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Photocatalytic seawater splitting for hydrogen fuel production: impact of seawater components and accelerating reagents on the overall performance
The future fuel, hydrogen, is a clean, sustainable energy source with a substantial density of energy per unit volume/weight. Breakthroughs in hydrogen production, storage, and transportation are essential to meet the sustainable global energy demands. Solar-to-hydrogen conversion through water-splitting reactions (via photo/electro/photoelectro-processes) is a promising strategy for producing green hydrogen fuel. Specifically, the photocatalytic hydrogen generation reaction, mimicking artificial photosynthesis, is a simple and cost-effective method adopted for solar-hydrogen production. Various semiconductor photocatalysts and hybrid photocatalytic systems have been developed to address the sluggish kinetics and selectivity of pristine water/seawater splitting reactions. Recently, seawater has been used as feedstock for large-scale hydrogen production to advance the field and alleviate the scarcity of freshwater sources. This review article, therefore, aims to highlight the importance of seawater splitting reactions using different photocatalytic systems. A brief introduction to the fundamentals, historical progress, and mechanism of the seawater splitting reaction is presented. The impact of seawater components and accelerating reagents on the intrinsic performance of water splitting catalysts is discussed in detail, followed by an elaborate discussion of natural water and artificial seawater splitting with emphasis on onerous photocatalyst designs. Finally, the current challenges and opportunities of saltwater electrolysis for sustainable hydrogen fuel generation and applications are discussed. 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry. -
A review of cobalt-based catalysts for sustainable energy and environmental applications
In a bid to tackle the degrading climate conditions, the new age research in catalysis is predominantly focused on sustainable technologies associated with renewable energy conversion and environment purification. One of the primary motivations for the research in catalysis is the use of low-cost, earth-abundant materials that can fulfill the scale-up needs of respective technologies. Cobalt (Co) based catalysts have been an indispensable part of almost all areas of catalysis and they are often looked at as low-cost substitutes for precious metal-based catalysts. In the context of energy and environmental applications, Co-based catalysts are more commonly used for reactions such as hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrolysis of chemical hydrides, CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Co-based catalysts are interesting compounds as Co plays a diverse role in facilitating different reactions. This review provides a brief account of the significance of Co-based catalysts and elaborates their advancement in each of the above-mentioned applications and presents future research directions with the use of Co-based catalysts. An in-depth analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the Co-based systems is highly desired to promote breakthroughs in catalysis. 2023 The Authors -
Lignin-based nanomaterials for food and pharmaceutical applications: Recent trends and future outlook
Small particles of size ranging from 1 to 100 nm are referred to as nanoparticles. Nanoparticles have tremendous applications in various sectors, including the areas of food and pharmaceutics. They are being prepared from multiple natural sources widely. Lignin is one such source that deserves special mention due to its ecological compatibility, accessibility, abundance, and low cost. This amorphous heterogeneous phenolic polymer is the second most abundant molecule in nature after cellulose. Apart from being used as a biofuel source, lignin is less explored for its potential at a nano-level. In plants, lignin exhibits cross-linking structures with cellulose and hemicellulose. Numerous advancements have taken place in synthesizing nanolignins for manufacturing lignin-based materials to benefit from the untapped potential of lignin in high-value-added applications. Lignin and lignin-based nanoparticles have numerous applications, but in this review, we are mainly focusing on the applications in the food and pharmaceutical sectors. The exercise we undertake has great relevance as it helps scientists and industries gain valuable insights into lignin's capabilities and exploit its physical and chemical properties to facilitate the development of future lignin-based materials. We have summarized the available lignin resources and their potential in the food and pharmaceutical industries at various levels. This review attempts to understand various methods adopted for the preparation of nanolignin. Furthermore, the unique properties of nano-lignin-based materials and their applications in fields including the packaging industry, emulsions, nutrient delivery, drug delivery hydrogels, tissue engineering, and biomedical applications were well-discussed. 2023 Elsevier B.V. -
Nutrition paves the way to environmental toxicants and influences fetal development during pregnancy
Nutrition plays a major role in the healthy pregnancy and development of the fetus. In addition, nutrition can expose humans to a wide range of potentially hazardous environmental constituents, such as organic pollutants and heavy metals from marine or agricultural food products while processing, producing, and packaging. Humans constantly face these constituents through air, water, soil, food, and domestic products. During pregnancy, the rate of cellular division and differentiation is higher; exposure to any of these environmental toxicants can lead to developmental defects as they cross the placental barrier and, in some cases, can harm the successive generation too, as some contaminants can act on the reproductive cells of the fetus (Diethylstilbestrol). Pregnant women are considered a vulnerable population to food contaminant exposure and require a proper dietary chart and conscious food choices. Food is a source of both essential nutrients and environmental toxicants. Here, we have researched the possible toxicants of the food industry and their influence on the fetus's in-utero development, along with the importance of dietary interventions and the need to balance a healthy diet to overcome the harms. The cumulative exposure to environmental toxicants can influence the mother's prenatal environment and affect the fetus's development. 2023 -
From Waste to Strength: Unveiling the Mechanical Properties of Peanut-Shell-Based Polymer Composites
Peanut-shell-based polymer composites have gained significant attention as sustainable and cost-effective materials with potential applications as food packaging films, ceiling tiles, insulation panels, supercapacitors, and electrodes in various industries like the packaging industry, construction, furniture, and electronics. This review article presents a systematic roadmap of the mechanical properties of peanut-shell-based polymer composites, analyzing the influence of factors such as filler content, surface modification techniques, interfacial adhesion, and processing methods. Through an extensive literature review, we highlight the mechanical properties of peanut-shell-based polymer composites. Furthermore, challenges and ongoing research efforts in this field are discussed. This comprehensive review provides valuable insights for researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers, promoting the development and utilization of peanut-shell-based polymer composites for various applications. 2023 by the authors. -
Recent Trends and Progress in Corrosion Inhibitors and Electrochemical Evaluation
Science and engineering research studies are currently concentrating on synthesizing, designing, producing, and consuming ecologically benign chemical species to replace harmful chemicals. This is due to the increasing demands of conservation knowledge and strict ecological regulations. Numerous environmentally friendly substitutes produced from natural resources, including biopolymers, plant extracts, chemical pharmaceuticals (drugs), and so on, are now frequently used as inhibitors to replace dangerous corrosion inhibitors. Many compounds have been extensively used. A range of methods, including physisorption, chemisorption, barrier protection, thin-film growth, and electrochemical procedures, will be used to provide corrosion resistance. The various kinds of corrosion inhibitors (CIs), the mechanisms underlying inhibition, and the evaluation procedures have all been covered in-depth. This review provides an overview of the relevant literature in which researchers and scientists used different types of CIs, the effect of CIs on metals, and information about designs and mechanisms used to minimize corrosion in a variety of equipment composed of alloys or metals, along with electrochemical evaluation studies. This review will provide scholars with fresh insights to advance the discipline. 2023 by the authors. -
Synthesis of Inorganic Nanoparticles Using Traditionally Used Indian Medicinal Plants
Considering the exclusive environmental conditions and geological characteristics, Indian flora is extensive and rich in medicinal plants. From primeval times, plant parts and their metabolites have been widely explored for various practices including medicinal as well as culinary. The phytochemicals present in these plants are potential reducing agents for the bio-fabrication of these nanoparticles. The non-toxic nature and combination of the plant phytochemicals with precursor ions act as key aspects for synthesized nanoparticles. The present review highlights the potential applications of Inorganic nanoparticles synthesized from 148 traditionally used medicinal plants present in the Indian geographical region. In addition, parameters that influence the green synthesis of Inorganic nanoparticles such as the extraction methods, solvents used for extraction, the concentration of precursor and plant phytochemicals, pH, temperature, reaction time, and characterization techniques of the nanoparticles are discussed. Thus, the review provides information on the research that has been done in the area of green synthesis using Indian medicinal plants. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. -
Recent trends in the electrochemical sensors on ?- and calcium channel blockers for hypertension and angina pectoris: A comprehensive review
Stress, ingrained human behaviors, an inactive lifestyle, and poor dietary decisions are the primary causes of hypertension and the related coronary artery disease (CAD), which is also commonly referred to as angina pectoris. Effective high blood pressure (BP) treatment represents a substantial approach to reducing the burden of hypertension-related cardiovascular and renal diseases. A group of drugs known as ?-blockers and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are frequently used to treat diseases like hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. For efficient therapeutic use and to reduce potential side effects, ?-blocker concentration monitoring is essential. Chromatographic techniques are employed in a wide range to detect ?-blockers and CCBs without interference, among other analytical methods that have been described. For the detection of ?-blockers and CCBs, electrochemical sensors provide numerous benefits including sensitivity, selectivity, rapidity, and cost-effectiveness. These sensors can help with patient monitoring in clinical settings, ensuring that the prescription ?-blocker dosage is within the therapeutic range. Since ?-blockers are frequently consumed by people, the contamination can be occurred through discharge of wastewater. The presence and measurement of ?-blockers in water samples enables researchers to evaluate potential risks to aquatic life and public health. In this regard, this review addresses recently developed electrochemical (voltammetric) methodologies and measurement protocols for the determination of both ?-blockers and CCBs in pharmaceuticals, biological fluids, and environmental samples. Additionally, this review also provides an overview of the various advanced nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, polymeric structures, zeolite materials, ionic liquids, perovskite semiconductor-based materials, MXenes, Quantum dots, Nano MIPs and various dimensional materials applied to fabricate chemically modified electrodes/electrochemical sensors to determine the ?-blockers and CCBs. Moreover supplied are tables listing the analyte, modified electrode, measurement method, measuring medium pH, linear detection range (LDR), limit of detection (LOD) and sensitivity as they are cited in the original research. Furthermore, important conclusions are made from the published reports in the last decade and some future perspectives are also suggested. 2023 Elsevier B.V. -
A Retrospection on Mercury Contamination, Bioaccumulation, and Toxicity in Diverse Environments: Current Insights and Future Prospects
Owing to various industrial applications of mercury (Hg), its release into the environment at high concentration is becoming a great threat to living organisms on a global scale. Human exposure to Hg is greatly correlated with contamination in the food chain through cereal crops and sea foods. Since Hg is a non-essential component and does not possess a biological role and exhibits carcinogenic and genotoxic behaviour, biomonitoring with a focus on biomagnification of higher living animals and plants is the need of the hour. This review traces the plausible relationship between Hg concentration, chemical form, exposure, bioavailability, bioaccumulation, distribution, and ecotoxicology. The toxicity with molecular mechanisms, oxidative stress (OS), protein alteration, genomic change, and enzymatic disruptions are discussed. In addition, this review also elaborates advanced strategies for reducing Hg contamination such as algal and phytoremediation, biochar application, catalytical oxidation, and immobilization. Furthermore, there are challenges to overcome and future perspectives considering Hg concentrations, biomarkers, and identification through the nature of exposures are recommended. 2023 by the authors. -
Role of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles in environmental remediation: a review
Nanoscience and nanotechnology have made remarkable advances that have significantly altered the environmental remediation process. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are an essential and remarkable nanomaterial in environmental remediation. The potential of AgNPs in biomedical applications is well explored compared to their environmental applications. This review explores the biosynthesis and application of AgNPs in environmental remediation. The discussion continues with the challenges of using AgNPs for environmental remediation and concludes with the prospects of AgNPs. The review will be beneficial to all researchers and professionals who are starting their journey with AgNP synthesis. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG. -
Suspension culture of somatic embryos for the production of high-value secondary metabolites
Secondary metabolites from plants are ubiquitous and have applications in medicines, food additives, scents, colorants, and natural pesticides. Biotechnological production of secondary metabolites that have economic benefits is an attractive alternative to conventional methods. Cell, adventitious, and hairy root suspension cultures are typically used to produce secondary metabolites. According to recent studies, somatic embryos in suspension culture are useful tools for the generation of secondary metabolites. Somatic embryogenesis is a mode of regeneration in several plant species. This review provides an update on the use of somatic embryogenesis in the production of valuable secondary metabolites. The factors influencing the generation of secondary metabolites using somatic embryos in suspension cultures, elicitation methods, and prospective applications are also discussed in this review. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. 2023, Prof. H.S. Srivastava Foundation for Science and Society. -
Electrochemical Hydrogenation of Organic Compounds: A Sustainable Approach
Conventional methods for hydrogenation of organic compounds generally use corrosive catalysts and reagents, along with extreme conditions like high temperatures and pressures. Quenching of corrosive materials does not deter its negative impact on the environment, nor is one safe when it comes to working with high temperature and pressure. Electrochemical hydrogenation (ECH) has proven to be safe and green since most of the efficient reactions are conducted at ambient pressure and temperature, minimizing, and sometimes even negating the use of toxic catalysts and corrosive reagents as compared to conventional methods. This review therefore provides different strategies used for ECH in the past, modification of different electrodes, half reactions taken up for efficient energy usage and catalysts used for different hydrogenation reactions. It presents the advances in electrochemical hydrogenation reactions of organic compounds, starting from simple aliphatic compounds to complex polyaromatics and heterocyclic aromatic compounds. 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH. -
Graphs Defined on Rings: A Review
The study on graphs emerging from different algebraic structures such as groups, rings, fields, vector spaces, etc. is a prominent area of research in mathematics, as algebra and graph theory are two mathematical fields that focus on creating and analysing structures. There are numerous studies linking algebraic structures and graphs, which began with the introduction of Cayley graphs of groups. Several algebraic graphs have been defined on rings, a fast-growing area in the literature. In this article, we systematically review the literature on some variants of Cayley graphs that are defined on rings and highlight the properties and characteristics of such graphs, to showcase the research in this area. 2023 by the authors. -
Interparental Conflict and Young Adult Romantic Relationships: A Systematic Review
In the last two decades, researchers have been progressively investigating the impact of interparental conflict (IPC) on young adults romantic relationships. This systematic review aimed to synthesize literature on IPC and romantic relationship outcomes among young adults and highlight mechanisms found in this link. Following the PRISMA protocol, 3232 studies were identified using Boolean searches on ProQuest, PubMed, EBSCOhost, Jstor, Cochrane, and Google Scholar, and 17 met the eligibility criteria. To be included, in addition to having IPC and romantic relationship outcomes as variables, studies had to be quantitative in design, have a mean sample age of 1825, include only participants in romantic relationships at the time of the study, and be published in English with full text available. The review found that IPC is associated with negative conflict management, both perpetration and victimization of aggression, worse communication, negative conflict behaviors, and poor relationship quality. Other outcomes like relationship satisfaction, commitment, as well as mediator variables in the link between IPC and young adult romantic relationship outcomes, such as attitudes towards marriage and conflict attributions, yielded varied results. Several shortcomings in the methodology of the reviewed articles, such as the research sample and measures, were discovered. To deal with the impact of IPC on offsprings romantic relationships, preventive interventions should be designed and evaluated, and more research with different variables and study designs, with more men, other ethnicities, and more representative sample frames are needed to detect crucial mediators and obtain reliable and generalizable results. The Author(s) 2022. -
Multicomponent Synthesis Strategies, Catalytic Activities, and Potential Therapeutic Applications of Pyranocoumarins: A Comprehensive Review
Fused coumarins, because of their remarkable biological and therapeutic properties, particularly pyranocoumarins, have caught the interest of synthetic organic chemists, leading to the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly protocols for synthesizing pyranocoumarin derivatives. These compounds are the most promising heterocycles discovered in both natural and synthetic sources, with anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV, antitubercular, antihyperglycemic, and antibacterial properties. This review employed the leading scientific databases Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed up to the end of 2022, as well as the combining terms pyranocoumarins, synthesis, isolation, structural elucidation, and biological activity. Among the catalysts employed, acidic magnetic nanocatalysts, transition metal catalysts, and carbon-based catalysts have all demonstrated improved reaction yields and facilitated reactions under milder conditions. Herein, the present review discusses the various multicomponent synthetic strategies for pyranocoumarins catalyzed by transition metal-based catalysts, transition metal-based nanocatalysts, transition metal-free catalysts, carbon-based nanocatalysts, and their potential pharmacological activities. 2023 The Authors. Chemistry & Biodiversity published by Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland. -
Past decade of supercapacitor research Lessons learned for future innovations
Due to their high power density, long cycle stability, and quick charge/discharge rates, supercapacitors are gaining popularity in the field of energy storage devices. These distinct features have enabled supercapacitors to create their own space in the energy storage device realm. This review addresses contemporary ways to increase not just the power density, rate capability, cycle stability, and other properties of supercapacitors, but also their energy density utilising hybrid topologies. Because electrodes are the most significant component of a supercapacitor cell and the last decade mainly focused on the material realm, this paper focuses on the design of hybrid supercapacitor electrodes with high specific capacitance, as well as the explication of the mechanisms involved. We have also given an insight about the merits and demerits of various electrode materials that have been employed till date. The new trends and improvement in supercapacitor development are also summarized. 2023 Elsevier Ltd -
A Review on Recent Trends in Biological Applications of Non-conjugated Polymer Dots
With the advancement of zero-dimensional carbon materials, carbon dots (CDs) have received immense attention owing to their exceptional optical properties, tailoring of size, and ease of functionalization. They have wide applications in fluorescent sensing, chemical sensing, bioimaging, photocatalysis, etc. Zero-dimensional polymer nanoparticles are called polymer dots (PDs) and are classified into conjugated and non-conjugated PDs based on their conjugated system. Non-conjugated polymer dots (NCPDs) do not have specific conjugated fluorophore groups, but they have superior chemical stability and water solubility than the conjugated PDs. The carbon core of NCPDs is surrounded by polymer chains containing ample functional groups such as C=O, N=O, and C=N, which are responsible for the luminescent PDs. NCPDs are less toxic, photostable, and biocompatible and are relevant in biological explorations in bioimaging, drug delivery, biosensing, etc. This mini-review provides a systematic overview of the inherent properties and the biological applications of NCPDs. It also emphasises the synergistic impacts on the optical performance of modified PDs and significant future research concerns. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. -
A road map on synthetic strategies and applications of biodegradable polymers
Biodegradable polymers have emerged as fascinating materials due to their non-toxicity, environmentally benign nature and good mechanical strength. The toxic effects of non-biodegradable plastics paved way for the development of sustainable and biodegradable polymers. The engineering of biodegradable polymers employing various strategies like radical ring opening polymerization, enzymatic ring opening polymerization, anionic ring opening polymerization, photo-initiated radical polymerization, chemoenzymatic method, enzymatic polymerization, ring opening polymerization and coordinative ring opening polymerization have been discussed in this review. The application of biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles in the biomedical field and cosmetic industry is considered to be an emerging field of interest. However, this review mainly highlights the applications of selected biodegradable polymers like polylactic acid, poly(?-caprolactone), polyethylene glycol, polyhydroxyalkanoates, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and polytrimethyl carbonate in various fields like agriculture, biomedical, biosensing, food packaging, automobiles, wastewater treatment, textile and hygiene, cosmetics and electronic devices. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. -
Breast cancer detection: A comparative review on passive and active thermography
Breast cancer is the main cause of death among women due to cancer. Early detection is crucial in controlling the disease. Thermography is a non-invasive imaging method that uses temperature differences on the breast surface to identify tumors. This paper focuses on the various aspects of thermography as a diagnostic tool for detecting breast cancer. It includes a review of the currently existing active thermography approaches used to energize the tumor cell to enhance the thermal contrast on the surface. The comparison of passive and active thermography showed that active thermography was more effective, increasing depth-dependent performance from 3 mm to 9 mm for 1.5 mm sized tumors and accuracy from 54% to 82% without a rise in false positive rates. The contrast between malignant and benign tissue also improved from 0.6 C to 0.9 C, indicating that active thermography increases the performance of passive thermography in various aspects. A comparative study of active thermography reveals that healthy tissues are likely to be damaged if the input parameters are not regulated properly. A comprehensive comparison of various tumor estimation algorithms in the paper concludes that the dynamic analysis using an active approach outperforms static analysis due to a significant decrease in error percentage. 2023 Elsevier B.V. -
A review on the immunomodulatory properties of functional nutraceuticals as dietary interventions for children to combat COVID-19 related infections
COVID-19 is a significant threat to humanity in the present day due to the rapid increase in the number of infections worldwide. While most children may be spared of the direct mortality effects of the disease, those with weak immune systems are prone to adverse effects. Child mortality increases due to the stress caused to the health care system that disrupts essential health care needs such as immunisation and antenatal care. The use of functional foods (FF) aids in disease-prevention as they are known to have protective effects against COVID-19 by boosting childrens cellular and humoral immunity. Plant components such as glycyrrhizin, epigallocatechin gallate, allicin, and fucoidan exhibit antiviral properties against various viruses, including SARS-CoV 2. Microbial foods that are made of probiotics, can enhance immunity against various respiratory viruses. Food enriched with additives such as lactoferrin, piperine, and zinc can boost immunity against COVID-19. With proper definitive drug therapy not available for treating COVID-19 and most of the disease management tools rely on symptoms and non-specific supportive care, developing a functional paediatric formulation will prevent further deterioration in infant health. It is wise to investigate the toxicological aspects of Functional Foods components especially when formulating for children. The safe limits of ingredients should be strictly followed during FFs formulation. Stronger regulations with advanced analytical techniques can help to formulate functional foods into the mainstream in child nutraceuticals. The purpose of this review is to compile collective information on the functional nutraceuticals specifically for infants and children up to the age of 10 years that could confer immunity against COVID-19 and other related viruses. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. 2023, The Author(s).