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Biomass-derived carbonaceous materials: Synthesis and photocatalytic applications
[No abstract available] -
Biomedical Waste Management: Legal and Regulatory Framework and Remedial Strategies
The present chapter begins with conceptual analysis of legal and regulatory framework from Indian as well as international perspectives. Follow through comparative analysis of Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-Boundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and Their Disposal, 1992; Convention on the Import into Africa and the Control of Trans-Boundary Movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa, Bamako, 1998; Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), Stockholm 2004; with Biomedical Waste Management Rules 2016 and (Amendment 2018) of India. The chapter also presents the legal and regulatory frameworks from the perspective of the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Kenya, and Sri Lanka as case studies. The chapter focuses on addressing SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). 2025 Moharana Choudhury, Ankur Rajpal, Srijan Goswami, Arghya Chakravorty and Vimala Raghavan. -
Bionanomaterials in Environmental Protection
The advent of globalization with ongoing anthropogenic actions has increased the rate of contaminants worsening aquatic, soil, and air systems, with increasing concern throughout the world. The several problems posed by these pollutants have endangered the environment as well as humans, leading to the application tasks of various conventional methods options to remove the pollutants. However, these technologies are costlier, of long duration, increasing energy consumption and also leading to toxins production. Nanotechnology, a newer method, has created a significant role in solving specific qualitative and quantitative, environmental issues of treating air, water, and soil by detection and removal of pollutants. Nanoparticles (NP) are low-cost, less energy consuming, eco-friendly and have higher efficiency rates. Nanosorbent, nanofiltration, nanocatalytic, and nanosensors methods have been used for the treatment of waste waters, air, and pollutant detection. There are different physical and chemical treatment options that have been employed for the synthesis of NPs, such as microwave heating and ultrasound methods. However recent decades have emphasized the green synthesis involving plant extracts and microbial sources due to their sustainability. Green synthesized NPs have gained immense interest due to their simplicity and relatively high reproducibility. In view of their capabilities, bionanomaterials can be used for eliminating pollutants and toxins, helping to maintain and spread a greener and cleaner environment. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Shakeel Ahmed; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Bionanomaterials in Food Applications and their Risk Assessment
Nanotechnology has increased impressively during the last decade for their diverse potential uses in food, environment, medical, sustainable energy and so forth. Nanomaterial synthesis by chemical methods has unintended properties on the ecological pollution and also effect on human welfare. To overcome these challenges green synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) has been used from plants and animals. The green synthesized NPs include gold (Au NPs), copper (Cu NPs), silver (AgNPs), iron and its oxides (Fe NPs). Abundant microbes and plants are used for the synthesizing NPs that are eco-friendly, cost effective and potentially safe. Further, these can be constructed using agri-food waste sources such as agricultural crops, fruits and vegetables, cereals, oil cakes, alcoholic beverages, and so forth, for synthesizing sustainable NPs, reducing environmental issues. These green synthesized metallic NPs needs to be further characterized for the synthesis, factors affecting the parameters and their potential applications in various fields with major challenges that needs to be researched such as toxicity and translational research. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Shakeel Ahmed; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Bionanomaterials in Improving Food Quality and Safety
Current inventions in the area of nanotechnology opened several transformations in scientific and industrial sectors. One such rapidly developing technology gets a lot of application in the food industrys changing the culture of food cultivation to its several branches, like production, processing, packaging, preservation, detection of foodborne pathogens, transportation, shelf life and bioavailability of its valuable nutrients. Far smaller in size and in surface area is strongly related to its stability in terms of chemical and biological activities. Hence, food nanotechnology empowers advancement in several novel bio-nanomaterials with an extensive choice towards potential applications. Nanotechnology benefits the food industry in several ways: to extend and predictable for the growth due to recent and swiftly developing technology influences the characteristic of the food products, which should not get exposed to human and microbial activities. Therefore, implication of bio-nanomaterials in food-related industries pose a significant contribution for economy and also a key community concern. The involvement of nanotechnology throughout the life cycle of food processing, storage, transportation, safety, and potential benefits to mankind are also briefly reviewed in this chapter. Acceptance of nano-based ingredients by the public in various phases of the food business and their associated safety and regulatory measures pertaining to food items can be improved by many methods of nanotechnology. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Shakeel Ahmed; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Bionanoparticles Impact on Human Health, an In Vitro and In Vivo Status
In the hunt for a safe replacement for hazardous conventional nanoparticles that are applied in biomedicine field, bionanoparticles are known to be the ideal choice. The term bionanoparticles refers to nanoparticles made using biomolecules or that use a biomolecule to enclose or immobilize a more conventional nanomaterial. For the creation of bionanoparticles, biomolecules are taken from bacteria, plants, agricultural wastes, insects, marine life, and some mammals. Bionanoparticles, possess unique qualities with lot of potential that make them applicable in different field such as, pharmacy, aerospace engineering, biosensors, material sciences and so on. These bionanoparticles have improved biocompatibility, bioavailability, and bioreactivity and display minimal or insignificant toxic effects in humans, animals, and at the environment level. Nanoparticles can be introduced into the body either by biomedical procedures as a part of treatment, diagnosis, or the application of cosmetics. The mode of entry is usually via intravenous, intradermal, intramuscular and peritoneal injections. Unintentional entry of nanoparticles is a result of environmental pollution or accidental release. The effect of bionanoparticles on human health received much importance as they are biologically synthesized and biocompatible. The goal of this chapter is to review human exposure to bionanoparticles with an emphasis on the effects on human cells and animal models. 2025 selection and editorial matter, Shakeel Ahmed; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Bioremediation and Detoxification of Asbestos from Soil
Asbestos is referred to as magic mineral and used as excellent building material. It finds its application in wide range of products such as floor tiles, pipes, paper, rope, cloth, insulated partition board, etc. On average, India uses 3, 50, 000 tons of asbestos annually and asbestos fibers readily undergo weathering releasing them into soil, water and air. Occupational and environmental exposure to this asbestos is leading to asbestosis (asbestos-related disease), lung cancer, and heart failure. Considering the serious health risk, countries like Australia, Brazil, and Canada had banned the use of asbestos. As asbestos is extensively used in construction of buildings, the demolished materials are dumped in the soil and thus it finds its route in soil as pollutant. Soil borne microbes like bacteria, fungi and lichens are found to be best means to reduce the toxicity of asbestos. These microorganisms remove iron from asbestos and reduce its toxicity. Another most effective bioremediation approach is phytoremediation to clean up the soil wherein vegetative cover on contaminated soil can remove iron and breaks down asbestos as source of inorganic nutrient. The main advantage of phytoremediation is that it can be extended to any geographical area where plants can grow. This chapter emphasizes various means of use and disposal of asbestos, followed by various means of bioremediation using microbes and plants and as an alternate for the sustainable soil condition. The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022, corrected publication 2022. -
Bioremediation of Antibiotics as a Pollutant in Soil
The discovery of antibiotics had been a major breakthrough in the field of medicine. Apart from its use in treating disease, it is been used extensively in agricul-tural fields and animal husbandry to improve livestock and crop yield. Improper and overuse of antibiotics have found a route in the food chain and has accumulated in environmental resources like water and soil. This is of serious concern as it leads to the development of drug-resistant microorganisms which is a global threat and also alters the microbial diversity as they are bacteriostatic and bactericidal. Bioaugmen-tation and Biostimulation approaches are effective in the degradation of antibiotics in soil. For enhanced degradation of antibiotics consortia, engineered microbes and enzyme-mediated methods are feasible methods for effective remediation of antibi-otics in soil. Currently, extensive research on the bioremediation of antibiotics is carried out as they are cost-effective and eco-friendly. The present chapter deals with various contamination sources of antibiotics in soil, adverse effects of antibiotics in soil, different bioremediation approaches, and mechanisms, and regulations in the use of antibiotics. The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022. -
Bioremediation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Sites Using Phytogenic Nanoparticles
Heavy metals (HMs) accumulate in milieu due to various human activities that persist leading to biomagnification in food chains and cause unpleasant effects on human health and environment. Pollutants such as organic matter and HMs are reme-diated traditionally by chemical precipitation, electrochemical treatment, adsorption, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, coagulation, and photo-catalyzation, remained inef-fective. Use of nanomaterials conjugated with various compounds showed significant reduction in several contaminated sites. However, existing implication of nanotech-nology works with nanoparticles (NPs) synthesis majorly involved the use of chem-ical raw materials and physical methods which are relatively toxic and unstable. Aforesaid difficulties made researchers and entrepreneurs to reconnoitre effective, newer, and novel synthesis approaches for the replacement over older version. During the past decade, to overcome these issues plant-derived NPs are extensively used because of its less cost, efficiency, and eco-friendly in nature. Hence, advanced alternative technology like phytoremediation using nanomaterials with innovative techniques has been a boon for HM remediation. Efficiency of green synthesized NPs is based on redox reactions which makes metals stable facilitated by flavonoids and polyphenols responding to HM-stress. Several metal complexation processes are known to produce phytochelatins or other metal-chelating peptides helping the biore-mediation of HMs. Current chapter throws light on adaptive mechanism employed by NPs coupled with plant or microbial extracts in overcoming the HM stress. Further-more, here we also focus on the possible mechanism and interaction between NPs and HM in minimizing severity of polluted sites with many examples. The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022. -
Blended Learning and Its Impact on Cognition and Emotion
A lot of research has been conducted to improvise learning by means of smart incorporation of technology and multimedia. There exists a complex relationship between cognition and emotions; technology is used to elicit emotional responses to create an emotional state which people learn best. Given the increasing attention to the important relationship between learning and emotions, this chapter is about blended learning and the emotion experienced by the students. The blended learning model focuses on the learners freedom in the way that they learn and engross in their education. The cognitive goals are the achieved by maintaining learners interest throughout the course. This chapter also explores the intrinsic differences, such as individual characteristics and contextual motivational factors which influence learning. The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020, Corrected Publication 2020. -
Blending of Knowledge Management with Industry 4.0: A New Formula for Success!
The convergence of Industry 4.0 and knowledge management presents a transformative opportunity for organizations seeking enhanced efficiency and sustainable growth. In the context of organizational processes, the amalgamation of technological advancements and effective knowledge management practices can lead to a reduction in costs and an overall improvement in operational efficiency. Understanding the intricacies of knowledge management procedures is crucial, encompassing the production, transfer, acquisition, storage, and utilization of knowledge resources across the organizational spectrum. The advent of the fourth industrial revolution, commonly referred to as Industry 4.0, has significantly reshaped traditional knowledge management systems. Industry 4.0 introduces the interconnectivity of machines and their autonomous capacity to learn and share data. While both knowledge management and Industry 4.0 offer distinct benefits individually, a strategic approach that combines the strengths of both can unlock new opportunities for efficient business growth and success in the external environment. This article delves into the symbiotic relationship between Industry 4.0 and knowledge management, emphasizing their combined potential. Industry 4.0 generates vast volumes of data, and by leveraging knowledge management, organizations can derive valuable insights to inform decision-making processes. Historical data and best practices, accessible through knowledge management, contribute to process optimization. Integration with Industry 4.0 technologies, such as automation and the Internet of Things, further enhances process efficiency. The marriage of knowledge management and Industry 4.0 extends beyond process optimization to workforce development. Recognizing employees as the building blocks of an organization, this integration enables better management by upgrading knowledge and skills. Consequently, it enhances the overall productivity of the workforce, contributing to organizational success. In the dynamic landscape of globalization, technology, and competition, this chapter serves as a guide for organizations aiming to harness the collective power of knowledge management and Industry 4.0. By exploring their complementary benefits, it seeks to facilitate the informed utilization of these tools for the betterment and sustainability of businesses in the contemporary world. 2024 Scrivener Publishing LLC. -
Blockchain and Green Finance: The Way Forward
A disruptive digital force is altering business paradigms and increasing relevance around the world. Blockchain technology is attracting significant interest in India from a variety of businesses. As the range of uses for blockchain technology expands, industry leaders are adopting and modifying it to suit a variety of use cases. In 2016, adoption of blockchain technology gathered significant momentum in India. In a variety of use cases, many banks and commercial conglomerates have experimented with blockchain technology. Although blockchain technology is still in its infancy, Bitcointhe most well-known use casehas taken off very successfully in India, with several Bitcoin exchanges and wallets spreading throughout the nation. The regulatory organizations are establishing working groups to understand and monitor the development of blockchain technology in India after realizing the potential of the technology. Blockchain is used in green bonds, asset tokenization, carbon credit trading, and transparent reporting. One of the real-life examples is IBM and Veridium Labs, which have worked on a blockchain-based initiative to tokenize carbon credits. The purpose is to improve the efficiency and transparency of carbon trading. Veridium coins represent verified carbon credits, and blockchain secures the credits integrity and traceability. Recently the State Bank of India (SBI) has shown a growing interest in green finance and green bonds. The chapter investigates blockchain applications in the field of green finance. It addresses how blockchain-enabled green asset tokenization might boost liquidity and accessibility for investors, allowing a broader pool of participants to participate in sustainable investments. The article investigates the impact of DeFi platforms in supporting green lending and borrowing, hence lowering reliance on traditional financial intermediaries. 2024 selection and editorial matter, Sukanta Kumar Baral, Richa Goel, Tilottama Singh, and Rakesh Kumar; individual chapters, the contributors. -
Blockchain and IoT Integration for Financial Sector Revolution
The Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the globe. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) speaks about the use of Internet of Things (IoT) concepts and technology in industrial environments. The financial industry has long traded in the things that areintangible, from once-tangible but now-less-tangible items like stock certificates and even money itself. The Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain technologythat offer and storedata aboutthings mighthave direct influence on how financial services institutions operate their businesses. The Financial Industry is adopting IoT for fast and effective transactions. The invention of disruptive technology like blockchain, which is a decentralized, unchangeable ledger makes tracking assets and record transactions easier. Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is based on the peer-to-peer idea that eliminates intermediaries from the system. It is possible to establish smart contracts, which will do away with the need for any middlemen. Due to the IoTs broad application and dispersed nature, security and privacy are the primary concerns in the financial sector. Blockchain is essential for IoT applications where data security and privacy are top priorities. Blockchain can secure data and keep the transactions private. IoT enhances business opportunities and offers firms a competitive edge in both established and developing industries. It has an impact on every aspect of technology, including the methods used to gather data and the locations, timings, and purposes for doing so. Since this data must be safeguarded, we need a standard blockchain-oriented architecture for IoT applications. The data generated by the financial industry is crucial because it establishes future market trends and preserves data on consumer and investor investments. Financial data is vulnerable to assaults and needs to be protected. This paper explores the need for regulations and policy in this area and attempts to understand how blockchain technology can be used to overcome barriers to IoT adoption in the financial sector. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025. -
Blockchain and Its Integration in IoT
IoT devices have become an integral part of our lives. The world has witnessed an exponential growth in the number of IoT devices. Managing these devices and the data generated by them has become very crucial. Data security and users privacy are becoming more difficult as the number of devices grows. Blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin, is known for data security and managing and efficiently maintaining huge amounts of data. Blockchain stores data in a chronological manner and in an immutable way. Integration of blockchain in IoT infrastructure has many advantages. This paper discusses various applications and challenges in blockchain. It highlights the adoption of blockchain in IoT infrastructure and reviews recent papers in this field. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. -
Blockchain and the Evolving Internal Audit Function
Blockchain Technology indicates a transformative era for internal audit practices in the evolving digital finance and operations landscape. This research explores the internal audit function in a Blockchain-driven world, emphasizing the changing perspectives and methodologies necessitated by this disruptive technology. With its foundational principles of transparency, immutability, and decentralization, Blockchain presents challenges and opportunities for internal auditors. The paper delves into how Blockchain is poised to redefine traditional audit practices, moving towards more real-time and continuous auditing techniques. It examines the implications of Blockchain for risk assessment, fraud detection, and compliance, highlighting the shift towards proactive rather than reactive audit strategies. Furthermore, the research examines Blockchains opportunities and challenges to the internal audit function. This study provides insights into integrating Blockchain Technology in internal auditing through a comprehensive secondary data analysis. It proposes a roadmap for auditors to adapt and thrive in this new era. The findings underscore the importance of embracing technological advancements, advocating for a dynamic approach to audit practices that aligns with the complexities of a blockchain-driven world. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025. -
Blockchain application on healthcare services in metaverse
The convergence of blockchain technology and the metaverse is ushering in a transformative era for healthcare services. From telemedicine to health records management, the authors delve into the innovative applications and the potential benefits for patients and providers in this blockchain-powered metaverse of health. Blockchain technology can establish trust in virtual healthcare encounters. They examine the secure sharing of health data, verifiable credentials, and decentralized patient control. Virtual clinics in the metaverse can provide patients with a realistic setting for medical consultations. Counterfeit medications endanger patient safety significantly. There are certain challenges such as privacy and security, scalability, digital divide, user acceptance etc. This study explores how blockchain ensures data security, patient privacy, and interoperability within virtual healthcare settings. Healthcare in the metaverse represents a futuristic and innovative approach to delivering and managing healthcare services within immersive digital environments. 2024, IGI Global. -
Blockchain application with specific reference to smart contracts in the insurance sector
The term blockchain was coined in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto. Initially, it was used for carrying out decentralised transactions to solve the problem of fake transactions. In the past few years, this was explored extensively for cryptocurrency only, but, over some time, its potential has been explored in many areas. The major reason for the growing interest in this particular technology is that it provides a secure, reliable, and trusted platform to perform digital activities. This is executed without the involvement of any third party. Once the data is entered into the nodes, it is impossible to tamper it. Though blockchain is costly, it provides better solutions to many research problems in real time. In recent times, researchers have explored blockchain in deep and used it in many applications such as building smart contracts, supply chain management, digital identity providers, voting systems, banking, and finance applications, P2P learning, and insurance sectors. Through this chapter, the readers will get a systematic and detailed study of blockchain in the insurance sector and smart contracts and its current applications in the insurance sector. This chapter will also provide a fair idea of blockchain technology in the insurance sector and additionally its usage in specific applications. In the end, a relevant set of further reading references will be provided. 2023 River Publishers. All rights reserved. -
Blockchain for Enhancing Security and Privacy in the Smart Healthcare
The rapid digitalization of healthcare systems and the growing integration of smart technologies have made robust security and patient privacy protection critical concerns. Traditional healthcare systems struggle with maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of sensitive patient data. This section explores how blockchain technology can serve as a transformative solution to address these challenges and elevate security and privacy standards in smart healthcare environments. Blockchain, a decentralized and tamper-resistant distributed ledger technology, offers a novel approach to secure data sharing and storage. In the realm of smart healthcare, blockchain can establish a transparent and immutable record of patient information, medical history, and treatment plans, ensuring data integrity by thwarting unauthorized modifications and tampering. The cryptographic features inherent in blockchain provide a strong basis for safeguarding patient privacy. Smart contracts, which are programmable and self-executing scripts on the blockchain, enable precise access control, permitting only authorized entities to access specific patient data. Additionally, the utilization of decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and verifiable credentials enhances patient identity management, mitigating the risks of identity theft and unauthorized access. This section also delves into case studies and ongoing initiatives leveraging blockchain in smart healthcare applications. From electronic health records (EHRs) and interoperability to medical supply chain management, the adoption of blockchain technology showcases promising outcomes in enhancing security, transparency, and privacy. Various challenges and potential drawbacks of implementing blockchain in healthcare are also explored in this section. In conclusion, the integration of blockchain technology in smart healthcare holds significant potential for transforming data security and privacy practices. As the healthcare sector embraces digital evolution, understanding the implications and advantages of blockchain becomes crucial for constructing resilient and patient-centric healthcare ecosystems. 2024 Scrivener Publishing LLC. -
Blockchain security for artificial intelligence-based clinical decision support tool
For a healthcare organization, it is very difficult to satisfy the growing challenges and cost and provide good quality care. But nowadays clinical decision support system becomes an essential tool for a healthcare organization to help healthcare experts enhance the treatment process and advance healthcare services. Clinical decision support system supports collaborative treatment to enhance medical services. In a collaborative treatment service, the patient's health records are shared by different healthcare experts. All the patient health data are maintained by an electronic health records system. Electronic health records have very sensitive and patient's private information so sharing electronic health records is a very challenging task. Some downsides of collaborative treatment are privacy and lack of confidence among contributors like a patient, doctors, radiologist, hospitals, and insurance organization. Blockchain which is known as distributed ledger technology and has a secured architecture framework can be used to enhance the healthcare organization. Blockchain with artificial intelligence has a great potential in helping healthcare traders tackle major healthcare issues and challenges. In this chapter, we discussed how artificial intelligence and blockchain as a powerful pair can transform the healthcare sector. We also discussed the model, challenges, and application in clinical decision support tools. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved. -
Blockchain technology as a panacea in tourism industry
The purpose of this study is to investigate how a customer's travel experience in the tourist sector affects customer satisfaction based on service value through the implementation of Blockchain Technology. 250 questionnaires were administered to tourists, tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, and transportation companies using the Cluster Sampling method to obtain a sample size of 238. Blockchain technology, Customer Satisfaction, and Service Value are the critical variables observed to validate the hypothesis using Correlation, ANOVA & Regression Analysis. There is a strong correlation between the value of a service and blockchain technology. Secure payment is the most important component in developing and improving service value among customers and is the best predictor of service value. 2024 Srinesh Thakur, Anvita Electronics, 16-11-762, Vijetha Golden Empire, Hyderabad.