Enhanced arsenite removal by superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in-situ synthesized on a commercial cube-shape sponge: adsorption-oxidation mechanism

Arsenite in plant biology: How plants tackle it?

Among toxic elements, arsenic (As) comes under group 1 carcinogenic metalloid. Its presence in the soil and irrigation water in a higher concentration than permissible limit has become a threat to crop production and human livelihood. Crop plants, specifically those used as staple foods, exhibit the highest As accumulation which subsequently accumulates in the human body after their consumption, leading to severe fatal diseases. As occurs in two main inorganic forms including trivalent (As(III)) and pentavalent (As(V)), of which the trivalent form is more toxic. In plants, uptake of As(III) is affected by oxidizing or reducing environment of the soil and the pH and is mediated by various transporters such as Nodulin-26-like aquaporins (such as Lsi1 and Lsi2). Plants utilize various strategies that help them to withstand the toxic effect of As(III) including reshuffling in many biochemical and physiological processes. These strategies include the use of endogenously generated or exogenously applied chemicals or plant growth regulators. This review article discusses the uptake, transport, and various mechanisms to tolerate higher As(III) in plants. Besides, an update on the use of protectants in curtailing As(III) toxicity in crop plants has also been described.

A review on synthesis methods and recent applications of nanomaterial in wastewater treatment: Challenges and future perspectives

Freshwater has been incessantly polluted by various activities such as rapid industrialization, fast growth of population and agricultural activities. Water pollution is considered as one the major threatens to human health and aquatic bodies which causes various severe harmful diseases including gastrointestinal disorders, asthma, cancer, etc. The polluted wastewater could be treated by different conventional and advanced methodologies. Amongst them, adsorption is the most utilized low cost, efficient technique to treat and remove the harmful pollutants from the wastewater. The efficiency of adsorption mainly depends on the surface properties such as functional group availability and surface area of the adsorbents used. Since various waste-based carbon derivatives are utilized as adsorbents for harmful pollutants removal; nanomaterials are employed as effective adsorbents in recent times due to its excellent surface properties. This review presents an overview of the different types of nanomaterials such as nano-particles, nanotubes, nano-sheets, nano-rods, nano-spheres, quantum dots, etc. which have been synthesized by different chemical and green synthesis methodologies using plants, microorganisms, biomolecules and carbon derivatives, metals and metal oxides and polymers. By concentrating on potential research difficulties, this study offers a new viewpoint on fundamental field of nanotechnology for wastewater treatment applications. This review paper critically reviewed the synthesis of nanomaterials more importantly green synthesis and their applications in wastewater treatment to remove the harmful pollutants such as heavy metals, dyes, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc.

A review on contemporary nanomaterial-based therapeutics for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) with special reference to the Indian scenario

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a predominant chronic metabolic syndrome, resulting in various complications and high mortality associated with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Approximately 15-30% of diabetic patients suffer from DFUs, which is expected to increase annually. The major challenges in treating DFUs are associated with wound infections, alterations to inflammatory responses, angiogenesis and lack of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Furthermore, the lack of targeted therapy and efficient wound dressings for diabetic wounds often results in extended hospitalization and limb amputations. Hence, it is essential to develop and improve DFU-specific therapies. Nanomaterial-based innovative approaches have tremendous potential for preventing and treating wound infections of bacterial origin. They have greater benefits compared to traditional wound dressing approaches. In this approach, the physiochemical features of nanomaterials allow researchers to employ different methods for diabetic wound healing applications. In this review, the status and prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and amputations due to DFUs in India, the pathophysiology of DFUs and their complications are discussed. Additionally, nanomaterial-based approaches such as the use of nanoemulsions, nanoparticles, nanoliposomes and nanofibers for the treatment of DFUs are studied. Besides, emerging therapeutics such as bioengineered skin substitutes and nanomaterial-based innovative approaches such as antibacterial hyperthermia therapy and gene therapy for the treatment of DFUs are highlighted. The present nanomaterial-based techniques provide a strong base for future therapeutic approaches for skin regeneration strategies in the treatment of diabetic wounds.