A series of symmetrical and unsymmetrical benzyl thioethers have been synthesised using a onepot reaction from benzyl halides and thiourea. This procedure avoids the isolation or handling of malodorous thiols and generates high yields of benzyl thioethers in excellent purity.

The total synthesis of two natural phenolglycosides of the family Salicaceae, namely: populoside and 2-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-5-hydroxy benzyl (3-methoxy-4-hydroxy) cinnamoate and nine not found yet in plants acyl derivatives of phenoglycosides: 2-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-benzylcinnamoate, 2-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-benzyl (4-hydroxy) benzoate, 2-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)-benzyl (3-methoxy-4-hydro...

Strain B-9, which has a 99% similarity to Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans strain Y2, is a Gram-negative bacterium with potential for use in the degradation of microcystin-related compounds and nodularin. We attempted to extend the application area of strain B-9 and applied it to mycotoxins produced by fungi. Among the tested mycotoxins, only ochratoxin A was completely hydrolyzed to provide...

Dibutyl phthalate is (DBP) the top priority toxicant responsible for carcinogenicity, teratogenicity and endocrine disruption. This study demonstrates the DBP degradation capability of the two newly isolated bacteria from municipal solid waste leachate samples. The isolated bacteria were designated as Pseudomonas sp. V21b and Comamonas sp. 51F after scanning electron microscopy, transmission el...

Although it is conceivable that cancer preventive isothiocyanates (ITCs), a family of compounds in cruciferous vegetables, induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through a mechanism involving oxidative stress, our study shows that binding to cellular proteins correlateswith their potencies of apoptosis induction. More recently, we showed that ITCs bind selectively to tubulins. The differential ...

Acute toxic interactions of intravenously administered benzyl alcohol and Escherichia coli O55:B5 (Boivin preparation) endotoxin were examined in rodents. Lethality studies in male CD-1 mice demonstrated that these agents were more toxic when administered in combination than when either was administered alone. Prophylactic treatment with diazepam (5 mg/kg intraperitoneally) protected against le...

A quick, reliable, purification procedure was developed for purifying both benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase and benzaldehyde dehydrogenase II from a single batch of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus N.C.I.B. 8250. The procedure involved disruption of the bacteria in the French pressure cell and preparation of a high-speed supernatant, followed by chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, affinity chromatography o...

This study used Raman spectro-microscopy to investigate the synthesis and degradation of radiationgrafted anion-exchange membranes (RG-AEM) made using 50 mm thick poly(ethylene-cotetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) films, vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC) monomer, and 1-methylpyrrolidine (MPY) amination agent. The data obtained confirmed the operation of the grafting-front mechanism. VBC grafting times of 1 a...

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) are some of the common environmental pollutants originating mainly from oil and gas industries, which are toxic to human as well as other living organisms in the ecosystem. Here we investigate photocatalytic degradation of BTEX under visible light irradiation using supported zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods grown on glass substrates using a microwave a...