Efficient use of bioresources is essential in order to achieve sustainable development goals, and plays an important role in the reduction of any environmental impact and the improvement of resource efficiency. To this end, the present study investigates the process of obtaining microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from corn husks (CHs), which are agricultural waste, under “mild” conditions by employing the organosolvent oxidation method using peroxyacetic acid (PAA). The results obtained at an effective hydromodule of CH:PAA 1:18 g/mL, were: MCC yield – 51.60 %, α-cellulose content – 58.73 ± 3 %, residual lignin – 12.92 ± 0.5 %, hemicellulose – 13.8 ± 0.5 %, ash content (SiO2) – 10.73 ± 0.5 %, and moisture content – 3.57 ± 0.5 %. Furthermore, the effective MCC:FA ratio that was used to obtain CNFs from MCCCH using formic acid (FA) was found to be 1/30 g/mL. The CNF yield achieved with this ratio was 68.67 %, and the average particle size was reduced by 177 times in length and 33 times in width, as compared to the initial MCCCH size. The ζ-potential of the resulting MCC was −19.3 mV and the crystallinity index was 80.9 %. The effectiveness of the PAA/FA approach arises from mild oxidation that selectively removes amorphous cellulose, while preserving crystalline regions, thereby maintaining high crystallinity and contributing to favorable material yields. The physicochemical properties of the resulting high-quality cellulose micro- and nanofibers were compared, and found to have been obtained at good efficiency. The MCC and CNFs obtained have excellent potential for use in the medical field as essential components, and in the development of bioplastics and biocomposites, among other applications.

This study investigates the drift-diffusion behavior in tin-based perovskite solar cells, specifically focusing on CH_3NH_3SnI_3, with the aim of understanding how ion mobility, hysteresis, recombination mechanisms, and material parameters influence device performance. Tin-based perovskites represent a promising alternative to lead-based compounds due to their reduced toxicity and comparable optoelectronic properties, yet they pose challenges related to stability and efficiency. A numerical model was developed by solving the coupled Poisson and continuity equations, incorporating both electronic and ionic transport phenomena. The simulation framework allows for variation in ion mobility, defect density, recombination rates, and built-in potential, enabling a comprehensive analysis of dynamic and steady-state responses. The results reveal a significant dependence of hysteresis behavior on ion migration and recombination at interfaces, as well as a notable impact of ionic mobility on current-voltage characteristics and power conversion efficiency. Furthermore, the model shows that optimization of material parameters can mitigate hysteresis and enhance device stability and output. These findings provide valuable insights into the physical mechanisms limiting the performance of tin-based perovskite solar cells and suggest strategies for their improvement through targeted material and device engineering. © The Author(s) 2025. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits the use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source is given by providing a link to the Creative Commons license and changes need to be indicated if there are any. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/.

The study investigated antibiotic contamination in lakes of the Akmola region using a modified disk diffusion method. Results showed that microorganisms in control lakes remained sensitive to some antibiotics, while high resistance (90–100%) was observed for several commonly used antibiotics, indicating the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and potential environmental contamination.

The characterization and biomedical modification of bentonite clays from the Kalzhat deposit (Kzh), which is situated in Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu region, are the main objectives of this work. In order to improve the raw material’s structural qualities, the montmorillonite fraction was enriched, and coarse impurities were eliminated using the Salo method. The presence of meso- and micropores that guarantee high dispersity and specific surface area, as well as the prevalence of montmorillonite and kaolinite, was all confirmed by physicochemical analysis. Particle size measurements indicated finely dispersed structures with a propensity to aggregate, whereas thermal analysis demonstrated resilience under heating. After effective functionalization with silver nanoparticles, a porous hybrid system with improved surface reactivity was produced. These enhancements demonstrate the modified bentonite’s usefulness as a multifunctional carrier for the immobilization and controlled release of pharmaceuticals, with potential uses in drug delivery systems, antimicrobial coatings, and wound-healing materials. The material has potential use in sorption and environmental protection technologies in addition to its biomedical application. Overall, Kzh’s structural and functional performance is greatly improved by the combination of purification and functionalization with silver nanoparticles, highlighting its promise as a useful element in the development of next-generation polymer–composite systems.

This scoping review maps 224 empirical studies (205 from a structured Scopus search, 2020–2026, plus 19 from a targeted Central Asia supplement) across four digital technology domains for crop production: IoT and sensor-based systems, UAVs and remote sensing, machine learning and AI, and nanostructured agrochemicals. The review follows the PRISMA-ScR framework and pursues three research questions concerning documented effects and validation limitations (RQ1); cross-cutting barriers in human capital, data governance, and infrastructure (RQ2); and the state of empirical evidence from Central Asia and Kazakhstan relative to international findings (RQ3). Across all four domains, the strongest reported effects occur where the data-to-decision-to-action loop is closed and sustained over multiple seasons, yet most published metrics rest on single-season, single-site, or controlled-environment validation that overstates likely field portability. IoT and selected UAV and ML workflows are closest to operational readiness where maintenance, calibration, and advisory support are sustained. Nanostructured materials remain the least mature domain in agronomic terms. For Central Asia, foundational monitoring and salinity-oriented remote sensing are the most immediately transferable elements; intervention-grade ML and integrated digital systems require local calibration, extension infrastructure, and multi-season field validation that are largely still absent. The review identifies the digital skills gap, incomplete data governance, and underreported total cost of ownership as the principal institutional barriers to scaling. Policy priorities include shifting from technical pilots to multi-season agronomic proof, building intermediary service capacity, and establishing transparent data-governance frameworks before large-scale procurement.

In this work, the possibility of obtaining biohydrogels from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) using citric acid (CA) as a cross-linking agent was investigated. CMC and HEC used in the work were synthesized from microcrystalline cellulose obtained from sunflower seed husks (SFH). More specifically, local agricultural waste was used as a raw material source for the monomers used to produce the hydrogel. The chemical and crystal structures of the synthesized hydrogel were analyzed using FTIR and XRD techniques, with comparisons made to the initial monomers.The thermal stability of the synthesized hydrogel was 580°C, and the mechanical strength was 134 kPa. According to the kinetics of swelling in water, it was found that the degree of swelling in the first two hours was 500%. The hydrogel synthesized on the basis of cellulose showed high potential for use as a biodegradable composite sorbent for purification of water from heavy metals, drug delivery and protect plants from drought.

We report a straightforward, single-step microwave-enhanced biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) via an aqueous leaf extract of Simarouba glauca . This study represents the first use of S. glauca leaf aqueous extract for AgNPs production. The microwave conditions reached their optimal point through ongoing monitoring of the maximum UV absorbance at 454 nm which shows the surface plasmon resonance of AgNPs. The 454 nm absorption peak reached its highest intensity when AgNPs were made through a 70 °C reaction that lasted 3 min which proved the formation of nanoparticles. The three analytical methods of powder dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)were used to verify AgNPs formation. TEM images showed spherical silver particles of 5–15 nm synthesized within 3 min via reduction of Ag+ (from AgNO3) by the leaf extract. The XRD results showed that the produced AgNPs contained crystalline structures which SAED confirmed through selected area electron diffraction. The phytochemical screening analysis showed that the extract comprises phenolic compounds which probably function as reducing agents for Ag+ ions. The antimicrobial testing revealed that the synthesized AgNPs demonstrated effective antibacterial properties compared toward different bacterial strains (eight) which included both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

This study presents a comprehensive characterization of bentonite from the newly identified Orta Tentek deposit in southeastern Kazakhstan and evaluates the effect of hydro-activation with water on its physicochemical properties. The raw (Ot) and hydro-activated (Ot-H2O) samples were analyzed using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)/Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) techniques. XRF results revealed that Ot bentonite consists mainly of SiO2(66.2%), Al2O3(18.1%), Fe2O3(8.0%), and Na2O (2.09%), with minor amounts of MgO, CaO, and TiO2The montmorillonite content reached 93%, and the methylene blue adsorption capacity was 93.2%. XRD confirmed that Ot bentonite corresponds to sodium montmorillonite, with an empirical formula of Na~0×2Ca~0×1Al~2Si~4O~10(OH)~2·nH2O. Hydro-activation caused notable structural and textural modifications. The average particle size decreased by ~1.5-fold, while the BET surface area increased from 44.8 to 66.6 m2g-1and the average pore size from 3.2 to 4.2 nm. XRD revealed an increase in interlayer spacing and crystallite size. The methylene blue adsorption capacity also improved to 96%, reflecting enhanced sorption efficiency. The biological activity of Ot-H2O aerobic bacteria increased by 2.4 times compared to Ot, while the biological activity of yeasts and molds increased by 1.8. These findings highlight the Ot bentonite as a promising natural resource. The improved d-spacing favors polymer intercalation in composites, the increased surface area enhances potential as a catalyst support, and the high sorption capacity demonstrates suitability for environmental remediation, drilling fluids, and pharmaceutical applications.

The water shortage is currently a major problem for agriculture around the world, and this, in turn, can negatively impact food safety. Therefore, in this article, acrylamide monomer (AAm) was bound by the cross-linking agent N, N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) in amounts of 10, 15, and 20 mg along with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) obtained from sunflower seed husk (SFH) and a biodegradable hydrogel in the soil layer with high sorption capacity was synthesized. As a result of the study, the AAm monomer found to be attached to the MCC matrix via intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The kinetics of swelling of the obtained hydrogels in aqueous, electrolytic and water-ethanol, water-acetone binary solutions at various amounts of cross-linking agent were comparatively studied, and it was found that the water sorption potential of the natural polymer—MCC-based hydrogel (MCC hydrogel)—is high at pH = 6.5 and corresponds to the pH of the soil environment. The study showed that the synthesized hydrogel is optimal when using 10 mg of a cross-linking agent, has mechanical strength, withstands pressure up to 27 MPa, completely decomposes at 796°C, and has good thermal stability. It has been established that the pore sizes of hydrogel with 10 mg of cross-linking agent lie within the range of 313.9 nm-den 3.41 μm and belong to mesoporous materials, where the degree of swelling is 1176%. The MCC hydrogel was saturated with water from the soil within 5 days and collapsed within 35 days, releasing the absorbed water back into the soil, losing 66% of its mass and undergoing biological decomposition. These properties of MCC hydrogel allow it to be used as a “water-retaining material” in agriculture

Nanocellulose has garnered great interest among researchers because of its biodegradability, renewability, biocompatibility, high strength and versatile functionality. The present study focuses on the development of an eco-friendly, benign method to extract cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) from waste sunflower husks (SFHs) using formic acid hydrolysis. Both CNFs and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) were obtained in high yields from SFHs. The enhanced colloidal stability of CNFs was evident from the ζ potential values, which ranged from −11.8 to −19.6 mV. Varying yields of CNFs were obtained by differing reaction times, though all were found to be thermally stable. SEM and TEM were used for the morphological analysis. The removal of non-cellulose constituents was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The enhancement of crystallinity upon treatment was examined using XRD analysis. The thermal stability of the cellulose extracted was checked via TGA. The present method of extraction of CNFs and MCC from waste SFHs using formic acid could open a new way of bulk production of nanocellulose fibers for the manufacture of green, value-added products in high-end fields, including electronics, agriculture and biomedicine, among others.