Science-society-policy interface for microplastic and nanoplastic: Environmental and biomedical aspects.

The global concern over the possible consequences of the downsizing of plastic to microplastics (MPs) and nano plastics (NPs) needs to be addressed with a new conceptual framework. The transformation of plastics to MPs and NPs can be discussed in terms of fundamental physics principles applicable to micro and nanophase matter and colloidal science principles. Further, accurate and reliable detection and characterization of MPs and NPs are crucial for an extensive understanding of their environmental and ecological impacts.

A new method for biological synthesis of agriculturally relevant nanohydroxyapatite with elucidated effects on soil bacteria.

The study describes a novel and environment friendly route of biosynthesis of nanohydroxyapatite (nHAP). Bacillus licheniformis mediated synthesis of nHAP has been carried out with different phosphate concentrations (2%, 5%, 10% and 20% w/v) of potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate monobasic (KHPO). The synthesis is supported by a two-step mechanism - (i) solubilization of P by organic acids extracellularly secreted by the bacterial strain and (ii) gelation of P and Ca.

Dataset on the synthesis and physicochemical characterization of blank and curcumin encapsulated sericin nanoparticles obtained from silkworm cocoons.

The dataset presents the synthesis and physicochemical characterization of blank and curcumin encapsulated sericin protein nanoparticles obtained from (also known as Ahimsa silk or Peace silk or Eri). Reports on application of sericin protein obtained from are scanty at best. Sericin was extracted from the cocoons by high temperature and high pressure method.

Vanillin mediated green synthesis and application of gold nanoparticles for reversal of antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious concern in pathogenic bacteria. As a new approach to addressing AMR, we report here the green synthesis of vanillin capped gold nanoparticles (VAuNPs) using the popular flavouring molecule vanillin (CHO) as a reducing and capping agent. Physicochemical characterization revealed that the synthesised VAuNPs were stable and crystalline in nature.

Prospects and application of nanobiotechnology in food preservation: molecular perspectives.

Applications of biotechnological tools in food preservation have shown promising results in minimizing food spoilage. Design and development of highly efficient food preservatives are one of the key success factors in this application field. However, due to the inherent shortcomings of the bulk forms of such preservatives, research was in progress to find suitable alternatives to replace conventional modalities.

Alternatives to antibiotics in poultry feed: molecular perspectives.

The discovery of the growth promoting property of antibiotics led to their use as antibiotic feed additives (AFAs) in animal feed at sub-therapeutic doses. Although this has been beneficial for animal health and productivity, it has been, essentially, a double-edged sword. The continued and non-judicious use of AFAs has led to the selection and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant strains of poultry pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and Escherichia coli.

Valorization of crude glycerol and eggshell biowaste as media components for hydrogen production: A scale-up study using co-culture system.

The properties of eggshells (EGS) as neutralizing and immobilizing agent were investigated for hydrogen (H) production using crude glycerol (CG) by co-culture system. Eggshells of different sizes and concentrations were used during batch and repeated-batch fermentation. For batch and repeated-batch fermentation, the maximum H production (36.

Diclofenac and its transformation products: Environmental occurrence and toxicity - A review.

Diclofenac (DCF) is a prevalent anti-inflammatory drug used throughout the world. Intensive researches carried out in the past few decades have confirmed the global ubiquity of DCF in various environmental compartments. Its frequent occurrence in freshwater environments and its potential toxicity towards several organisms such as fish and mussels makes DCF an emerging environmental contaminant.

A review on the important aspects of lipase immobilization on nanomaterials.

Lipase is one of the most widely used enzymes and plays an important role in biotechnological and industrial processes including food, paper, and oleochemical industries, as well as in pharmaceutical applications. However, its aqueous solubility and instability make its application relatively difficult and expensive. The immobilization technique is often used to improve lipase performance, and the strategy has turned out to be a promising method.

Encapsulation and release studies of strawberry polyphenols in biodegradable chitosan nanoformulation.

Polyphenols (negative groups) of strawberry extract interacts with positively protonated amino groups of chitosan which helps in maximum encapsulation. This approach can improve the bioavailability and sustained release of phytochemicals having lower bioavailability. The optimum mass ratio of chitosan-tripolyphosphate and polyphenols (PPs) loading was investigated to be 3:1 and 0.

Checking the Biocompatibility of Plant-Derived Metallic Nanoparticles: Molecular Perspectives.

Understanding the biocompatibility of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) is pivotal for biomedical applications. The biocompatibility of plant-derived MNPs has been mostly attributed to capped plant molecules. This claim seems to be straightforward but lacks conclusive evidence.

Recent advances in the biomedical applications of fumaric acid and its ester derivatives: The multifaceted alternative therapeutics.

Several lines of evidence have demonstrated the potential biomedical applications of fumaric acid (FA) and its ester derivatives against many human disease conditions. Fumaric acid esters (FAEs) have been licensed for the systemic treatment of the immune-mediated disease psoriasis. Biogen Idec Inc.

Adsorption of methylene blue on biochar microparticles derived from different waste materials.

Biochar microparticles were prepared from three different types of biochar, derived from waste materials, such as pine wood (BC-PW), pig manure (BC-PM) and cardboard (BC-PD) under various pyrolysis conditions. The microparticles were prepared by dry grinding and sequential sieving through various ASTM sieves. Particle size and specific surface area were analyzed using laser particle size analyzer.

A fermentative approach towards optimizing directed biosynthesis of fumaric acid by Rhizopus oryzae 1526 utilizing apple industry waste biomass.

The present research account deals with the bioproduction of fumaric acid (FA) from apple pomace ultrafiltration sludge (APUS) and apple pomace (AP) through fermentation. The filamentous fungus Rhizopus oryzae 1526 was used as a biocatalyst and its morphological impact on FA production was analysed in detail. For submerged fermentation, 40 g L(-1) of total solids concentration of APUS, pH 6.

Toxicity of chlortetracycline and its metal complexes to model microorganisms in wastewater sludge.

Complexation of antibiotics with metals is a well-known phenomenon. Wastewater treatment plants contain metals and antibiotics, thus it is essential to know the effect of these complexes on toxicity towards microorganisms, typically present in secondary treatment processes. In this study, stability constants and toxicity of chlortetracycline (CTC) and metal (Ca, Mg, Cu and Cr) complexes were investigated.

Enhanced fumaric acid production from brewery wastewater and insight into the morphology of Rhizopus oryzae 1526.

The present work explores brewery wastewater as a novel substrate for fumaric acid production employing the filamentous fungal strain Rhizopus oryzae 1526 through submerged fermentation. The effects of different parameters such as substrate total solid concentrations, fermentation pH, incubation temperature, flask shaking speed, and inoculum size on the fungal morphologies were investigated. Different morphological forms (mycelium clumps, suspended mycelium, and solid/hairy pellets) of R.

Plant mediated green synthesis: modified approaches.

Plant mediated green synthesis of different metallic nanoparticles has emerged as one of the options for implementation of green chemistry principles, and successfully made an important contribution towards green nanotechnology. However, beyond the synthesis and application aspects, the science of green synthesis has carried some wrong perceptions in an unforeseen fashion. In this review, some of the key issues related to the green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles employing plants as reducing/capping agents have been addressed.

Differential effects of Oroxylum indicum bark extracts: antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and apoptotic study.

Stem bark of Oroxylum indicum (L) (SBOI) is used by ethnic communities of North East India as health tonic and in treating diseases of humans and animals. The objective of this research was to carry out a detailed investigation including total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of different solvent extracts of SBOI and to establish correlation between some parameters. Among petroleum ether (PE), dichloromethane and methanol (MeOH) extract of SBOI, MeOH extract contained the highest amount of total phenolic (320.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Nyctanthes arbortristis flower extract.

The present study explores the reducing and capping potentials of ethanolic flower extract of the plant Nyctanthes arbortristis for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles. The extract at different volume fractions were stirred with HAuCl4 aqueous solution at 80 °C for 30 min. The UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis of the reaction products confirmed successful reduction of Au(3+) ions to gold nanoparticles.

Encapsulation of curcumin in alginate-chitosan-pluronic composite nanoparticles for delivery to cancer cells.

Unlabelled: We report a nanoformulation of curcumin with a tripolymeric composite for delivery to cancer cells. The composite nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by using three biocompatible polymers-alginate (ALG), chitosan (CS), and pluronic-by ionotropic pre-gelation followed by polycationic cross-linking. Pluronic F127 was used to enhance the solubility of curcumin in the ALG-CS NPs.