Cellulose acetate (CA), and CA blended with Nicotiana tabacum ash (ACA) membranes have synthesized and fabricated with zero-valent Fe NPs (ZVI) and named as CA@Fe 0 and ACA@Fe 0. The as-synthesized membranes were inspected for the removal and detoxification of toxic organic pollutants. Comparative studies of CA@Fe 0 and ACA@Fe 0 NPs were investigated for five model pollutants, such as 4-nitrophenol (4NP), methyl orange (MO), Congo red (CR), methylene blue (MB), and bromocresol green (BCG). The kinetic model indicated that the apparent rate constant K app value of ACA@Fe 0 was highest for all model pollutants compared to CA@Fe 0 NPs. The K app value is derived from pseudo-first-order kinetics. The K app value of MO discoloration was 8.17 × 10 −1 min −1 with ACA@Fe 0 which is highest than CA@Fe 0 (3.08 × 10 −1 min −1). The turnover frequency (TOF) was highest for ACA@Fe 0 for all the pollutants compared to CA@Fe 0 and the highest TOF value was found for CR dye with ACA@Fe 0 which is 0.523 h −1. Both the membranes also showed promising antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi. Furthermore, CA, ACA membrane and CA@Fe 0 and ACA@Fe 0 NPs were characterized through FESEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR and TGA analysis.

The Melia Azedarach (MA) plant materials were used for the stabilization of Co (Co/MA) and Ni (Ni/MA) NPs prepared through simple chemical routes in an aqueous medium using NaBH 4 as a reducing agent. The prepared catalysts were extensively characterized through FTIR, XRD, FESEM, EDS, and TGA elemental analysis. These techniques suggest the presence of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in the MA plant. Five modal pollutants methyl orange (MO), para-nitrophenol (PNP), Congo Red (CR), Rhodamine B (RB), and Methylene Blue (RB) were selected to assessed the catalytic activity of the synthesized catalysts. The Co/MA decolorized the MO and PNP in 4.5 and 12 min up to 81 and 93%, respectively, while the Ni/MA took 8 and 25 min in the decolorization of the same pollutants up to 95 and 89%, respectively. The k app values for PNP degradation of Co/MA are higher which was 2.1 × 10-1 compared to Ni/MA (4.9 × 10-2 min −1) confirming the highest catalyst activity of Co/MA. Similarly, we have observed the superior catalyst activity of Co/MA for all the selected pollutants and the highest rate constant found for MB dye was 2.2 × 10-1 min −1. The turnover frequency (TOF) found highest for Co/MA against PNP degradation which was 3.4 × 10-1 h −1 and lowest for Ni/MA against MO degradation (9.6 × 10-2 h −1), respectively. Furthermore, various statistical parameters indicated that all the experiments are highly significant.

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Background: All over the world, natural products containing different secondary metabolites have been used for antibacterial purposes, and as folk medicines with significant effects. Amongst many different plants, Tobacco plants are cultivated all over the world, but natively belong to America. These plants contain variety of secondary metabolites and possess significant antibacterial activity. Objectives: To conduct phytochemical analysis and measure the antibacterial potential of Tobacco plants Nicotiana tabacum and  Nicotiana rustica  using their extracts. Methodology: Multiple chemical tests such as Wagner’s test and Fehling’s test were used to determine the presence of different types of secondary metabolites. Both plant species were also screened for their antibacterial activity using agar well diffusion method. Results: Phytochemical analysis of the extracts from both plant species i.e. Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustica  indicated the presence of secondary metabolites including tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, steroids, and flavonoids. Significant antibacterial activity of both plant extracts was observed against Staphylococcus aureus, but not against Escherichia coli. Conclusion: It can be concluded that both plant extracts showed the presence of secondary metabolites, with significant inhibitory effect observed against Staphylococcus aureus, and no effect against Escherichia coli.