RESUMO
Graphene oxide sheets (GO) were coupled with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to enhance the photoactivity of anatase under visible and solar irradiation. The carbon nanotube surface was functionalized in the acidic reflux condition before coupling with GO and decoration of anatase by the sol-gel method. A modified kinetic model was appropriately applied to predict the breakthrough in the methylene blue degradation yield and determine the constant rate which was clearly affected by coupling architecture. The nanocomposite fabricated by the same proportions of GO and CNTs, 3.33%, exhibited the maximal degradation yield, 96.5%, in the dye solution with the initial concentration of 3.0 mg l-1. The characterizations based on X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed that the functionalized CNTs could create the appropriate space between the graphene sheets for uniformly interconnection of anatase via oxygen-containing groups onto the material surfaces. This enhancement in the degradation efficiency could be ascribed to the unique architecture, leading to a decrease in bandgap energy, 2.2 eV, which facilitated the electron-hole separation. Besides of breakthrough in the photoreaction rate, the adequate architecture led to an efficient reduction in the content of carbon-based materials. Also, the performance of mentioned nanocomposite under sunlight photons was effectively higher than that under UV irradiation. The hybrid nanocomposite provided a large number of active sites for photoreactions to facilitate the treatment of wastewater under solar irradiation.
RESUMO
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women worldwide. There have been many efforts for early breast cancer detection and among them molecular imaging have been extremely of high importance. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/CT) is a kind of imaging technique able to reveal crucial information with using radiopharmaceuticals. In this study, Technetium-99m-(DOTA-NHS-ester)-Methionine radiopharmaceutical was synthesized. Between 1,4,7,10-Tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid mono-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (DOTA-HNS ester) (MACROCYCLICS, DOTA-NHS ester, Plano, Texas, USA) and methionine(marker) were conjugated. The DOTA-HNS ester-Methionine was labeled with Technetium-99m (Inter-Medical, Technetium-99m, Bergamo, Italy). The synthesized radiopharmaceutical was used in SPECT/CT imaging for breast cancer diagnosis. For radiopharmaceutical evaluation, MTT assay for cellular toxicity, biodistribution, cellular uptake and radiochemical purity were employed.Technetium-99m-(DOTA-NHS-ester)-Methionine radiochemical had less cellular toxicity in human embryonic kidney cells 293 cell line (HEK293). Cellular uptake was indicated higher percent with use of Methionine as a marker, and radiochemical purity was high. Based on the results Technetium-99m-(DOTA-NHS-ester)-Methionine radiochem may be a better option for early detection of breast cancer. Further study is recommended to confirm these findings in clinical practice.
