Furfural as a low-volume, high-value asset from agricultural residues: A review on production, agricultural applications and environmental sustainability.

This comprehensive review explores furfural production from agricultural residues, focusing on its significance as a low-volume, high-value asset crucial for environmental sustainability. It covers diverse production technologies, recent advancements, and applications in agriculture, evaluating furfural's potential to enhance crop resilience and yield. Showing its role in a circular economy, the review discusses how furfural can replace conventional petrochemical processes, thereby reducing environmental impact. Case studies, such as successful implementations with cotton biomass byproducts, illustrate furfural's practical applications and environmental benefits. The study underscores the need for ongoing research, supportive policies, and furfural's growing role in sustainable agriculture and industry. It is focused on furfural's essential contribution to promoting environmental stewardship and sustainable practices. By examining furfural's role as a value-added product from agricultural residues, this review provides insights into its economic viability and potential challenges.

Beneath the rind: A review on the remarkable health benefits and applications of the wood apple fruit.

Limonia acidissima Groff, commonly referred to as the Wood apple, is a tropical fruit belonging to Rutaceae family. Indigenous to Sri Lanka, India, and Myanmar, it is extensively cultivated throughout Southeast Asia. This fruit holds a profound historical significance in traditional medicine due to its exceptional nutritional and therapeutic attributes. Wood apple pulp is significantly abundant in ß-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, and contains a substantial amount of vitamin B, including riboflavin and thiamine, as well as trace amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Moreover health-benefitting properties associated with L. acidissima, such as, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spermatogenic, analgesic, antiulcer, and antihyperlipidemic properties, are attributed to a diverse range of phytochemicals. These encompass polyphenolic compounds, saponins, phytosterols, tannins, triterpenoids, coumarins, amino acids, tyramine derivatives, and vitamins. From the findings of the various studies, it was observed that wood apple fruit shows significant anticancer activity by inhibiting the proliferation of cancer. Furthermore, wood apple finds wide-ranging commercial applications in the formulation of ready-to-serve beverages, syrups, jellies, chutneys, and various other food products. In summary, this review highlights the nutritional and phytochemical constituents of wood apple, depicts its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic capabilities, and explores its potential in value-added product development. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that the molecular mechanisms supporting these properties remain an underexplored domain. To ensure the safe integration of wood apple fruit into the realms of the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors, rigorous clinical trials, including toxicity assessments, are required. These endeavors hold the potential to promote innovation and contribute significantly to both research and industrial sectors.

Innovations in textile wastewater management: a review of zero liquid discharge technology.

Zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technology emerges as a transformative solution for sustainable wastewater management in the textile industry, emphasizing water recycling and discharge minimization. This review comprehensively explores ZLD's pivotal role in reshaping wastewater management practices within the textile sector. With a primary focus on water recycling and minimized discharge, the review thoroughly examines the economic and environmental dimensions of ZLD. Additionally, it includes a comparative cost analysis against conventional wastewater treatment methods and offers a comprehensive outlook on the global ZLD market. Presently valued at US $0.71 billion, the market is anticipated to reach US $1.76 billion by 2026, reflecting a robust annual growth rate of 12.6%. Despite ZLD's efficiency in wastewater recovery, environmental challenges, such as heightened greenhouse gas emissions, increased carbon footprint, elevated energy consumption, and chemical usage, are discussed. Methodologies employed in this review involve an extensive analysis of existing literature, empirical data, and case studies on ZLD implementation in the textile industry worldwide. While acknowledging existing adoption barriers, the review underscores ZLD's potential to guide the textile industry toward a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future.

Medicinal plants used by shepherds in Trans-Himalayan Rakchham-Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary in Baspa Valley of Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh, India / Plantas medicinales utilizadas por los pastores en el Santuario de Vida Silvestre Rakchham-Chitkul Trans-Himalayan en el distrito de Baspa Valley of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, India

The present study deals with the ethnomedicines used by migratory shepherds in an Indian Trans-Himalayan area. Shepherding depends on traditional healthcare practices. A non-probabilistic sampling technic was used for the selection of the research participants; the information was collected through 8 extensive field visits. The data was analyzed by the interpretation of the interviews since a qualitative as well as quantitative perspectives. A comparison with previous studies in the area was donebased on literature research. The results of this study show that shepherds in tribal areas are highly dependent on medicinal plants, they report the use of 58 taxa to handle their main health problems. They prefer 20 taxa, to treat; coughs, asthma, colds, throat complaints, general pain, fever, dysentery, diarrhea and urinary infections, which are the main reported illnesses. Mainly they use the fresh plant juices of these taxa. Two health issues are remarkable highblood pressure and jaundice.

El presente estudio trata sobre las etnomedicinas utilizadas por los pastores migratorios en una zona india transhimalaya. El pastoreo depende de las prácticas sanitarias tradicionales. Se utilizó una técnica de muestreo no probabilístico para la selección de los participantes de la investigación; la información se recopiló a través de 8 extensas visitas de campo. Los datos fueron analizados mediante la interpretación de las entrevistas desde una perspectiva tanto cualitativa como cuantitativa. Se realizó una comparación con estudios previos en el área basada en la investigación de la literatura. Los resultados de este estudio muestran que los pastores en áreas tribales son altamente dependientes de las plantas medicinales, informan el uso de 58 taxones para manejar sus principales problemas de salud. Prefieren 20 taxones para tratar; tos, asma, resfriados, molestias de garganta, dolor general, fiebre, disentería, diarrea e infecciones urinarias, que son las principales enfermedades reportadas. Principalmente utilizan los jugos de plantas frescas de estos taxones. Dos problemas de salud son la hipertensión arterial y la ictericia.