The quantum confinement effect and photoenhancement of photoluminescence (PL) of lead sulphide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) and lead sulphide/manganese sulphide (PbS/MnS) core shell QDs capped with thiol ligands in aqueous solution were investigated. From PL results, the presence of MnS shells gives a strong confinement effect which translates to higher emission energy in PbS/MnS core shell QDs. Increasing MnS shell thickness from 0.3 to 1.5 monolayers (ML) causes a blueshift of PL peak energies as the charge carriers concentrated in the PbS core region. Enhancement of the PL intensity of colloidal PbS and PbS/MnS core shell QDs has been observed when the samples are illuminated above the band gap energy, under continuous irradiation for 40 min. Luminescence from PbS QDs and PbS/MnS core shell QDs can be strongly influenced by the interaction of water molecules and oxygen present in aqueous solution adsorbed on the QD surface. However, PbS/MnS core shell QDs with a shell thickness of 1.5 ML did not show a PL peak energy stability as it was redshifted after 25 min, probably due to wider size distribution of the QDs.

Lead sulphide (PbS) modified with calix[6]arene was synthesised as an alternative and regenerative adsorbent for the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye. The prepared calix[6]arene-modified PbS was characterised via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The response surface methodology (RSM) based on the central composite design (CCD) was employed to identify the most significant factors, such as the initial concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH, and temperature, and to optimise the effects of the factors on the adsorptive efficiency as its response. The optimised initial concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH, and temperature were 20.00 mg/L initial concentration, 44.00 mg calix[6]arene-modified PbS, pH 6, and a temperature of 31.00 °C. A good correlation between the values and well-fitted model was observed. The adsorption performance was evaluated based on the percentage removal of MB dye from the water system. The adsorption isotherm best fit the Langmuir isotherm model, and the adsorption rate was followed by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, a single layer chemical adsorption with a maximum adsorption capacity (q_max) of 5.495 mg/g.

Pediatrics are more vulnerable to radiation and are prone to dose compared to adults, requiring more attention to computed tomography (CT) optimization. Hence, diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) have been implemented as part of optimization process in order to monitor CT dose and diagnostic quality. The noise index has recently been endorsed to be included as a part of CT optimization in the DRLs report. In this study, we have therefore set local DRLs for pediatric CT examination with a noise index as an indicator of image quality. One thousand one hundred and ninety-two (1192) paediatric patients undergoing CT brain, CT thorax and CT chest-abdomen-pelvis (CAP) examinations were analyzed retrospectively and categorized into four age groups; group 1 (0–1 year), group 2 (1–5 years), group 3 (5–10 years) and group 4 (10–15 years). For each group, data such as the volume-weighted CT dose index (CTDI_vol), dose-length product (DLP) and the effective dose (E) were calculated and DRLs for each age group set at 50th percentile were determined. Both CT dose and image noise values between age groups have differed significantly with p-value < 0.05. The highest CTDI_vol and DLP values in all age groups with the lowest noise index value reported in the 10–15 age group were found in CT brain examination. In conclusion, there was a significant variation in doses and noise intensity among children of different ages, and the need to change specific parameters to fit the clinical requirement.

In the present work, graphene oxide (GO)–polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites thin film has been successfully synthesized and prepared by spin coating techniques. Then, the properties and morphology of the samples were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Experimental FTIR results for GO–PVA thin film demonstrated the existence of important functional groups such as -CH₂ stretching, C=O stretching, and O–H stretching. Furthermore, UV-Vis analysis indicated that the GO–PVA thin film had the highest absorbance that can be observed at wavelengths ranging from 200 to 500 nm with a band gap of 4.082 eV. The surface morphology of the GO–PVA thin film indicated the thickness increased when in contact with carbaryl. The incorporation of the GO–PVA thin film with an optical method based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomenon demonstrated a positive response for the detection of carbaryl pesticide as low as 0.02 ppb. This study has successfully proposed that the GO–PVA thin film has high potential as a polymer nanomaterial-based SPR sensor for pesticide detection.

The temperature dependence of photoluminescence (PL) emission is a valuable tool for investigating carrier localization, recombination, and carrier–phonon interactions. Herein, electron–phonon couplings in lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) and lead sulfide/manganese tellurite (PbS/MnTe) QDs is reported. The effect of temperature on the PL emission of PbS and PbS/MnTe was explored within a temperature range of 10 to 300 K. When temperature increased, PL emission was blue-shifted due to the confinement effect. The gradual broadening of the full width at half maximum (FWHM) with increasing temperature indicates electron–phonon interactions. An analysis based on the Boson model revealed that the values of the exciton acoustic phonon coupling coefficient, σ, and temperature-dependent linewidth, γ, for PbS/MnTe were larger than those for PbS, indicating stronger exciton longitudinal-optical–phonon coupling in the compound structure.