Although the mechanisms underlying the use-dependent inhibition of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs) by barbiturates are not well understood, it has generally been assumed to involve open channel block. We examined the properties of the inhibition of AMPARs by the barbiturate pentobarbital (PB) in acutely isolated and cultured hippocampal neurons. PB ca...

The potential of Bread Fruit (artocarpus altilis)Seed Husk (BFSH) as low-cost biosorbent for the removal of Pb (II), Zn (II) and Co (II) ions from aqueous solution was investigated. The adsorbent was characterized by the Fourier Transform InfraRed (FT-IR)spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The batch methodology was utilized to dete...

Background: Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal that is widely utilized in industries. It contaminates soil and groundwater. Its non-biodegradability, severe toxicity, carcinogenicity, ability to accumulate in nature and contaminate groundwater and surface water make this toxic heavy metal extremely dangerous to living beings and the environment. Therefore, technical and economic methods of removing Pb ...

Biofilms cause extensive damage to industrial settings. Thus, it is important to improve the existing techniques and develop new strategies to prevent bacterial biofilm formation. In the present study, we have prepared nanoporous polymer films from a self-assembled 1,2-polybutadiene-b-polydimethylsiloxane (1,2-PB-b-PDMS) block copolymer via chemical cross-linking of the 1,2-PB block followed ...

BACKGROUND Soil contamination by copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) is a widespread environmental problem. For phytoextraction to be successful and viable in environmental remediation, strategies that can improve plant uptake must be identified. In the present study we investigated the use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer as an efficient way to enhance accumulation of Cu and Pb from contaminated industrial so...

the phytoremediation capability in pb removal from the contaminated soils by three native seedlings species (acer cappadocicum, fraxinus excelsior and thuja orientalis) and one exotic species (cupressus arizonica) were compared. the seedlings were grown in pb contaminated soils at 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 mg kg-1 concentrations for 6 months (mar 21 to sept. 22, 2015), after which the bioma...

The aqueous concentrations of heavy metals in soils, sediments, and aquatic environments frequently are controlled by the dissolution and precipitation of discrete mineral phases. Contaminant uptake by organisms as well as contaminant transport in natural systems typically occurs through the solution phase. Thus, the thermodynamic solubility of contaminant-containing minerals in these environme...

The phosphate-embedded calcium alginate beads were successfully synthesized based on sodium alginate, calcium dihydrogen phosphate and sodium hydrogen carbonate. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were conducted to characterize the morphology and structure of the phosphate-embedded calcium alginate beads. The effects of pH ...