The testing and rapid detection of pathogenic organisms is a crucial protocol in the prevention and identification of crises related to health, safety and wellbeing.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder that affects an estimated 10 million sufferers worldwide. The two forms of PD include familial and sporadic, and while the etiology of PD is still largely unknown, the condition is likely to be multifactorial with genetic and environmental factors contributing to disease genesis. Diagnosis of the condition is attained through the observation of cardinal clinical manifestations including resting tremor, muscle rigidity, slowness or loss of movement, and postural instability. Unfortunately, by the time these features become apparent extensive neurological damage has already occurred. A cure for PD has not been identified and the current therapy options are pharmaceutical- and/or surgical-based interventions to treat condition symptoms. There is no specific test for PD and most diagnoses are confirmed by a combination of clinical symptoms and positive responses to dopaminergic drug therapies. The prevalence and incidence of PD vary worldwide influenced by several factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, genetic susceptibilities, and environmental exposures. Here, we will present environmental factors implicated in sporadic PD onset. By understanding the mechanisms in which environmental factors interact with, and affect the brain we can stride toward finding the underlying cause(s) of PD.

The development of antimicrobial drug resistance among pathogenic bacteria and fungi is one of the most significant health issues of the 21st century. Recently, advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of nanomaterials, particularly metals that exhibit antimicrobial properties. These metal nanomaterials have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional antimicrobial therapies. In this review, a broad overview of metal nanomaterials, their synthesis, properties, and interactions with pathogenic micro‐organisms is first provided. Secondly, the range of nanomaterials that demonstrate passive antimicrobial properties are outlined and in‐depth analysis and comparison of stimuli‐responsive antimicrobial nanomaterials are provided, which represent the next generation of microbiocidal nanomaterials. The stimulus applied to activate such nanomaterials includes light (including photocatalytic and photothermal) and magnetic fields, which can induce magnetic hyperthermia and kinetically driven magnetic activation. Broadly, this review aims to summarize the currently available research and provide future scope for the development of metal nanomaterial‐based antimicrobial technologies, particularly those that can be activated through externally applied stimuli.