Background The development of sustainable photocatalytic systems for simultaneous hydrogen production and wastewater remediation is crucial for addressing global energy and environmental challenges. Red mud analogue, an abundant industrial waste from alumina processing, poses serious ecological risks, yet its high-value reutilization remains limited. Method A multifunctional TiO₂–RMAFe–g-C₃N₄ heterostructured composite was rationally synthesized and further immobilized into a polymeric membrane matrix. Comprehensive structural, morphological, and optical characterizations were conducted, and the photocatalytic performance was evaluated through visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution and membrane-assisted degradation of methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RhB). Significant findings The optimized TiO₂–RMAFe–g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst exhibits a high hydrogen evolution rate of 1623 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, significantly surpassing that of the individual components. The corresponding photocatalytic membrane achieves near-complete degradation efficiencies of 99.7% for MB and 99.6% for RhB, together with excellent reusability and operational stability. The superior performance is attributed to enhanced visible-light absorption, accelerated charge separation, and efficient interfacial charge transfer induced by the synergistic heterojunction architecture. This study provides a viable waste-to-wealth strategy for red mud valorization and offers a promising platform for integrated clean hydrogen generation and wastewater treatment.
Hydrogel-based plant bioelectronics are emerging as promising platforms for real-time monitoring and modulation of plant physiology, stress responses, environmental interactions, and growth. Compared with rigid electrodes and conventional polymer films, hydrogels provide a soft, hydrated, conductive, and tunable interface that reduces mechanical mismatch with growing plant tissues while enabling electrochemical, electrophysiological, optical, and multimodal sensing. This review examines recent advances in hydrogel materials for plant bioelectronics, focusing on how network structure, design requirements, materials strategies including crosslinking chemistry, porosity, swelling, adhesion, conductivity, transparency, gas permeability, and biocompatibility affect plant-device performance. Applications in monitoring plant physiology, hormones, pH, moisture, glucose, and overall plant health are highlighted. Reported hydrogel systems exhibit Young’s moduli from ∼ 1 kPa to several MPa and ionic conductivities of 10−3-10−1 S cm−1. Several plant-interfacing devices sustain strains above 300 %, maintain stable electrical performance over 10,000 loading cycles, and support continuous growth monitoring for up to 14 days. Despite these advances, standardised evaluation under realistic agricultural conditions remains limited. Future research should prioritise standardised testing, biodegradable biomass-derived materials, multimodal sensing integration, and closed-loop bioelectronic systems to advance precision agriculture and bio-regenerative life-support applications.
Background Catechol (CC) is an important phenolic molecule that plays an important role in various industrial applications. At the same time, it is a significant environmental pollutant. The rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of CC remains challenging because of the coexistence of structurally similar phenolic impurities. This study proposes an electrochemical method for CC detection using LaBi2O4 and LaBi2O4/reduced graphene oxide (LaBi2O4@rGO) nanocomposites. Methods The nanocomposites were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal technique, which led to improved electrochemical properties owing to the synergistic effect between LaBi2O4 and rGO. The structural and morphological properties of the LaBi2O4@rGO nanocomposite were investigated using various techniques. Electrochemical analyses were performed using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry, which revealed considerable sensitivity and selectivity for CC detection. Significant findings The LaBi2O4@rGO incorporated GC electrode possessed a wide linear detection range (1–700 µM), with a low detection limit (0.15 µM). Moreover, the newly fabricated electrode exhibited high stability, repeatability, and reproducibility, making it suitable for environmental applications. Its effectiveness was further validated by detecting CC in real water samples, such as tap and river water, with a 99% recovery rate, thereby demonstrating its immense potential for practical environmental monitoring.
The growing adoption of environmentally friendly refrigerants and the rapid market expansion of electric vehicles (EVs) have jointly stimulated the design and development of advanced heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems (HVACS) to address thermal challenges in vehicle cabin under various climatic conditions. This review comprehensively summarizes key technologies underpinning distributed exergetic analysis of HVACS, addressing specific cooling and heating requirements and their influence on overall performance. The advantages and limitations of each low-global warming potential (GWP) and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (P-FAS)-free refrigerants, along with their charge quantities and the influence of different operating conditions specific to EVs, and other automobiles, are compared in terms of exergy destruction and exergy efficiency. Additionally, the review highlights advancements in the integration of various configurations—such as secondary loop, vapor injection, ejector technology, suction-line heat exchanger, and waste heat recovery from batteries and other EV components—within the context of HVACS exergy analysis. The potential benefits and challenges of each configuration are critically evaluated with respect to low-GWP refrigerants, and exergetic performance. Furthermore, recent advancements in nano-engineering of lubricants and refrigerants, along with the application of machine learning for the prediction and analysis of energetic-exergetic performance, are discussed in detail. Finally, based on the reviewed exergetic investigations, the most promising HVACS with advanced technologies are identified for future development of sustainable green transportation—aiming to enhance driving range and thermal performance using low-GWP, P-FAS-free refrigerants, without much relying on auxiliary heating systems.
Chronic inflammation is a central driver of numerous disorders, including metabolic, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, autoimmune, and malignant diseases. Although current anti-inflammatory pharmaco-therapeutic strategies, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, and biologic agents, can reduce inflammatory burden and improve clinical outcomes, their long-term use is often limited by adverse effects, incomplete disease control, treatment resistance, and poor correction of upstream oxidative and glycation-related mechanisms. In this context, the interconnected Glo1–Nrf2–RAGE network has emerged as a pharmacologically relevant framework that links carbonyl stress, oxidative injury, and inflammatory signal amplification in chronic diseases. This review examines the therapeutic significance of this axis and evaluates polyphenolic compounds as emerging modulators of Glo1-, Nrf2-, and RAGE-associated pathways. Polyphenols such as curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, resveratrol, and related phenolics exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical models by enhancing antioxidant defense, attenuating AGE–RAGE signaling, and reducing pro-inflammatory mediators. However, their clinical translation remains constrained by poor bioavailability, variable pharmacokinetics, lack of dose standardization, and limited human evidence. Positioning polyphenols within the broader landscape of anti-inflammatory therapy helps clarify their current value as adjunctive modulators or lead structures for future therapeutic development targeting chronic inflammation.
