Nanotechnology has recently appeared as an important study subject in modern material sciences. Greener synthesis of nanoparticles has gained the attention of many scientists because of its integral characteristics such as effectiveness, eco‐friendly, and low cost. In the present study by following the green synthesis approach, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were formed for the very first time by using Senecio chrysanthemoides leaf extract as a reducing agent. The UV‐Vis spectrophotometer was used to study the synthesized ZnO NPs, and the specific peak was found to be at 349 nm. The characteristic Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) peak was found to be at 449 cm^-1 which displays the peak of ZnO molecules. The surface morphology of the ZnO NPs was determined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) study showed that the synthesized ZnO NPs are present at the weight percentage of 66.38%. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum confirmed the hexagonal phase wurtzite structure, with the average particle size of 31 nm, and demonstrated the crystalline structure of ZnO NPs. Additionally, to all these experiments, we compared the anti‐inflammatory properties of biogenic ZnO NPs to a standard drug. Biosynthesized ZnO NPs have revealed an effective anti‐inflammatory activity at a higher concentration (100 mL^-1) and showed 73% inhibition in comparison with diclofenac sodium drug. Zinc oxide was shown to be compatible with diclofenac sodium, according to the results. The ZnO NPs produced using the greener synthesis process have the potential to be used in a broad range of fields and also used as a good anti‐inflammatory agent.

The marble industry is growing in Pakistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is the largest producer of marble tiles in Pakistan. Marble production consumes a considerable amount of water during its life cycle stages and impacts various environmental compartments, such as air, water, and soil; therefore, this study aimed to quantify the environmental impacts, water footprint, and cumulative energy demand of one-tonne marble tile manufactured in a small industrial estate Mardan (SIEM), Pakistan, and provide recommendations to improve its environmental impact profile. The study covers water consumption, energy use, and associated environmental impacts of raw materials and processes through different stages of the marble life-cycle during 2017–2018. The cradle-to-gate (extraction to factory gate or store house) life cycle assessment approach was followed in this study. The functional unit for the current study was one tonne of finished marble tile produced. Primary data from the field surveys and secondary data were modeled using the water scarcity index (WSI), CML 2000 v.2.05 methodology, and the cumulative energy demand indicator present by default in SimaPro v.8.3 software. The total water footprint required for one tonne of finished marble tile was 3.62 cubic meters per tonne (m³/t), with electricity consumed at processing units contributing to environmental burdens the most. Similarly, electricity consumed (at processing units and during polishing) and transportation of finished marble tile to the local market were responsible for global warming potential (388 kg CO₂ eq/tonne tile), human toxicity (84.34 kg 1,4-DB-eq/tonne), freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity (94.97kg 1,4-DB eq/tonne) and abiotic depletion (7.1 × 10⁻⁵ kg Sb eq/tonne). The results of our study follow other marble tile LCA studies conducted globally (such as in Turkey and Italy), which also reported a high contribution to GWP, AP, EP, and HT due to electricity and fossil fuels consumption. The total cumulative energy demand (CED) was calculated as 5863.40 MJ (Mega Joule), with most energy usage associated with non-renewable fossil fuel sources. The results indicated that reducing electricity (using standard automatic machinery) and waste materials, especially paper and plastic wastes, can reduce environmental impacts. Most of the surveyed industrial units did not have wastewater treatment and recycling plants, and wastewater directly flows to nearby freshwater bodies and terrestrial ecosystems. These wastewaters should be adequately treated before being discharged into freshwater aquatic bodies. Environmental impacts must be improved by using the latest automatic machinery, reducing waste materials generation, reducing the distance between processing units and the market, and installing wastewater recycling plants.

Nitrate concentration in the final effluent is a key issue in pre-denitrification biological treatment systems. This study investigated post-denitrification with alginate beads containing immobilized activated sludge microorganisms and organic carbon source. A batch study was first performed to identify suitable carbon sources among acetate, glucose, calcium tartrate, starch and canola oil on the basis of nitrate removal and bead stability. Canola oil and starch beads exhibited significantly higher denitrification rates, greater bead stability and lower nitrite accumulation (6 mg/L and 10 mg/L, respectively). Glucose and acetate beads showed longer acclimation phases and degraded faster whereas tartrate beads had higher nitrite build-up (39 mg/L) and degraded due to brittleness. Post-denitrification with canola oil and starch beads was investigated in the final clarifier of a coupled upflow bioreactor and aerobic (UBR-A) system treating synthetic dairy farm wastewater, and showed a denitrification efficiency of >90%. Beads faded in twelve days due to alginate degradation. Therefore, enhancement in bead strength or use of more stable nontoxic gel would be required to further prolong the treatment. Moreover, this study was conducted at lab-scale and need further research for application in real systems.