Nanotechnologies for environmental remediation and their ecotoxicological impacts.

Environmental nanoremediation is an emerging technology that aims to rapidly and efficiently remove contaminants from the polluted sites using engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Inorganic nanoparticles which are generally metallic, silica-based, carbon-based, or polymeric in nature serve to remediate through chemical reactions, filtration, or adsorption. Their greater surface area per unit mass and high reactivity enable them to treat groundwater, wastewater, oilfields, and toxic industrial contaminants.

Arsenic and Human Health: Genotoxicity, Epigenomic Effects, and Cancer Signaling.

Arsenic is a well-known element because of its toxicity. Humans as well as plants and animals are negatively affected by its exposure. Some countries suffer from high levels of arsenic in their tap water and soils, which is considered a primary arsenic-linked risk factor for living beings.

Variations in the frequencies of polymorphisms in the CYP2C9 gene in six major ethnicities of Pakistan.

Genetic variation in cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 is known to cause significant inter-individual differences in drug response and adverse effects. The frequencies of CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3, both of which are responsible for the low activity of the enzyme, are not known in the Pakistani population. Therefore, we screened various ethnic groups residing in Pakistan for these polymorphisms.

Genetic variations in the drug metabolizing enzyme, CYP2E1, among various ethnic populations of Pakistan.

Genetic polymorphism in cytochrome P450 (CYP) monooxygenase genes is an important source of interindividual variability of drug response. CYP enzyme activities may change as a result of such polymorphisms which then, may affect drug metabolism. This would result in a change in the severity and frequency of adverse effects in addition to the non-responder phenomenon.