Development of Versatile, thermally stable, flexible, UV-resistant and antibacterial polyvinyl alcohol-Nanodiamonds composite for efficient food packaging.

This research paper reports an enhancement of thermal, optical, mechanical and antibacterial activities of the Polyvinyl alcohol-Nanodiamonds (PVA-NDs) composite required for the food packaging industry. The synthesis of composites was done by the wet processing method. The large surface area of NDs facilitated the robust interaction between the hydroxyl group and macromolecular chains of PVA to enhance the hydrogen bonding of PVA with NDs rather than PVA molecules. Thus, a reduction in PVA diffraction peak intensity was reported. NDs improved the thermal stability by preventing the out-diffusion of volatile decomposition products of PVA. The results also revealed an enhancement in tensile strength (∼60 MPa) and ductility (∼180 %). PVA-NDs composite efficiently blocked the UVC (100 %), most of the part of the UVB (∼85 % above 300 nm), and UVA (∼58 %). Furthermore, enhanced antibacterial activities were reported for PVA-NDs composite against E. coli and S. aureus. NDs accumulated around the bacterial cells prevented essential cellular functions and led to death. Hence, this composite could be a promising candidate for safe, thermally stable, strong, flexible, transparent, UV- resistant antibacterial food packaging material.

Benzimidazole derivatives as a new scaffold of anticancer agents: Synthesis, optical properties, crystal structure and DFT calculations.

The absolute necessity to fight some class of tumour is perceived as serious health concerns, and the discovery and development of effective anticancer agents are urgently needed. So, the novel benzimidazole derivatives (2a-b) were designed, synthesized, with their structures rigorously characterized using single X-ray crystallography, FT-IR, UV, and NMR spectroscopy, alongside elemental analysis. The geometric structures were optimized using density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed at the ωB97X-D/cc-pVDZ level, yielding good agreement with experimental XRD data. The studied salt complexes exhibited the ability to absorb UV light at 275 nm. Furthermore, anticancer activity of the compounds was screened against (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, HT-29 and healthy cell line (HF)) and revealed the remarkable efficacy of select newly synthesized Benzimidazole derivatives (2a-b). Compound 2a showed relative significant higher cytotoxicity (165.02) in MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line. This underscores their promising potential in therapeutic applications, affirming their role as valuable contenders in the pursuit of novel anticancer agents.

Damage regularity and multifractal analysis of sol-gel reflection coating of KDP crystal under low UV irradiation flux.

This study employed multifractal analysis to investigate the changes in surface morphology of SiO2 anti-reflective coatings prepared on KDP substrates using the sol-gel method, under various conditions of ultraviolet (UV) irradiance. The coatings were successfully fabricated, and the chemical structure of the SiO2 sol was comprehensively characterized using Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SSNMR) technology. Under low UV irradiance (4 J/cm2), repeated experiments revealed a crack-induced mechanism of surface fatigue damage. Utilizing Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), the study discovered the induction effect of initial crack defects in UV-damaged coatings and established a damage model. Furthermore, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to acquire images of the coatings' surface morphology at different damage levels, which were analyzed using the multifractal spectrum f(α). This analysis confirmed the multifractal nature of the coatings both before and after damage. This study identified significant effects of UV irradiation on the width of the multifractal spectrum and Δf, indicating that the SiO2 anti-reflective coatings exhibit multifractal characteristics under various damage states. The coatings displayed a pattern of decreasing and then increasing singularity spectrum width, height distribution unevenness, and surface roughness with increasing damage. This study demonstrates that multifractal analysis is an effective tool for describing the complexity of the surface morphology of sol-gel-derived anti-reflective coatings for the first time and for validating their multifractal properties across different stages of UV damage. HIGHLIGHTS: Damage dynamic process of KDP crystal sol-gel coating was described by SEM&AFM; The crack propagation mechanism of sol-gel coating under UV radiation is proposed; The damage evolution of sol-gel coating was described by multifractal analysis.

Effects of UV light on physicochemical changes in thermoplastic polyurethanes: Mechanism and disinfection byproduct formation.

The presence of microplastics (MPs) products and particles in the environment can significantly impact the human body. Most MPs that enter the environment also enter the water cycle. During sunlight light irradiation (especially ultraviolet (UV) part) or UV disinfection, many of these MPs, particularly those rich in surface functional groups like thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), undergo physicochemical changes that can affect the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs). This study investigates the physicochemical changes of TPU in water after exposure to UV irradiation and incubation in the dark, as well as the formation of DBPs after chlorination. The results show that TPU undergo chain breakage, oxidation, and cross-linking when exposed to UV irradiation in an aqueous system. This leads to fragmentation into smaller particles, which facilitates the synthesis of DBPs. Subsequent research has demonstrated that the TPU leaching solution produces a significantly higher DBP content than the chlorination of TPU MPs, particularly at high concentrations of CHCl3. Therefore, it is important to give greater consideration to the soluble DBP precursors released by TPU.

Comparison of UV/PS and VUV/PS as ultrafiltration pretreatment: Performance, mechanisms, DBPs formation and toxicity assessment.

Ultrafiltration (UF) is widely used in drinking water plants, nevertheless, it still encounters challenges stemming from inevitable membrane fouling caused by natural organic matter (NOM). Herein, this work applied VUV/PS as UF membrane pretreatment and used UV/PS for comparison. VUV/PS system exhibited superior ability in removing NOM compared to UV/PS system. HO and SO4- played crucial roles in the degradation. [SO4-]ss was notably higher than [HO]ss in the systems, yet HO was of greater significance. [HO]ss and [SO4-]ss in the VUV/PS process were remarkably higher than those in the UV/PS process, due to the function of 185 nm photons. VUV/PS pretreatment basically recovered flux and effectively reduced fouling resistance, with better performance than UV/PS. Fouling mechanism was dominated by multiple mechanisms after UV/PS pretreatment, whereas it was transformed into pore blockage after VUV/PS pretreatment. Moreover, the UF effluent quality after VUV/PS pretreatment outperformed that of UV/PS but fell short of that without pretreatment, possibly due to the generation of abundant low MW substances under the action of HO and SO4-. After chlorine disinfection, UV/PS and VUV/PS pretreatments increased the DBPs production and cytotoxicity. Specifically, oxidant PS affected the membrane surface morphology and fouling behaviors, and had no obvious effect on interception performance and mechanical properties. In actual water treatment, VUV/PS and UV/PS pretreatments exhibited excellent performance in alleviating membrane fouling, improving water quality, and reducing DBPs formation and acute toxicity.

Development of a high-performance liquid chromatography using rhodamine B hydrazide as the derivatization reagent for determination of ß propiolactone residues in inactivated COVID-19 vaccines.

ß-propiolactone (BPL) is an alkylating agent used for inactivation of biological samples such as vaccines. Due to its known carcinogenic properties, complete hydrolysis of BPL is essential, and the detection of trace amounts is crucial. In this study a novel High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) method was developed. Rhodamine B hydrazide (RBH) was synthesized and utilized as a derivatizing reagent to react with BPL. The reaction was optimized in a weak acidic solution, resulting in a high yield. The separation of the RBH-derivatized BPL was achieved on a C8 column and detected by a UV detector at a wavelength of 560 nm. The method's validation demonstrated a high linearity (r2 > 0.99) over a concentration range of 0.5-50 µg/mL, with detection and quantification limits of 0.17 µg/mL and 0.5 µg/mL, respectively. The average recovery of samples was 85.20 % with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.75 %. This method was successfully applied for BPL residue analysis in inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. This novel derivatization method offers a promising solution for monitoring BPL residues in the vaccine production process for quality control purposes and compliance with regulatory standards.

Investigation of the molecular structure of CHBP, biological activities and SARS-CoV-2 protein binding interaction by molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy approaches.

The objective of this investigation is to learn more about the structural, electrical, spectroscopic, and physiochemical characteristics of biologically active cyano-4'-hydroxybiphenyl (CHBP). The title molecule's optimized conformational analysis was computed using the DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G (d, p) level of theory. The observed wavenumbers were compared with theoretical FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra. 1H and 13C NMR experimental spectra in CDCl3 solution (solvent phase) were recorded and the chemical shift was calculated. NBO analysis was used to examine the transfer of charge as well as the intermolecular and intramolecular bonding of orbitals. The TD-DFT (time-dependent DFT) approach was used to estimate theoretical values for both the gas and solvent (ethanol) in the corresponding transitional research, which was conducted using UV-Vis's spectra. Energy gap (Eg = 0.26764 eV) implies that the strong potential for charge transfer, and the stability of the CHBP compound. CHBP compound's has bioactive nature, its drug-likeness and biological properties were evaluated. The predicted topological polar surface area of 44.02 \AA2 for the molecule falls within the permissible range of < 140 \AA2. Based on the docking results, the most stable docking score value is -6.84 kcal/mol. In that interaction, MET 165 affects both phenyl rings in a pi-sulphur fashion and a single bond hydrogen with protein moieties GLN 192. This suggests that the pi-alkyl in PRO 168 is a hydroxyl substitutional ring. Our findings demonstrate the CHBP compound is a good inhibitor against the SAR COVID-19 viral protein.

Development of bio-composite mulch film from cotton gin wastes: Study of pesticide residue and outdoor stability and degradation.

Non-degradable plastic mulch films used in agriculture are polluting the environment by leaving residues and microplastics in the soil. They are also difficult to recycle due to contamination during their use. Biodegradable mulch films are needed as alternatives so that they can be used effectively during the growing season and later be ploughed to be degraded in soil. However, market-available so-called biodegradable mulch films are very slow to degrade in the natural environment and thus do not fit with crop rotation demands or annual cultivation. In this study, we have developed mulch films from cotton gin trash (CGT) and/or gin motes (GM) in combination with biodegradable polycaprolactone and demonstrated their effectiveness over 3 months in outdoor conditions. Both the stability and degradation behaviours of mulch film samples were observed when they were placed on top of the soil and buried in the soil, respectively. Pesticide residue analysis also was carried out on CGT powder to identify and quantify individual pesticides against a matrix of known pesticides. The mulch films prepared in this study showed comparable and stable mechanical properties compared to commercial biodegradable mulch film, though were much quicker to degrade when buried in the soil. No pesticides were detected in the CGT samples. The films produced were vapour-permeable and may be useful in practical agricultural settings by being able to maintain consistent soil moisture and allowing precipitation to penetrate gradually. The lab-scale production cost for the film was 98.8 AUD/kg, which could be lowered by integrating a continuous film line in large-scale production.

The Antioxidant Potential of Commercial Manuka Honey from New Zealand-Biochemical and Cellular Studies.

Manuka honey (MH) is considered a superfood mainly because of its various health-promoting properties, including its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and clinically proven antibacterial properties. A unique feature of Manuka honey is the high content of methylglyoxal, which has antibacterial potential. Additionally, it contains bioactive and antioxidant substances such as polyphenols that contribute to its protective effects against oxidative stress. In this study, commercially available Manuka honey was tested for its total polyphenol content and DPPH radical scavenging ability. It was then tested in vitro on human fibroblast cells exposed to UV radiation to assess its potential to protect cells against oxidative stress. The results showed that the honey itself significantly interfered with cell metabolism, and its presence only slightly alleviated the effects of UV exposure. This study also suggested that the MGO content has a minor impact on reducing oxidative stress in UV-irradiated cells and efficiency in scavenging the DPPH radical.

The Stockholm Convention at a Crossroads: Questionable Nominations and Inadequate Compliance Threaten Its Acceptance and Utility.

Twenty years since coming into force, the Stockholm Convention has become a "living" global agreement that has allowed for the addition of substances that are likely, as a result of their long-range environmental transport (LRET), to lead to significant adverse effects. The recent listing of the phenolic benzotriazole UV-328 in Annex A and a draft nomination of three cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes (cVMS) for Annex B draw attention to the fact that many chemicals are subject to LRET and that this can lead to questionable nominations. The nomination of UV-328 and the draft nomination of cVMS also raise the spectre of regrettable substitutions. At the same time, atmospheric monitoring across the globe reveals that environmental releases of several unintentionally produced POPs listed in Annex C, such as hexachlorobenzene and hexachlorobutadiene, are continuing unabated, highlighting shortcomings in the enforcement of the minimum measures required under Article 5. There is also no evidence of efforts to substitute a chemical whose use has been known for three decades to unintentionally produce polychlorinated biphenyls. These developments need to be rectified to safeguard the long-term viability and acceptance of a global treaty of undeniable importance.

Comparative performance of liquid chromatography and spectrophotometry in determining metformin hydrochloride within pharmaceutical formulations.

The present study compared the performance of Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and UV-Vis spectrophotometry for the quantification of metformin hydrochloride in five commercially available metformin hydrochloride products with different strengths. The metformin hydrochloride was measured in the UHPLC with a mobile phase consisting of a mixture of 0.05 M phosphate buffer solution and methanol (35:65, v/v) with a pH of 3.6. Metformin hydrochloride was determined spectrophotometrically at 234 nm using a mixture of methanol and water as a blank. The methods' linearity for metformin hydrochloride was within the concentration range of (2.5-40 µg/ml) in both techniques. The validation process encompassed assessments of specificity, selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), the lower limit of detection (LLOD), robustness, and system suitability. For the UHPLC validation method, the repeatability and reproducibility (expressed as relative standard deviation) were less than 1.578 and 2.718 %, respectively. The LLOQ for metformin hydrochloride was 0.625 µg/ml, and the LLOD was 0.156 µg/ml. For the UV-Vis spectrophotometric validation method, the repeatability and reproducibility (stated as relative standard deviation) were less than 3.773 and 1.988 %, respectively. The percentage recovery results for the five brands of metformin hydrochloride tablets were (98-101 %) and (92-104 %) for the UHPLC and UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods, respectively. In conclusion, the described methodologies were successfully employed for the quantitative analysis of metformin hydrochloride in different pharmaceutical tablet products.

Kunzea Ericoides (Kanuka) Leaf Extracts Show Moisturisation, Antioxidant, and UV Protection Effects in HaCaT Cells and Anti-melanogenesis Effects in B16F10 Cells.

Kunzea ericoides (kanuka) products are well-known for their potent medicinal values in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory applications. The present study identified various compounds, such as chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, and (E)-ferulic acid in the kanuka leaf extract, showing its potential use in maintaining skin health. The influence of kanuka leaf extract upon epidermal cells concerning cytotoxicity and in vitro activities of moisturisation, antioxidation, UV protection, and anti-melanogenesis effects were explored in the study. Kanuka leaf extract demonstrated significant promotion in the proliferation of HaCaT and B16F10 cells. After incubation with kanuka leaf extract, the content of ROS and DPPH in HaCaT was significantly decreased; at the same time, more SOD was produced. Furthermore, hyaluronidase-1 (HYAL-1) and HYAL-4 expressions were inhibited, while the aquaporin 3 (AQP-3) content was significantly increased in HaCaT. Kanuka leaf extract also inhibited the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (MMP-1) and MMP-14 in UV-induced HaCaT cells. In the B16F10 cell line, melanin and tyrosinase production were decreased under the presence of kanuka leaf extract, and the expressions of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TYRP-1), and TYRP-2 were also inhibited. The study validated kanuka leaf extract as an effective natural product against photoaging and melanogenesis.

Innovative microbial water quality management in water distribution systems using in-pipe hydropowered UV disinfection: envisioning futuristic water-energy systems.

Hydropower UV disinfection has not been explored as a possible alternative for off-grid disinfection. Hydropowered UV LED technology was developed using off-the-shelf UV-C LEDs and pico - and femto-scale hydro turbine generators and evaluated across point-of-use relevant flow rates. Commercially available UV LED flow through reactors were subjected to microorganism challenge testing with 3 power schemes: wall-plug, hydropower, and hydropower-charged battery. UV LEDs powered by hydropower-charged battery demonstrated similar disinfection as wall-plug powered UV LEDs, achieving 0.5-1.8 MS2 log10 reduction at flow rates 0.5-2.3 L min-1, corresponding to reduction equivalent doses (RED) up to 16 or 30 mJ/cm2 for 254 and 285 nm, respectively. With hydropowered UV LEDs alone, MS2 log10 reduction decreased to <0.3 log10 reduction due to an underperforming and grossly inefficient turbine, with RED of 8 or 18 mJ/cm2 for 254 and 285 nm, respectively. Assessment of existing markets of UV disinfection systems and pico-hydro turbines demonstrated that hydropowered UV systems are already theoretically feasible for scales at point-of-entry (POE) and above. Economic feasibility will improve if turbines and/or UV system efficiencies improve. Prototype hydropower UV LED systems ranged from $145 to 220 depending on the UV LED reactor, and the battery system added $81. This study demonstrates the practicality of sustainable, renewable energy POU UV disinfection technology that can benefit decentralised, off-grid, rural and remote communities. The system may also scale up to provide renewable energy disinfection at larger scales, such as buildings and water distribution systems, for protecting human health in highly populated areas.

Data processing for predicting DNA damaging properties of complex UV sources.

A growing number of experimental evidence emphasizes that photobiological phenomena are not always the sum of the effect of individual wavelengths present in the emission spectrum of light sources. Unfortunately, tools are missing to identify such non-additive effects and predict effects of various exposure conditions. In the present work, we addressed these points for the formation of pyrimidine dimers in DNA upon co-exposure to UVC, UVB and UVA radiation. We first applied a combination index approach to determine whether mixtures of theses UV ranges exhibited additive, inhibitory or synergistic effects on the formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, (6-4) photoproducts and Dewar isomers. A predictive approach based on an experiments plan strategy was then used to quantify the contribution of each wavelength range to the formation of DNA photoproducts. The obtained models allowed us to accurately predict the level of pyrimidine dimers in DNA irradiated under different conditions. The data were found to be more accurate than those obtained with the simple additive approach underlying the use of action spectra. Experiment plans thus appear as an attractive concept that could be widely applied in photobiology even for cellular experiments.

A new method for quantification of tomatine-enriched extracts.

BACKGROUND: Green tomato extracts, an agro-food industry waste, are rich in the glycoalkaloid tomatine, which presents activity against several diseases. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection is one of the most used techniques for quantification of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to optimize and validate a selective HPLC method with diode array detector (DAD) for the quantitative analysis of tomatine extracted from green tomatoes by subcritical water. RESULTS: Chromatographic runs were performed on a InertSustain Phenyl (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) analytical column, at a wavelength of 205 nm. A concentration range of 50-580 µg mL-1 was used. The validation process was performed considering the linearity, precision, trueness, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of the method. The selected mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and a solution of 20 mmol L-1 potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) pH 3, resulted in suitable retention times and a standard calibration curve with adequate linearity (R2 = 0.9999). The method trueness was evaluated by the recovery assay, obtaining a mean recovery of 105% and the precisions were 1.4% and 0.9% (percentage relative standard deviation, RSD%) for the tomatine standard and extract samples, respectively. The inter-day variability was 2.7-9.0% (RSD%) for the standards and 6.9% (RSD%) for extract. The LOD and the LOQ of the method were determined at 8.0 and 24.1 µg mL-1, respectively. CONCLUSION: The herein described method was successfully used for the quantification of tomatine in a tomato-derived extract. Furthermore, the method constitutes a simple and rapid analytical approach able to be used as a routine protocol. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Vapor-Tailored Nanojunctions in Ultraporous ZnO Nanoparticle Networks for Superior UV Photodetection.

High quality nanojunctions are known to effectively improve the conductivity and structural robustness of ultraporous nanoparticle networks, surpassing the performance of natural van der Waals interfaces. Nevertheless, the traditional approach of forming these junctions by thermal annealing is incompatible with thermolabile polymers and slender metal electrodes found in modern wearable technologies. Herein, we present a low temperature, solvent vapor-based method to rapidly elicit high-quality metal-oxide nanojunctions in a fast, effortless, inexpensive, and easily scalable process; capable of generating necked interparticle interfaces in a matter of minutes. When applied to ultraporous-based ZnO Ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors, the vapor-tailoring process produces an incredible 128,000-fold improvement in responsivity (6.6 A.W-1) over untreated structures (51.2 µA.W-1), and a 5300-fold improvement in responsivity over thermally annealed structures; all while maintaining exceptionally low dark currents of 140 pA at a low bias voltage of 1 V. Most importantly, the exceptional performance enabled by room temperature synthesis suggests high potential adaptability of this process toward wearable UV sensors, shedding lights on the strategy of modifying weakly bonded porous nanostructures for improved physical properties.

Persulfate photolysis and limited irrigation of recycled wastewater for turfgrass growth: Accumulation of pharmaceutical and personal care products and physiological responses.

Recycled wastewater effluent irrigation and implementing limited irrigation rates are two promising strategies for water conservation in agriculture. However, one major challenge is the accumulation and translocation of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) from recycled water to crops. This study investigated the effects of UV persulfate (UV/PS) treatment of recycled water and limited irrigation rate on PPCPs accumulation and physiological responses of St. Augustine turfgrass via a 14-week field trial. Carbamazepine (CBZ), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), triclosan (TCS), fluoxetine (FLX) and diclofenac (DCF) were spiked at 0.1-1.5 µg/L into recycled water and two limited irrigation rates corresponding to 60 % and 80 % of reference Evapotranspiration (ETo) were applied. Results showed that UV/PS removed 60 % of CBZ and > 99 % of other PPCPs from recycled water. Irrigation with UV/PS treated recycled water resulted in approximately a 60 % reduction in CBZ accumulation and complete removal of SMX, DCF, FLX and TCS in both turfgrass leaves and roots. A more limited irrigation rate at 60 % ETo resulted in a higher accumulation of CBZ accumulation compared to 80 % ETo. Similarly, the canopy temperature increased under 60 % ETo irrigation rate compared to 80 % ETo, suggesting that turfgrass under 60 % ETo was more prone to water stress. Applying a 60 % ETo irrigation rate was not sufficient to maintain the turfgrass quality in the acceptable range. A negative correlation between the visual quality and cumulative mass of PPCPs in turfgrass leaves at different irrigation rates was observed, yet irrigation rate was the major driver of turfgrass overall quality and health. Insights from this study will help to integrate recycled water with treatment and limited irrigation, thereby enhancing agricultural water reuse practices.

Benzotriazole UV stabilizers disrupt epidermal growth factor receptor signaling in human cells.

Phenolic benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BUV) are commonly used additives in synthetic polymeric products, which constantly leak into the environment. They are persistent and bioaccumulative, and have been detected not only in fish, birds, and sea mammals, but also in humans, including breast milk samples. Several authorities including the European Chemical Agency already consider some BUVs as Substances of Very High Concern in need of further information, e.g. mechanistical studies and biomonitoring. In this study, we are addressing this need by investigating the effect of several BUVs on the activity of the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), an important regulator of cellular processes that has recently been identified as a cell-surface receptor for environmental organic chemicals. By combining in silico docking, mutant analyses, receptor binding and internalization assays, we demonstrate that BUVs, particularly the chlorinated variants, bind to the extracellular domain of EGFR and thereby prevent the binding of growth factors. Accordingly, BUVs can inhibit EGFR downstream events, such as ERK1/2 phosphorylation and DNA synthesis, in human keratinocytes. Our data establish EGFR as a plasma membrane receptor for BUVs, offering novel mechanistic insights into the biological effects induced by these widespread and persistent chemicals. The findings of this study may not only improve hazard assessment for BUVs, but also contribute to the development of novel EGFR-targeting drugs.

New metabolites of 2-ethylhexyl salicylate in human urine after simulated real-life dermal sunscreen application.

2-Ethylhexyl salicylate (EHS) is an organic UV filter which is used in sunscreen and other personal care products. The dermal uptake of EHS was studied in several dermal-exposure experiments. This paper aims to coherently assess urine samples after dermal exposure for the biomarkers EHS, 5OH-EHS, 5oxo-EHS, and 5cx-EPS as well as further biomarkers of interest, specifically 4OH-EHS, 4oxo-EHS, 2OH-EHS, and 6OH-EHS, for the first time. Samples from 18 participants of a pre-existing dermal exposure study under real-life conditions were reassessed using a comprehensive LC-MS/MS method. EHS accounts for 34% of the cumulative excretion of all analytes within 24h after exposure, followed by 5OH-EHS (19%), 5cx-EPS (18%), 4OH-EHS (15%) and 5oxo-EHS (11%). Further metabolites were only quantified in minor amounts. EHS as the most prominent excretion parameter in this study demonstrates the missing first-pass effect after dermal absorption. Furthermore, the applied novel comprehensive analytical procedure revealed oxidation at the ω (5cx-EPS, 6OH-EHS), ω-1 (5OH-EHS, 5oxo-EHS), and ω-2 positions (4OH-EHS, 4oxo-EHS) in the main chain of the ethylhexyl group as well as oxidation in the side chain (2OH-EHS). The presented data are of high relevance for a reliable toxicological risk assessment of dermal exposure to EHS.

Green Nanoengineered Fabrics: Waste-Derived Polyphenol-Zinc@ Silica Core-Shell Reactive Janus Nanoparticles for Functional Fabrics.

Fabricating Janus nanoparticle-functionalized fabrics with UV protection, strength enhancement, self-cleaning properties, and wash durability, with a biocompatible nature, is crucial in modern functional fabrics engineering. Particularly, tailoring multifunctional nanoparticles capable of exhibiting several distinct properties, utilizing low-cost raw materials, and adhering to green chemistry principles is pivotal. A fabrication strategy for developing multifunctional reactive Janus nanoparticles, utilizing waste-derived natural polyphenol (quercetin-3-glucuronide, myricetin-3-galactoside, gossypin, phlorizin, kaempferol, myricetin-3-arabinoside)-integrated zinc-silica core-shell Janus nanoparticles with UV protection, strength enhancement, and self-cleaning properties, is proposed. Polyphenols were utilized as sustainable precursors for synthesizing zinc-polyphenol complexes, which were then encapsulated within a silica shell to form a core-shell structure. Furthermore, Janus particles were created by introducing a bifunctional layer with half amine/carboxylic acid and half methyl terminals, imparting reactive hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. Janus-coated textiles and leather exhibited significant attenuation of harmful UV radiation, with water contact angle measurements confirming improved water repellency. The coexistence of natural phenols and bifunctional groups within a material bolstered textile strength, fostering superior adhesion and markedly enhancing wash durability. This eco-friendly approach, utilizing waste-derived materials, presents a promising solution for sustainable textile engineering with enhanced performance in UV protection and water resistance, thereby contributing to the advancement of green nanotechnology in textile applications.