Mechanistic understanding of green synthesized cerium nanoparticles for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes and antibiotics from aqueous media and antimicrobial efficacy: A review.

In recent years, extensive research endeavors are being undertaken for synthesis of an efficient, economic and eco-friendly cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) using plant extract mediated greener approach. A number of medicinal plants and their specific parts (flowers, bark, seeds, fruits, seeds and leaves) have been found to be capable of synthesizing CeO2 NPs. The specific key phytochemical constituents of plants such as alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, flavones and tannins can play significant role as a reducing, stabilizing and capping agents in the synthesis of CeO2 NPs from their respective precursor solution of metal ions. The CeO2 NPs are frequently using in diverse fields of science and technology including photocatalytic degradation of dyes, antibiotics as well as antimicrobial applications. In this review, the mechanism behind the green synthesis CeO2 NPs using plant entities are summarized along with discussion of analytical results from characterization techniques. An overview of CeO2 NPs for water remediation application via photocatalytic degradation of dyes and antibiotics are discussed. In addition, the mechanisms of antimicrobial efficacy of CeO2 NPs and current challenges for their sustainable application at large scale in real environmental conditions are discussed.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement: a test for health diplomacy

Against the background of stalled negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO), there has been a proliferation of bilateral and regional trade agreements. Most of these contain provisions which go beyond existing WTO agreements in the protection of intellectual property (IP), and raise concerns about the ability of low and middle-income countries to provide affordable drugs for their populations. An extreme case is the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), now under negotiation among eleven countries. Competing interests within and among countries, evolving alliances and economic ties, and external factors present a challenge for health diplomacy at the intersection of health and trade. With the emergence of new economic power centres, low and middle-income countries have wider choice for trade partnerships and do not have to accept agreements that are incompatible with their policy objectives. The situation calls for a more sophisticated and inclusive style of health diplomacy than we have seen up to now.