Anaerobic digestion is a traditional method of producing methane-containing biogas by utilizing the methanogenic conversion of organic matter like agricultural waste and animal excreta. Recently, the application of microbial electrolysis cell (MECs) technology to a traditional anaerobic digestion system has been extensively studied to find new opportunities in increasing wastewater treatability and methane yield and producing valuable chemicals. The finding that both anodic and cathodic bacteria can synthesize methane has led to the efforts of optimizing multiple aspects like microbial species, formation of biofilms, substrate sources and electrode surface for higher production of the combustible compound. MECs are very fascinating because of its ability to uptake a wide variety of raw materials including untreated wastewater (and its microbial content as biocatalysts). Extensive work in this field has established different systems of MECs for hydrogen production and biodegradation of organic compounds. This review is dedicated to explaining the operating principles and mechanism of the MECs for electromethanogenesis using different biochemical pathways. Emphasis on single- and double-chambered MECs along with reactor components is provided for a comprehensive description of the technology. Methane production using hydrogen evolution reaction and nanocatalysts has also been discussed.

The quest for new functional nanomaterials is one of the defining purposes of nanoscience and nanotechnology. A large number of metal nanoparticles (NPs) are extensively exploited for biomedical applications. Metal NPs, in particular platinum NPs (PtNPs), possess remarkable properties that make them a potential candidate as a diagnostic or therapeutic agent. Due to potential technological interest over the last decade, PtNPs have attracted much attention in the field of anticancer research. PtNPs, when conjugated with many functionalizing agents such as polymers, ligands, drugs, peptides, and surfactants, exhibit improved targeting and reduced cytotoxic effects in various cancers. The PtNPs conjugated with folic acid, graphene oxide, and iron NPs are gained more attention due to their stability, large surface area, and reduced toxicity. To achieve this goal, PtNPs are co‐loaded with drugs or other modalities that offer an opportunity for multimodal activity in the frame of treating cancer types focusing on breast, blood, lung, ovarian, skin, liver, etc. However, a review of PtNPs’ function in diagnosis and treatment is still lacking. In this review, the effectiveness of PtNPs toward inducing and elevating death of the cancerous cells proving its delivery approaches and antitumor nature, concluding with future perspectives, are summarized.

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