Biochar is a carbon-rich, porous substance produced from the thermal degradation process of carbon-based materials, like biomass and other solid waste, in an oxygen-deprived environment. The type of parent material and the conditions for processing are the principal factors in determining the properties of biochar. Because of its diverse physicochemical properties, biochar has gained growing attention over the decades as a cost-effective, sustainable, and emerging material with potential applications in energy, agriculture, and environmental sectors like wastewater treatment. Two different parent materials, such as wheat bran and maple leaf, were pyrolyzed at three different temperatures (300 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C). The resultant biochar was analyzed for its adsorptive potential for different contaminants. All the tested physicochemical property values of the maple (Acer) leaf biochar were found to be higher than wheat (Triticum) bran biochar except bulk density and the dye absorption potential. Based on the biochar physiochemical properties, the pyrolysis temperature of 700 °C was found to be the best for pyrolyzing these biomasses. Irrespective of the biochar types, pH 2.0 with a residence time of 90 min outperformed with an initial dye concentration of 0.05 mg/mL and a biochar application rate of 50 mg/mL. Furthermore, MLBC exhibited higher oil adsorption potential in comparison with that of WBC. The addition of WBC and MLBC to the polymer beads increases their dye absorption competence; therefore, this biochar can be a potential means of water treatment.

Arabinoxylans (AX) are functional biopolymers, the main non-starch polysaccharides in cereals and other plants. AX is composed of xylose and arabinose, and the ester-linkage of ferulic acid to arabinose confers its bioactive properties. The backbone of AX resembles that of glycosaminoglycans, a major component of the human extracellular matrix. This study explores the potential of wheat bran AX-based scaffolds as a novel platform for the growth and development of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, an aggressive form of breast cancer. Importantly, patients face the worst prognosis due to the stemness of the TNBC cells and the formation of hypoxic cell clumps. Wheat bran constitutes 15–25% of the byproducts after milling and adds limited economic value. We have extracted AX from wheat bran (WBAX) and developed soft scaffolds with Na-alginate. The scaffolds were seeded with the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Over 21 days, cell growth and development, cell migration within the hydrogels, and the formation of hypoxic regions within cell clumps were observed. These findings suggest that WBAX-based scaffolds provide a conducive environment for TNBC cell proliferation and development, offering a promising avenue for further research into cancer cell biology and potential therapeutic applications.

The milling process of wheat annually generates over 150 million tons of wheat bran (WB), which has significant potential for bioplastic production. However, the production of bioplastics from these resources has never been explored until now. Wheat bran (WB) polymer was evaluated for its potential as an environmentally friendly biodegradable plastic, exhibiting a tensile strength of 2.3 MPa, elongation exceeding 100%, and resistance to diluted mineral acids, thereby highlighting its suitability for food packaging and related applications. The biodegradable plastic films were prepared through a molding process that involved three steps: (1) extraction of arabinoxylan from wheat bran, (2) hydrolysis and plasticization with glycerol, and (3) blending with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in varying proportions. The resulting bioplastic exhibits competitive mechanical properties and biodegradability. Furthermore, the biodegradable plastic developed in this research contributes to agricultural waste management, the development of value-added products, and the reduction of carbon emissions incurred from plastic industries. Additionally, it can replace and reduce reliance on synthetic plastics, which are non-degradable and a source of severe environmental pollution.

Arabinoxylans (AX) are functional biopolymers, the main non-starch polysaccharides in cereals and other plants. AX is composed of xylose and arabinose, and the ester-linkage of ferulic acid to arabinose confers its bioactive properties. The backbone of AX resembles that of glycosaminoglycans, a major component of the human extracellular matrix. This study explores the potential of wheat bran AX-based scaffolds as a novel platform for the growth and development of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, an aggressive form of breast cancer. Importantly, patients face the worst prognosis due to the stemness of the TNBC cells and the formation of hypoxic cell clumps. Wheat bran constitutes 15%- 25% of the byproducts after milling and adds limited economic value. We have extracted AX from wheat bran (WBAX) and developed soft scaffolds with Na-alginate. The scaffolds were seeded with the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Over 21 days, cell growth and development, cell migration within the hydrogels, maintenance of cell stemness, and the formation of hypoxic regions within cell clumps were observed. These findings suggest that WBAX-based scaffolds provide a conducive environment for TNBC cell proliferation and development, offering a promising avenue for further research into cancer cell biology and potential therapeutic applications.

Currently, plastic pollution is a growing global issue due to its non-biodegradability, increasing demand for eco-friendly alternatives such as bioplastics. This study explores the development of bioplastic films from chickpea starch using a three-step molding process. In the first step, starch is extracted from chickpeas. The second step involves hydrolysis and plasticization of starch with glycerol in different ratios. In the final step, the modified starch is blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in varying ratios to produce the bioplastic films. The optimal formulation, CPS 1:2:2, exhibited strong performance (4.1 MPa TS, 281% EA, and 70.1° WCA). The developed films exhibited improved physicochemical, mechanical, barrier, and chemical resistance properties, including enhanced acid and alkaline stability. FTIR and SEM analyses confirmed the formation of a crosslinked polymer network and its biodegradation, indicating the environmental sustainability of the developed bioplastic.

The milling process of wheat annually generates over 150 million tons of wheat bran (WB), which has significant potential for bioplastic production. However, the production of bioplastics from these resources has never been explored until now. WB polymer is evaluated here to produce environmentally friendly, biodegradable plastic suitable for food packaging. The biodegradable plastic films were prepared through a molding process that involved three steps: (1) extraction of arabinoxylan from wheat bran, (2) hydrolysis and plasticization with glycerol, and (3) blending with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in varying proportions. The resulting bioplastic exhibits competitive mechanical properties and biodegradability. Furthermore, the biodegradable plastic developed in this research contributes to agricultural waste management, the development of value-added products, and the reduction of carbon emissions incurred from plastic industries. Additionally, it can replace and reduce reliance on synthetic plastics, which are non-degradable and a source of severe environmental pollution.