Publications

Abstract <jats:p>Mozambique soils are known for having an unbalanced agronomic and environmental composition that results in poor agricultural production yields. However, agriculture is the main economic activity of Mozambique, and soils must be characterised for their elemental deficiencies and/or excesses. This paper sampled nine farms from the Manica and Sussundenga districts (Manica province) in three campaigns in 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024 (before and after the rainy seasons). They were subjected to a physical–chemical analysis to assess their quality from the fertility and environmental contamination point of view. Attending to the physical–chemical properties analysed, and for all the soils and sampling campaigns, a low concentration below the limit of detection for B of &lt;0.2 mg/Kg for the majority of soils and a low concentration of Al &lt; 0.025 mg/Kg for all the soils were obtained. Also, higher concentrations for the majority of soils for the Ca between 270 and 1634 mg/Kg, for the Mg between 41 and 601 mg/Kg, for the K between 17 and 406 mg/Kg, for the Mn between 13.6 and 522 mg/Kg, for the Fe between 66.3 and 243 mg/Kg, and for the P between &lt;20 and 132 mg/Kg were estimated. In terms of texture and for the sand, a high percentage between 6.1 and 79% was found. In terms of metal concentrations and for all the soils of the Sussundenga district and sampling campaigns, a concentration above the reference value concentration for the Cr (76–1400 mg/Kg) and a concentration below the reference value concentration for the Pb (5–19 mg/Kg), Ba (13–120 mg/Kg) and for the Zn (10–61 mg/Kg) were evaluated. A multivariate data analysis methodology was used based on cluster and discriminant analysis. The analysis of twenty-three physical–chemical variables of the soils suggested four clusters of soils characterised by deficiencies and excess elements that must be corrected to improve the yield and quality of agricultural production. Moreover, the multivariate analysis of the metal composition of soil samples from the second and third campaigns, before and after the rainy season, suggested five clusters with a pristine composition and different metal pollutant compositions and concentrations. The information obtained in this study allows for the scientific comprehension of agricultural soil quality, which is crucial for designing agronomic and environmental corrective measures to improve food quality and quantity in the Manica and Sussundenga districts and ensure environmental, social, and economic sustainability.</jats:p>

Abstract The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence systems has been reported in different fields of investigation. In the educational area, some studies have focused on the possibilities of this use. Considering the importance of understanding the potential and limitations, this study aimed to investigate the content generated by ChatGPT 4.0 in interpreting handwritten notes, simulating the potential use of this tool as a chatbox for queries. Accordingly, our research questions are: What is the level of correctness of the content generated by ChatGPT, in its paid version, for higher-level organic chemistry questions? Can this content generated by ChatGPT be used as feedback in teaching situations? Based on images produced for higher-level organic chemistry content were analyzed through 24 prompts, the answers to which had their content analyzed. The analysis was carried out using the content analysis technique, which considered exclusive and pre-established categories. The results indicate that ChatGPT 4.0 can properly recognize and interpret different symbolic aspects of chemical language. Some errors are related to common symbols, such as arrows and flat balls, which have a specific meaning in chemistry. ChatGPT presents more errors than image interpretation for additional and more complex questions, showing the need for training to improve the chatbox. However, due to the number of correct answers, we see potential for use as an additional tool for teaching Chemistry. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Abstract The chemical composition and the antioxidant and antifungal activities of extracts and essential oils (EOs) of Lavandula dentata (Ld) harvested in north of Morocco has been analyzed by team of researchers. The extraction of EOs from the dried leaves with stems was carried out by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The essential components identified among 27 compounds in EOs were Lavandulyl isobutyrate (22.35%), 1,3-Cyclohexadiene (15.03%), 5-butyl-, Pinocarveol (8.21%), L-Fenchone (7.65%), Myrtenal (6.57%), Camphor (6.00%) and α-Pinene (4.73%). The extraction of biomolecule was carried out using different solvent and analyzed by Spectrophotometry and LC-MS. The maximum total phenolic and flavonoid content were obtained in flowers when extraction with aqueous acetone or methanol was used. The analysis and quantification of phenolic compounds of L. dentata leaves with stems in methanolic extracts has shown 21 elements; mainly, Rutin (2133.00 µg/g of dry weight), Apigenin 7-glucoside (837.40 µg/g of dw) and Luteolin 7-glucoside (823.30 40 µg/g of dw). The antioxidant activity showed that the IC50 of different solvent and plant parts are overall less than 1 mg/mL, with the exception of acetonic extract and EOs of flowers. The smaller IC50 was observed in the aqueous methanolic extract for flowers, leaves with stems and EOs, respectively 0.14 mg/mL, 0.2 mg/mL and 0.23 μL/mL). The antifungal test results against Cladosporium demonstrated that the MIC of essential oils extracted from Ld leaves with stems was 1 mg/mL, which is lower than that of extracts from Ld leaves with stems and flowers, which ranged from 5 to 6 mg/mL. Meanwhile, the MFC of the essential oils was 9 mg/mL, lower than that of the extracts, which was above 12 mg/mL. Two pharmaceutical fungicides have also been tested and have shown their effectiveness at very significant values of MIC, but for MFC, terbinafine has proven to be more efficient than fluconazole. The results highlight the superior antifongic efficacy of essential oils compared to organic extracts. This suggests that these oils could be considered for in vivo therapeutic use, either topically or systemically, alone or combined with terbinafine, which outperforms fluconazole. © 2025 Malque Publishing. All rights reserved.

Abstract TiO2 nanoparticles are promising photocatalysts due to their oxidizing strength and inertness. However, their inability to efficiently absorb visible light limits industrial applications that could use sunlight. The addition of carbon dots to TiO2 has been recently shown to have the potential to address this issue by enhancing the visible light-driven photocatalytic efficiency of the resulting nanocomposites. However, concrete data on their sustainable development and fabrication is lacking. Herein, we performed a life cycle assessment (LCA) study to understand the environmental impacts of different TiO2-carbon dots nanocomposites with enhanced visible light-driven photocatalytic activity. It was found that the nanocomposites with the highest photocatalytic activity were the ones whose synthesis was associated with lower environmental impacts. Furthermore, the carbon dots generally have little to moderate contributions to most impact categories, except for marine eutrophication. Finally, the most critical parameter was found to be the source of TiO2 for the nanocomposites.

Abstract Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related fatalities among women. Recently, the role of phytochemicals in the prevention and treatment of cancer has received increasing attention. The medicinal plant Matricaria chamomilla L. is well known for its use in traditional medicine to treat a variety of illnesses, due to the presence of diverse phytochemicals with remarkable biological properties. Herein, this study aimed to explore the anticancer property and chemical composition of four parts of M. chamomilla (roots, stems, leaves, and flowers) growing in northern Morocco. The anticancer activity of methanolic extracts were determined in vitro against PC-3 prostate cancer cells, MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and non-tumoral MRC-5 cells, applying the MTT test and microscopic visualization, while the phytochemicals composition was characterized by HPLC-MS and GC-MS techniques. Our results indicated that the plant extracts possess cytotoxicity activity on PC-3 and MCF-7 cells, with the strongest effect obtained with the flower extract, which induced a cell inhibition of around 60 %. In addition, the extracts showed an acceptable biosafety profile against normal cells when used at a concentration below 500 µg/mL. The HPLC-MS analysis of the extracts allowed the identification of 22 phenolic compounds in the flowers and roots, and 23 in the leaves and stems. Furthermore, the GC-MS chromatograms of M. chamomilla flower, leaf, stem, and root extracts revealed the presence of 55, 52, 48, and 44 components, respectively. The identified biomolecules can be mainly divided into fatty acids, terpenoids, esters, amino acids, organic acids, vitamins, and other groups. The most abundant group was fatty acids in the flower (56.00 %), leaves (55.08 %), and stems (48.27 %), while vitamin (18.01 %) was found to be the major biomolecule group in roots. These findings showed that M. chamomilla extracts revealed promising antitumor properties provided by their phytochemical composition. © 2025

Abstract <jats:p>Groundwater quality in arid and semi-arid regions of Morocco is under increasing pressure due to both anthropogenic influences and climatic variability. This study investigates the physicochemical and heavy metal characteristics of groundwater across four Moroccan regions (Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Oriental, Souss-Massa, and Marrakech-Safi) known for being argan tree habitats. Thirteen groundwater samples were analyzed for twenty-five parameters, including major ions, nutrients, and trace metals. Elevated levels of ammonium, turbidity, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen were observed in multiple samples, surpassing Moroccan water quality standards and indicating significant quality deterioration. Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) detected arsenic concentrations exceeding permissible limits in sample AW11 alongside widespread lead contamination in most samples except AW5 and AW9. Spatial patterns of contamination were characterized using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), K-means clustering, and GIS-based Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation. These multivariate approaches revealed marked spatial heterogeneity and highlighted the dual influence of geogenic processes and anthropogenic activities on groundwater quality. To assess consumption suitability, a Water Quality Index (WQI) and Human Health Risk Assessment were applied. As a result, 31% of samples were rated “Fair” and 69% as “Good”, but with notable non-carcinogenic risks, particularly to children, attributable to nitrate, lead, and arsenic. The findings underscore the urgent need for systematic groundwater monitoring and management strategies to safeguard water resources in Morocco’s vulnerable dryland ecosystems, particularly in regions where groundwater sustains vital socio-ecological species such as argan forests.</jats:p>

Abstract Videogames can offer an interactive way of communicating science to a range of audiences. In this article, it is described how chemists were involved in the development of a videogame to communicate scientific concepts about nanoparticles and how they are used for drug delivery. Three chemists collaborated on every step of the development, specifically in deciding what and how to communicate with a younger audience. Experts in Science Education and in Chemistry, teachers and students were involved as testers at a later stage. Questionnaires were used to explore the impact of the prototype on players, and it was clear that the interactive and fun nature of videogames can foster connections between hard science and the younger audiences. Most of the 170 students (aged 12-16) that played the prototype demonstrated that they learned basic notions about nanoparticles (size, how they interact and travel inside the body, different applications, etc.). Interviews with the scientists showed that having them involved as part of the development process helped them to better translate the scientific message for this younger audience.

Abstract During the Decade of Ocean Science, oceans and the deep sea have gained attention for their vital ecological roles, prompting increased scientific investment. However, this growing body of research has not effectively reached the public, especially regarding deep-sea ecosystems. Public perception studies are limited, particularly those focused on the deep sea. This article compares findings from a U.S. study with previous research in Portugal on social representations of the deep sea. A total of 521 U.S. participants completed tasks assessing representations, perceptions, and attitudes. Results mirror the Portuguese study, revealing vague and conflicting representations. Both populations use contrasting terms (known vs. unknown, literal vs. abstract) to describe the deep sea. Despite cultural differences, similar results emerge: the deep sea is linked to education, science, and climate, while perceived threats reflect current concerns. Attitudes are generally positive toward preservation, economic use, and scientific exploration, contrasting earlier findings that showed skepticism toward economic exploitation. This study highlights the value of cross-cultural comparisons in understanding public views on complex environmental topics and supports the need for tailored communication strategies.