Plastic pollution has escalated into a global crisis, undermining both environmental sustainability and public health. Each year, nearly eight billion tons of plastic enter aquatic ecosystems, disrupting marine biodiversity and increasing risks of human exposure to toxic byproducts. As plastics degrade, they release hazardous compounds such as bisphenol A (BPA), dioxins, phthalates, furans, and heavy metals—substances linked to respiratory illnesses, endocrine disruption, and cancer. These pollutants find pathways into the environment through soil leaching, air transport, and bioaccumulation across the food chain. Alarming data points highlight the gravity of the issue: BPA concentrations in freshwater bodies have exceeded 12 μg L⁻¹, and dioxin levels near open waste combustion sites have reached over 1000 ng TEQ per kg both surpassing WHO's safety thresholds. In Poland, phthalate levels in leachate from landfills have been recorded at more than 303 μg L⁻¹, while fish specimens from Swedish waters have shown heavy metal concentrations more than 2.26 ng g⁻¹ moist weight, raising potential food safety hazards and chronic exposure risks. Ineffective trash disposal infrastructure disproportionately affects vulnerable communities in countries with low to middle-incomes (LMICs), especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where only 39–45% of solid waste is adequately treated due to infrastructural and financial limitations. The problem is most severe in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the most vulnerable people are at the greatest risk of exposure. On a global scale, effective recycling remains minimal, with less than 10% of plastic waste being repurposed. Most of it is incinerated or dumped, releasing hazardous emissions such as dioxins and furans into the environment. Emerging technologies offer promising but underutilized solutions. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can be recovered up to 97% using chemical recycling processes and enzymatic procedures have demonstrated plastic breakdown efficiencies as high as 90% within hours. However, challenges remain in scaling these technologies due to high costs, limited infrastructure, and uneven access in LMICs. Policy interventions have shown strong results in some nations. By enforcing restrictions on single-use plastics and applying expanded producer responsibility (EPR) frameworks, countries such as Germany, Japan, and Rwanda have achieved recycling rates above 41% and reduced plastic waste generation by up to 90%. These cases demonstrate the role of governance, regulatory enforcement, and accountability in driving systemic change. Addressing plastic pollution globally requires coordinated action, including strict regulations, investment in scalable recycling systems, promotion of eco-friendly alternatives, and stronger international cooperation. Only through such combined and multi-dimensional approaches can the growing environmental and public health risks of plastic waste be effectively reduced.

There have been significant advancements in catalysis today, especially with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI). Understanding the relationship between the descriptors and catalytic performance and underlying principles is crucial for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysis. As of today, the usage and application of machine learning (ML) are soaring and there has been a phenomenal demand owing to its immense pattern recognition capability and optimization potential. Its applications in computational quantum mechanical modeling have inspired promising development in HER catalyst scrutiny and screening. The present communication reviews the general scheme of ML, data sources, and computational tools for HER catalyst screening and therefore provides a strong basis for its application. Furthermore, the analysis elucidates how ML algorithms are used for the prediction of a) adsorption energies, b) reaction descriptors, c) structure–property relationships, d) catalyst discovery, and e) synthesis conditions and reaction design of HER catalysts. Lastly, key constraints and the need for an integrative platform have been highlighted. Based on literature surveys, recent trends, material advancements, systems understanding, and key challenges in deploying ML tools, future directions with a road map have been provided for an evolved design and development in the case of HER catalysis. Graphical abstract

Samarium oxide (Sm₂O₃) is a versatile surface for CO₂ and H₂ interaction and conversion. Samarium oxide-supported Ni, samarium oxide-supported Co-Ni, and samarium oxide-supported Ru-Ni catalysts were tested for CO₂ methanation and were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, infrared spectroscopy, H₂-temperature programmed reduction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Limited H₂ dissociation and widely available surface carbonate and formate species over 20 wt.% Ni, dispersed over Sm₂O₃, resulted in ~98% CH₄ selectivity. The low selectivity for CO could be due to the reforming reaction between CH₄ (methanation product) and CO₂. Co-impregnation of cobalt with nickel over Sm₂O₃ had high surface adsorbed oxygen and higher CO selectivity. On the other hand, co-impregnation of ruthenium and nickel over Sm₂O₃ led to more than one catalytic active site, carbonate species, lack of formate species, and 94% CH₄ selectivity. It indicated the following route of CH₄ synthesis over Ru-Ni/Sm₂O₃; carbonate → unstable formate → CO → CH₄.

Exposure to hydroquinone (HQ) can cause various health hazards and negative impacts on the environment. Therefore, we developed an efficient electrochemical sensor to detect and quantify HQ based on palladium nanoparticles deposited in a porous silicon-polypyrrole-carbon black nanocomposite (Pd@PSi−PPy−C)-fabricated glassy carbon electrode. The structural and morphological characteristics of the newly fabricated Pd@PSi−PPy−C nanocomposite were investigated utilizing FESEM, TEM, EDS, XPS, XRD, and FTIR spectroscopy. The exceptionally higher sensitivity of 3.0156 μAμM⁻¹ cm⁻² and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.074 μM were achieved for this innovative electrochemical HQ sensor. Applying this novel modified electrode, we could detect wide-ranging HQ (1–450 μM) in neutral pH media. This newly fabricated HQ sensor showed satisfactory outcomes during the real sample investigations. During the analytical investigation, the Pd@PSi−PPy−C/GCE sensor demonstrated excellent reproducibility, repeatability, and stability. Hence, this work can be an effective method in developing a sensitive electrochemical sensor to detect harmful phenol derivatives for the green environment.

Our planet is currently facing dual challenges of global warming and energy crisis. The heavy reliance of the energy sector on fossil fuels significantly contributes to the accumulation of greenhouse gases, such as CH₄ and CO₂, in the environment atmosphere, exacerbating global warming. Stabilized zirconia-based material offer a promising solutions to address both challenges. As a catalytic support material, active sites incorporated stabilized-zirconia can facilitate the conversions of greenhouse gases like CH₄ and CO₂ into syngas (H₂ and CO). This reaction is popularly known as dry reforming of methane (DRM). Additionally, stabilized zirconia-based materials act as solid-state electrolyte in fuel cells enabling the electrochemical conversion of H₂ and O₂ to generate electricity. Both processes require high-temperature stability and oxide ionic conductivity, making “Ca, Mg, Sc, Y-stabilized zirconia” an optimal choice. In DRM, the key factors influencing catalytic efficiency include metal–support interaction, reducibility, and basicity. Meanwhile, for solid oxide fuel cells, performance is governed by factors such as size-fit, charge imbalance, dopant miscibility, ion conducting phases, densification, electrolyte thickness, and grain boundary volume. This compressive review explores the dual functionality of “Ca, Mg, Sc, Y-stabilized zirconia” as a catalyst’support for DRM and as an solid electrolyte for fuel cells. The most promising research outcomes are highlighted, and future research directions are outlined. By bringing together the catalytic and fuel cell research communities, this study aims to advance sustainable energy technologies and contribute to mitigating environmental and energy crisis through the development of stabilized zirconia-based materials.