

Gel electrophoretic and liquid chromatographic methods for the identification and authentication of cave and house edible bird's nests from common adulterants

The increasing demands for edible birds nests (EBNs) have remarkably increased their price. Presently, several fake materials are being adulterated into EBNs for the purpose of earning extra profits. In order to identify the adulterants and authenticate EBN, efforts were made to investigate and compare the protein and amino acid profiles of cave and house EBNs with white fungus, jelly, fish swimming bladder and egg white. The protein profiling indicated 10 bands for cave nests with two strong bands at 30 and 35 kDa. House nest proteins consisted of 9 bands with major bands at 120 and 140 kDa. White fungus displayed three dim bands at 22, 35 and 75 kDa whereas egg white was found to contain two predominant bands at 35 and 75 kDa. Fish swimming bladder showed substantial streaking of protein bands after dilution whereas the protein profile of jelly did not present any band. The amino acid analysis revealed that EBN consisted of 17 types of amino acids. The major amino acids in cave and house nests were aspartic acid, arginine, histidine & leucine, and aspartic acid, glutamic acid, histidine & leucine, respectively. White fungus consisted of 16 types of amino acids in concentrations lower than that in EBN samples. Fish swimming bladder was rich in 6 amino acids. Egg white contained 16 types of amino acids with aspartic acid, glutamic acid, leucine and lysine in major quantities. However, jelly was found to contain no amino acids at all. Both the analytical procedures provided finger print profiles of the protein and amino acid compositions of the cave and house nests distinct from the adulterants. These results taken together can be used for the identification and authentication of any of these fake materials in EBN.

Recent advances in the identification and authentication methods of edible bird's nest

Edible birds nest (EBN) is an expensive animal bioproduct due to its reputation as a food and delicacy with diverse medicinal properties. One kilogram of EBN costs ~

Fluorescent Organic Nanoparticles: New Generation Materials with Diverse Analytical and Biomedical Applications

6000 in China. EBN and its products are consumed in mostly Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, making up almost 1/3 of world population. The rapid growth in EBN consumption has led to a big rise in the trade scale of its global market. Presently, various fake materials such as tremella fungus, pork skin, karaya gum, fish swimming bladder, jelly, agar, monosodium glutamate and egg white are used to adulterate EBNs for earning extra profits. Adulterated or fake EBN may be hazardous to the consumers. Thus, it is necessary to identify of the adulterants. Several sophisticated techniques based on genetics, immunochemistry, spectroscopy, chromatography and gel electrophoresis have been used for the detection of various types of adulterants in EBN. This article describes the recent advances in the authentication methods for EBN. Different genetic, immunochemical, spectroscopic and analytical methods such as genetics (DNA) based techniques, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopic techniques, and chromatographic and gel electrophoretic methods have been discussed. Besides, significance of the reported methods that might pertain them to applications in EBN industry has been described. Finally, efforts have been made to discuss the challenges and future perspectives of the authentication methods for EBN.