Novel environmental method for enhanced biodegradation of contaminated wastewater via immobilizing nanoparticles on a new bacterial strain isolated industrial textile.

Biological processes comprising bacteria, fungi, yeast, and algae received increasing interest for dye degradation due to their cost-effectiveness and eco-friendly nature. Hence, the current study aims to investigate the ability of the photocatalytic performance of N-S co-doped anatase TiO2 (NSTO) nanoparticles immobilized on isolated industrial textile bacteria (ITB) for degradation of basic blue 41 (BB 41). To prove the effect of improving the surface area of NSTO, NSTO also was immobilized on glass balls (NSTO-GB). NSTO nanoparticles were synthesized using sol-gel methods, and characterization of NSTO and NSTO-GB were measured using SEM, TEM, XPS, and DLS analysis. The results showed that the average size of NSTO was 50-60 nm. Moreover, the morphology and surface microstructure of ITB and ITB-NSTO were determined by the SEM, XPS technique. According to the results, ITB has a rod structure, NSTO nanoparticles are placed on the surface of ITB. However, NSTO was attached to the surface of ITB with the hydroxyl group. The ITB-NSTO indicated a higher BB 41 degradation yield (99%) than pure NSTO (65%) and ITB (74%). The effect of different factors was evaluated on biodegradation by ITB-NSTO. The high biodegradation was obtained in ITB (10 mg), NSTO (50 mg), BB41 (50 ppm), and pH 11. The GC-Mass, LC-Mass, and FT-IR analysis, which monitored the BB 41 degradation efficiency, proved the degradation efficiency by 99%. In the following, the toxicities of BB 41 solution before and after degradation were accessed through the brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA) and seed germination assay, which displayed a considerable reduction in BB 41 after degradation. Toxicity results exhibited that ITB-NSTO has potential for industrial application.

In vitro bioactivity of essential oils and methanol extracts of Salvia reuterana from Iran.

The chemical composition of the essential oils, antioxidant activity (DPPH and beta-carotene/linoleic acid assays) and total phenolic content (Foline-Ciocalteu) of the flowers and leaves of Salvia reuterana were determined. Essential oils extracted from the flowers and leaves by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Forty-four constituents, representing 99.7-99.9% of the oils, were identified. The major components were germacrene D, benzoic acid hexyl ester, bicyclogermacrene, beta-gurjunene and ishwarene, constituting 33.7-31.9% of the oils. The highest radical-scavenging activity (DPPH test) was shown by the methanol extract of the flowers (IC50 = 77.6 microg/mL). In the beta-carotene/linoleic acid assay, the methanol extract of the leaves showed the highest inhibition (40.3%) which was only slightly lower than that shown by BHT (82.9%). The total phenolic contents of the methanol extracts of the flowers and leaves as gallic acid equivalents were 81.4 and 88.3 microg/mg, respectively. The plant also showed good antimicrobial activity against three strains of tested microorganisms.

Composition of essential oil and biological activity of extracts of Viola odorata L. from central Iran.

Essential oil composition of the leaves of Viola odorata L. growing wild in Kashan, central Iran, was extracted by hydro distillation-solvent extraction method and analysed using GC-MS technique. The analysis revealed the presence of 25 identified compounds, representing 92.77% of the oil with butyl-2-ethylhexylphthalate (30.10%) and 5,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-4,4,7a-trimethyl-2(4H)-benzofuranone (12.03%) being the two main components. Several components were identified for the first time in this chemotype of V. odorata. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the oil, methanol and chloroform extracts were also evaluated for the first time in this research work.

Essential oil composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the aerial parts of Salvia eremophila Boiss. from Iran.

The essential oil composition and in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and methanol extract of Salvia eremophila were evaluated in this research. GC and GC/MS analysis of the plant essential oil resulted in the identification of 28 compounds representing 99.24% of the oil. Borneol (21.83%), alpha-pinene (18.80%), bornyl acetate (18.68%) and camphene (6.54%) were detected as the major components consisting 65.85% of the oil. The plant essential oil and methanol extract were also subjected to screenings for the evaluation of their antioxidant activities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and beta-carotene-linoleic acid tests. While the plant essential oil showed only weak antioxidant activities, its methanol extract was considerably active in both DPPH (IC(50)=35.19 microg/ml) and beta-carotene-linoleic acid (inhibition percentage: 72.42%) tests. Appreciable total phenolic content (101.25 microg/mg) was also detected for the plant methanol extract as gallic acid equivalent in the Folin-Ciocalteu test. The plant was also screened for its antimicrobial activity and good to moderate inhibitions were recorded for its essential oil and methanol extract against most of the tested microorganisms.

Application of biotransformation in flavor and fragrance industry.

The present study describes the isolation of microorganisms capable of producing alpha-pinene from beta-pinene. 24 (15 fungi, 9 bacteria) microorganisms were isolated from galbanum, gum and soil, were screened for their ability to transform beta-pinene to alpha-pinene. Biotransformation products were extracted with n-hexan and analyzed by gas chromatography. One microorganism (bacterial strain) were found. The biotransformation medium involved, phosphate buffer pH 6, 100 microL beta-pinene, 1 g biomass of microorganism, 37 degrees C, 150 rpm and 22 h. The experiments were performed in conical flasks. The optimum cell growth were obtained when 30 g L(-1) glycerin applied. The optimum conversion beta-pinene to alpha-pinene was obtained when 20 g L(-1) glycerin applied as carbon source for bacterial strain.