An Overview of Security Materials in Banknotes and Analytical Techniques in Detecting Counterfeits.

Counterfeiting or forged imitation of banknotes is a perpetual practice engulfing global economies. This not only poses challenges for the material scientists to come forth with advanced security materials but also demands veracious forensic examination to detect counterfeits. The present article pursues novel efforts in summarizing a study that lays focus on the recent optical and analytical examinations being used for the characterization and detection of chemical profiles of authentic and counterfeited banknotes. The article briefs the trends in banknote materials, security paper manufacturing process, security inks used for printing, and types of the security printing process in banknote practices. Reported literature shows the introduction of new anti-counterfeiting materials viz. magnetically-responsive photonic anti-counterfeiting watermarks, and fluorescent nanoparticles that can be used as anti-counterfeiting inks, anti-stokes inks, metameric inks, etc. Analytical techniques such as IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Mossbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, LIBS, XRF, ELDI-MS, EASI/DESI-MS, HPLC, VSC, AFM, etc. in conjunction with different chemometrics approaches have been critically discussed. The study also presents the future scope in banknote examination like the use of hyper spectral imaging and sensor-based counterfeit detection systems.

Effect of Synthesis Methods and Conditions on Properties and Applications of Carbon Dots for the Detection of Potential Water Contaminants: A Review.

The worldwide pollution of water bodies by potential contaminants such as heavy metals, dyes, and pesticides etc. have severely affected the entire eco-system due to their toxic mobility and tough degradation in water. Consequently, there is a requirement to develop cost-competitive and easily handleable sensing materials which can detect targets sensitively and with selectivity. Among the low-cost sensory materials, carbon dots (CDs) constitute an important class of carbon nanomaterial with unique photostability, electronic and fluorescent properties. This review is an effort to comprehend the recent improvements in the sensing applications of CDs with prominence on synthetic routes, the effect of various synthesis parameters on physical properties (quantum yield, size range), detection mechanisms, and detection parameters (limit of detection, interference etc.). Particularly, the scope and progress for the detection of potential water contaminants using CDs have been explored and a holistic view of mechanisms of their detection has been included.

Holistic view of mechanisms for different types of signals generated by CDs.

Zirconia-based nanomaterials: recent developments in synthesis and applications.

In the last decade, the whole scientific community has witnessed great advances and progress in the various fields of nanoscience. Among the different nanomaterials, zirconia nanomaterials have found numerous applications as nanocatalysts, nanosensors, adsorbents, etc. Additionally, their exceptional biomedical applications in dentistry and drug delivery, and interesting biological properties, viz. anti-microbial, antioxidant, and anti-cancer activity, have further motivated the researchers to explore their physico-chemical properties using different synthetic pathways. With such an interest in zirconia-based nanomaterials, the present review focuses systematically on different synthesis approaches and their impact on the structure, size, shape, and morphology of these nanomaterials. Broadly, there are two approaches, viz., chemical synthesis which includes hydrothermal, solvothermal, sol-gel, microwave, solution combustion, and co-precipitation methods, and a greener approach which employs bacteria, fungus, and plant parts for the preparation of zirconia nanoparticles. In this review article, the aforementioned methods have been critically analyzed for obtaining specific phases and shapes. The review also incorporates a detailed survey of the applications of zirconia-based nanomaterials. Furthermore, the influence of specific phases, morphology, and the comparison with their counterpart composites for different applications have also been included. Finally, the concluding remarks, prospects and possible scope are given in the last section.

Cobalt-based co-ordination complex-derived nanostructure for efficient oxygen evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline medium.

Electrochemical water splitting is one of the most important method for energy conversion and storage. For this, the design and development of a low-cost robust electrocatalyst are highly desirable. In this study, Cobalt-based electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution Reaction was synthesized by thermal treatment of Cobalt-dehydroacetic acid (Co-DHA). The as-synthesized Co nanostructures and Co-DHA crystals were characterized with powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy thermo-gravimetric analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical O2 evolution study shows the overpotential (at 10 mV/cm-2) correspond to 294 mV vs reference hydrogen electrode (RHE) for K-300 (Co3O4@300), whereas K-500 (Co3O4@500) shows 170 mV vs RHE values in 1 M KOH solution, respectively. Similar trends have been observed for electrochemical O2 evolution studies in 0.5 M H2SO4, where K-300 and K-500 shows the overpotential (at 10mV/cm-2) of 234 mV vs RHE, and 199 mV vs RHE, respectively. The outcomes show better catalytic efficiency of K-500 as compared to K-300.

New insight into the pigmented rice of northeast India revealed high antioxidant and mineral compositions for better human health.

Northeast (NE) India possesses a rich diversity of rice cultivars including pigmented and non pigmented varieties. The pigmented rice is reported to possess a considerable amount of antioxidant compounds, free radical scavengers etc. In this study, eleven (black, red and white) rice cultivars of NE India were analyzed for antioxidant potentials, mineral and protein contents. Total phenolic content ranged from 94.8 (Idaw) to 900.90 mg GAE/100 g (Lumre). Total flavonoid content varied from 3.46 (Idaw) to 286.76 mg QE/100 g (Menil mibabaret). Total anthocyanin content varied from 0.23 (Farel) to 93.52 mg/100 g (Chakhao poireiton). The pigmented rice is also good sources of Catalase (CAT), Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) that can significantly reduce stress oxidative reactions. Chakhao poireiton possessed the highest Ni and Mn content, Tsulu tsuk had the highest Zn content, while Fazu and Tasung contained the highest Fe and Ca. The highest total protein was found in Chakhao poireiton (11.06%). And all the cultivars were found to be aromatic. Fourier Transformed Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR) identified various signature peaks and could discriminate the cultivars into pigmented and non pigmented. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) revealed the grouping of the cultivars based on the functional groups present. The present study could provide a better understanding of choosable rice lines for human consumption and also as germplasm resources for future rice improvement programs.

An evaluation of remineralised MIH using CPP-ACP and fluoride varnish: An in-situ and in-vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) affected teeth have enamel with altered mineral content like decreased calcium and phosphorus and increased carbon content leading to porous enamel and subsequent post-eruptive breakdown. AIM: An in situ study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of a Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (CPP-ACP)-based cream and fluoride varnish on the remineralization of MIH affected teeth. METHODS: Enamel slabs were prepared from MIH affected teeth that had been extracted for various reasons and inserted in appliances of 30 participants who were undergoing interceptive orthodontic therapy. They were randomly divided into two groups using block randomization technique: Group A-daily single application of CPP-ACP cream (n = 15); Group B-professional application of fluoride varnishes every 3 months (n = 15). After 6 months of regular wear of the appliance, the enamel slabs were placed under Field Emission Scanning Microscope (FESEM) and Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) for evaluation of ultra structure and mineral content, respectively. RESULTS: A significant increase in calcium and phosphorus content, and a decrease in carbon content was observed within the 6 months period, suggesting remineralization in both the groups. On comparing the Ca:P and Ca:C ratios, a significant increase in the Ca:C ratio was evident in the two groups. No significant difference was seen in the Ca:P ratio in the CPP-ACP group at six months. The inter-group comparison did not reveal any significant difference between the two groups either at baseline or at 6 months post-intervention. CONCLUSION: Remineralization can be achieved in MIH affected teeth with the use of remineralizing agents.

Forensic examination of thermal papers using Video Spectral Comparator (VSC) and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics: Non-destructive approach.

Thermal papers are replacing the conventional form of printing and are being extensively used across the globe. This study encompasses a non-destructive approach to examine thermal papers by using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and Video Spectral Comparator (VSC), where the former technique helps in characterizing and discriminating different samples and the latter helps in deciphering the faded prints on thermal paper. The qualitative analysis of the spectroscopic data based on peak to peak comparison and quantitative analysis using chemometrics has been done to obtain high discriminating power. Multivariate analysis using HCA gave a discriminating power of 83.82% and PCA showed a variance of 95.64%. The strength of the study is portrayed through the decipherment of artificially and naturally faded thermal papers using VSC and analyzing the effect of different storing conditions on their rate of fading.

Biosynthesis of silver nanospheres, kinetic profiling and their application in the optical sensing of mercury and chlorite ions in aqueous solutions.

Pollution of water linked to microbial decontamination and extensive use of sodium chlorite (NaClO2) as a disinfectant, especially in the face of the current COVID-19 situation, is a serious water pollution issue that needs to be addressed. In this context, an environmentally friendly and cost-effective method has been developed for the biomimetic synthesis of Ag nanospheres (Ag NSs) using aqueous extract of Piper nigrum for the detection of chlorite (ClO2-) and mercury (Hg2+) ions. The strong antioxidant properties of the biomolecules present in the Piper nigrum extract reduce silver ions (Ag+) to Ag0. After optimization of the formulation parameters, it was observed that 1 mL of piper nigrum extract was sufficient to reduce and stabilize 100 mL of 1.5 mM of Ag+ in 2.5 h at 30 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of Ag NSs revealed their crystalline nature and the characteristic Bragg's diffraction peaks confirmed their face cubic crystal (FCC) lattice. The characteristic reddish-brown color and absorption surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 435 nm confirmed the successful fabrication of Ag NSs. Kinetic analysis revealed a three-phase growth pattern involving nucleation, growth and stabilization. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) micrograms, showed spherical NSs with narrow polydispersity with particle size ranging from 10 to 30 nm. The synthesized NSs were exposed to various metal ions and anions. The absorption intensity of Ag NSs quenched in the presence of mercury ions (Hg2+) among the cations and Chlorite ions (ClO2-) among the anions. The limit of detection (LOD) of 7.47 µM and 1.11 µM was evaluated from the calibration curve for Hg2+ and ClO2-, respectively. Based on these promising results, it is suggested that the method reported is a low-cost and one step biogenic protocol for the synthesis of Ag NSs and their employment for the detection of Hg2+ and ClO2-ions.

Reply to the 'Comment on "Physicochemical stimuli as tuning parameters to modulate the structure and stability of nanostructured lipid carriers and release kinetics of encapsulated antileprosy drugs"' by J. Kang and A. M. Kang, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020, 8, DOI.

In a recent comment [J. Kang and A. M. Kang, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020, 8, DOI: 10.1039/D0TB01160F] on our article [R. Kanwar, M. Gradzielski, S. Prevost, G. Kaur, M. S. Appavou and S. K. Mehta, J. Mater. Chem. B., 2019, 7, 6539], the authors tried to demonstrate that the binding phenomenon between drug-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers and the protein BSA was subjected to enthalpy-entropy compensation, rather than being entropy-driven. The outcome, however, remains the same in spite of the complicated analysis attempted. While we appreciate their effort to extract more information from our data, we have a number of remarks on their process.

Synthesis and Characterization of CuO Rods for Enhanced Visible Light Driven Dye Degradation.

Here, we report simple and efficient method to synthesize CuO rods using copper acetate, hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions via hydrothermal process followed by calcination. The Field emission scanning electron microscopy images revealed that synthesized CuO rods were 2-4µm thick with several micrometers long and grown into high density. The as-synthesized CuO rods were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible spectroscopy and Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) which confirmed the formation of highly crystalline, single phase pure CuO rods with monoclinic structures. The photocatalytic capability of synthesized CuO rods was executed by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible light illumination. The results showed MB dye degraded about ~70% in just 100 min and followed first order reaction kinetics with rate constant k = 0.01123 mint.1 and R² = 0.9880.

Synthesis and Characterizations of Nitrogen (N) Doped Strontium Titanate (SrTiO3) Nanoparticles for Enhanced Visible Light Driven Photocatalytic Degradation.

Highly crystalline bare and N-doped SrTiO3 nanoparticles were effectively synthesized with strontium acetate, titanium isopropoxide, hexamethylenetetramine as precursor via citric acid assisted hydrothermal process followed by calcination. The hydrothermally synthesized bare and N-doped SrTiO3 NPs possessed monodispersity throughout with particle size diameter 50±5 nm but because of annealing at 750 °C temperature the synthesized NPs got agglomerate which created rough surface and induces oxygen vacancy in the NPs. Introducing N3- ions impurity into SrTiO3 lattice tailored the electronic band structure of SrTiO3 and extends its absorption into the visible region. It would display the p-type conductivity and facilitate the photoinduced electron-hole pairs towards respective site which diminishes the chances of recombination of electron-hole pairs that enhances photocatalytic degradation reaction. The results showed MB degraded about ~88 in just 140 min and followed first order reaction kinetics with rate constant k = 0.01489 mint-1.

Solvothermal assisted phosphate functionalized graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots for optical sensing of Fe ions and its thermodynamic aspects.

A facile method has been proposed for the determination of Ferrous (Fe(II)) and Ferric (Fe(III)) ions using phosphate functionalized graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots (Ph-g-CNQDs) in an aqueous medium. The easy solvothermal procedure using oleic acid as the solvent yielded the Ph-g-CNQDs in less than 30 min. The communication among the Fe(II) and Fe(III) with Ph-g-CNQDs caused quenching of the blue Ph-g-CNQDs fluorescence signals. The Ph-g-CNQDs have been successfully characterized using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectrophotometry. The temperature dependent behavior of the Ph-g-CNQDs was also observed and various thermodynamic parameters have also been evaluated. The Ph-g-CNQDs displayed an excellent quantum yield of 60.54% using quinine sulfate as the standard reference. The developed method has been applied to water samples collected from different sources and good recoveries were observed which entitles this method as apt for real time monitoring.

Physicochemical stimuli as tuning parameters to modulate the structure and stability of nanostructured lipid carriers and release kinetics of encapsulated antileprosy drugs.

To unveil the effect of electrolyte concentration, pH and polymer addition on Tween 80 stabilized nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs, based on dialkyldimethylammonium bromides DxDAB and Na oleate), an in-depth scattering analysis was performed. Dynamic and static light scattering (DLS/SLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) techniques along with zeta potential studies were exploited to understand the structural evolution and physical stability of NLCs. In these experiments, we varied the salt concentration, pH, and the admixture of Pluronic F127 in order to elucidate their effect on NLC morphologies. In most cases, two populations of different sizes are present which differ by one order of magnitude. The antileprosy drugs (ALD) Rifampicin and Dapsone were encapsulated in NLCs and the vector properties were assessed for a series of DxDAB (where x = 12, 14, 16 and 18) NLCs. The influence of composition on the entrapment and release behavior of NLCs was investigated: The size of NLCs correlates with the release rate of the incorporated drug. The interaction of drug-loaded NLCs with bovine serum albumin was studied to understand the release of ALD in the plasma.

Experimental validation of biocompatible nanostructured lipid carriers of sophorolipid: Optimization, characterization and in-vitro evaluation.

To date, the potential of sophorolipids (an important class of glycolipids) has been exploited solely as amphipathic molecules but their ability to formulate lipid nanoparticles has never been explored. In this report, for the first time, lipid nanostructures coated with polysorbates (Tweens) were formulated by a hot dispersion method. By varying the amount of lipid, type of surfactant, and alcohol, dilution ratio etc., the formulation was optimized with respect to its stability, which is a central aspect of their potential applications. Their comprehensive physicochemical characterization was done using static and dynamic light scattering (SLS, DLS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), zeta-potential, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. Further hemolysis study was conducted to understand the in-vitro cytotoxicity levels of the lipidic nanoparticles prior to its application as a potent drug delivery device for countermanding the problems associated with challenging tuberculosis and leprosy drug-Rifampicin. Attaining high entrapment efficiency and sustained release from the developed carrier, further interaction with bovine serum albumin was investigated, to understand the in-vivo behavior of the nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs).

Systematic enumeration and proficient chemical sensing applications of Eu3+@CeO2 nanocrystals.

Current study displayed the application of hydrothermal method for the preparation of highly crystalline nanocrystals of Eu3+ doped cerium oxide (Eu@CeO2) particles. The influence of doping percentage and annealing effects were studied on the crystalline nature and morphology of particles. The size, optical properties and lattice parameters were calculated as a function of dopant concentrations and their discrepancies were explained in detail. Integration of Eu3+ ions on CeO2 could unlock a new trail to optimize the photoluminescence properties of formed nanocrystals. The generated oxygen vacancies (Vo) have the ability to affect the characteristic features of cerium oxide in solid state. The variations in the nature of surface defect in presence of Eu3+ ions with CeO2 nanoparticles were explained with the results of XPS studies. The obtained results validated that defect-induced band gap modification by Eu3+ ion doping on CeO2 could be employed as effective chemical sensor for harmful metal ions in real water samples.

Magnetically retrievable Ce-doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles as scaffolds for the removal of azo dyes.

Considering the significant impact of magnetically retrievable nanostructures, herein, Fe3O4 and Ce-doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles were employed as scaffolds for the removal of the Reactive Black 5 (RB5) azo dye. We synthesized the Ce-doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles via hydrothermal treatment at 120 °C for 10 h with varying cerium concentrations (1.5-3.5%) and characterized them using basic techniques such as FTIR and UV-visible spectroscopy, and XRD analysis. The retention of their magnetic behaviors even after cerium amalgamation was demonstrated and confirmed by the VSM results. FESEM and EDX were used for the morphological and purity analysis of the synthesized nanoabsorbents. XPS was carried out to determine the electronic configuration of the synthesized samples. The porosity of the magnetic nanoparticles was investigated by BET analysis, and subsequently, the most porous sample was further used in the adsorption studies for the cleanup of RB5 from wastewater. The dye adsorption studies were probed via UV-visible spectroscopy, which indicated the removal efficiency of 87%. The prepared Ce-doped Fe3O4 nanoabsorbent showed the high adsorption capacity of 84.58 mg g-1 towards RB5 in 40 min. This is attributed to the electrostatic interactions between the nanoabsorbent and the dye molecules and high porosity of the prepared sample. The adsorption mechanism was also analyzed. The kinetic data well-fitted the pseudo-first-order model, and the adsorption capability at different equilibrium concentrations of the dye solution indicated monolayer formation and chemisorption phenomena. Furthermore, the magnetic absorbent could be rapidly separated from the wastewater using an external magnetic field after adsorption.

Photophysical deactivation behaviour of Rhodamine B using different graphite materials.

In the present work, an attempt has been made to elucidate the structural features of synthesized graphite materials, i.e., expanded graphite (EG) and an expanded graphite/silver nanoparticles (EG/AgNPs) nanocomposite. In order to obtain knowledge about the functional groups present, the interlayer spacing between the carbon layers, topographical features, and the characterization of the materials were carried out using Fourier-transformer infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscope. Furthermore, the quenching efficiency of the synthesized graphite materials was also compared using Rhodamine B (Rhd B) as a fluorescent probe. The non-linear behaviour of the Stern-Volmer plots suggested that the complex quenching mechanism (a combination of static and dynamic quenching) was responsible for the decrease in photoluminescence intensity. At a lower concentration of the quencher, the static quenching mechanism was dominant whereas at a higher concentration dynamic processes seemed to be more likely. The binding strength of the complexation between the fluorophore and the quencher at lower concentrations was studied in detail for both of the synthesized materials. The analysis showed that the EG/AgNPs exhibited better quenching efficiency and possessed a strong binding strength in comparison to EG. The thermodynamic parameters of this association suggested that the interaction process was spontaneous and exothermic in nature. Thus, this work offers helpful insights into the fluorescence quenching mechanisms of the Rhd B/EG and its composite system.

Fabrication of novel carbon quantum dots modified bismuth oxide (α-Bi2O3/C-dots): Material properties and catalytic applications.

The present work reports the facile and the template free sonochemical synthesis of a novel catalyst, α-Bi2O3/C-dots, for the degradation of indigo carmine (IC) dye, its simulated dyebath effluent and levofloxacin under visible light catalysis. The compositional, structural, optical and morphological analysis of α-Bi2O3/C-dots was studied using analytical, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed the presence of a monoclinic phase of α-Bi2O3 in the nanocomposite and crystallite size of 28.75 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-DRS) studies showed good optical properties and a band gap of 2.49 eV. The synthesized photocatalyst showed superior visible-light driven photocatalytic activity for the degradation of indigo carmine dye (86% dye degradation in 120 min) compared to pure α-Bi2O3 (57%). α-Bi2O3/C-dots also exhibited 79% degradation of antibiotic drug levofloxacin within 120 min, under optimized conditions of pH, catalyst dose and initial dye concentration. Scavenger studies revealed that hydroxyl radicals and electrons played predominant roles in the photocatalytic degradation of IC dye. With respect to total organic carbon (TOC) analysis, 68.8% total organic carbon reduction of the IC dye (10 mg/L) was observed under the same experimental conditions. The catalytic efficiency of C-dots in the photocatalytic process is explained by proposing a degradation mechanism.

Ultrasonication assisted fabrication of l-lysine functionalized gadolinium oxide nanoparticles and its biological acceptability.

Gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (GdO) have recently gained attention due to their diverse bio-applications. However, their functionalization with amino acids has not been reported yet to the best of our knowledge. In the present report, the potential of sonication technique (for the first time to the best of our knowledge) in the fabrication of GdO nanoparticles was explored. Sonication is an efficient technique for the synthesis of evenly dispersing nanoparticles in liquids thus, the present report highlights the use of ultrasonication technique for the fabrication of uniform 2 nm sized luminescent l-lysine coated gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (l-lysine@GdO). Investigation of l-lysine conjugation with nanoparticles was confirmed by FT-IR, Differential Scanning Calorimetric analysis and Zeta potential. The interactions of serum protein (BSA) with synthesized nanoparticles have been explored using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fluorescence spectroscopy and Circular Dichroism (CD). The synthesized l-lysine coated nanoparticles demonstrated potential for antimicrobial and antifungal agents, which has been tested against two bacterial strains Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and two antifungal Candida albicans and Candida glabrata cells. The minimal inhibition concentrations (MIC) of nanoparticles against E.coli and S. aureus are 8 µg mL-1 and 16 µg mL-1, respectively. The cell viability, MTT assay on HaCaT cell lines revealed the non-toxicity of synthesized nanoparticles.

Mixed surfactant (altering chain length and head group) aggregates as an effective carrier for tuberculosis drug.

Surface properties and aggregation behavior of cationic-cationic and cationic-non-ionic mixed surfactant systems viz. Dodecylethyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) with a series of double chain cationic surfactants (DiDDAB, DMDTAB, and DODAB) and non-ionic surfactants (Brij 96, Tyloxapol and Tween 80) were analysed using surface tension and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effect of chain length of cationic surfactant and hydrophilic-lypophilic balance (HLB) prominently observed in critical aggregation (cac) value. The aqueous solubility of anti-tuberculosis drug: rifampicin (RIF) was comparatively studied by UV-vis spectroscopy in presence of formulated micelles and vesicles. RIF was significantly solubilised in aqueous medium using all the formulated aggregates. RIF is very unstable in basic medium (above pH-7) and in oxidizing media. Therefore, stability at pH-13 as well as in strong oxidising environment was monitored using UV-vis spectroscopy. To trace the locus of the drug encapsulation in the micelles/vesicles, fluorescence spectroscopy and TEM studies were carried out. Both the techniques stemmed in complimentary results and confirmed that, RIF is majorly populated at polar medium in cationic-cationic vesicles and favour to reside at hydrophobic medium of the nonionic-cationic micelles.