Photo-catalytic dye degradation potentials of Ag-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized from Vitex negundo.

Plant extracts are a great alternative to synthesizing nanoparticles of different metals and metal oxides. This green synthesis method has opened up numerous possibilities in various scientific domains. In present study, Leaf extract from Vitex negundo is a non-deciduous, long-lasting shrub from the Verbenaceae family is used as capping and reducing agents for the synthesis of silver and palladium nanoparticles. The characterization study UV-vis spectrophotometer analysis showed absorbance value around 320 nm which confirming that Ag-Pd nanoparticles have been successfully obtained. Further, SEM is used to investigate the morphology of Ag-Pd NPs, which revealing their spherical and rod-like configuration, aggregation, and the size of the particles are obtained between 50 and 100 nm. The successful synthesis of Ag-Pd NPs was further confirmed by the EDAX chart, which displayed the peak of Ag and Pd at bending energies between 0.5 and 1.5 keV. According to the quantitative study, Ag and Pd ions found about 5.24 and 13.28%, respectively. In addition, surface studies with TEM confirming that synthesized Ag-Pd NPs are predominates with spheres structure morphologies, with sizes averaging 11.20 nm and ranging from 10 to 20 nm. Further, Ag-Pd nanoparticles was applied as potential photocatalyst materials to degrade methylene blue dye and found about 85% of the degradation efficiency within 150 min of the sunlight exposure thus could be used as catalyst to removal of hazardous organic dye molecules.

Bio-electrochemical degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ): A comprehensive study on effectiveness, degradation pathway, and toxicological assessment.

Recent attention on the detrimental effects of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in natural water has spurred researchers to develop advanced wastewater treatment methods. Carbamazepine (CBZ), a widely recognized anticonvulsant, has often been a primary focus in numerous studies due to its prevalence and resistance to breaking down. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of a bio-electrochemical system in breaking down CBZ in polluted water and to assess the potential harmful effects of the treated wastewater. The results revealed bio-electro degradation process demonstrated a collaborative effect, achieving the highest CBZ degradation compared to electrodegradation and biodegradation techniques. Notably, a maximum CBZ degradation efficiency of 92.01% was attained using the bio-electrochemical system under specific conditions: Initial CBZ concentration of 60 mg/L, pH level at 7, 0.5% (v/v) inoculum dose, and an applied potential of 10 mV. The degradation pathway established by identifying intermediate products via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, revealed the complete breakdown of CBZ without any toxic intermediates or end products. This finding was further validated through in vitro and in vivo toxicity assays, confirming the absence of harmful remnants after the degradation process.

Reshaping the equitable and inclusive access to healthcare: A qualitative study.

Background: Improving equitable access to healthcare requires innovative interventions and strengthening a service innovation operational model to achieve transformative change and bring sustainability to public health interventions. The current study aims to identify the components of the Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) operational model as an innovative intervention to provide equitable and inclusive access to healthcare. Methods: The study used qualitative research to identify the components of the operational model of MMUs for primary healthcare in future. Data has been collected via semi-structured in-depth interviews with 103 healthcare professionals from six states representing India's Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III regions. A thematic analysis was performed to examine emergent salient themes. Results: The study identified and examined scalability, affordability, replicability, and sustainability as the four critical components of the operational model of MMUs. The findings of the study indicated that MMUs with these four components played a vital role in COVID-19 immunization, especially in resource-limited settings. The study found that MMUs are a cost-effective and scalable healthcare delivery model that can be easily replicated in primary healthcare service delivery. Conclusion: The findings underscore the significant role of MMUs in addressing healthcare disparities, particularly in resource-limited settings. The adaptability and cost-effectiveness of MMUs make them an ideal solution for primary healthcare delivery, especially in Tier I, II, and III regions of India. It lays a foundation for future research and policy-making, emphasizing the need for innovative, equitable, and sustainable healthcare delivery models like MMUs to transform and strengthen healthcare systems globally.

Unveiling the silent threat: Heavy metal toxicity devastating impact on aquatic organisms and DNA damage.

Heavy metal pollution has significant impacts on aquatic fauna and flora. It accumulates in marine organisms, both plants and animals, which are then consumed by humans. This can lead to various health problems, such as organ damage and the development of cancer. Additionally, this pollution causes biological magnification, where the toxicity concentration gradually increases as aquatic organisms continuously accumulate metals. This process results in apoptotic mechanisms, antioxidant defence, and inflammation, which are reflected at the gene expression level. However, there is limited research on specific heavy metals and their effects on fish organs. The concentration of metal contamination and accumulation in different tropical environments is a concern due to their toxicity to living organisms. Therefore, this review focuses on determining the influences of metals on fish and their effects on specific organs, including DNA alterations.

Evaluation of Lentilactobacillus parafarraginis A6-2 strain for aluminum removal and anti-inflammatory effects: implications for alleviating Al toxicity.

AIM: To assess the effectiveness of Lentilactobacillus parafarraginis A6-2 cell lysate for the removal of aluminum (Al), which induces neurotoxicity, and its protective effect at cellular level. METHODS AND RESULTS: The cell lysate of the selected L. parafarraginis A6-2 strain demonstrated superior Al removal compared to live or dead cells. The Al removal efficiency of L. parafarraginis A6-2 cell lysate increased with decreasing pH and increasing temperature, primarily through adsorption onto peptidoglycan. Neurotoxicity mitigation potential of L. parafarraginis A6-2 was evaluated using C6 glioma cells. C6 cells exposed with increasing concentration of Al led to elevated toxicity and inflammation, which were gradually alleviated upon treatment with L. parafarraginis A6-2. Moreover, Al-induced oxidative stress in C6 cells showed a concentration-dependent reduction upon treatment with L. parafarraginis A6-2. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that L. parafarraginis A6-2 strain, particularly in its lysate form, exhibited enhanced capability for Al removal. Furthermore, it effectively mitigated Al-induced toxicity, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

Significance of Herbaspirillum sp. in biodegradation and biodetoxification of herbicides, pesticides, hydrocarbons and heavy metals - A review.

In today's industrialized world, contamination of soil and water with various substances has emerged as a pressing concern. Bioremediation, with its advantages of degradation or detoxification, non-polluting nature, and cost-effectiveness, has become a promising method due to technological advancements. Among the bioremediation agents, bacteria have been highly explored and documented as a productive organism. Recently, few studies have reported on the significance of Herbaspirillum sp., a Gram-negative bacterium, in bioremediating herbicides, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metalloids, and heavy metals, as well as its role in augmenting phytoremediation efforts. Herbaspirillum sp. GW103 leached 66% of Cu from ore materials and significantly enhanced the phytoaccumulation of Pb and Zn in plumule and radical tissues of Zea mays L. plants. Additionally, Herbaspirillum sp. WT00C reduced Se6+ into Se0, resulting in an increased Se0 content in tea plants. Also, Herbaspirillum sp. proved effective in degrading 0.6 mM of 4-chlorophenol, 92.8% of pyrene, 77.4% of fluoranthene, and 16.4% of trifluralin from aqueous solution and soil-water system. Considering these findings, this review underscores the need for further exploration into the pathways of pollutant degradation, the enzymes pivotal in the degradation or detoxification processes, the influence of abiotic factors and pollutants on crucial gene expression, and the potential toxicity of intermediate products generated during the degradation process. This perspective reframes the numerical data to underscore the underutilized potential of Herbaspirillum sp. within the broader context of addressing a significant research gap. This shift in emphasis aligns more closely with the problem-necessity for solution-existing unexplored solution framework.

Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2: potential bacteria for eliminating bisphenol A and reducing BpA-induced lipid accumulation.

Bisphenol A (BpA) is an endocrine-disrupting substance commonly found in plastics and resins. It is reported that BpA exposure induces lipid accumulation in humans, similar to obesogenic compounds. The main objective of this study is to investigate the removal of BpA using Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2, and to examine its potential for reducing BpA-induced lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cell line model. The heat-dried cells of Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2 showed 69.7% removal efficiency for initial BpA concentration of 10 µg/mL, which was 30.5% higher than the live cells. The absence of metabolites or intermediates in BpA removal studies indicates that the Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2 strain removed BpA by adsorption process. The hydrophobic interactions of heat-dried Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2 cells were observed to be higher with 33.7% compared to live cells (15.0%), suggesting a stronger ability to bind with BpA. Although the BpA binding onto Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2 was not affected by pH, it was confirmed that as the temperature increases, the binding ability got decreased due to mass transfer and diffusion of BpA molecules. Treatment with Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2 (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1%) reduced lipid accumulation by 61.7, 58.0, 52.7 and 60.4% in 3T3-L1 cells exposed with BpA. In addition, it was confirmed that Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2 treatment suppressed the protein expression levels of lipogenesis-related PPARγ and C/EBPα in 3T3-L1 cells. The results of the study suggest that the Lactiplantibacillus sp. D10-2 strain can remove BpA and reduce BpA-accelerated lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells.

Prevalence of enterotoxin genes of Staphylococcus sp. isolated from marine fish to reveal seafood contamination.

Seafood is a valuable nutritional source, but it is highly susceptible to bacterial contamination, posing a severe health risk to humans. Enterotoxin-producing genes carrying Staphylococcus sp. are a significant concern in marine fish. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of enterotoxin genes in Staphylococcus sp. isolated from 17 common fish species and emphasise the need for improving seafood quality and hygiene. The potential risks of contamination by enterotoxin-producing Staphylococcus sp. were assessed. The results indicated the risk associated with the consumption of contaminated seafood, especially from marketed and frozen samples. Gene expression analysis on a heat map revealed that samples stored in markets are heavily loaded with Staphylococcus enterotoxin genes due to the unhygienic water that was used from the local markets for fish processing. To enhance seafood quality, effective measures on handling and storage should be regularly monitored, and they must be implemented throughout the local seafood markets.

Applied potential assisted biodegradation of amoxicillin (AMX) using bacterial consortium isolated from a waste dump site.

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern day living with their ability to effectively treat infectious diseases in humans and animals. However, the release of antibiotic compounds into the environment has led to toxic consequences. To reduce this environmental impact, it is important to employ an inexpensive and rational technology to reduce the amount of antibiotics released into the ecosystem. This study aims to explore the potential of using a bio-electrochemical system (BES) to remove Amoxicillin (AMX) from artificially contaminated soil using a microbial consortium and pure culture isolates. Under desired conditions, including an initial AMX concentration of 150 mg/L, 5 mg/L tryptone as the nitrogen source, pH of 7, temperature of 29 °C, an applied potential of 0.8 V, and an inoculum dose of 1% w/v, the BES showed a maximum degradation of 97.9% of AMX with the microbial consortium (HP03, HP09, and HP10). High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyse the intermediates formed during the degradation process, and the pathway elucidated revealed complete degradation of AMX. Phytotoxicity studies and degradation efficiency against multiple antibiotics confirmed the environmental significance of the BES with microbial consortium. Overall, this study highlights the potential of BES as a cost-effective and efficient method for reducing the release of antibiotics into the environment and provides valuable insights into the mechanisms and pathways of antibiotic degradation.

Structural diversity, functional versatility and applications in industrial, environmental and biomedical sciences of polysaccharides and its derivatives - A review.

Recent efforts on the expansion of sustainable and commercial primal matters are essential to enhance the knowledge of their hazards and noxiousness to humans and their environments. For example, polysaccharide materials are widely utilized in food, wound dressing, tissue engineering, industry, targeted drug delivery, environmental, and bioremediation due to their attractive degradability, nontoxicity and biocompatibility. There are numerous easy, quick, and efficient ways to manufacture these materials that include cellulose, starch, chitosan, chitin, dextran, pectin, gums, and pullulan. Further, they exhibit distinctive properties when combined favourably with raw materials from other sources. This review discusses the synthesis and novel applications of these carbohydrate polymers in industrial, environmental and biomedical sciences.

Detoxification of p-nitrophenol (PNP) using Enterococcus gallinarum JT-02 isolated from animal farm waste sludge.

Enterococcus gallinarum (JT-02) isolated and identified from the animal farm waste sludge was found to be capable of biodegrading p-nitrophenol (PNP), an organic compound used to manufacture drugs, fungicides, insecticides, dyes, and to darken leather. The intention of this study was to optimize the biodegradation by finding the optimal conditions for the specific strain through single-factor experiments. The bacterial strain was grown in Luria Bertani broth and various parameters were optimized to achieve the prime settings for the p-nitrophenol (PNP) biodegradation. The results indicated that the best setups for the biodegradation by the strain JT-02 was 100 mg/L of PNP; pH 7; 30 °C; 150 rpm in a shaker incubator and 3% (v/v) of inoculum dose. Once the optimal conditions were found, the bacteria were capable of degrading p-nitrophenol (98.21%) in 4 days. Intermediates produced during PNP biodegradation were identified using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis and the biodegradation pathway was elucidated. Phytotoxicity studies were carried out with Vigna radiata seeds to confirm the applicability and efficiency of PNP biodegradation.

Effect of fermentation on antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-Helicobacter pylori adhesion activity of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica root bark.

The limited yield of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica root bark (URB) extract is considered an economic loss to the food industry. Improving extraction yield and bioactivity through fermentation increase the industrial usage of URB. The study aims to optimize the fermentation with cellulolytic and pectinolytic bacteria and evaluate the bioactivity and anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of the fermented URB extract. URB fermentation with the Bacillus licheniformis FLa3, isolated from salted seafood (Sardinella zunasi), under optimal conditions (37 °C, pH 6, 10% inoculum dose, and 36 h) improved the extraction yield by 36% compared to the control. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the fermented extract were significantly higher than non-fermented extract. High-performance liquid chromatography results confirmed that the fermentation increased the proportion of bioactive components such as catechin (171.7%), epicatechin (144.3%), quercetin (27.3%), and kaempferol (16.7%). The results confirmed that the fermentation increased both the extraction yield and bioactivity.

Examining the Impact of Key Factors on COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage in India: A PLS-SEM Approach.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, numerous factors determined the performance of COVID-19 vaccination coverage. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of factors such as government stewardship, planning and implementation, and community participation on COVID-19 vaccination coverage. This study applied partial least square structured equation modeling (PLS-SEM) by analyzing 187 responses from the stakeholders involved in vaccination programs in four select states of India. This study empirically validates a framework for improving vaccination coverage by confirming the significant impact of planning and implementation on vaccination coverage followed by government stewardship and community participation. Additionally, this study highlights the individual impact of each factor on vaccination coverage. Based on the findings, strategic recommendations were proposed that can be utilized for formulating policy-level actions to facilitate the vaccination program.

Noble metals (Pd, Ag, Pt, and Au) doped bismuth oxybromide photocatalysts for improved visible light-driven catalytic activity for the degradation of phenol.

The doping of noble metals onto the semiconductor metal oxides has a great impact on the intrinsic properties of the materials. This present work reports the synthesis of noble metals doped BiOBr microsphere by a solvothermal method. The various characteristic findings reveal the effective incorporation of Pd, Ag, Pt, and Au onto the BiOBr and the performance of synthesized samples was test for the degradation of phenol over visible light. The Pd-doped BiOBr material showed enhanced phenol degradation efficacy, which is ∼4-fold greater than pure BiOBr. This improved activity was on reason of good photon absorption, lower recombination rate, and higher surface area facilitated by surface plasmon resonance. Moreover, Pd-doped BiOBr sample displayed good reusability and stability after 3 cycles of run. A plausible charge transfer mechanism for phenol degradation is disclosed in detail over Pd-doped BiOBr sample. Our findings disclose that the incorporation of noble metal as the electron trap is a feasible approach to enhance visible light activity of BiOBr photocatalyst used in phenol degradation. This work represents new vision interested in the outline and development of noble metal doped semiconductor metal oxides as a visible light material for the elimination of colorless toxins from untreated wastewater.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using seagrass Cymodocea serrulata (R.Br.) Asch. & Magnus, characterization, and evaluation of anticancer, antioxidant, and antiglycemic index.

In the present study, the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using ethanol extract of Cymodocea serrulata and biological activity were investigated by UV-visible spectrophotometer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that nanoparticles synthesized were confirmed by color change from green to dark brown. The XRD analysis confirmed that the AgNPs were crystalline and found that their UV maximum specific absorbance was between 200 and 400 nm, and their field emission scanning electron microscopy size was between 60 and 69 nm. FTIR studies identified different functional groups involved in the potential capping of AgNPs. The antidiabetic activity of the AgNPs was tested by the inhibition of carbohydrate digestive enzymes (a-glucosidase and amylase). In addition, it has exhibited potential anticancer activity against breast cancer cells (MDF7). Hence, the present result warrants ecofriendly and efficient method in the synthesis of AgNPs, which can act as an alternative biomaterial for biomedical applications.

Predominance of multi-drug resistant extended spectrum ß lactamase producing bacteria from marine fishes.

The present study aimed to determine the extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) genes in the bacteria from fresh exportable fish samples collected along South east coast of India, Chennai. ESBL genes are the base for the antibiotic resistance in pathogens and it transmitted from one to other species. Totally 2670 isolates were isolated from 293 fish samples which belong to 31 species dominated by Aeromonas, Klebsiella, Serratia, Leclerica, Proteus, Enterobacter, Acinetobacter, Haemophilus, Escherichia, Shigella sp. Out of 2670 isolates, 1958 isolates have multi drug resistant capacity with ESBL genes of blaCTX, blaSHV, blaTEM and blaAmpC and 712 isolates are not detected ESBL genes. The present study revealed that, the contamination of fresh fish sample with pathogenic bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics can incriminate seafood as a potential carrier and accentuate an immediate need to prevent environmental infectivity and distribution. Further, hygienic facilitated markets should be developed with ensured quality of seafood.

A hybrid technique for sulfamethoxazole (SFM) removal using Enterobacter hormaechei HaG-7: Bio-electrokinetic degradation, pathway and toxicity.

Prolonged exposure to antibiotics would likely favor the development of antibiotic resistance and their gene transfer among bacterial communities that are responsible for enriched antibiotic resistant microbes. Sulfamethoxazole (SFM) is a commonly used antibiotic that is released into the environment through human and animal wastes. Improper degradation of SFM poses severe threats to mankind and all life forms. The present study aims in analyzing the process and the probability of utilizing bio-electrokinetic degradation for elimination of SFM from artificially contaminated soil employing Enterobacter hormaechei HaG-7. The desired optimal conditions for SFM degradation (∼98%) were observed at SFM initial concentration (100 mg/L) with an inoculum dose (1% v/v) and applied potential voltage (1.5 V) at pH (7). The results indicated efficient and complete degradation of SFM when compared with the conventional biodegradation.

Effect of temperature changes on antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress in gastropod Nerita oryzarum collected along India's first Tarapur Atomic Power Plant site.

Temperature can be considered as pro-oxidant factor that favor the generation of ROS on the species with lower antioxidant efficiency may leads to affect the level of tolerance. So the basic antioxidant enzyme activity (LPO, CAT, SOD, GPx and GST) of gastropod Nerita oryzarum was evaluated at six stations which located between the thermal effluent discharges points from Tarapur Atomic Power Station, India. The antioxidant enzyme activity was shown that all enzyme at discharge point (SII station) where the maximum temperature of heated effluent released. The average maximum values of enzyme activity recorded for LPO, CAT, SOD, GPx and GST were 1.88 ± 0.12, 1.52 ± 0.14, 22.57 ± 0.89, 1.98 ± 0.2 and 17.22 ± 0.63 respectively. The results were inferred the level water temperature directly proportional to the oxidative stress by ROS generation in Nerita oryzarum. Similar results were observed at laboratory experiment under the condition i.e., Treatment 1 (300C), Treatment 2 (350C), Treatment 3 (400C) and Control (250C). The present prima facie work clearly indicated the physiological response of N. oryzarum with respect to antioxidant enzyme activity against the heated effluent released, which will be useful as baseline information for future research work.

Characterization of petroleum degrading bacteria and its optimization conditions on effective utilization of petroleum hydrocarbons.

Hydrocarbon contamination is continuing to be a serious environmental problem because of their toxicity. Hydrocarbon components have been known to be carcinogens and neurotoxic organic pollutants. The physical and chemical methods of petroleum removal have become ineffective and also are very costly. Therefore, bioremediation is considered the promising technology for the treatment of these contaminated sites since it is cost-effective and will lead to complete mineralization.The current study also concentrates on bioremediation of petroleum products by bacterium isolated from petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil. The current work shows that bacterial strains obtained from a petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated environment may degrade petroleum compounds. Two strains Bacillus licheniformis ARMP2 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ARMP8 were identified as petroleum-degrading bacteria of the isolated bacterial colonies. The best growth conditions for the ARMP2 strain were determined to be pH 9, temperature 29 °C with sodium nitrate as its nitrogen source, whereas for the ARMP8 strain the optimal growth was found at pH 7, temperature 39 °C, and ammonium chloride as the nitrogen source. Both strains were shown to be effective at degrading petroleum chemicals confirmed by GCMS. Overall petroleum product degradation efficiency of the strains ARMP2 and ARMP8 was about 88 % and 73 % respectively in 48 h.The strains Bacillus licheniformis ARMP2 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ARMP8 were shown to be effective at degrading petroleum compounds in the current study. Even greater results might be obtained if the organisms were utilised in consortia or the degradation time period was extended.