The Royal Society of Chemistry最新文献

In this study, a ZnO/CuO/rGO nanohybrid was synthesized using a hydrothermal technique. The resulting nanohybrid was characterized through various methods, including UV-visible spectroscopy, XRD, and FE-SEM. The electrochemical characteristics of the sensor were examined using CV and amperometric techniques. To create the sensing electrode, the synthesized nanohybrid was applied to a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) via the drop-coating process. The ZnO/CuO/rGO-modified GCE demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic characteristics for glucose oxidation in an alkaline environment. Under optimal conditions, the electrochemical glucose sensor modified with ZnO/CuO/rGO/GCE exhibited a broad linear range (2–10 mM), impressive sensitivity (5660 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²), a low detection limit (0.54 μM), and a rapid response time (3 s) for glucose detection. Moreover, the developed method displayed good repeatability (RSD = 3.8%) and stability, demonstrating its reliability.

In this work, we systematically investigate the stability, electronic structure, optical properties, and photocatalytic performance of four ZnO–MX₂ (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se) heterojunctions. The results indicate that all four heterojunctions exhibit excellent structural stability. In each system, an internal electric field is formed from the ZnO layer to the MX₂ layer, facilitating the effective transfer of electrons. Moreover, the effective mass of holes in these systems is greater than that of electrons, suggesting efficient separation of electron–hole pairs, which enhances photocatalytic efficiency. Compared with monolayer ZnO, the band gap of the heterojunctions is significantly reduced, and all heterojunctions display direct band gap characteristics. Simultaneously, the static dielectric constant of these systems increases, and redshift is observed in their absorption spectra. Both ZnO–MoSe₂ and ZnO–WSe₂ exhibit type I band alignment, making them unsuitable for photocatalytic applications but ideal candidates for solar cells. On the other hand, ZnO–MoS₂ and ZnO–WS₂ exhibit a II-type band alignment. In comparison to ZnO–MSe₂, they demonstrate a higher static dielectric constant and light absorption coefficient, as well as a larger D value (the ratio of the effective mass of electrons to holes), which suggests their superior photocatalytic efficiency. Notably, while ZnO–MoS₂ only possesses hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) capability, ZnO–WS₂ demonstrates both HER and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) capabilities.

Phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), and sulfur (S) are essential nutrients for living organisms and have significant environmental impacts on aquatic ecosystems. However, the biogeochemistry of P, Fe, and S across the sediment-water interface (SWI) in cold-arid regions remains poorly understood. Herein, we first applied a combination of high-resolution in situ techniques, namely diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) and a home-made two-dimensional miniature-DGT (2D-MDGT), to simultaneously analyze the dynamic distributions of P, Fe, and S across the SWI in Ugii Lake, Mongolia. The concentrations of labile P, Fe, and S in the sediment profiles range from 0.01 to 0.15 mg L^-1, 0.12 to 1.10 mg L^-1, and 0.15 to 0.4 mg L^-1, respectively, with a considerable number of hotspots. Spatially, labile P and Fe were higher in the near-shore region more vulnerable to exogenous pollution than the central region, while labile S showed the opposite trend. In vertical profiles, the distributions of labile P and Fe showed a significant positive correlation (P < 0.01), indicating that Fe redox cycling dominated P mobility. In contrast, a weak relationship between labile P and S as well as labile Fe and S indicated limited contributions of S to P mobilization. The in situ measurements of diffusion fluxes of P, Fe, and S across the SWI showed values of 0.015-0.031 mg m^-2 d^-1, 0.067-0.288 mg m^-2 d^-1, and 1.087-1.801 mg m^-2 d^-1, respectively, indicating strong upward mobility of these elements from the sediment to the overlying water. Overall, the study first captured 2D fine-scale co-distributions of P, Fe and S across the SWI in Ugii Lake and filled the gap on P-Fe-S redox cycling processes and mechanisms at the fine scale, which provided a reference and theoretical basis for water quality control in cold-arid lakes.

Carotenoids, particularly lutein, β-carotene, lycopene, and astaxanthin, possess established anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Although these compounds are known to interact with the gut microbiota and ameliorate microbial dysbiosis, their structure-activity relationships in colitis alleviation remain poorly understood. Using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model, we made a systematic comparison of these four structurally distinct carotenoids. All treatments markedly improved colitis-associated clinical symptoms, including weight loss, colon shortening, bloody stool, and histological damage. Notably, the fecal heme content decreased by 55.00%, 69.44%, 60.22%, and 62.24% in the lutein, β-carotene, lycopene, and astaxanthin groups by the endpoint of DSS exposure, respectively. The intervention with carotenoids significantly reduced pro-inflammatory markers while upregulating intestinal tight junction proteins and short-chain fatty acid receptor expression. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed consistent suppression of Bilophila and Mucispirillum across all groups, with structure-dependent microbiota modulation: lutein enriched Rikenellaceae, β-carotene enhanced Bifidobacteriaceae, lycopene preferentially increased Lactobacillaceae, and astaxanthin elevated Akkermansiaceae (in terms of relative abundance). These findings demonstrate that carotenoids alleviate ulcerative colitis through combined anti-inflammatory, barrier-protective, and microbiota-modulating effects, with carotenes exhibiting superior microbiota modulation compared to xanthophylls.

Lead (Pb²⁺) toxicity poses a serious threat to human health and remains a global concern; therefore, there is a critical need for the development of easy-to-use and cost-effective tools for the rapid monitoring of Pb²⁺. In this study, we demonstrate the potential of the RNA Mango aptamer as a sensitive and selective sensor for Pb²⁺. Our findings reveal that trace amounts of Pb²⁺ induce the formation of a G-quadruplex motif in RNA Mango, which facilitates dye binding and activates fluorescence. A detailed investigation of the fluorescence properties of RNA Mango with three different dyes, TO1-biotin, TO3-biotin, and thioflavin-T, in the presence of Pb²⁺ shows that RNA Mango has the highest binding affinity for Pb²⁺ in combination with TO1-biotin, with a K_D value as low as ∼100 nM. In the presence of Pb²⁺, RNA Mango has sub-micromolar affinity for all three dyes, showing the tightest binding to TO1-biotin (K_D ∼ 40 nM). Mango lead sensors detect low nanomolar concentrations of Pb²⁺ with limits of detection of 2-16 nM, which are significantly lower than its allowable limit in drinking water. RNA Mango exhibits remarkable selectivity toward Pb²⁺ and can detect Pb²⁺ in tap water samples. This work reports a new class of simple and inexpensive fluorescence-based sensors for lead and expands the repertoire of RNA-based lead sensors.

Surfactants are amphiphilic compounds, crucial in extracting active ingredients from natural resources by enhancing solubility, reducing surface tension, and facilitating phase separation. This review highlights novel extraction techniques, such as micellar extraction, pressurized system extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction, that leverage surfactants to improve efficiency. It also explores the mechanisms through which surfactants aid in the extraction process, focusing on their application in isolating bioactive compounds from plants, algae, microorganisms, and other natural matrices. We examine the various types of surfactants—anionic, cationic, nonionic, and zwitterionic—used in extraction processes, along with their advantages and limitations. The review also discusses environmentally friendly and sustainable surfactants and assesses the environmental performance of biosurfactants in surfactant-assisted extraction. Finally, we explore potential challenges, including regulatory hurdles, environmental impacts, mass scale-up issues, and the need for further research in the field.

Green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have emerged as promising antimicrobial agents, yet optimizing their synthesis and understanding their biological mechanisms remain crucial challenges. This study reports the synthesis of AgNPs using Xanthoceras sorbifolia leaf and flower extracts, leveraging their phytochemical composition for green synthesis. High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry identified 38 metabolites, including flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenols, which served as reducing and stabilizing agents. Optimized synthesis conditions included pH 9, an extract concentration of 10 mg mL⁻¹, silver nitrate concentrations of 12 mM (leaf) and 10 mM (flower), and temperatures of 80 °C (leaf) and 70–80 °C (flower). AgNPs exhibited a uniform spherical shape, with mean diameters of 9.22 ± 1.97 nm (leaf-AgNPs) and 7.46 ± 1.58 nm (flower-AgNPs). Moreover, they demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with leaf-AgNPs showing superior efficacy (MIC: 16 μg mL⁻¹) compared with flower-AgNPs (MIC: 32 μg mL⁻¹). Furthermore, both types of AgNPs exhibited concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects against 4T1 and KYSE-150 cell lines through reactive oxygen species-mediated cytotoxicity, with leaf-AgNPs showing enhanced effectiveness. These findings demonstrate the potential of X. sorbifolia-derived AgNPs as promising candidates for biomedical applications, particularly as antimicrobial agents with potent cytotoxic activity against cancer cells.

The mounting global imperative for sustainable energy storage and effective wastewater treatment necessitates the innovation of multifunctional materials capable of addressing both challenges in tandem. In the present work, we demonstrate the fabrication of a hybrid nanostructure comprising graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) integrated with Cu–ZnS, strategically engineered for dual functionality in photocatalytic and supercapacitor domains. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the successful formation of the Cu–ZnS/g-C₃N₄ composite, revealing a synergistic coexistence of hexagonal and cubic ZnS crystal phases. Morphological characterization illustrated a uniformly integrated architecture, wherein Cu–ZnS nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed across the g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. BET surface area analysis indicated a pronounced enhancement, reaching 148.16 m² g⁻¹, representing a 1.6-fold increase relative to pristine Cu–ZnS. The multifunctionality of the composite was substantiated through its superior performance in both energy storage and environmental remediation. Specifically, the optimized CuZnS-GCN25 electrode exhibited an impressive specific capacitance of 275 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹, retained 92.5% of its capacitance over 10 000 charge–discharge cycles, and maintained 70% retention at an elevated current density of 20 A g⁻¹ in a two-electrode configuration. In photocatalytic applications, CuZnS-GCN25 facilitated the efficient degradation of amoxicillin (AMX), achieving 92.4% removal under visible light within 60 minutes, consistent with pseudo-first-order kinetics (k = 0.029 min⁻¹). These results highlight the significant potential of CuZnS-GCN25 as a high-efficiency, dual-purpose material for sustainable water treatment and advanced hybrid energy storage systems.

Correction for ‘Unveiling the enhanced structural, elastic, mechanical, and optoelectronic properties of BaWO₄ via oxygen vacancies and europium doping: a DFT + U insight into tailored energy applications’ by Shah Hussain et al., RSC Adv., 2025, 15, 18681–18696, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5RA01743B.

Tendon injuries are prone to adhesions after repair, which in turn lead to limb dysfunction, which remains a major challenge in clinical treatment. Current research suggests that tendon injuries are affected by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inflammatory responses, and type III collagen deposition. These factors lead to an imbalance between extrinsic and intrinsic tendon healing and are the main reasons for the occurrence of peritendinous adhesions. In this study, we constructed a carrier using a polyvinyl alcohol/polyethylene glycol (PVA/PEG) dual network hydrogel and loaded it with zeolite imidazolium ester framework-8@CeO₂ nano-enzymes (ZIF-8@CeO₂) to form a nano-enzyme-functionalized hydrogel (PVA/PEG/ZIF-8@CeO₂) therapeutic system. The surface of PVA/PEG/ZIF-8@CeO₂ is rich in hydrophilic hydroxyl groups that form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, creating a hydrated layer that inhibits fibrin adsorption and fibroblast adhesion, reduces the impact of exogenous healing, and reduces the formation of adhesions. Similarly, the loaded ZIF-8@CeO₂ has catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, which can effectively remove the excessive ROS in the injured tendon, down-regulate the inflammatory response, enhance the tendon differentiation of tendon stem cells, promote intrinsic healing, and ultimately promote the repair of injured tendons. Furthermore, the system can accelerate the transition from inflammation to repair and remodeling in the tendon healing process. The PVA/PEG/ZIF-8@CeO₂ treatment system is a novel approach for reducing peritendinous adhesions and effectively promoting the repair of injured tendons.