Biochemical, Histological Changes, Protein Electrophoretic Pattern, and Field Application of CuPb-Ferrite/TiO2 Nanocomposites for Controlling Terrestrial Gastropod Eobania vermiculata (Müller).

Eobania vermiculata is a hazardous snail that can damage ornamental plants and cause significant harm to plant sections in Egyptian areas. Herein, the molluscicidal activity of CuPb-Ferrite/TiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) against E. vermiculata was evaluated using the poisonous bait method. LC50 values were determined using the leaf dipping and contact methods, with values of 631.23 and 1703.49 ppm for CuPb-Ferrite/TiO2 and 193.67 and 574.97 ppm for TiO2. Exposure to both NPs resulted in a significant increase in the biochemical parameters of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), as well as a decrease in total protein (TP) percentage of E. vermiculata. Histological examinations revealed that many digestive cells had ruptured, and their contents had been lost, while the foot's epithelial layer became ruptured. The average reduction was 66.36% for CuPb-Ferrite/TiO2 NPs compared to the recommended molluscicide, Neomyl, with a 70.23% reduction in the field application. Electrophoretic separation of total protein using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after treatment with LC50 concentrations of TiO2 and CuPb-Ferrite/TiO2 demonstrated the potency of these synthetic compounds as molluscicidal agents. Therefore, we recommend the use of CuPb-Ferrite/TiO2 NPs as a novel land snail molluscicide because it is safe to use, and the baits are arranged to not affect irrigation water, with a high molluscicidal effect.

Molluscicidal and biochemical effects of green-synthesized F-doped ZnO nanoparticles against land snail Monacha cartusiana under laboratory and field conditions.

The glass clover snail, Monacha cartusiana (M. cartusiana) is one of the most seriously impacting economic animal pests spreading across Egypt which inflicts severe damages to the agriculture. A green route is developed by deploying an abundant Rosemary plant leaves aqueous extract to synthesize ZnO and F-doped ZnO (F-ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) that display high molluscicidal activities against the M. cartusiana land snails via leaf dipping and contact techniques. The effect of lethal concentrations, that kills 50% of exposed snails (LC50) value of the treatments, is examined on the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), enzymes, total protein (TP), total lipids (TL) and cholesterol level of snails, including the histopathological evaluation of the digestive gland and foot of M. Cartusiana. Their molluscicidal activity as poisonous baits under field conditions is also evaluated and compared to the recommended molluscicide, Neomyl. The results show that F- doping dramatically improves the snail control capability of ZnO NPs, and promotes a considerable increase in both ALT and AST enzymes with an enhancement of TL and Cholesterol levels, but a significant decrease in TP content and ALP activity in treated snails compared to the control group. The LC50 values are found to be 1381.55 and 2197.59 ppm using the leaf dipping for F-ZnO and ZnO, while 237.51 and 245.90 ppm can be achieved using the contact technique, respectively. The greenly synthesized F-ZnO and ZnO NPs induce severe histological alterations in the digestive gland and foot of M. cartusiana, including a complete destruction of the digestive tubules. The histological evaluation of the foot of M. cartusiana exposed to ZnO, shows a rupture of the epithelial layer of the foot sole, while F- ZnO NPs causes the folds of the foot becoming deeper and the rupture of epithelial layer. Our field experiments further demonstrate that F-ZnO achieves 60.08% reduction, while ZnO attains 56.39% diminution in snail population compared to the commercial, Neomyl (69.55%), exhibiting great potentials in controlling the harmful land snail populations.

The removal of arsenate from water using iron-modified diatomite (D-Fe): isotherm and column experiments.

Iron hydroxide supported onto porous diatomite (D-Fe) is a low-cost material with potential to remove arsenic from contaminated water due to its affinity for the arsenate ion. This affinity was tested under varying conditions of pH, contact time, iron content in D-Fe and the presence of competitive ions, silicate and phosphate. Batch and column experiments were conducted to derive adsorption isotherms and breakthrough behaviours (50 µg L(-1)) for an initial concentration of 1,000 µg L(-1). Maximum capacity at pH 4 and 17% iron was 18.12-40.82 mg of arsenic/g of D-Fe and at pH 4 and 10% iron was 18.48-29.07 mg of arsenic/g of D-Fe. Adsorption decreased in the presence of phosphate and silicate ions. The difference in column adsorption behaviour between 10% and 17% iron was very pronounced, outweighing the impact of all other measured parameters. There was insufficient evidence of a correlation between iron content and arsenic content in isotherm experiments, suggesting that ion exchange is a negligible process occurring in arsenate adsorption using D-Fe nor is there co-precipitation of arsenate by rising iron content of the solute above saturation.