K. Kaviyarasu’s research while affiliated with University of South Africa and other places

It is the goal of this article to define and implement the strategic policies to avoid negative environmental impact by planning, implementing, monitoring, and controlling activities based on the environmental management. The forthcoming work does not involve experimental and characterization studies, and it does not even involve laboratory experiments. Environmental risks have been mitigated by a number of laws and regulations, including those that recognize, evaluate, and enforce environmental hazards. A sustainable policy is an innovative way of establishing policies and plans which are sustainable for the environment. This study provided metrics and indicators for measuring the environmental performance. As a result, the key priorities will be protecting the environment, growing the economy, and utilizing resources in the most effective manner without compromising the needs of the future. To ensure sustainable development, the environment and society will be managed to achieve their well-being because of implementing strategies. This report explores some of the practices and principles of sustainability that businesses, organizations, and individuals can employ to improve their sustainability.

In the title compound, C31H28O4, the phenyl rings of the chalcone unit subtend a dihedral angle of 26.43 (10)°. The phenyl rings of the pendant benz­yloxy groups are orientated at 75.57 (13) and 75.70 (10)° with respect to their attached ring. In the crystal, weak C—H⋯O and C—H⋯π inter­actions link the mol­ecules. The inter­molecular inter­actions were qu­anti­fied and analysed using Hirshfeld surface analysis, which showed a breakdown into H⋯H (49.8%), H⋯C/C⋯H (33.8%) and H⋯O/O⋯H (13.6%) inter­actions with other types making negligible contributions.

Biomass in general can be defined as the organic matters which are produced by the plants of both the terrestrial and aquatic means. Due to the chemical reaction by the bioactive microorganisms, the huge mass of the wastes generated in the environment has been processed into biomass wastes. Being the source of power biomass plays a vital role in the field of the energy sector. The whole world is looking for an alternative way of producing energy from sources that are available as raw materials to generate different forms of energy. According to a recent study, fossil fuels will get depleted in a few decades due to overconsumption, and also a lot of practical difficulties are there in the case of nuclear-based energy sources. All over the world millions and trillion tons of waste are generated per day from various fields including agricultural waste, food waste, industrial waste, wastes produced from forests, animal waste, poultry droppings, sewage waste, etc. All these wastes can be utilized into useful energy using different conversion technologies including fermentation, anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, combustion, transesterification, gasification, thermochemical conversion, etc. In this chapter, the waste generated from biomass and the process involved in the conversion of biomass into useful energy are depicted. Also, the by-products generated from biomass, like biodiesel, biogas, and other products and their role as a biofuel are discussed.

Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO2) were made by reacting graphene oxide (GO) with Lawsonia inermis leaf extract. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed crystalline TiO2 doped GO nanoparticles composed of a variety of anatase phases. Initially, UV–vis spectroscopy was performed to confirm the biogenesis of TiO2 doped GO nanoparticles (NP's). Using SEM, the research showed that the biosynthesized TiO2 nanoparticles were mostly spherical, polydispersed, and of a nanoscale size. Because of the energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) pattern, distinct and robust peaks of titanium (Ti) and oxygen (O) were observed, which were supportive of the formation of TiO2 nanoparticles. By using fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, it was demonstrated that terpenoids, flavonoids, and proteins are involved in the biosynthesis and production of TiO2 doped GO nanoparticles. 2,2‐diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays were conducted to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity of TiO2 doped GO nanoparticles. Additionally, the TiO2 doped GO NPs had enhanced antioxidant activity when compared with the TiO2 matrix. A series of pure TiO2 and TiO2 doped GO nanoparticles (5, 10, 50, and 100 mg/mL) solutions were investigated for their antibacterial activities. In the current study, zebrafish embryos exposed to pure TiO2 and TiO2 doped GO nanoparticles were toxic and suffered a low survival rate based on concentration. During photocatalysis, O2˙ and ˙OH radicals are rapidly produced because of the reactive species trapping experiment. It was estimated that pure TiO2 nanoparticles and those doped with GO were 80% effective in degrading methyl orange(MO) after 120 min, respectively. Research Highlights The UV–vis absorption spectra showed a maximum absorbance peak at 290 nm. SEM, the pure TiO2 doped GO NPs exhibit agglomeration and spherical shape. When tested in zebrafish embryos, TiO2 NPs are toxic at high concentrations. GO nanoparticles showed better antioxidant activity. NPs exhibited concentration dependent antioxidative activity.

Competent treatment techniques were explored to curb the environmental pollution of dye-laden wastewater. In the current study, eucalyptus biomass contemplated as agricultural waste is translated into eucalyptus graphitic activated carbon (EPGAC) using ZnCl2 at 600 °C in the N2 atmosphere. The present investigation illustrated awareness about the nature of EPGAC’s dye elimination by employing Direct Yellow 12 dye (DY12) as a model dye. EPGAC was characterized using multiple characterization tools such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Boehm titrations, pHzpc, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis techniques. Electron micrographs disclosed the availability of high pore density for the adsorption of DY12 dyes. BJH analysis reported the distribution of mesopores having a 3 nm diameter on the EPGAC surface. Further, the surface area available for adsorption per gram of the adsorbent is estimated as 178.35 m² employing BET analysis. XRD and Raman’s data revealed the graphitic nature of EPGAC. Influences of adsorbent parameters such as EPGAC mass, initial dye concentration, contact time, solution pH, and temperature on the eviction of DY12 by EPGAC were examined to achieve a deeper insight into the adsorption mechanism. The optimum EPGAC adsorbent dose was found to be 0.15 g. The equilibrium was attained at 120 min for DY12 dye. Pseudo-second-order kinetics entirely relates to the perfect fit associated with the investigational results. The aptness of the equilibrium data relevant to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm eventually recommends a maximum unilayer adsorption capacity of 42.01 mg/g for EPGAC. Thermodynamic studies further reveal the spontaneous, endothermic, and chemisorption nature of adsorption. Adsorbent viability was established through stability and recyclability studies carried out up to 5 run cycles with 0.15 g of EPGAC. Adsorption mechanisms were explained considering hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and electrostatic interactions, ultimately confirming the adsorption tendency displayed by EPGAC for the eviction of DY12 dye present in industrial wastewater.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to the original publication [...]