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Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary and innovative area, gaining world-wide attention due to its large applications in remediation of pollutants. Nanotechnology is a significant technique for implementing clean, non-hazardous, and environment friendly remediation approaches, because of their nano size and large surface area. The majority pollutants include heavy metals, petrochemicals, hormones, endocrine disruptors, and synthetic dye, pose a serious threat to humans and environment. The conventional approaches are costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, for effectively removing emerging pollutants. Therefore, the present review suggested the applications of nanotechnology by taking nanocatalysis and nanoadsorption process to highlight the shortcomings of traditional methods. Moreover, we discuss the nanomaterials including silver nanoparticles, dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, and quantum dots etc. as an effective alternative which can increase the sustainability of the applied technology. By exploring current research, this article aims to provide a comprehensive foundation for nano-based approaches, its related challenges and environmental concerns that enhance our understanding of nanomaterials properties and its related hurdles. This article also provides an overview of scientific insight of advanced nanomaterials with main focus given to mechanisms of remediation and demonstrates how recent developments in nanotechnology hold great promise for addressing a number of pressing issues in environmental research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are significant reasons for nitrate contamination in groundwater (Delhi, India): sewage, runoff from landfill sites, nitrogenous chemical fertilisers, and pesticides from agricultural lands. The highest recorded concentration of nitrate in Delhi's groundwater is reported to be 1500 mg/l. Consumption of high nitrate through water may pose serious health problems in humans, especially children (below five years). The study's primary objective was to isolate and identify nitrate-remediating microbes from the nitratecontaminated site Okhla Barrage, located on the Yamuna River in Delhi, India. A total of 11 different strains were isolated from this site. Among these four strains exhibited 40%-50% remediation efficiency at a nitrate concentration of 1000 mg/l. Molecular characterisation revealed that these four strains, Enterobacter aerogenes, E. coli K12, Klebsiella oxytoca and Lelliottia amnigena, belong to the Enterobacteriaceae family. This study assessed the nitrate remediation potential of isolated microbes in groundwater with 1000 and 1500 mg/l nitrate concentrations. By using a 2% inoculum, the microbes were incubated anaerobically at room temperature for ten days. Nitrate concentrations were monitored every 48 hours. Lelliottia, E. coli, and Enterobacter reduced nitrate (1500 mg/l) by approximately 42%, 24%, and 29%, respectively, while K. oxytoca showed minimal reduction. L. amnigena exhibited superior nitrate removal efficiency compared to other strains. According to the reported data, these strains are known to reduce nitrate concentrations of 620 mg/l. However, our findings demonstrate a remarkable nitrate remediation capacity of 1500 mg/l, showcasing a novel contribution to this study. Further detailed analysis for condition optimisation and association of microbe-microbe could be more helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has attracted significant attention due to its distinct structural attributes and remarkable physico-mechanical properties, making it highly popular in biomedical applications, such as artificial skin, blood vessels, tissue scaffolds, and wound dressings. However, its widespread application in a variety of fields is often limited by poor mechanical properties and functional characteristics. The development of BC-based composites by incorporating synthetic materials has been widely investigated to address these limitations. This review paper summarizes the fabrication strategies for BC composites in-situ and ex-situ methods for their development, and highlights their wide range of applications in diverse fields. Various strategies have been designed for the synthesis of BC composite functionalized materials, tailored to the specific nature of their intended application. In the synthesis of BC composites, either in-situ addition of reinforcing materials to the synthetic media or ex-situ incorporation of these materials into the microfilaments of the BC microfilaments is primarily involved. A wide range of materials have been used as reinforced materials, ranging from organic polymers to inorganic nanoparticles. These composite materials have the potential to be used for tissue regeneration, wound healing, enzyme immobilization, and the development of medical devices. Recent years have seen the development of BC composites incorporating conductive materials, being used in the production of various electrical products, such as biocatalysts, enzymes, e-papers, displays, electrical instruments, and optoelectronic devices. In summary, the synthesis of BC composites and their applications offers a path for producing advanced biomaterials with enhanced properties and diverse functionalities, exploring their potential as environmentally friendly and versatile materials applicable across multiple sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parabens, esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, have so far been "safely" used in our daily life as a preservative in most of the commercial products including cosmetics. It is the relatively inert, non-reactive, odorless nature and easy miscibility with the majority of the products that make it a suitable choice as preservative. However, recent studies have explored the dark side of the uses of this compound, as a potential environmental hazard due to its impact on humans as endocrine disruptor and carcinogen. In current study in-silico interactions between one such most extensively used Paraben, methyl Paraben (MP) and Porcine liver esterase were explored. Based on docking studies and binding energies of substrate (ethyl butyrate) and MP, it can be proposed that Porcine liver esterase can be a potential enzyme for MP hydrolysis. Also, the titrimetric method for esterase assay was also performed. The kinetic parameters, analysed using Line WeaverBurk's plot showed Km and Vmax to be 0.08 mM and 400 U/ml, respectively. The studies proposed that MP can be a potential substrate for hydrolysis by Porcine liver esterase, at pH 8.0 and 25 ºC. The study will open the avenue of using enzymes for designing analytical tools for detection of Paraben. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A global concern regarding environmental pollution with chromium contamination of agricultural soil has set up a critical challenge as its accumulation is noxious. Toxicity of Chromium to plants depends on the valence state where hexavalent chromium; Cr(VI) is considered highly toxic. Therefore, present study investigates the phytoremediation potential of leguminous plants; Vigna radiata and Vigna aconitifolia for the reduction of Cr (VI) hydroponically. The study was designed by growing the two plants in varying concentration of chromium ranging from 100 mg kg-1 to 800 mg kg-1 and parameters were assessed for toxicity and remediation potential under hexavalent chromium stress. V. radiata as compared to V. aconitifolia showed a significant decrease in root and shoot lengths with increasing concentration with 17.31% & 78.85% and shoot length 26.39% & 72.22% in V. radiata at 100 mg kg-1 and 800 mg kg-1 respectively. Whereas; in V. aconitifolia it was found to be as 9.26% & 72.22% in root, 18.67% & 68% in shoot at 100 mg kg-1 and 800 mg kg-1 respectively at p<0.05. Translocation factor > 1 was observed in both the plants with maximum as 2 in V. aconitifolia at 600 mg kg-1 and maximum remediation percentage of 85.33% which makes it a better phytoremediator than V. radiata. Certain morphological aberrations such as necrosis of leaves and discoloration of roots and shoots were observed at 600 mg kg-1 and 800 mg kg-1 concentration of chromium. Therefore based on these observations V. aconitifolia can be considered as a potential phytoremediator and hyperaccumulator of Cr(VI) over V. radiata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the whole-genome sequence of PGRG5 and the draft genome sequence of PGRG2. These strains were isolated from electronic waste contaminated soil. According to microbial identification, strain PGRG2 was identified as Enterobacter sp. (unclassified) with a size of ~4.4 Mbp and PGRG5 as Achromobacter insolitus with a size of ~6.2 Mbp., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Microplastics are emerging sources of environmental pollutants that are increasingly of concern because of their harmful impacts on aquatic life and thereby humans. Their accumulation in the environment is in direct proportion to global plastic production; their being nondegradable, recalcitrant and of a persistent nature creates an urgent need to address this issue on a global scale. Recent reports have demonstrated the presence of microplastics in marine life, and directly becoming a part of the food chain when seafood is ingested by humans. The repercussions of these studies point to an even larger scale presence of microplastics across varied habitats, which are yet to be sampled. Bioremediation, using various microorganisms such as bacteria, algae and fungi, alone or as consortia or in biofilm form can be used as an effective remediation tool. Genetically modified microorganisms for focused removal of microplastics and metagenomics studies, providing taxonomic details of uncultured organisms, are also expected to provide an additional catalogue of technologies in this field. This review offers a comprehensive overview of microplastic sources, existing technologies for treating microplastics and an in-depth analysis of bioremediation mechanisms, its components, and the results from various studies which provide sufficient clues as to the directions to be chosen to address microplastics pollution and can facilitate and instruct researchers to further investigate the more practical approaches and create new and innovative strategies for advanced remediation of microplastic in the future., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)