Recent trends in layered double hydroxides based electrochemical and optical (bio)sensors for screening of emerging pharmaceutical compounds.

The rapid expansion of the human population has given rise to new environmental and biomedical concerns, contributing to different advancements in the pharmaceutical industry. In the field of analytical chemistry over the last few years, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have drawn significant attention, owing to their extraordinary properties. Furthermore, the novel advancement of LDH-based optical and electrochemical platforms to detect different pharmaceutical materials has acquired substantial attention because of their outstanding specificity, actual-time controlling, and user-friendliness. This review aims to recapitulate advanced LDHs-based optical and electrochemical sensors and biosensors to identify and measure important pharmaceutical compounds, such as anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-fungal drugs. Additionally, fundamental parameters, namely interactions between sensor and analyte, design rationale, classification, selectivity, and specificity are considered. Finally, the development of high-efficiency techniques for optical and electrochemical sensors and biosensors is featured to deliver scientists and readers a complete toolbox to identify a broad scope of pharmaceutical substances. Our goals are: (i) to elucidate the characteristics and capabilities of available LDHs for the identification of pharmaceutical compounds; and (ii) to deliver instances of the feasible opportunities that the existing devices have for the developed sensing of pharmaceuticals regarding the protection of ecosystems and human health at the global level.

Optimized extraction and quality evaluation of Niger seed oil via microwave-pulsed electric field pretreatments.

In this study, oil extraction from Niger seeds was evaluated with different microwave irradiation times (0-200 s) and pulsed electric fields (PEF) intensities (0-5 kV/cm) as pretreatments. Then, oil extraction was completed with a screw press at different rotation speeds (11-57 rpm). Quality parameters including extraction efficiency, acidity and peroxide values (PVs), chlorophyll, and phenolic contents along with fatty acid profiles and tocopherol levels of the extracted oils were determined as responses. With enhancements in microwave time, PEF intensity and press rotation, the chlorophyll contents, acidity/PVs, and total phenolics of oils increased similar to oil extraction efficiency although it was reduced later. The optimized conditions selected by response surface methodology were determined as 156.23 s, 1.18 kV/cm, and 20 rpm for microwave time, PEF intensity and press speed, respectively. Fatty acid analysis revealed that linoleic acid was the most predominant fatty acid in the extracted oil. Application of the mentioned pretreatments may lead to a reduction in unsaturated fatty acids and escalation of saturated ones (p < .05). High-performance liquid chromatography results indicated that α-tocopherols are the most common tocopherols in Niger seed oil and microwave-PEF pretreatments may lead to 2.79% increase in tocopherols content.