Herein, the aqueous extract of Portulaca oleracea has been used as a safe, cheap, eco-friendly, and applicable scale-up method to bio-fabricate copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs). The character of CuO-NPs were determined using UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy dispersive X-ray(EDX), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential. Spherical and crystalline CuO-NPs with a size range of 5–30 nm at a maximum surface plasmon resonance of 275 nm were successfully fabricated. The main components of the green-synthesized particles were Cu and O with weight percentages of 49.92 and 28.45%, respectively. A Zeta-potential value of −24.6 mV was recorded for CuO-NPs, indicating their high stability. The plant-based CuO-NPs showed promising antimicrobial and catalytic activity in a dose-dependent manner. Results showed that the synthesized CuO-NPs had the efficacy to inhibit the growth of pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans with low MIC values in the ranges of 6.25–25 µg/mL. The highest decolorization percentages of tanning wastewater were attained under sunlight irradiation conditions at a concentration of 2.0 mg/mL after 200 min with percentages of 88.6 ± 1.5% compared to those which were recorded under dark conditions (70.3 ± 1.2%). The physicochemical parameters of tanning wastewater including total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and conductivity under optimum conditions were significantly decreased with percentages of 95.2, 86.7, 91.4, 87.2, and 97.2%, respectively. Interestingly, the heavy metals including cobalt (Co), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr (VI)) decreased with percentages of 73.2, 80.8, 72.4, 64.4, and 91.4%, respectively, after treatment of tanning wastewater with CuO-NPs under optimum conditions. Overall, the plant-synthesized CuO-NPs that have antimicrobial and catalytic activities are considered a promising nano-catalyst and environmentally beneficial to wastewater treatment.

In the present study, the relationship between the phenolic counts, chemical composition, and biological activities of two Mentha species (Mentha rotundifolia (MR) and Mentha pulegium (MP)) was analyzed. The characterization of the action mode against pathogenic bacteria and the inhibition of spore germination of two fungal species using prepared methanolic extracts were studied here for the first time. The obtained data highlighted the presence of positive correlation between the secondary metabolites contents and the biological activities of the investigated extracts. In fact, HPLC analysis showed that the major components in both the extracts were eriocitrin and rosmarinic acid (25 and 20 mg/ml and 12 and 8 mg/ml in methanolic extracts of MR and MP, respectively). Moreover, the MR extract was rich in polyphenols and presents the highest antioxidant activity than MP ones. In addition, both extracts possess an antimicrobial activity against four Gram-positive and five Gram-negative bacteria and one yeast species (Candida albicans) and were able to inhibit the spore germination of two fungi species (Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus). But, the significant activity was observed in the presence of MR methanolic extract. The effect of time on cell integrity of E. coli and L. monocytogenes determined by time-kill and bacteriolysis assays showed that the MR extract had a rapid bacteriolytic effect compared to the MP extract, and their capacities were significant against Gram-negative bacteria than positive ones. Based on the obtained data, it can be concluded that Saudi Mentha species have high pharmacological and industrial importance and they can be used in preparation of food or drugs.

Urinary catheters are commonly associated with urinary tract infections. This study aims to inhibit bacterial colonisation and biofilm of urinary tract catheters. Silicon catheter pieces were varnished with green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Pistacia lentiscus mastic to prevent bacterial colonisation. Pomegranate rind extract was used to synthesize AgNPs. AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results obtained revealed that the size of most AgNPs ranged between 15–25 nm and they took crystallised metal and oxidised forms. The amounts of released silver ions from 1 cm pieces of catheters coated with AgNPs were estimated for five days and ranged between 10.82 and 4.8 µg. AgNPs coated catheters significantly inhibited the colonisation of catheters by antibiotic-resistant clinical Gram-positive (Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. AgNPs-varnish was more active against Gram-negative bacteria than Gram-positive bacteria. The significant inhibitory effect of coated catheters lasted for 72 h for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Varnishing catheters with AgNPs may help to prevent bacterial colonisation and infections.

Methyl violet 2B dye is a major contaminant that is detrimental to both humans and aquatic microorganisms, thus it should be eliminated from water. In the current investigation, the biosorption of methyl violet 2B dye onto the brown seaweed Cystoseira tamariscifolia biomass as a sustainable low-cost biosorbent was examined by varying biosorption parameters. Biomass dosage of 7 g/L, pH 6, a temperature of 45 °C, a 60 min contact time, and a 30 mg/L initial dye concentration were determined to be the optimum biosorption conditions. Data obtained were interpreted by thermodynamic, isothermal, and kinetic models. The thermodynamic studies demonstrated that the process of dye biosorption was random and endothermic. The data were best described by Langmuir, Dubinin–Radushkevich, and Temkin models. According to the Langmuir equation, the maximal biosorption capacity (qmax) was 10.0 mg/g. Moreover, the pseudo-second-order mechanism is dominant, and chemical biosorption might represent the rate-controlling stage in the biosorption process. However, intraparticle diffusion revealed a boundary layer effect. A scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, the point of zero charge, and Fourier Transform Infra-Red were applied to characterize the algal biomass, exhibiting its remarkable structural properties and the availability of several functional groups. Additionally, ion exchange, electrostatic force, and hydrogen bonding formation are all proposed as biosorption mechanisms. As a result, C. tamariscifolia was evaluated to be a sustainable biosorbent for dye biosorption from aqueous solutions.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of Spirulina platensis for removing Zn2+ ions from the aqueous solutions. The optimized conditions of 4.48 g/L algal dose, pH of 6.62 and initial zinc concentration of 29.72 mg/L obtained by response surface methodology were employed for Zn2+ biosorption by S. platensis and up to 97.90% Zn2+ was removed, showing that there is a favorable harmony between the experimental data and model predictions. Different kinetic and equilibrium models were used to characterize the biosorption manner of Spirulina as a biosorbent. The kinetic manner of Zn2+ biosorption was well characterized by the pseudo-second-order, implying that the adsorption process is chemical in nature. The Langmuir and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models were best fit to the equilibrium data. The maximum adsorption capacity of the Langmuir monolayer was 50.7 mg/g. Furthermore, the thermodynamic analysis revealed that Zn2+ biosorption was endothermic, spontaneous and feasible. As a result of biosorption process, FTIR, SEM, and EDX investigations indicated noticeable alterations in the algal biomass’s properties. Therefore, the dried Spirulina biomass has been shown to be cost-effective and efficient for removing the heavy metals, particularly zinc ions from wastewater, and the method is practicable, and environmentally acceptable.

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The World Health Organization recently stated that new sources of antibiotics are urgently required to stem the global spread of antibiotic resistance, especially in multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria. Although it was thought that many of the original sources of antibiotics were exhausted, innovative research has revealed promising new sources of antibiotic discovery in traditional medicine associated with Streptomyces. In this work we investigated the potential of a specific limestone grassland soil, associated with Irish folk medicine, as a new source of antimicrobial discovery. Using selective enrichment and isolation techniques on a limestone grassland soil sample obtained from Boho, West Fermanagh, we isolated Streptomyces sp. CJ13. This bacterium inhibited the growth of a broad range of pathogens in vitro including Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA 43300) and Gram negative multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA01), as well as the anaerobic bacteria Propionibacterium acnes and the yeast Starmerella bombicola. Genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed Streptomyces sp. CJ13 to be closely related to an unclassified Streptomyces sp. MJM1172, Streptomyces sp. Mg1 and two species known as Streptomyces sp. ICC1 and ICC4 from a karst region in British Columbia. The closest type species to Streptomyces sp. CJ13 was Streptomyces lavendulae subspecies lavendulae. Analysis of Streptomyces sp. CJ13 whole genome sequence using the secondary metabolite prediction tool antiSMASH revealed similarities to several antibiotic gene synthesis clusters including salinichelin, mediomycin A, weishanmycin, combamide, heat stable antifungal factor and SAL-2242. These results demonstrate the potential of this alkaline grassland soil as a new resource for the discovery of a broad range of antimicrobial compounds including those effective against multiresistant Gram negative bacteria.

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