Elfeky, S. A., G. El-Ghannam, mostafa zedan, and N. Qenawi, "Marine Algae Polysaccharides in Anticancer Drug Delivery", Multifunctional Marine Polysaccharides: Drug Delivery, Biomedicine and Food Technology Applications, Singapore, Springer Nature Singapore, pp. 173 - 205, 2026. Abstract

Marine algae polysaccharides are gaining attention in anticancer drug delivery because they are biocompatible, demonstrate unique biological activities, and are multifunctional. These are naturally derived polysaccharides that come from various sea algae species and include alginates, fucoidans, carrageenans, ulvans, and agars. The polysaccharides have their own inherent anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. Given that they can form hydrogels, nanoparticles, and capsules, marine algae polysaccharides can lead to controlled and sustained drug release, which is advantageous for treatment efficacy while reducing potential toxicity. Marine algae also respond dynamically to environmental stimuli (pH and enzymes), which enhances targeted delivery to the tumor site while avoiding off-target effects. Although there are potential challenges related to scalability and structural complexity, improvements and advancements in extraction and biotechnological development continue to diminish these challenges. Overall, marine algae polysaccharides represent a novel and more organic strategy to enhance the safety and efficacy of anticancer drug therapy, with development avenues toward further integration into personalized medicine and the creation of combination therapies.

Shallan, M. A., N. F. Zedan, H. S. El-Beltagi, M. Mustafa, mostafa zedan, L. S. Tawfeek, and E. A. Abdelrahim, Comparative In Vitro Assessment of Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Activities of Persea americana and Diospyros kaki Leaf Extracts versus their Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles, , pp. - , 2025. AbstractWebsite

Persea americana (Avocado) and Diospyros kaki (Persimmon) trees possess nutritional and therapeutic values. The various preparations from different parts of the plant, especially the leaves, have been utilized in folk medicine to manage multiple health conditions. This study involved the green production of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) utilizing avocado and persimmon leaf aqueous extracts. The Ag-NPs were well-characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM, FTIR, zeta potential, and particle size. The synthesized Ag-NPs from avocado extract exhibited spherical morphology with particle sizes ranging from 5.21 to 14.6 nm, while those produced from persimmon extract were also spherical, with sizes varying between 6.78 and 15.6 nm. The green-synthesized Ag-NPs demonstrated enhanced antioxidative, antibacterial, and anticancer capabilities compared to crude ethanolic extracts of avocado and persimmon. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) analyses showed that avocado leaves exhibited the highest values, recording 425.28 ± 5.48 mg GAE/g and 245.63 ± 3.11 mg GAE/g, respectively. In contrast, persimmon leaves presented the lowest TPC and TFC, with 382.34 ± 6.56 mg GAE/g and 100.74 ± 2.05 mg GAE/g, respectively. Besides, the Ag-NPs synthesized from Persea americana and Diospyros kaki plants exhibited enhanced antioxidant activity at a 1000 μg/mL concentration with increases of 84.6±0.12% and 87.6±0.12%, from DPPH, 80.4±0.05% and 81.9±0.12% from ABTS, and 90.8±0.11% and 95.7±0.09% as determined by the FRAP test, respectively. The Ag-NPs from both plants exhibited remarkable antibacterial and antifungal activities. The prepared Ag-NPs from avocado aqueous leaf extract showed a significant cytotoxic effect against the Caco2 cell line, inhibiting the cell viability by 97.51% at a concentration of 320 μg/mL. Due to the elevated concentration of bioactive compounds in avocado, it can be used as a bioresource in medical uses. Ag-NPs synthesized from avocado and persimmon leaf extracts can also be effectively utilized as promising antioxidants, antimicrobials, and anticancer agents.

Alkhadry, R. A., I. S. Yahia, S. A. Elfeky, W. Tawfik, M. I. Mohammed, D. I. A. A. A. RAYAN, and mostafa zedan, Novel synthesized V2O5-doped PMMA nanocomposite films for effective photocatalytic removal of methylene blue from water, , 2025. AbstractWebsite

The synergistic effects of population growth, industrialization, and urbanization drive an increase in environmental crises, such as water pollution. Polymeric nanocomposites (PNCs) offer a promising trend for large-scale applications in environmental remediation including photocatalytic water pollutants. In this work, V2O5 nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel method and successfully incorporated into PMMA using the casting method. A series of V2O5/PMMA photocatalyst films have been fabricated with various loading content of V2O5 NPs. The morphological, crystal structure, and optical properties of the prepared V2O5/PMMA photocatalysts were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry, respectively. The SEM images indicate that there are mainly physical interactions between PMMA and V2O5 NPs. Moreover, the prepared V2O5/PMMA films before and after treatment with H2O2 + UV were evaluated toward MB photodegradation under UV irradiation. The results obtained showed that doping V2O5 NPs into PMMA could inhibit the recombination rate of the photogenerated charge carriers. Among all prepared catalysts, the highest photocatalytic performance toward MB degradation under UV irradiation was obtained using the treated P-VPO1 nanocomposite film (0.033% V2O5/PMMA) compared to other formulations. Approximately 80% of MB was degraded after 60 min of UV irradiation in the presence of the treated P-VPO1. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the promoting effect of the H2O2 + UV treatment for the prepared V2O5 doped PMMA films and with an appropriate loading amount of V2O5 NPs. Moreover, the P-VPO1 shows good reusability and stability for MB dye photodegradation after five consecutive runs under UV irradiation. This study reported a straightforward, and rapid approach to fabricate an improved V2O5/PMMA nanocomposite films with excellent reusability and attractive photocatalytic properties for diverse environmental applications, including water treatment.

El-Ghany, R. M. A., mostafa zedan, W. Tawfik, and S. A. Elfeky, Tungsten Disulfide Nanocomposites in Cancer Theranostics: Photothermal Therapy, Drug Delivery, and Bioimaging, , pp. - , 2025. AbstractWebsite

Nanotechnology has revolutionized the development of innovative medical and biological tools. Among these, tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanomaterials, part of the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) family, have garnered significant attention in cancer theranostics. This review synthesizes cutting-edge advances in WS₂-based systems, spotlighting their unparalleled photothermal conversion efficiency (the temperature reaches >50°C in <5 min under NIR), pH-responsive drug-loading capacity (reaches ~ 95% efficiency), and bioimaging capabilities This study pioneers the development of WS₂ nanocomposites for dual-modal cancer theranostics, achieving ~ 85% tumor reduction in vivo through synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT) and pH-responsive drug delivery. Unlike conventional transition metal dichalcogenides, WS₂ nanosheets exhibit exceptional biocompatibility (>90% cell viability) and deep-tumor penetration, enabling combinatorial photothermal-chemotherapy with 80% tumor suppression in vivo. We critically dissect innovative designs—from Au-lipid hybrids to dendrimer-functionalized nanocomposites—that overcome multidrug resistance and systemic toxicity. Further, we unveil WS₂’s catalytic enzyme activity, scavenging ROS with 90% efficiency, and its role in real-time imaging via X-ray attenuation. By addressing scalability challenges and charting a roadmap for clinical translation, this work positions WS₂ as a next-generation theranostic tool poised to redefine precision oncology.

Rizk, R., M. Ahmed, D. Abdul-Hamid, mostafa zedan, Z. Tóth, and K. Decsi, "Resulting Key Physiological Changes in Triticum aestivum L. Plants Under Drought Conditions After Priming the Seeds with Conventional Fertilizer and Greenly Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Corn Wastes", Agronomy, vol. 15, issue 1, 2025. Abstract

This research study investigated the production and properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles derived from corn husks and their priming effects on wheat plant proliferation and antioxidant mechanisms compared to the nutri-priming technique under regular irrigation and drought-stressed conditions. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), and X-ray diffraction confirmed the nanoparticles’ hexagonal morphology and typical dimensions of 51 nm. The size and stability of these nanoparticles were assessed through the size distribution and zeta potential analysis, indicating reasonable stability. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) detected the newly formed functional groups. This study emphasized the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phenolic compounds in plant responses to nanoparticle treatment, particularly in detoxifying harmful radicals. The research also examined the activity of antioxidant enzymes, including peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GR), in alleviating stress caused by oxidation while subjected to various treatments, including micronutrient seed priming with DR GREEN fertilizer. Some biochemical compounds, such as total phenolics (TPCs), total flavonoids (TFCs), and total hydrolysable sugars, were estimated as well to show the effect of the different treatments on the wheat plants. The findings suggested that ZnO nanoparticles can enhance antioxidant enzyme activity under certain conditions while posing phytotoxic risks, underscoring the complexity of plant–nanoparticle interactions and the potential for improving crop resilience through targeted micronutrient applications.

Ahmed, M., D. A. Marrez, R. Rizk, mostafa zedan, D. Abdul-Hamid, K. Decsi, G. P. Kovács, and Z. Tóth, "The Influence of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Salt Stress on the Morphological and Some Biochemical Characteristics of Solanum lycopersicum L. Plants", Plants, vol. 13, issue 10, 2024. Abstract

Salinity reduces crop yields and quality, causing global economic losses. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) improve plant physiological and metabolic processes and abiotic stress resistance. This study examined the effects of foliar ZnO-NPs at 75 and 150 mg/L on tomato Kecskeméti 549 plants to alleviate salt stress caused by 150 mM NaCl. The precipitation procedure produced ZnO-NPs that were characterized using UV-VIS, TEM, STEM, DLS, EDAX, Zeta potential, and FTIR. The study assessed TPCs, TFCs, total hydrolyzable sugars, total free amino acids, protein, proline, H2O2, and MDA along with plant height, stem width, leaf area, and SPAD values. The polyphenolic burden was also measured by HPLC. With salt stress, plant growth and chlorophyll content decreased significantly. The growth and development of tomato plants changed by applying the ZnO-NPs. Dosages of ZnO-NPs had a significant effect across treatments. ZnO-NPs also increased chlorophyll, reduced stress markers, and released phenolic chemicals and proteins in the leaves of tomatoes. ZnO-NPs reduce salt stress by promoting the uptake of minerals. ZnO-NPs had beneficial effects on tomato plants when subjected to salt stress, making them an alternate technique to boost resilience in saline soils or low-quality irrigation water. This study examined how foliar application of chemically synthesized ZnO-NPs to the leaves affected biochemistry, morphology, and phenolic compound synthesis with and without NaCl.

Teaching Contribution

-Teaching Contribution:

*Diploma Program of Laser Applications in Biotechnology and Agriculture – NILES - CU:

1- LABA 501 (Laser Applications in Agricultural Biotechnology)- AY 2022-2023;

2- LABA 504 (Research Project) - AY 2023-2024;

3- LABA 510 (Renewable Energy) - AY 2023-2024.

*Master Program of Photochemistry and Photobiology – NILES - CU:
1- PP601 (Applications in Nanotechnology) - AY 2022-2023.

mostafa zedan, X. Li, R. M. Amin, S. A. Elfeky, and A. F. Zedan, Photodeposited Silver versus Gold over g-C3N4 toward Photocatalytic Oxidation of Organic Water Pollutants, , pp. - , 2022. AbstractWebsite

Water is a valuable reserve that shall be efficiently treated for sustainable growth and development. Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) and graphitic carbon nitride (gCN) have received immense attention for several applications. In this paper, the facile synthesis of MNPs/gCN hybrid photocatalysts based on sonodispersion, and in-situ reduction and photodeposition is described. Photodeposition of two different metals, namely gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with different loading ratios was studied. The morphological, structural, electronic, optical, and surface properties of the prepared catalysts were investigated. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared catalysts was evaluated for photooxidation of organic water pollutants under visible light irradiation using methyl orange (MO) and rose bengal (RB) as model dyes. The photo- and recycling stability, and the photoelectrochemical properties of a selected photocatalyst were also studied. The results confirmed the evident formation and characteristics of the prepared MNPs/gCN materials. The catalysis measurements revealed the promoting effect of the Au and Ag NPs toward the adsorptive removal and photooxidation of MO and RB. Overall, the Ag NPs demonstrated higher catalytic activity for dye oxidation compared to Au NPs. The Au/gCN resulted in adsorptive removal of 3.87-11.80 % of MO, whereas the Ag/gCN led to adsorptive removal of 66.45-85.33% of MO within 1 h in dark. Also, Ag/gCN catalysts exhibited an extraordinary adsorption ability toward RB that is six-time higher than that of Au/gCN. Interestingly, the Ag/gCN photocatalysts demonstrated the highest photocatalytic activity with 100% photooxidation of MO, and RB within 20 min, and 15 min under visible light irradiation, respectively. The high photocatalytic activity could arise from the coupled plasmon absorption, enhanced visible light harvesting, and efficient charge separation. Besides superior photocatalytic activity, the Ag/gCN catalyst expressed promising photostability, reusability, and photoelectrochemical responses. The obtained results indicate that MNPs/gCN materials could serve as efficient visible-light-sensitive catalysts for photocatalytic water treatment.

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