The aim of this work is to design newer material for food packaging applications and to valorize the Moroccan marine wastes using chitosan (CS) prepared from exoskeletons of shrimps. Biodegradable and uniform nanocomposite films developed from sodium bentonite nanoparticles dispersed in chitosan matrix were carefully studied. The montmorillonite is used as nanofiller, and aqueous acetic acid solution is employed as a medium for dissolving and dispersing chitosan and montmorillonite. The existence of dialdehyde chitosan as cross-linking agent was examined. Morphology, thermal behavior, and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite films have been studied using FTIR, TGA, FEGSEM, TEM, XRD, and a tensile test. The XRD results indicate the formation of an intercalated and exfoliated nanostructure at low bentonite content and an intercalated and flocculated nanostructure at high bentonite content. Plastic deformation of the chitosan film is carried out using a thermomechanical treatment in the presence of a solvent and a plasticizer. The nanocomposite films obtained show a good tensile strength due to the reinforcement of chitosan intercalation in the silicate, which is an interesting mechanical property needed for food packaging applications. These nanocomposite films made from naturally occurring materials might play an important role in advanced research in food and environmental science.

<p>Chemical activation was used to prepare a low-cost activated carbon (AC) from an agricultural waste material: sugarcane bagasse. It was used as a green biosorbent for the removal of two cationic dyes from aqueous solutions (Methylene blue (MB) and Malachite Green (MG)). Central composite design (CCD) using response surface methodology (RSM) was applied in this work in order to run a limited number of experiments. The possibility of revealing the interaction of three selected factors: activation temperature, activation time, and chemical impregnation ratios at different levels for the process of preparing the AC were studied. Two-second order quadratic regression models for a yield of AC and capacity of adsorption were developed using JMP Software.</p><p>The results of the process of optimization were carried out; it showed a good agreement between the predictive response of RSM model and the obtained experimental values with high correlation coefficients (R²) which indicates the efficacy of the model. The optimal activated carbon was obtained using 400°C activation temperature, 36 min activation time, and 2 impregnation ratio, resulting in 63.12 % of AC yield and 99.86 % for MB removal and 400°C activation temperature, 90 min activation time and 2 impregnation ratio, resulting in 45.69 % of AC yield and 99.75 % for MG removal. Moreover, the comparison between the experimental and the predicted values at optimum conditions was in good agreement with relatively small errors.</p><p>This work showed the effectiveness and the performance of preparing activated carbon from sugarcane bagasse, and it recommended as an effective and green biosorbent for the removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions.</p>

As part of our research on substituted benzimidazoles, we are interested in the synthesis of new heterocyclic molecules. This new organic molecule is a subclass of quinolines with a wide variety of biological properties. In order to affect the binding of quinoline to our bis-benzimidazole derivatives, we have chosen the "azo" bond as a means of attachment. To achieve our goal, we investigated different parameters for the reactions to determine the conditions to obtain the best results. This article discusses the antioxidant activity of our molecules using the DPPH method.

No abstract

<p>As part of our research on substituted benzimidazoles, we are interested in the synthesis of new heterocyclic molecules. This new organic molecule is a subclass of quinolines with a wide variety of biological properties. In order to affect the binding of quinoline to our bis-benzimidazole derivatives, we have chosen the "azo" bond as a means of attachment. To achieve our goal, we investigated different parameters for the reactions to determine the conditions to obtain the best results. This article discusses the antioxidant activity of our molecules using the DPPH method.</p>