Noida International University

Chocolate is one of the most popular widely consumed food products (Tan et al. in Nutrients 13(9):2909, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13092909 ) and comprises of various bioactive compounds including proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and antioxidants. In this study, attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR spectroscopy) was employed for a preliminary investigation of the molecular composition and authenticity comparison of four commercially available different varieties of chocolate samples from the Indian market, namely Barone, Dairy Milk, Munch, and Nestlé. Experimental FTIR spectra were compared with theoretical vibrational spectra obtained from density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d, p) level for major constituents, particularly theobromine and caffeine, showing good agreement between calculated and observed vibrational frequencies. Mulliken charge analysis and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) mapping revealed electron-rich regions localized around oxygen and nitrogen atoms, while positive potential regions were observed near hydrogen atoms, consistent with the spectral assignments. Furthermore, bootstrap-assisted principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the FTIR data and successfully discriminated four chocolate samples, demonstrating the reproducibility and reliability of the dataset. The combined application of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, DFT calculations, and multivariate statistical analysis thus provides a robust and effective approach for chocolate profiling and authenticity verification.

In this paper, the sufficient condition for the integrability of the continuum fractional Hankel wavelet kernel is obtained and further Calderón’s reproducing formula is defined by exploiting the theory of fractional Hankel transform and fractional Hankel convolution operators.

Textile dye wastewater is a major global contributor to environmental pollution, characterized by complex physicochemical characteristics such as high stability, resistance to degradation, and potential toxicity. These effluents pose significant ecological risks, including aquatic toxicity, bioaccumulation, and the presence of carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds. This review critically synthesizes various treatment technologies, categorizing them into physicochemical, chemical, and biological methods, and highlights the limitations of conventional processes, such as high energy consumption and problematic sludge production. A core focus of this work is the comprehensive analysis of biological treatment approaches, particularly the enzyme-mediated degradation mechanisms involving oxidoreductases like azoreductases, laccases, and peroxidases. The review delves into the catalytic pathways of these enzymes and discusses the effectiveness of microbial systems (bacteria, fungi, yeast, and algae) in achieving high decolorization and mineralization efficiencies. By integrating recent data and comparative analyses of current research trends, this manuscript emphasizes the novelty of its mechanistic exploration and forward-looking perspective. It concludes by outlining critical research gaps and future directions, including the optimization of hybrid treatment systems, enzyme engineering, and the scaling of biotechnological processes for achieving sustainable, cost-effective, and complete textile dye wastewater remediation.

This study proposes a multi-objective optimization framework for a biodiesel supply chain in India, integrating cost, emissions, and employment as conflicting objectives. The model considers heterogeneous waste feedstocks-animal fat, municipal solid, and industrial organic waste-and is solved using the Social Group Optimization (SGO) algorithm, a novel metaheuristic inspired by human social dynamics. The model incorporates India-specific data, infrastructure constraints, and co-product glycerol flows to enhance real-world applicability. The generated Pareto-optimal solutions demonstrate significant trade-offs: the best balanced solution achieves a total cost of 1.57 million USD, 43.7 metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions, and 680 jobs created; an employment-maximizing configuration yields 964 jobs with 49.8 emissions and a cost of 2.35 million USD. Sensitivity analyses reveal the influence of transport and infrastructure costs on decentralization and sustain-ability outcomes. The results highlight that small increases in cost can enable large social and environmental benefits. By operationalizing triple-bottom-line sustainability through a mathematically rigorous, data-driven approach, this study offers a robust decision-support tool for policymakers seeking to expand India's waste-tobiodiesel infrastructure. The framework contributes to national energy targets and provides a scalable model for circular bioeconomy planning in emerging economies.

The rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae L., (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a destructive cosmopolitan pest of stored cereals, responsible for considerable quantitative and qualitative grain losses. Effective management of this pest is therefore imperative for ensuring food security. However, reliance on synthetic insecticides poses serious challenges due to environmental hazards, risks to human health, and the emergence of insecticide resistance. As an alternative, botanical pesticides offer eco-friendly solutions, as plants produce a wide spectrum of bioactive metabolites with insecticidal potential, particularly secondary metabolites that disrupt insect nutrition and reproduction. Against this background, the present study investigates the effects of ethanolic (MLEE), methanolic (MLEM) and aqueous extract (MLEW) of leaf of Moringa oleifera Lam. on the survival, reproductive performance, and digestive physiology of S. oryzae. Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) profiling of M. oleifera leaf extracts revealed diverse bioactive compounds, including terpenoids, fatty acids, sterols, and alkaloids, which are associated with insecticidal, antifeedant, and oviposition-deterrent activities. Moringa oleifera leaf extracts exhibited strong insecticidal potential against S. oryzae, with the methanolic extract showing highest toxicity (LC₅₀ = 15.2 mg L⁻¹). All extracts significantly reduced adult survival, fecundity, oviposition, and grain infestation, while demonstrating dose-dependent repellency. Kaplan–Meier analysis confirmed reduced longevity in treated groups. Nutritional indices declined sharply, with negative relative consumption rate (RCR) and efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), and digestive physiology was disrupted, as evidenced by elevated proteolytic activity and suppressed carbohydrase activities. These findings highlight M. oleifera Extracts as promising eco-friendly protectants for sustainable stored-grain management.