A powder of titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) was synthesized in this study by anodizing in 0.7 M HClO4 and then annealing in N2 at 450 °C for 3 h to produce TiO2 NPs-N2 powder as a catalyst. These TiO2 NPs-N2 nanoparticles were then encrusted with Au nanoparticles utilizing the photodeposition procedure with tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl4) and isopropanol as sacrificial donors. With a surface area of 121 m2g−1, the Au NPs/TiO2 NPs-N2 powder catalyst has a high surface area, according to the Barrett–Joyner–Halenda technique. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, TiO2 NPs-N2 contained uniformly integrated Au nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of about 26.8 nm. The XRD patterns showed that the prepared Au NPs/TiO2 NPs-N2 were crystallites and nano-sized. The transmission electron microscopy image revealed the spherical shape of the nanoparticles and their tendency for agglomeration. Utilizing the cyclic voltammetry, the electrochemical properties of the catalyst TiO2 NPs powders in a basic glucose solution were investigated. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of the loaded Au NPs/TiO2 NPs-N2 powder on the working electrode for the electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose were astonishingly high. The Au NPs/TiO2 NPs-N2 catalyst demonstrated electrocatalytic characteristics that were superior to a commercially available polycrystalline gold electrode in the application involving glucose alkaline fuel cells.

In this work, TiO2 nanotubes were synthesized electrochemically by anodization of pure Ti sheet in 0.5% HF and annealed in N2 atmosphere to obtain (TiO2 NTs‐N2) and then the nickel was deposited on the support TiO2 NTs by immersing TiO2 NTs in mesoporous sol–gel template Ni nanoparticles method for overnight and then annealed in N2 atmosphere to obtain the electrocatalyst NiO NPs/TiO2 NTs‐N2. The physicochemical characterizations of NiO NPs/TiO2 NTs‐N2 were performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The catalyst NiO NPs/TiO2 NTs‐N2 was electrochemically characterized in a basic solution of methanol by cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurement. XRD characterization indicates the presence of nickel oxide nanoparticles with a diameter less than 43 nm and regularly combined into TiO2 nanotubes. NiO NPs/TiO2 NTs‐N2 catalyst exhibited a remarkably high electrocatalytic activity and has high electrocatalytic stability for methanol electrocatalytic oxidation reaction. The electrochemical studies showed that NiO NPs/TiO2 NTs‐N2 in alcoholic basic solution exhibited higher catalytic activity and stronger poisoning tolerance for methanol oxidation than that in nonalcoholic basic solution. This suggests that the NiO NPs catalyst supported on TiO2 NTs‐N2 has promising potential applications in electrocatalyst reactions. Nickel oxide supported on the conductive support TiO2 NTs‐N2 is used as an electrocatalyst in alkaline fuel cells. Results showed the best improvement in the physico‐chemical properties of these catalysts in comparison with previous studies.

No abstract

Medical waste management is of great importance due to its infectious and hazardous nature and its management is not fully understood. This study examined the medical waste management practices in two large hospitals (El Shifa and Al Aqsa hospitals) in Gaza strip. The study used face to face questionnaire, workshops, interviews to managers and field observations for data collection. Results showed that both hospitals did not quantify medical wastes but medical wastes were separated in each department. Field observation indicated that medical waste separation into infectious medical waste and non-infectious medical waste was not conducted according to WHO (World Health Organization) standards or any specific standards. Medical wastes were transported from each department to waste container inside the hospital then moved to the storage area or municipal container. Medical waste employees (n = 51; 66.2%) revealed that medical wastes are stored temporarily in the hospital in a not suitable place in terms of ventilation, lighting and easy access. Furthermore, occupational safety among employees was not fully implemented, as large percentage of them (n = 48, 94.1%) revealed that the used protective clothes during work were not fully effective. Furthermore, incineration was the main treatment of infectious medical waste whereas, non-infectious wastes were disposed in landfills. Additionally, both hospitals did not provide any training for employees regarding medical waste management. In conclusion, medical waste management is far below WHO standards in both hospitals. It is recommended to provide training courses to the employees to improve the quality of environmental health and reduce health hazards in the hospitals.

The research included prepare imines from the primary aromatic amine 4.4-dithioaniline with aromatic aldehydes. The imine compounds (R 1 -R 6 ) were characterized spectroscopically by UV / Vis, FT-IR, 1 H-NMR and the melting point was taken for these compounds, when the reaction of the imine compounds with the metal ions Pd(II) leads to the formation of palladium complexes (R 7 -R 12 ). The complexes were characterized spectroscopically by UV / Vis, FT-IR, mass spectrometry, C.H.N.S. and molar conductivity, which proved that non-electrolyte palladium complexes. Magnetic measurements have been taken that have an important role in knowing the geometry shape of the complexes, Palladium complexes are square planar.