Environmental adulteration is an emerging concern due to the discharge of wastewater effluents from several sources. Several carcinogenic dyes are the major contaminants in these water bodies. These could cause long-lasting and detrimental effects to humans as well as aquatic ecosystems. For efficient degradation of such dyes, the exploration of nanotechnology has demonstrated huge potential. Herein, the degradation of dyes (MB, CV, and MO) has been carried out photocatalytically using N-doped SnO2 nanoparticles (N:SnO2 NPs) as well as in presence of a sacrificial agent, EDTA. These NPs were synthesized at an ambient temperature. Different characterization techniques were used throughout the analysis of the synthesized NPs. The PXRD analysis reveals formation of single-phase rutile structure with tetragonal symmetry. Using the Scherrer formula, the size of the NPs was found to be less than 5 nm, exhibiting increases in size with N doping. Further, morphological analysis through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examined the existence of highly agglomerated, spherical NPs. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results depict the thermal stability of the synthesized NPs up to a temperature of 800 °C. These synthesized N:SnO2 NPs exhibit potent efficiency for the photocatalytic degradation of MB, MO, and CV dyes with an efficiency of 93%, 83%, and 73% degradation, respectively, under UV light irradiation. Additionally, the effect of the sacrificial agent, EDTA, was observed on the degradation process and resulted in a degradation of ~90% MB dye, 88% CV dye, and 86% MO dye within 15 min of UV light irradiation.

The primary component for human health is food quality and its safety. The world has crossed 8 billion population highlighting major demand to fulfil high consumption food requirement. To overcome food security issue, inorganic farming trend is booming. In the process of boosting agriculture and allied products, unethical practices of using pesticides achieve heights. Protection of plants is necessary from weeds and pests. Thus, in order, to minimize the curb of unwanted growth of weeds and pest attack, pesticides act as an agent for protection and helping for immense production of crops. Therefore, swift and precise detection of harmful pesticides in agriculture products is required in urgent demand. In this review, the distinct organic material-based sensor such as colorimetric sensing, fluorescent sensors, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography, with the organic compounds as sensing elements to monitor pesticides level in distinct samples due to their specificity, reusability, stability, high sensitivity, and selectivity. Apart from it, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the recent major advancement in organic sensing elements in electrochemical sensor pesticides detection based on molecularly imprinted, multimodal sensor polydopamine and conductive polymer at low-cost production.

Melissopalynological analysis of 34 honey samples (17 summer and 17 autumn samples) collected from feral colonies of Indian hive bee (Apis cerana), European bee (Apis mellifera) and rock bee (Apis dorsata) during 2011 – 2015 from the Shimla Hills of Himachal Pradesh (India) was performed. Pollen from plant taxa belonging to 43 families was found in the honey samples. Of 34 honey samples from the Shimla Hills, 18 were unifloral with 12 pollen types as predominant and the remaining 16 samples were multifloral. The predominant pollen plant taxa of summer were Pyrus sp., Malus domestica, Prunus amygdalus, Prunus sp., Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Citrus sp. and Rhododendron arboreum. In autumn, the predominant pollen plant taxa were Leucaena leucocephala, Salvia officinalis, Eriobotrya japonica, Impatiens balsamina and Prinsepia utilis. Melissopalynological analysis of summer honey collected from Summer Hill and Sarahan tagged these as “mad honey”, since Rhododendron pollen was predominant. The pollen spectrum indicated a diverse bee plant flora, which is promising indicator to augment the beekeeping industry in this region.

Toxic metal ions present in environmental water samples and other samples need to be detected for their removal. The detection of trace metal ions using an ion selective electrode (ISE) holds great significance in analytical chemistry. A 4-vinyl pyridine-ethyl acrylate copolymer-polyvinyl chloride (VE-PVC) based polymeric matrix (electrode) has been fabricated by free radical bulk polymerization method which is an example of a green and sustainable method capable of detecting Ni2+ ions even in trace amounts. To fabricate the polymeric matrix (electrode) (PME), VE has been used as an ionophore. Further, the effectiveness of Ni2+ ion ISE has also been investigated in the presence of surfactants and detergents. Its performance has also been analyzed in the presence of plasticizers. The electrode is found to be very useful for the estimation of Ni2+ ions using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid by potentiometric titration and also in the estimation of presence of Ni2+ ions  in water. Compared to other metal ions, the fabricated membrane electrode developed in this work has been found to show efficient and better selectivity towards Ni2+ ions.