This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a cationic ion-exchange sorbent derived from vermiculite and epoxy acrylate copolymers, designed to address freshwater scarcity by removing toxic metal ions from aqueous environments. The sorbent was engineered to preserve the chemical integrity of freshwater while adhering to environmental safety standards. Vermiculite served as the base material, modified with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), acrylonitrile (ACN), and orthophosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) in a mass ratio of 1:0.35:0.15:3. Optimization experiments explored varying H₃PO₄ proportions (two- and threefold increases) to refine the synthesis conditions. The materials underwent microwave irradiation at 300 W for 10 min. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of functional groups (P=O, P−O−C), enhancing sorption capacity, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a porous structure crucial for adsorption. Sorption properties, assessed via atomic emission spectroscopy, demonstrated capacities of 39.80 mg/g for MoO₄²⁻ and 39.06 mg/g for ReO₄⁻, with extraction efficiencies of 79% and 78%, respectively. Chemical stability tests indicated the sorbent retained up to 90% of its functionality in aggressive environments, highlighting its robustness. The developed sorbent offers a high-performance, cost-effective solution for heavy metal removal from wastewater, advancing sustainable water purification technologies.

The development of non-toxic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for medical and other diverse applications is steadily increasing. However, this study specifically aims to determine the cytotoxic effects of AgNPs synthesized via a green chemistry approach using aqueous-ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Artemisia terrae-albae. The photophysical, morphological, and size distribution characteristics of the synthesized AgNPs are analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A modified Allium cepa assay is employed to evaluate biological responses, including root growth, root number, and mitotic index. In this assay, the cell cycles of onion bulbs are synchronized and pre-incubated at 4 °C for 72 h prior to treatment. This study reveals that the AgNPs synthesized from the ethanol extract exhibit notable stability and higher cytotoxicity activity, with a root length of 0.6 ± 0.13 cm, root number of 16 ± 6.88, and mitotic index of 25.0 ± 2.6. These values are significantly more cytogenotoxic than those observed for the ethyl-acetate-derived nanoparticles, which show a root length of 0.8 ± 0.17 cm, root number of 18 ± 6.27, and mitotic index of 36 ± 3.6. These findings highlight the potential of green-synthesized AgNPs as effective cytotoxic agents, especially those obtained from ethanol extract, possibly due to a greater influence of the quantity of diverse phenolic compounds present in the complex mixtures than in the ethyl acetate extract, which otherwise enhanced their morphology, shape, and size. These, overall, contributed to the biological activity.

The recovery of natural antibacterial compounds from medicinal plants is important for pharmaceutical research because extraction efficiency affects both phytochemical yield and their biological activity. This study compared four extraction methods—maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and electrically assisted extraction—for recovering antibacterial phytochemicals from Taraxacum officinale F.H.Wigg. Crude extracts were fractionated using solvents of different polarity and their phytochemical compositions were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS). Phloridzin, a phenolic compound with reported antibacterial activity, was selected as a marker of extraction efficiency. Ultrasound-assisted extraction produced an ethyl acetate fraction with the highest phloridzin concentration (3.131 mg/L) and generally achieved higher phytochemical recovery than other methods. Comparative analysis identified ultrasound-assisted extraction as the most promising approach for obtaining antibacterial phytochemicals from T. officinale. These findings support the rational selection of extraction methods for developing plant-derived antibacterial agents and formulations for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, and herbal medicine applications.