A review on recent advancements in extraction, removal and recovery of phenols from phenolic wastewater: Challenges and future outlook.

Water pollution is the major problem seen in today's scenario and even pollutants at low concentration harms our environment. In industrial sector usage of phenol is seen even at low concentrations. The interaction of phenol in the environment provides adverse effects to living beings. This review focuses on the toxicity of phenol and its impact towards environment and human health. The treatment techniques such as distillation, extraction, wet air oxidation, membrane process, electrochemical oxidation, biological treatment and finally adsorption techniques were discussed. Among many treatment techniques so far utilized in the treatment of phenol, adsorption was considered as one of the best technique due to its advantages such as reusability, ease in operation, large availability etc., This review also highlights the adsorption technique for the cleaner removal of phenol from aqueous solution with novel as well as low-cost adsorbents in the removal of phenolic compounds. This review also discusses about the drawbacks and issues related with adsorption of phenolic compounds.

In vitro biofilm inhibition efficacy of Aerva lanata flower extract against Gram negative and Gram-positive biofilm forming bacteria and toxicity analysis using Artemia salina.

A biofilm consists of Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria enclosed in a matrix. Industrial biofouling is caused by biofilms, which can exhibit antimicrobial resistance during infections. Many biofilm studies find that nearly all biofilm communities consist of Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It is therefore necessary to better understand the conserved themes in biofilm formation to develop therapeutics based on biofilm formation. Plant extracts can effectively combat pathogenic bacterial biofilms. This study evaluated the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of Aerva lanata flower extract against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methanol extract of dried A. lanata flower was tested against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa to determine the antibacterial activity (10, 25, 50, 75, 100 µg/mL) resulted in a maximum of 0.5-1 log reduction and 2 log reduction in comparison to the control or untreated bacterial cells respectively. A. lanata showed maximum biofilm inhibition up to 1.5-fold and 1-fold against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Light microscopic analysis of biofilm treated with A. lanata extract showed efficient distortion of the biofilm matrix. Further, the in vivo analysis of A. lanata in the Artemia salina brine shrimp model showed >50% survival and thus proving the efficacy of A. lanata extract in rescuing the brine shrimps against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus infection.

Advanced oxidation process (AOP) combined biological process for wastewater treatment: A review on advancements, feasibility and practicability of combined techniques.

Complexity of wastewater is the most challenging phenomenon on successful degradation of pollutant via any wastewater treatment regime. Upon availability of numerous techniques, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) is the most promising technique for treating industrial wastewater. Higher operating cost is the most promising factor that possess challenge for the industrial scale usage of the AOP process. Combination of biological process with AOP helps in achieving sustainable degradation of toxic pollutant in the wastewater. AOP result in complete or partial degradation of toxic emerging pollutants with the help of free radicals like hydroxyl, superoxide, hydroperoxyl and sulphate radicals. In addition to this the presence of bio-enzymes and microorganisms helps in sustainable degradation of pollutant in an economical and environmentally friendly strategy. In this review, a detailed discussion was conducted on various AOP, focusing on catalytic ozonation, electrochemical oxidation, Sono chemical and photocatalytic processes. With the need for sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment, the use of AOP in conjunction with biological process has innumerous opportunities for not only wastewater treatment but also the production of high value by-products. Further, the effect of AOP combined biological processes needs to be analyzed in real time for the different concentration of industrial wastewater and their benefits needs to be explored in future towards achieving SDGs.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals and their effects on the reproductive health in men.

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are harmful compounds that enter the environment naturally or through anthropogenic activities and disrupt normal endocrine functions in humans, adversely affecting reproductive health. Among the most significant sources of EDC contaminants are the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and packaging industries. EDCs have been identified to have a deteriorating effect on male reproductive system, as evidenced by the increasing number of male infertility cases. A large number of case studies have been published in which men exposed to EDCs experienced testicular cancer, undescended testicles, a decrease in serum testosterone levels, and poor semen quality. Furthermore, epidemiological evidence suggested a link between prenatal EDC exposure and cryptorchidism or undescended testicles, hypospadias, and decreased anogenital distance in infants. The majority of these findings, however, are incongruent due to the lack of long-term follow-up studies that would demonstrate EDCs to be associated with male reproductive disorders. This review aims to provide an overview on recent scientific progress on the association of EDCs to male reproductive health with special emphasis on its toxicity and possible mechanism of EDCs that disrupt male reproductive system.

Process intensification approaches in wastewater and sludge treatment for the removal of pollutants.

Process Intensification (PI) is the modification or integration of conventional or novel processes within a single unit operation in order to improve product quality and reduce waste. PI offers numerous advantages, including a reduction in the initial and operational costs, an improvement in product quality/quantity, the generation of less waste, and an increase in process safety. The synergistic effect of PI in comparison to the conventional procedure ensures maximizing resource efficiency. PI can be accomplished in two ways: either by integrating various processes or by modifying the design of equipment to improve operational efficiency. In this regard, the present review provides a comprehensive insight into the application of PI in wastewater and sludge treatment methods and discusses the operational advantages. This review provides a comprehensive list of different PI approaches applied in wastewater and sludge treatment to remove pollutants and the various equipment, techniques and reactors used in PI. The second section addresses the challenges of PI in wastewater treatment that removes dyes, pesticides, organic and inorganic pollutants, micro- and nano-plastics, persistent organic pollutants, pharmaceutical and personal care pollutants.

Mint leaves (Mentha arvensis) mediated CaO nanoparticles in dye degradation and their role in anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer properties.

In ancient times, herbal plants were considered one of the greatest gifts from nature that human beings could receive, and about 80% of these plants have medicinal uses. In traditional medicine, Mentha arvensis, commonly known as mint, has many applications, and in the present study, the mint leaf extract has been used to synthesis nanoparticles using the mint leaf extract as a biosource for the extraction of nanoparticles. In addition to having a wide range of applications in various fields, calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles are also considered to be safe for human use. In order to assess the characteristics of the abstracted CaO nanoparticles, UV-visible absorption spectrophotometers, Fourier Transform Infrared spectrophotometers (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and X-ray Diffraction Spectrophotometers (XRDs) were used. By conducting a protein denaturation assay and nitric oxide scavenging assay, mint leaf mediated CaO nanoparticles were evaluated for their therapeutic applications. MTT assays were used to prove that the CaO nanoparticles mediated by mint leaf had anti-cancer properties. By examining the ability of mint leaf mediated CaO nanoparticles to degrade various dyes such as methyl red, methyl orange, and methylene blue, which are the most used azo dyes in textile industries resulting in water contamination, the ability of these nanoparticles to act as a photocatalytic agent was examined.

Green synthesized Cobalt oxide nanoparticles using Curcuma longa for anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, dye degradation and anti-cancer property.

In the present study, cobalt oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized using the root extract of Curcuma longa in a manner that is both environmentally friendly and economical. Initially, the synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using a UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis, in which plasma resonance at 345 nm was observed, which confirmed that CL-Cobalt oxide nanoparticles were synthesized. While FTIR analysis showed a peak at 597.37 cm-1 indicating Co-O stretching vibration. In addition, DLS, SEM and XRD analyses confirmed the synthesis of polydispersed (average size distribution of 97.5 ± 35.1 nm), cubic phase structure, and spherical-shaped CL-Cobalt oxide nanoparticles. CL-Cobalt oxide nanoparticles synthesized from green materials showed antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. CL-Cobalt oxide nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli) and Gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus), while CL-Cobalt oxide nanoparticles additionally displayed significant antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger. CL-Cobalt oxide also showed application in a bioremediation perspective by showing strong photocatalytic degradation of methyl red, methyl orange and methyl blue dye. In addition, CL-Cobalt oxide also demonstrated anticancer activity against MDA-MB-468 cancer cell lines with an IC50 value of 150.8 µg/ml. Therefore, this is the first and foremost report on CL-Cobalt oxide nanoparticles synthesized using Curcuma longa showing antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, dye degradation and anticancer applications.

Recent innovations and challenges in the eradication of emerging contaminants from aquatic systems.

Presence of emerging pollutants (EPs), aka Micropollutants (MPs) in the freshwater environments is a severe threat to the environment and human beings. They include pharmaceuticals, insecticides, industrial chemicals, natural hormones, and personal care items and the pollutants are mostly present in wastewater generated from urbanization and increased industrial growth. Even concentrations as low as ngL-1 or mgL-1 have proven ecologically lethal to aquatic biota. For several years, the biodegradation of various Micropollutants (MPs) in aquatic ecosystems has been a significant area of research worldwide, with many chemical compounds being discovered in various water bodies. As aquatic biota spends most of their formative phases in polluted water, the impacts on aquatic biota are obvious, indicating that the environmental danger is substantial. In contrast, the impact of these contaminants on aquatic creatures and freshwater consumption is more subtle and manifests directly when disrupting the endocrine system. Research and development activities are expected to enable the development of ecologically sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient treatments for practical systems in the near future. Therefore, this review aims to understand recent emerging pollutants discovered and the available treatment technologies and suggest an innovative and cost-effective method to treat these EPs, which is sustainable and follows the circular bioeconomy.

A time-dependent survival analysis for early prognosis of chronic wounds by monitoring wound alkalinity.

The objective is to determine whether monitoring wound alkalinity between visits may help prognosticate chronic wound healing. The alkalinity of 167 wounds during the first 3 visits was assessed using disposable DETEC® pH. Wounds grouped by frequency of alkaline results were compared by % wound size reduction during each visit and 120-day healing probability. The Cox proportional hazards model for time-dependent variables was used to generate non-healing probability curves, where variables are binary (alkaline/non-alkaline, infection/no infection), categorical (wound type), and continuous (wound area); the response is time to complete wound healing; and the event of interest is complete wound healing in 120 days. Results show that wounds with frequent alkaline results have significantly smaller % size reduction per visit. Logistic regression shows an increase in 120-day healing probability with fewer alkaline results. Survival analysis shows that the instantaneous healing rate of non-alkaline or non-alkaline transitioning wounds is 1.785, 2.925, and 5.908 times that of alkaline or alkaline-transitioning wounds for 1, 2, and 3 alkalinity measurements, respectively. Furthermore, the concordance statistic of each survival model shows that goodness of fit increases with more alkalinity measurements. Overall, frequent wound alkalinity assessments may serve as a novel way to prognosticate wound healing outcomes.

Quality of life profile of general Vietnamese population using EQ-5D-5L.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a vital benchmark to assess the effects of health interventions and policies. Measuring HRQOL of the general population is essential to establish a reference for health outcomes evaluations. However, evidence on HRQOL of general populations in low and middle income countries is very limited. This study aimed to measure HRQOL of the Vietnamese population by using the EuroQol-5 dimensions-5 levels (EQ-5D-5L) instrument and determine its associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in Hanoi with 1571 residences in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. EQ-5D-5L and EQ- visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) were used to assess HRQOL. Potential covariates included socio-demographic characteristics, having acute symptoms in the last four weeks, chronic diseases in the last three months, having multiple health issues, and health service utilisation in the last twelve months. A generalized linear model was employed to identify the association between HRQOL and covariates. RESULTS: Overall, the mean EQ-5D utility index was 0.91 (SD = 0.15), and the mean EQ-VAS score was 87.4 (SD = 14.3). The highest proportion of respondents reporting any problems was in Usual activities (24.3%), followed by Anxiety/Depression (15.2%) and Pain/Discomfort (10.0%), while the lowest percentage was in Self-care (2.5%). Lower HRQOL composite scores were related to unemployment, lower income, higher education, living in urban areas, having chronic diseases, having multiple health issues and using health service. For any health problem self-reported by respondents, the health utility reduced by 0.02 (respiratory diseases) to 0.15 (musculoskeletal diseases). CONCLUSIONS: Health utility of the general population and reductions for self-reported health problems in this study are useful for future population health evaluations and comparisons. It also informs the development of interventions to reduce health problems of the general population.

Results of early warning indicators for HIV/AIDS in 42 outpatient clinics in 25 northern provinces of Vietnam.

Background: The emergence of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) is an unavoidable consequence of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and HIVDR early warning indicators (EWIs) could specifically assess factors at individual clinics associated with HIVDR. Thus, the present study aimed to collect data on EWIs for HIV/AIDS at 42 outpatient clinics (OPCs) in 25 northern provinces and cities of Vietnam in 2012. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Data was collected from 42 OPCs in 25 northern provinces between October and December 2012. The information was collected retrospectively from outpatient records from 2008 to 2011. Results: In total, 99.8% ART patients were prescribed the correct regimen when starting ART treatment. All facilities met the target of under 20% patients lost to follow-up at 12 months. A total of 31/42 facilities reached the goal for on-time appointment keeping and 37/42 facilities achieved the target of first-line retention after 12-month ARV treatment.  Conclusions: EWIs should be performed routinely in HIV/AIDS facilities. The data collected will contribute to monitoring, supervision, periodic assessment, and future plans for HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs in the area.