Arumugam Sakthivel

Gamma irradiation (GI) of carbon‐based polymers increases defects in the carbon matrix, thereby increasing porosity and enhancing charge storage and transfer. Utilising coal as a precursor for carbon materials is an attractive strategy that enriches coal with new value‐added properties. This work focuses on gamma‐irradiated Neyveli Lignite, a raw material used to prepare supercapacitor electrodes. The GI modifies the raw coal structure, composition, and morphological properties, as evidenced by IR, XRD, SEM, XPS, and TGA. The conversion of raw Neyveli lignite into a value‐added coal is confirmed. This transformation occurs through the removal of volatile components integrated into the coal matrix. As the sulphur content in Neyveli lignite is also reduced during transformation, gamma‐irradiated coal is used as a raw material for fabricating supercapacitor electrodes, and its performance is compared with that of raw coal. The specific capacitance values obtained in this study using CV and GCD are in close agreement, indicating high material quality and the reliable measurements. This consistency highlights its potential as a technologically viable material for developing energy storage devices.

This study investigates the efficacy of biochar derived from the brown algae Turbinaria conoides (TCB) as a high‐performance adsorbent for the removal of malachite green (MG) dye from synthetic wastewater. The physicochemical properties and successful adsorption of MG onto TCB were characterized using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. To determine optimal operational conditions, the influence of key parameters, including adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, contact time, temperature, and pH, was systematically evaluated. Equilibrium data demonstrated a superior fit to the Langmuir isotherm model, while the adsorption kinetics adhered to a pseudo‐first‐order model, indicating a predominantly physisorption‐driven process. Notably, TCB exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 2476 mg/g at pH 7 with a contact time of 130 min, highlighting its potential as a “super‐adsorbent.” Mechanistic insights gained from intraparticle diffusion and Boyd plot models revealed that pore diffusion is not the rate‐limiting step in the adsorption process. Given its exceptional capacity and rapid kinetics, TCB represents a highly effective and sustainable candidate for the remediation of dye‐contaminated industrial effluents.

Carbon dioxide utilization is an excellent strategy to control the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Its success relies on the effectiveness of carbon dioxide capturing and separation from emission points. Coal and natural gas-firing thermal power plants are the major causes of carbon dioxide emissions. This emphasizes the importance of techniques that effectively capture carbon dioxide from thermal power plants. Following capture, the separation of carbon dioxide from the flue gas mixture is also important to achieve ultrapure carbon dioxide suitable for chemical synthesis. Therefore, this minireview presents the techniques available for carbon dioxide capturing and separation. Also, the utilization methods of carbon dioxide are briefly outlined along with their merits and demerits. Special emphasis is given to the role of biochar materials in separating carbon dioxide from flue gas. We believe that this review will give an overview of carbon dioxide capturing, separation, and utilization methods.

The objective of this research was to create stable nickel nanoparticles using nickel chloride salt and a Schiff base ligand called DPMN. The synthesis process involved a two-step phase transfer procedure. Spectroscopic techniques such as UV-Visible and FT-IR were used to confirm the formation of ligand-stabilized nickel nanoparticles (DPMN-NiNPs). To analyze the size, surface morphology, and quality of DPMN-NiNPs, SEM and TEM techniques were utilized. In vitro studies were performed to investigate the potential anticancer activity of the synthesized compounds against three different cancer cell lines and one normal cell line, and the results were compared to those of cis-platin. The researchers also conducted tests to determine the ability of DPMN-NiNPs to bind to CT-DNA using various techniques such as electronic absorption, fluorescence, viscometric, and cyclic voltammetric. The results showed that the synthesized DPMN-NiNPs exhibited good DNA binding ability, which was further validated by denaturation of DNA using thermal and sonochemical methods. The researchers also investigated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of DPMN-NiNPs, which demonstrated better biological activities than DPMN alone. Furthermore, the synthesized nano compounds were found to selectively damage cancer cell lines without harming normal cell lines. Finally, the researchers examined the potential of DPMN-NiNPs as a catalyst in dye degradation by testing its ability to decompose methyl red dye using UV-Visible spectroscopy.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of the type [ML(AcO)₂.H₂O] were synthesized from bidentate-morpholine based Schiff base ligand (L - morpholinopropylimino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol). The prepared ligand, copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, ¹H-NMR, FT-IR, UV-Visible, ESR and spectrometric methods. The elemental and ESI-MS results have been established that the prepared ligand and complexes possess 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. ¹H-NMR and FT-IR results have been suggested that azomethine nitrogen and morpholine ring nitrogen atoms are coordinated with Cu(II) and Zn(II) metal ions. UV-Visible, ESI-MS and ESR spectroscopic results have been supported that the proposed structure of Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes possess square pyramidal geometry. In order to confirm the proposed square pyramidal geometry of prepared complexes by DFT calculation has been studied. DNA binding ability of Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes have been studied by electronic absorption and viscometric methods. These results reveal that Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes interact with CT-DNA by the way of groove binding mode. Molecular docking studies result shows that synthesized compounds has better binding ability. The in vitro antioxidant activities of ligand, Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes have been investigated by using the DPPH assay. The result shows that synthesized compounds have good radical scavenging activity against DPPH radical. Antimicrobial activities of synthesized ligand and its complexes have been tested against selected bacterial (gram positive & gram negative) and fungal species. The results reveal that Cu(II) and Zn(II) have good antimicrobial activity than ligand. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Novel macrocyclic Schiff base complexes [[ML]X; where M = Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Mn(II) and VO(IV)^; L = macrocyclic ligand; X = Cl₂ and SO₄ ²⁻] have been synthesized and characterized by microanalytical, ¹H, ¹³C NMR, IR, Mass, UV–Vis, EPR spectral studies, as well as conductivity data. All the complexes exhibit square-planar geometry except vanadium complex. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and high conductance data reveal the monomeric and electrolytic nature of the complexes. Electronic absorption, cyclic voltammetry, viscosity measurements have been carried out on the interaction of the complexes with DNA. The results suggest that the complexes bind to DNA by intercalation via the aromatic ring of the macrocycle into the base pairs of DNA. Using gel electrophoresis experiment in the presence and absence of oxidant (H₂O₂) the nuclease cleavage activity of the complexes has been performed on plasmid DNA. The results demonstrate that most of the complexes have promising superoxide dismutase (SOD)-mimetic activity. The in vitro cytotoxicity of ligand and its complexes has also been evaluated against human breast and colon carcinoma cells. Binding interactions and energies of ligand and its metal complexes [ML]²⁺ (M = VO(IV), Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II)) against the receptors EGFR and HER2 are performed using the Auto dock module. Consequently, it is found that the ligand is strong inhibitor for EGFR and HER2 while [VOL]SO₄ is good inhibitor for EGFR and [ZnL]Cl₂ is moderate inhibitor for HER2. The antimicrobial activity of the ligand and its complexes against bacteria Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis and fungi Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Candida Albicans and Rhizoctonia bataicola. The complexes have higher activities than the macrocyclic free Schiff base. Interaction of [VOL]SO₄ to the binding sites of target protein EGFR (PDB ID: 4HJ0). Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma