Antibiotics are known as emergent pollutants because of their toxicological properties. Due to continuous discharge and persistence in the aquatic environment, antibiotics are detected almost in every environmental matrix. Therefore antibiotics that are polluting the aquatic environment have gained significant research interest for their removal. Several techniques have been used to remove pollutants, but appropriate technology is still to be found. This review addresses the use of modified and cheap materials for antibiotic removal from the environment.

Due to continued industrial discharge, pollution of the aquatic system has emerged as a worldwide concern. This study was conducted to determine the possible genotoxic effect of industrial effluents (treated and untreated) by employing the Allium cepa chromosome aberrations test system. The result illustrated that the untreated effluent was more toxic compared to treated effluent, as it reduced the number of dividing cells in the root tip. All the samples of untreated effluent showed high genotoxic effect. On incrementing the dosage from 25% to 100% the gradual increasing effect was noted on A. cepa. The study states that effluent even after treatment remains genotoxic as it has the ability to initiate the chromosomal aberrations of various types.

In this article, we have described microwave assisted synthesis of 3-formyl-10H phenothiazine and preparation of chitosan-phenothiazine derivative film with potential for optical properties in biomedical applications, vis-à-vis it is also important to ensure that chemical processes used in converting biopolymer to useful material through green chemistry approach. From optical properties and biomedical application point of views, it is a benign technique. Chitosan-derivative film was prepared from hydrogel by solution casting method. The prepared chitosan-phenothiazine derivative was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The film was evaluated by XRD, thermal analysis, surface morphology, photoluminescence (PL) spectrscopy and second harmonic generation (SHG) study. Overall, the chitosan-phenothiazine derivative film opens new perspectives to optical material for biomedical applications.

Nanotechnology holds significant ameliorative potential against neurodegenerative diseases, as it can protect the therapeutic substance and allow for its sustained release. In this study, the reducing and capping agents of Urtica dioica (UD), Matricaria chamomilla (MC), and Murraya koenigii (MK) extracts were used to synthesize bio-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) against bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) and against rotenone-induced toxicities in D. melanogaster for the first time. Their optical and structural properties were analyzed via FT-IR, DLS, XRD, EDS, SEM, UV–Vis, and zeta potential. The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the fabricated ZnO-NPs were evaluated employing cell-free models (DPPH and ABTS) and the well diffusion method, respectively. Rotenone (500 µM) was administered to Drosophila third instar larvae and freshly emerged flies for 24–120 h, either alone or in combination with plant extracts (UD, MC, an MK) and their biogenic ZnO-NPs. A comparative study on the protective effects of synthesized NPs was undertaken against rotenone-induced neurotoxic, cytotoxic, and behavioral alterations using an acetylcholinesterase inhibition assay, dye exclusion test, and locomotor parameters. The findings revealed that among the plant-derived ZnO-NPs, MK-ZnO NPs exhibit strong antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, followed by UD-ZnO NPs and MC-ZnO NPs. In this regard, ethno-nano medicinal therapeutic uses mimic similar effects in D. melanogaster by suppressing oxidative stress by restoring biochemical parameters (AchE and proteotoxicity activity) and lower cellular toxicity. These findings suggest that green-engineered ZnO-NPs have the potential to significantly enhance outcomes, with the promise of effective therapies for neurodegeneration, and could be used as a great alternative for clinical development.