Amany El Sikaily

This preliminary study looked at the concentrations, sources, and hazards of the persistent organochlorine pesticides in 71 sediment samples from the Shalatin area (Egyptian Red Sea coast). Conventional methods were used to study the persistent organochlorinated pesticide residue. The residues of 16 organochlorine pesticides were determined using the gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer-mass spectrometer (GC–MS/MS); selected reaction monitoring (SRM) technique. The total pesticide residue (ng g^–1, dry weight) extended from < DL-0.628; < DL-7.128; and < DL-8.256 ng g⁻¹ for hexachloro-cyclohexane (HCHs), dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro ethane (DDTs), and cyclodienes (CDs), respectively. DDD and DDE, metabolites of DDT, are abundant in the sediment samples, suggesting that the identified DDTs were ancient and not recently added to the Shalatin area due to the lack of potential sources of these metabolites such as rivers or agricultural activities near this area. The organochlorine pesticides in sediment samples are lower than those reported for other global regions. The source identification of organochlorine pesticides and the Eco-toxicological study were also investigated. The analysis of possible health and environmental issues showed that there were not many hazards to either people or animals in the area under study. The widespread use of organochlorine pesticides for non-agricultural and agricultural purposes is this study's leading cause of persistent pesticides.

The present investigation explores the efficacy of green algae Ulva lactuca biochar-sulfur (GABS) modified with H₂SO₄ and NaHCO₃ in adsorbing methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. The impact of solution pH, contact duration, GABS dosage, and initial MB dye concentration on the adsorption process are all methodically investigated in this work. To obtain a thorough understanding of the adsorption dynamics, the study makes use of several kinetic models, including pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order models, in addition to isotherm models like Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich. The findings of the study reveal that the adsorption capacity at equilibrium (q_e) reaches 303.78 mg/g for a GABS dose of 0.5 g/L and an initial MB dye concentration of 200 mg/L. Notably, the Langmuir isotherm model consistently fits the experimental data across different GABS doses, suggesting homogeneous adsorption onto a monolayer surface. The potential of GABS as an efficient adsorbent for the extraction of MB dye from aqueous solutions is highlighted by this discovery. The study’s use of kinetic and isotherm models provides a robust framework for understanding the intricacies of MB adsorption onto GABS. By elucidating the impact of various variables on the adsorption process, the research contributes valuable insights that can inform the design of efficient wastewater treatment solutions. The comprehensive analysis presented in this study serves as a solid foundation for further research and development in the field of adsorption-based water treatment technologies.

Background Environmental pollution with heavy metal (HM) may be associated with human reproductive failure where pollutants are accumulated in marine organisms and sediment and subsequently transferred to man through food chain. Oxidative stress and disruption of homeostatic regulation of reproductive hormones has been implicated in HM induced reproductive toxicity. The HM, indices of oxidative stress, reproductive hormone and red cell indices in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) were assessed in this study. Methods Seventy-six women (20–35 years) categorized into 18 fertile women without RPL (control group), and Groups I, II and III comprising 24, 18 and 16 women with RPL (2, 3, and > 3 abortions respectively) were studied. Whole blood samples were collected for the estimation of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), metallothionein (rbcMT), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), progesterone, haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH). Mussel samples were collected for Cd, Pb and metallothionein (MT) estimation. Results The cadmium content of mussels were above the maximum limit. Women with RPL (Groups I-III) had higher Cd, Pb, rbcMT and MDA and lower catalase, GSH, P₄, Hb, MCV and MCH compared to Group I (p = < 0.001). Negative associations were observed between Cd and catalase (r=-0.320, p = 0.014), GSH (r=-0.359, p=-0.006) and MCV (r=-0.391, p=-0.002) respectively and between Pb and GSH (r=-0.501, p = < 0.001), Hb (r=-0.289, p = 0.028), MCV (r=-0.394, p = 0.002) and MCH (r=-0.277, p = 0.036) respectively in women with RPL. Positive correlations were observed between Cd and Pb (r = 0.533, p = < 0.001), rbcMT with Cd (r = 0.312, p = 0.017), Pb (r = 0.488, p = < 0.000) and MDA (r = 0.282, p = 0.032) respectively in women with RPL. Conclusion Elevated cadmium levels in mussels, metallothionein, MDA and reduced antioxidants, progesterone and red cell indices observed in women with RPL suggest that HM induced oxidative stress and hormonal imbalance may be implicated in recurrent pregnancy loss.

The fabrication of crosslinked polyaniline/Pterocladia capillacea-activated carbon composite (CrossPANI/P-AC) at different ratios (1:0, 1:0.2, 1:0.6, and 1:1) was studied. CrossPANI/P-AC composites were fabricated by the in situ polymerization of aniline using hydrogen chloride as an acidic dopant, and ammonium persulfate as initiator, whilePterocladia capillacea-activated carbon was synthesized by the chemical activation method and incorporated into the polymer matrix. The samples were characterized by the terms such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). FTIR spectroscopy showed the main characteristic peak positions of CrossPANI/P-AC; XRD showed low crystallinity of CrossPANI/P-AC. A high specific surface area for CrossPANI/P-AC was achieved at a ratio of 1:0.2 where Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, total pore volume, and mean pore diameter values were 166.10 m²/g, 0.0141 cm³/g, and 3.40 nm, respectively. The capability of CrossPANI/P-AC (1:0.2) composite as adsorbent for Direct blue-86 (DB-86) dye from aqueous solution was investigated. The impact of initial dye concentration, temperature, pH, and contact time on the DB-86 dye adsorption from its water solution was examined. The equilibrium adsorption data were well represented by the Langmuir isotherm achieving maximum monolayer capacity (Q_m) of 163.93 mg/g at a dose of 0.5 g/L. In contrast, the kinetic adsorption data were well fit by the pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that DB-86 dye adsorption occurs spontaneously, endothermically, and physically in nature. The results demonstrated that these composites effectively removed DB-86 dye from aqueous solutions and could be recycled.Graphical abstract

Background: Environmental pollution with heavy metal (HM) have been associated with human reproductive failure. Oxidative stress and disruption of homeostatic regulation of reproductive hormones has been implicated in HM induced reproductive toxicity. The HM, indices of oxidative stress, reproductive hormone and red cell indices in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in relation to exposure to HM contaminated mussels were assessed in this study. Methods: Seventy-six women (20-35 years) categorized into 18 fertile women without RPL (control group), and Groups I, II and III comprising 24, 18 and 16 women with RPL (2, 3, and >3 abortions respectively) were studied. Whole blood samples were collected for the estimation of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), metallothionein (rbcMT), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), progesterone, haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH). Mussel samples were collected for Cd, Pb and metallothionein (MT) estimation. Results: The cadmium content of mussels were above the maximum limit. Women with RPL (Groups I-III) had higher Cd, Pb, rbcMT and MDA and lower catalase, GSH, P4, Hb, MCV and MCH compared to Group I (p=Conclusion: Elevated cadmium levels in mussels in conjunction with increased HM, metallothionein, MDA and reduced antioxidants, progesterone and red cell indices observed in women with RPL suggest that HM induced oxidative stress and hormonal imbalance may be implicated in recurrent pregnancy loss.

Starch-g-poly(acrylic acid)/Pterocladia capillacea–derived activated carbon (St-g-P(AA)/P-AC) composites were prepared via aqueous solution graft copolymerization using starch, acrylic acid, and activated carbon of red alga Pterocladia capillacea (0–10%) with N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (NH₄)₂S₂O₈ initiator. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize St-g-P(AA)/P-AC composites. Additionally, St-g-P(AA)/P-AC composites were investigated for methylene blue (MB) dye removal from water. The impact of the beginning concentration of MB dye, temperature, pH, and adsorption time on MB dye removal was examined. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained at pH 8 was 496.29 mg/g at 0.02 mg/L composites dose and 100 mg/L MB dye. The properties of adsorption were studied by the adsorption isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic models. The pseudo-first-order and Freundlich isotherm models demonstrated the kinetics and equilibrium adsorptions data, respectively. The maximum monolayer capacity (q_m) was 1428.57 mg/g from Langmuir isotherm. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that the MB dye adsorption is exothermic physisorption and spontaneous. The results show that St-g-P(AA)/P-AC composites were effective for MB dye adsorption from water solution and could be recycled.