Photocatalysis has emerged as a promising technology to tackle the escalating environmental pollution. Zinc oxide (ZnO), by the virtue of its excellent properties, offers immense potential for simultaneous CO2 conversion and organic pollutant degradation. The current review comprehensively scrutinizes the green synthesis routes, modifications, and catalytic applications of ZnO nanoparticles for addressing critical environmental challenges. The review explores various green synthesis methods, emphasizing their eco-friendly nature and potential for imparting specific functionalities to the nanoparticles. Subsequently, it explores a wide range of modification strategies, including bimetallic combinations, integration with carbon-based materials, and hybridization with advanced organic polymers, to enhance the catalytic performance of ZnO. The catalytic efficacy of both pristine and modified ZnO nanoparticles in CO2 conversion is evaluated, along with their in-depth analysis of the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, the review extensively covers the exploitation of ZnO-based photocatalysts for the decomposition of diverse organic contaminants, like dyes, pharmaceuticals, phenolic compounds, pesticides, herbicides, PAHs, and PFAS. The mechanisms involved in these degradation processes are elucidated, providing insights into the factors influencing photocatalyst efficiency. This review concludes by highlighting the promising prospects of ZnO nanoparticles as sustainable photocatalysts for environmental remediation and the need for further research to optimize their performance and address practical implementation challenges. © 2025 The Author(s)

Safeguarding aquatic ecosystems and human health requires effective methods for removing pollutants. Mercury (Hg) is a very toxic pollutant with a global presence and is highly mobile and persistent. Here, innovative materials were prepared for separating Hg(II) from water, and the mechanisms underlying the efficient uptake of Hg species have been investigated. The sorbents include silver (Ag) nanoparticles and multilayered Ti3C2Tx MXene, both incorporated into the structure of a three-dimensional polyethyleneimine porous cryogel (PEI) that acts as a scaffold holding and exposing nano active sites involved in the removal of Hg. Specifically, Ag particles were deposited onto MXene phases, and the resulting composite was embedded in the macroporous PEI polymer (PEI/MXene@Ag cryogel). The composite has beneficial properties regarding Hg removal: 99% of Hg was separated from waste within 24 h in batch studies. The maximum removal capacity of Hg reached 875 mg/g from HgCl2, and 761 mg/g and 1280 mg/g from Hg(OAc)2 and Hg(NO3)2 salts by PEI/MXene@Ag. The Hg uptake stems from the composite’s relatively large specific surface area, layered porous channels, and highly dispersed Ag nanoparticles in the multilayered Ti3C2Tx MXene. The matrix in the water samples that were treated with the composite did not hinder the uptake of Hg by PEI/MXene@Ag. The high effectiveness achieved for the removal of Hg, combined with rapid adsorption kinetics, high efficiency, and selectivity, positions it as an efficient solution. Future work should address upscaling its preparation for increasing readiness towards mitigating Hg in surface water.

Introduction: The safety of drinking water is a crucial issue for human health. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses in poor-quality water contribute to the spread of dangerous diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, and poliomyelitis. Ozone technology is increasingly recognized as an eco-friendly and effective method for disinfecting water from pathogens. The aim of the study is to investigate the efficiency of disinfecting pathogenic bacteria and viruses in drinking water using ozone technology and to determine the inactivation of pathogens depending on ozone concentration and exposure duration. Materials and Methods: The study used 11 strains of typhoid bacteria and 36 strains of dysentery bacteria. To disinfect with ozone, 14 mg/L of ozone was added to the water for 5 minutes, and the inactivation levels of the pathogens were studied. The sensitivity of poliomyelitis and Coxsackie viruses to ozone was also evaluated. Scientific Results of the Study: The results of the study showed that ozone inactivated typhoid bacteria by up to 99.95% and dysentery bacteria by up to 99.99%. The poliomyelitis virus was eliminated by 99.99% within 6 minutes, and the Coxsackie virus was inactivated by 99.7% to 99.9% within 15 minutes. The disinfection efficiency was high when the residual ozone concentration was approximately 0.15-0.2 mg/L. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that ozone technology is an eco-friendly and effective method for disinfecting pathogenic microorganisms in drinking water. The research also showed that higher ozone concentrations and longer exposure times significantly improve pathogen elimination efficiency. © 2025, Zibeline International Publishing Sdn. Bhd.. All rights reserved

Background: Anthrax is the most prioritized zoonotic disease in Kazakhstan due to its threatening potential to the public health and agricultural sector. Sporadic anthrax outbreaks are being reported annually among human and livestock populations throughout the country, with the highest frequency occurring in West Kazakhstan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a survey-based face-to-face interview. From January to May 2022, 489 randomly selected participants were surveyed in 6 districts of the Baiterek province in West Kazakhstan oblast to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding anthrax among community members. This is the first KAP study conducted relating to outbreaks of anthrax in Kazakhstan. Results: In this study, most participants (74%) surveyed were males, and 40% of respondents had a secondary level education. Overall, 91% of the community respondents were engaged in agriculture and livestock rearing. Among these community members, cattle rearing was the most common (67%) occupation compared to other livestock species. Additionally, over a 50% of the population studied had no knowledge about the zoonotic nature of the disease, and about 82% and 87% of respondents were unaware of any animal and human anthrax symptoms, respectively. About 70% of the respondents were interested in vaccinating their livestock against anthrax. Individuals aged 45–54 displayed notably higher animal vaccination rates (45%; 95% CI: 38.4–52.0; p < 0.025) compared to those aged 25–34 and 65–74. Respondents residing in the Beles district (20%; 95% CI: 17.1–24.7; p < 0.005) exhibited a significantly higher level of awareness concerning the fatality of anthrax in contrast to participants from Bolashak. Roughly 61% of respondents held the belief that anthrax is a lethal disease. An overwhelming majority of the survey participants (99%) affirmed their non-participation in the slaughter of infected animals. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that KAP among community members relating to anthrax is low and requires swift implementation of education programmes in building awareness of anthrax under the One Health approach, especially in anthrax prone regions. © 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are urban combustion by-products linked to endocrine disruption, but their direct molecular interactions with testosterone remain under-characterized. Using DFT [B3LYP/6–311 + G(d,p)] and 10-ns all-atom MD, we quantified non-covalent binding between benzene, naphthalene, and anthracene and testosterone, observing size-dependent stabilization (anthracene most favorable). Complementary MEP, Mulliken charge, and FMO analyses indicated progressive electronic coupling consistent with π–π and hydrophobic packing. In a semester-long controlled program with male university students (n = 60), we compared identical training conducted in a polluted urban area (PM2.5 > 50 μg·m−3) vs. a suburban green zone (PM2.5 < 10 μg·m−3) and observed larger gains in 100-m sprint, pull-ups, and standing long jump under cleaner air. We now report 95% confidence intervals alongside effect sizes for all field outcomes and provide a correlation between pollution intensity and performance change. PM2.5 was used as an operational exposure index because combustion-related PAHs predominantly partition to fine particles and co-vary with PM₂.₅ mass in ambient air (WHO guideline context and PAH–PM₂.₅ literature). Collectively, the molecular and field evidence suggests larger PAHs may perturb testosterone function and that cleaner air is associated with better short-term training gains, informing air-quality-aware scheduling and campus policy. Copyright © 2025 Kondratenko, Tuyakbaeva, Madiyeva, Arkabaeva, Zhalel and Shepetyuk.

The study considered ore enrichment waste from the Ashiktas, Akbakai, and Maikain deposits to create sorbents based on silicophosphates. X-ray phase and electron probe elemental analysis were carried out, which confirmed the presence of silicon, aluminosilicate, and other valuable components suitable for the sorbent’s synthesis. The optimal synthesis temperature (600°C) contributes to the sorbents’ porous structure development and a sorption capacity increase concerning Ni2+ ions, allowing them to be used to purify industrial wastewater from heavy metals, which was proven using zeta potential measurements and SEM images. Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Using the mixture of carbonized rice husk and shungite from the Kazakhstan Koksu deposit and the experimentally determined oil sorption capacity from contaminated soil with oil originating in the Karazhanbas oil field, a set of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models were built for sorption predictions. The ANN architecture design, training, validation and testing methodology were performed, and the sorption capacity prediction was evaluated. The ANN models were successfully trained for capturing the sorption capacity dependence on time and on a carbonized rice husk and shungite mixture ratio for the 10% and 15% oil-contaminated soil. The best trained ANNs revealed a very good prediction capability for the testing data subset, demonstrated by the high coefficient of the determination values of R2 = 0.998 and R2 = 0.981 and the mean absolute percentage errors ranging from 1.60% to 3.16%. Furthermore, the ANN sorption models proved their interpolation ability and utility for predicting the sorption capacity for any time moments in the investigated time interval of 60 days and for new values of the shungite and rice husk mixture ratios. The ANN developed models open opportunities for planning new experiments, maximizing the sorption performance and for the design of dedicated equipment. © 2023 by the authors.

During the earthquake on August 31, 2018 with a source in the Almaty region, the stations of the engineering and seismometric service registered instrumental records on rigid and flexible buildings. Accelerograms were obtained on a four-storey frame building and an 11-storey building with a steel frame. The reaction of two buildings at a given earthquake is analyzed. Spectral curves were plotted at the registration points on the roof and basement parts of buildings. The spectral curves at the basement level differ in spectral composition and spectrum irregularity. The influence of a tectonic fault on the response of an 11-storey building is revealed, and a criterion for the operation of a tectonic fault is proposed. The presence of resonance phenomena for a rigid building was established. Instrumental records are included in the accelerograms database of KazRDICA JSC. The results will be used to identify dynamic building models. This will allow you to take into account local features of seismic impact.

This research examines the relationship between project management maturity (PMM) and the choice of growth strategy in knowledge-oriented small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kazakhstan. A mixed-method approach, with quantitative and qualitative methods was used, involving a survey and in-depth interviews with company executives. The primary data were collected from 1,011 SME executives. The findings confirm that Kazakh knowledge-oriented SMEs mostly pursue a steady growth strategy, and that their managing directors were competent in project management. The SMEs, however, were not yet geared for rapid development. The managing directors of the SMEs are currently unable to guide their enterprises to greater levels of business activity. There is, therefore, a need to further develop the confidence and competencies of the managing directors of SMEs in order to achieve the sustainable growth of Kazakh commerce in the SME business sector. The findings and recommendations of this research can inform business leaders about the key resources and capabilities required to transition from small to medium size business. The research also provides policymakers with insight into the effects of sustainable development policies on SMEs in the context of developing countries. Copyright © The Author(s) 2024. Published by Inderscience Publishers Ltd.

In modern poultry farming, increasing the efficiency of feed use is a key factor for increasing productivity and reducing production costs. One of the promising methods for improving productivity indicators is the use of enzyme supplements such as α-amylase and β-glucanase, which improve nutrient absorption by improving feed digestion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of α-amylase and β-glucanase enzymes in broiler diets on productivity. The study used broilers, which were divided into a control group and an experimental group. Weight gain, feed conversion rate, and nutrient digestibility were measured. Economic indicators were calculated based on feed costs and productivity of birds. The results showed that the addition of the α-amylase and β-glucanase enzymes significantly improved weight gain and FCR. Broilers receiving these enzymes showed improved body weight gain and lower FCR values compared to the control group. In addition, there was an increase in the height of the villi and the depth of the crypts in the tissue of the small intestine, which indicates better intestinal health and the ability to absorb nutrients. The digestibility of proteins and amino acids has also increased significantly. Improved nutrient uptake has led to a reduction in nutrient release into manure, minimising environmental impacts. Economic calculations have shown a reduction in feed costs due to the use of cheaper ingredients and an increase in overall productivity. There was also a decrease in the amount of abdominal fat in birds that were fed diets with enzymes. Prospects for further research are aimed at optimising enzyme dosage and investigating their effects on different poultry species and feed ingredients © The Author(s).