Accounting on silk for reducing microplastic pollution from textile sector: a viewpoint.

Microplastic pollution is the emerging issue in the recent past and has been identified in the remotely located ecosystems. The textile sector is one of the key contributors in the microplastic pollution. Keeping this in view, the present viewpoint has been planned to address the systematic possible reduction of microplastic pollution. It has been observed through the literature that silk is having a promising material to reduce the microplastic problems and its associated environmental risk due to its non-persistent nature.

Assessing the environmental impact of air pollution on crops by monitoring air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and anticipated performance index (API).

Air pollutants adversely affect the physiological, biochemical parameters, and productivity of the crops, but scarce and meager reports are available to know the certain impact of air pollution on crops. The aim of the present study was to assess environmental impact of air pollutants on biochemical parameters of the crops by monitoring two important indicators, i.e., Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) and Anticipated Performance Index (API). These two indicators provide the sensitivity and the tolerance level of the crops towards the air pollutants. Seven different crops were selected in four different locations in the vicinity of a thermal power plant. The results depicted the maximum aerial particulate matter deposition on crop canopy (ADCC) in barley (Hordeum vulgare 2.15 mg/cm2) and wheat (Triticum aestivum 2.21 mg/cm2). The maximum APTI value was found in berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum, 9.45 and 11.44) during the first and second year of study, respectively. Results indicated that all crops were sensitive to air pollution in the selected area, but berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) was less sensitive in comparison to other crops. API value showed that wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa) were best-suited crops in the selected study area as compared to other crops. It has been found in the study that the API and APTI are two important indicators for the selection of crops in the severe air polluting area.

Chronic Marijuana Consumption Leading to High-Grade Atrioventricular Block in a Young Male.

Cannabis usage is increasing throughout the world for both medicinal and recreational purposes. Several countries and states have legalized cannabis, and physicians can expect to encounter more patients who use or abuse cannabis. Adverse cardiovascular effects of cannabis like myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias have been well described but bradyarrhythmia is rare and the mechanisms are not well pronounced. A 26-year-old male with a history of chronic cannabis smoking presented with complaints of dizziness and recurrent syncope. The heart rate at presentation was 42 beats per minute and the rest of the physical examination was unremarkable. There was an atrioventricular (AV) block in the ECG and a subsequent electrophysiological study (EPS) showed a high-grade supra-Hisian (nodal) AV block with prolonged His-ventricular (HV) interval. The urinary screen was positive for tetrahydrocannabinol metabolite (11-Nor-9-carboxy THC). After ruling out other possible causes, a diagnosis of high-grade AV block due to chronic cannabis use was made. A dual-chamber pacemaker was implanted and the patient was discharged in stable condition. The arrhythmia did not improve completely at the three-month follow-up. We report a novel finding in cannabis-induced bradyarrhythmia. High-grade AV block with the electrophysiologic determination of the site of conduction blockade has not been reported previously. The mechanism of bradyarrhythmia is thought to be mediated by increased vagal tone. However, prolonged HV interval and persistent nature of block indicate that direct toxic effects of cannabis, through cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1R), on the cardiac conduction system cannot be ruled out. Also, the possibility of cannabis arteritis involving microvasculature should be kept.

Myco-remediation: A mechanistic understanding of contaminants alleviation from natural environment and future prospect.

Industrialization and modernization of agricultural systems contaminated lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere of the Earth. Sustainable remediation of contamination is essential for environmental sustainability. Myco-remediation is proposed to be a green, economical, and efficient technology over conventional remediation technologies to combat escalating pollution problems at a global scale. Fungi can perform remediation of pollutants through several mechanisms like biosorption, precipitation, biotransformation, and sequestration. Myco-remediation significantly removes or degrades metal metals, persistent organic pollutants, and other emerging pollutants. The current review highlights the species-specific remediation potential, influencing factors, genetic and molecular control mechanism, applicability merits to enhance the bioremediation efficiency. Structure and composition of fungal cell wall is crucial for immobilization of toxic pollutants and a subtle change on fungal cell wall structure may significantly affect the immobilization efficiency. The utilization protocol and applicability of enzyme engineering and myco-nanotechnology to enhance the bioremediation efficiency of any potential fungus was proposed. It is advocated that the association of hyper-accumulator plants with plant growth-promoting fungi could help in an effective cleanup strategy for the alleviation of persistent soil pollutants. The functions, activity, and regulation of fungal enzymes in myco-remediation practices required further research to enhance the myco-remediation potential. Study of the biotransformation mechanisms and risk assessment of the products formed are required to minimize environmental pollution. Recent advancements in molecular "Omic techniques"and biotechnological tools can further upgrade myco-remediation efficiency in polluted soils and water.

Nickel in terrestrial biota: Comprehensive review on contamination, toxicity, tolerance and its remediation approaches.

Nickel (Ni) has been a subject of interest for environmental, physiological, biological scientists due to its dual effect (toxicity and essentiality) in terrestrial biota. In general, the safer limit of Ni is 1.5 µg g-1 in plants and 75-150 µg g-1 in soil. Litreature review indicates that Ni concentrations have been estimated up to 26 g kg-1 in terrestrial, and 0.2 mg L-1 in aquatic resources. In case of vegetables and fruits, mean Ni content has been reported in the range of 0.08-0.26 and 0.03-0.16 mg kg-1. Considering, Ni toxicity and its potential health hazards, there is an urgent need to find out the suitable remedial approaches. Plant vascular (>80%) and cortical (<20%) tissues are the major sequestration site (cation exchange) of absorbed Ni. Deciphering molecular mechanisms in transgenic plants have immense potential for enhancing Ni phytoremediation and microbial remediation efficiency. Further, it has been suggested that integrated bioremediation approaches have a potential futuristic path for Ni decontamination in natural resources. This systematic review provides insight on Ni effects on terrestrial biota including human and further explores its transportation, bioaccumulation through food chain contamination, human health hazards, and possible Ni remediation approaches.

Bio-remediation approaches for alleviation of cadmium contamination in natural resources.

Cadmium (Cd) is a harmful heavy metal that can cause potent environmental and health hazards at different trophic levels through food chain. Cd is relatively non-biodegradable and persists for a long time in the environment. Considering the potential toxicity and non-biodegradability of Cd in the environment as well as its health hazards, this is an urgent issue of international concern that needs to be addressed by implicating suitable remedial approaches. The current article specifically attempts to review the different biological approaches for remediation of Cd contamination in natural resources. Further, bioremediation mechanisms of Cd by microbes such as bacteria, fungi, algae are comprehensively discussed. Studies indicate that heavy metal resistant microbes can be used as suitable biosorbents for the removal of Cd (up to 90%) in the natural resources. Soil-to-plant transfer coefficient (TC) of Cd ranges from 3.9 to 3340 depending on the availability of metal to plants and also on the type of plant species. The potential phytoremediation strategies for Cd removal and the key factors influencing bioremediation process are also emphasized. Studies on molecular mechanisms of transgenic plants for Cd bioremediation show immense potential for enhancing Cd phytoremediation efficiency. Thus, it is suggested that nano-technological based integrated bioremediation approaches could be a potential futuristic path for Cd decontamination in natural resources. This review would be highly useful for the biologists, chemists, biotechnologists and environmentalists to understand the long-term impacts of Cd on ecology and human health so that potential remedial measures could be taken in advance.

Hazardous heavy metals contamination of vegetables and food chain: Role of sustainable remediation approaches - A review.

This review emphasizes the role of toxic metal remediation approaches due to their broad sustainability and applicability. The rapid developmental processes can incorporate a large quantity of hazardous and unseen heavy metals in all the segments of the environment, including soil, water, air and plants. The released hazardous heavy metals (HHMs) entered into the food chain and biomagnified into living beings via food and vegetable consumption and originate potentially health-threatening effects. The physical and chemical remediation approaches are restricted and localized and, mainly applied to wastewater and soils and not the plant. The nanotechnological, biotechnological and genetical approaches required to more rectification and sustainability. A cellular, molecular and nano-level understanding of the pathways and reactions are responsible for potentially toxic metals (TMs) accumulation. These approaches can enable the development of crop varieties with highly reduced concentrations of TMs in their consumable foods and vegetables. As a critical analysis by authors observed that nanoparticles could provide very high adaptability for both in-situ and ex-situ remediation of hazardous heavy metals (HHMs) in the environment. These methods could be used for the improvement of the inbuilt genetic potential and phytoremediation ability of plants by developing transgenic. These biological processes involve the transfer of gene of interest, which plays a role in hazardous metal uptake, transport, stabilization, inactivation and accumulation to increased host tolerance. This review identified that use of nanoremediation and combined biotechnological and, transgenic could help to enhance phytoremediation efficiency in a sustainable way.