Sadullah Mir

Micro- and nanoplastics (M/NPs) are widespread environmental pollutants arising from the increased use of plastics, presenting significant threats to human health and freshwater ecosystems. These particles are derived from both secondary and primary sources, including the breakdown of larger plastic debris and industrial abrasives, and cosmetics. After being released, M/NPs move through the air, water, and soil, where they persist, bioaccumulate, and interact with biological systems, potentially causing toxicity, inflammation, and oxidative stress. This study thoroughly addresses the origins, environmental routes, and health impacts of M/NPs, as well as the most current remediation strategies. Physical, chemical, biological, and hybrid therapeutic techniques are evaluated critically, with adsorption receiving special attention due to its efficiency and simplicity of usage. Graphene oxide (GO), a potential carbon-based adsorbent with a large surface area, several oxygen-containing functional groups, and a remarkable removal capability (up to 617.28 mg g⁻¹ for polystyrene microplastics), receives special attention. Along with a comparison with other adsorbents, the review discusses GO's structural properties, synthesis procedures (including the Hummers' process), and adsorption mechanisms. This study contributes to the development of cutting-edge, environmentally friendly water treatment technologies by combining new research and emphasising the potential of GO-based materials for effective M/NP remediation in aquatic settings.

The Demand for sustainable and effective removal of dye has driven the recent research into the synthesis of innovative material with maximum adsorption capabilities. This research focuses on the development of an innovative crosslinked guar gum/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blend for the enhanced removal of methyl red dye. The obtained blend was further characterized with techniques: Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDX, XRD, and TGA, which showed the blend formation (functional group), surface morphology, elemental analysis, crystalline nature, and thermal analysis, respectively. Furthermore, to check the mechanical strength of the blend, the swelling study was performed, which shows swelling in deionized water for 105 min, with the swelling ratio of 115.6 g/g, maximum swelling of 276.84–284.16 g/g at neutral pH studied at a range of pH 6–7. In electrolyte solutions, the swelling ratio of the blend decreased with increasing salt concentration. The adsorption of dye onto the prepared blend was optimized at pH 6, contact time 60 min, adsorbent dose of 0.0025 g, and temperature of 25°C. Under these conditions, the maximum adsorption capacity was 82.18 mg/L (80%) achieved. There was a decrease in adsorption with increasing temperature; at 25°C, it was 13.85 mg/L, while at 55°C, it was 11.79 mg/L, indicating an exothermic process. To check the efficiency of the blend, the adsorption data was simulated by applying different adsorption models, which shows Isotherm data closely followed the Langmuir isotherm with R² value of 0.99, and kinetic data best fitted by pseudo‐second‐order model having R² equal to 0.98. Langmuir isotherm indicated the monolayer adsorption, and the kinetic model showed chemisorption has taken place on the blend. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated, and the data revealed that the process of this adsorption was exothermic and spontaneous. The gel content of the blend was found to be 42%, which shows the crosslinking density of the blend. Regeneration trials showed that the adsorbent could successfully retain methyl red even after four cycles. Synthesized blends can remove dyes from wastewater in sustainable and effective ways. This study examines the unique features of this composite blend, including its better performance, eco‐friendliness, efficiency, innovation above traditional blends, and its structural makeup and fabrication method.

Carrageenan: structure, properties and applications.

Diabetic patients require regular insulin administration to maintain standard glucose. However, conventional injection procedures frequently lead to low patient compliance and an elevated risk of hypoglycemia. To overcome these challenges, a hydrogel-based system has been developed, with preliminary findings suggesting its potential for sustained insulin release while exhibiting pH-responsiveness and biocompatibility. A hydrogel composed of chitosan, sodium alginate, and graphene oxide (GO) crosslinked with tetra ethoxy silane (TEOS) was synthesized via the solvent casting method. The hydrogel's structural and physicochemical properties were determined by various analytical techniques. Swelling behavior, gel fraction, antimicrobial studies, insulin encapsulation efficacy, and in vitro release were analyzed at different pH. The hydrogel demonstrated higher encapsulation efficacy of 94% and pH-responsive swelling behavior with maximum swelling of 100% at pH 7. This hydrogel exhibited complete crosslinking, ensuring robust structural integrity and prolonged drug release as indicated by gel fraction analysis (almost 96–100%). Initially, in vitro studies were carried out to evaluate the insulin release profile. This study indicated that insulin release is pH-dependent, and it is a maximum of almost 98% at pH 6.8. SEM revealed the well-developed porous and spherical morphology. However, TGA and DSC confirmed its excellent thermal stability. Additionally, CSGI hydrogel exhibited a strong antimicrobial effect.