La/Fe/TiO₂ composite photocatalysts were synthesized by Sol-Gel method and well characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen-physical adsorption, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-Vis DRS). It is interesting that the doped catalysts were in anatase phase while the pure TiO₂ was in rutile phase. In addition, the composites possessed bette...

background: methyl tert -butyl ether (mtbe) has been commercially used as an octane enhancer to replace tetraethyl lead in gasoline since 1979. the high mobility, water solubility, and resistance to natural attenuation associated with mtbe may re­sult in contamination of ground and surface waters. in this investigation the degradation of aqueous mtbe at relatively high concentrations was studie...

The carcinogenic potential of chlorine disinfection by-products and recent changes in water quality regulations have led to a greater emphasis on alternative disinfection mechanisms. In this study, the efficacy of bench-scale and pilot-scale titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) photocatalytic disinfection was explored using four bacteriophages (MS2, PRD1, phi-X174, and fr). The optimized bench-scale exper...

Daunorubicin (DNR) has a broad spectrum of anticancer activity, but is limited in clinical application due to its serious side effects. The aim of this study was to explore a novel "smart" pH-responsive drug delivery system (DDS) based on titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) nanoparticles for its potential in enabling more intelligent controlled release and enhancing chemotherapeutic efficiency of DNR. DN...

We demonstrate that the use of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and acetic acid during the synthesis of TiO(2) nanotubes may result in the synthesis of single-crystal-like anatase TiO(2) with a mainly exposed and chemically active (001) facet. An enhancement in the overall conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells was observed in a photoanode consisting of TiO(2) single-crystal-like anat...

The article reports on structure, mechanical, optical, photocatalytic and biocidal properties of Ti-Ag-O films. The Ti-Ag-O films were reactively sputter-deposited from a composed Ti/Ag target at different partial pressures of oxygen pO(2) on unheated glass substrate held on floating potential U(fl). It was found that addition of ~2 at.% of Ag into TiO(2) film has no negative influence on UV-in...

The ecotoxicity of three different sizes of titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) particles (primary particles sizes: 10, 30, and 300nm) to the freshwater green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was investigated in this study. Algal growth inhibition was found for all three particle types, but the physiological mode of action is not yet clear. It was possible to establish a concentration/dose-response r...

Alveolar macrophages (AM) in the lung have been documented to play pivotal roles in inflammation and fibrosis (silicosis) following inhalation of crystalline silica (CSiO(2)). In contrast, exposure to either titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) or amorphous silica (ASiO(2)) is considered relatively benign. The scavenger receptor macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO), expressed on AM, bind...

Directionally grown TiO(2) nano-architectures can serve as effective platforms for photogenerated charges to flow vectorially through the architecture framework, promising an unexpectedly high efficiency. This study demonstrates that directionally aligned TiO(2) nanofibers (TNF) obtained via a simple rearrangement of randomly scattered TiO(2) nanoparticles (TNP) exhibit significantly enhanced a...

Maternal immune responses can promote allergy development in offspring, as shown in a model of increased susceptibility to asthma in babies of ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized and -challenged mother mice. We investigated whether inflammatory responses to air pollution particles (diesel exhaust particles, DEP) or control "inert" titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) particles are enhanced during pregnancy and whe...