Despite the numerous benefits of Punica granatum L., ready-to-eat pomegranate aril consumption remains limited due to rapid physiological deterioration
and microbiological spoilage during storage. This study evaluated the efficacy of natural edible coatings, Hibiscus extracts (3% and 6%), licorice root extracts
(3% and 6%), and gelatin solutions (5% and 10%) in preserving the postharvest quality of Manfalouty pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) arils harvested from
El Badary, Assiut Governorate, Egypt, during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Physical quality attributes (weight loss, total soluble solids [TSS%], titratable acidity
[TA%], vitamin C, and anthocyanins) were assessed at 0, 7, 14, and 21 d. Microbiological analysis quantified bacterial and fungal counts (CFU/g) on nutrient
agar and Czapek's dextrose agar. Sensory properties (color, odor, taste, and texture) were rated on a 10-point hedonic scale by a 10-member panel. Results
demonstrated that higher concentrations of Hibiscus and licorice extracts significantly reduced weight loss, microbial loads, and sensory deterioration while
enhancing TSS, TA, vitamin C, and anthocyanin levels compared to controls, extending shelf life effectively. After 21 d of cold storage, Hibiscus 6% minimized
weight loss (2.93%–2.96%) vs control (3.89%–3.84%), TSS% (16.17%–16.23%) vs control (15.0%–14.9%), TA% (1.21%–1.16%) vs control (0.91%–1.07%),
vitamin C (22.87–23.53 mg/100 mL) vs control (19.92–20.53 mg/100 mL), and anthocyanins (53.30–53.46 mg/100 g FW) vs control (49.07–49.8 mg/100 g FW)
in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, respectively. Microbial counts were lowest with 6% Hibiscus extract (bacteria: 12–16 CFU/g; fungi: 5–5.67 CFU/g at 21 d vs
control 136–142.67 and 27–28.3 CFU/g) in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, respectively. The 6% Hibiscus extract limited the fungal species number from seven
species to Aspergillus niger and Penicillium expansum. Moreover, the control and gelatin showed the highest deterioration. These coatings, especially
Hibiscus, effectively extend shelf life by reducing physiological and microbial losses, supporting sustainable preservation.

The discharge of azo-dye-containing wastewater from textile and related industries rep-
resents a major environmental challenge because of the persistence, toxicity, and poor
bio-degradability of synthetic dyes. Congo red dye (CR), one of the most widely used
azo dyes, poses serious ecological and public health risks when released into aquatic
ecosystems. Although numerous biological adsorbents have been investigated for dye re-
moval, the development of sustainable fungal-based nanocomposites with high adsorption
efficiency, optimized operational conditions, and verified environmental safety remains
limited. Therefore, the present work describes the development and evaluation of a novel
Aspergillus terreus–silver oxide nanoparticle (Ag2O NPs) myco-nanocomposite as a promis-
ing eco-friendly biosorbent for CR dye removal from aqueous solutions and real wastew-
ater. Aspergillus terreus (GenBank accession PX920301) isolated from dye-contaminated
wastewater, the adsorption efficiencies of dried mycelia, and the myco-nanocomposite
were compared. Myco-nanocomposite was characterized using ultraviolet visible spec-
troscopic analysis (UV/Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray
diffraction (XRD). A. terreus–Ag2O NPs myco-nanocomposite exhibited the highest ad-
sorption efficiency 92.73%, adsorption capacity (qe) 118.7 mg/g and lowest CR dye residual
by 3.81 mg/L, while A. terreus non-autoclaved dried mycelia recorded 78.28% CR removal,
adsorption capacity (qe) 100.2 mg/g and CR dye residual by 11.39 mg/L. Adsorption
parameters were optimized using a four-factor Box–Behnken experimental design, produc-
ing a highly significant quadratic model (R2 = 0.986). The highest optimized conditions
were obtained at run 17 in which 100 mg L−1 CR dye, pH 8, 0.05 g adsorbent dosage, and
48 h contact time, with removal efficiency of 96.88%, followed by run 14 using 50 mg L−1
CR dye, pH 6, 0.05 g adsorbent dosage, and 48 h contact time, with removal efficiency of
95.79%. Phytotoxicity and microbial toxicity assays demonstrated that the treated wastew-
ater was environmentally safer than untreated CR dye, exhibiting no inhibitory effects
on representative bacteria, yeast, and filamentous fungi while improving wheat seedling
growth. Furthermore, application of the myco-nanocomposite to real industrial wastewater
achieved 94.92% decolorization. This study provides a sustainable myco-nanocomposite of
A. terreus–Ag2O NPs which represents a promising green technology for the remediation of
dye-contaminated industrial effluents and supports the development of environmentally sus-
tainable wastewater management strategies and applicability of reusing treated wastewater.

Hydrogen (H2) is a clean and sustainable energy carrier with high energy density, offering a viable alternative to
fossil fuels. In this investigation, MOF-like and ZIF-like Sn-BDC and Sn-ZIF coordination precursors were
employed as sacrificial templates for the synthesis of carbon-supported SnO2 nanocomposites (SnO2@C) via the
thermal carbonization at 400-600◦C. The resulting nanocomposites were then evaluated for hydrogen generation
via NaBH4 hydrolysis and for antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic yeasts. The catalysts were
characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, HRTEM, SAED, and BET analyses. Among the pre-
pared catalysts, SnO2@C-ZIF-500 ◦C showed the highest hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 2000 mL min 1 g 1
at 45 ◦C, outperforming SnO2@C-BDC-400 ◦C (1700 mL min 1 g 1) despite its lower surface area (37.6 m2 g 1
vs. 70.9 m2 g 1, respectively). This enhanced activity is attributed to the N-doped carbon matrix (derived from
ZIF-like frameworks), which improves electron transfer and activates SnO2 sites. Kinetic analysis confirmed
faster reaction rates and lower activation energy for the ZIF-derived catalyst (49.9 kJ mol 1 for SnO2@C-ZIF-
500oC versus 60.4 kJ mol 1 for SnO2@C-BDC-400oC), highlighting the role of mesoporosity and nitrogen doping
in boosting performance. Catalysts offered almost the same activity after three cycles. The antifungal activity of
SnO2@C-BDC-400 ◦C and SnO2@C-ZIF-500 ◦C was evaluated against Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis
(0–100 μg/mL) and compared with nystatin. Both catalysts showed stronger inhibition at 100 μg/mL than
nystatin for both strains. The MIC values were lower for SnO2@C materials, indicating superior antifungal
performance. These findings demonstrate that SnO2@C catalysts are promising non-noble materials for efficient
hydrogen generation and potential antimicrobial applications.

Nanoindentation is widely used to evaluate the mechanical properties of irradiated materials; however, its potential for quantifying irradiation-induced subsurface strain remains underexplored. In this work, an integrated experimental–numerical framework based on a physics-constrained inverse modeling approach is employed to estimate the magnitude of a depth-dependent irradiation-induced strain distribution in single-crystal 4H-SiC following sequential He and H ion implantation. The approach combines depth-sensing nanoindentation, finite element modeling (FEM), and a simplex-based inverse optimization routine to calibrate a physically motivated eigenstrain profile derived from ion-damage simulations. The strain field is assumed to follow a lognormal distribution consistent with independently determined damage profiles (stopping and range of ions in matter) and is implemented in the FEM model through a depth-dependent thermal expansion formulation. By minimizing the squared error between simulated and experimental force–displacement curves, the peak tensile strain is estimated to be ∼0.91%, accompanied by an effective Young's modulus of 310 GPa and a yield strength of 16.4 GPa. Independent validation by nano-beam precession electron diffraction confirms good agreement between the reconstructed and experimentally measured out-of-plane strain profiles in both magnitude and spatial distribution. The results demonstrate that nanoindentation, when combined with physics-based inverse modeling, can provide a practical tool for quantifying irradiation-induced strain and residual stress in nuclear ceramics. This methodology offers a complementary approach to diffraction-based techniques for assessing subsurface damage in ion-irradiated materials relevant to advanced nuclear systems.