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Heavy metal (HM) stress is one of the most important abiotic stresses affecting flora and fauna worldwide due to a rapid global increase in the urbanization and industrialization and the consequent rise of HM concentration in the atmosphere. Typically, plants have distinct mechanisms to cope up with HM stress. These mechanisms rendering tolerance to the plants by detoxifying the HMs. Additionally, a number of physiological and molecular changes occur in plant cells due to their exposure to HMs. This culminates in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause oxidative stress in plants, which significantly affects plant metabolism and disrupts normal vital cellular functions. However, in order to cope with such stresses, plants possess a strong antioxidant defence system to counteract increases in the ROS-induced stress. The enzymatic components of this system include superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and glutathione reductase (GR). The non-enzymatic components are ascorbate, glutathione and phenolic compounds along with lipid-soluble molecules such as carotenoids and tocopherols. This review makes an effort to collect and collate the currently available information on metal stress and cellular antioxidant systems of plants, emphasizing upon the role of enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms for detoxification of HM-induced oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the sustainable production of biodiesel from nonedible Phyllanthus maderaspatensis seed oil (highest oil content of 35%, FFA 0.87 mg/KOH), utilizing an innovative green synthesis approach for chromium oxide nanoparticles derived from the waste fruit parts of Aubergine for the very first time in the current work. In pursuit of alternatives to fossil fuels, our research underscores the environmental and socio‐economic benefits of biofuels, particularly in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The optimized process yielded a 92% biodiesel conversion under conditions of a 9:1 methanol‐to‐oil ratio, 0.135 wt.% catalyst concentration, and a reaction duration of 150 min at 80°C. Comprehensive analysis techniques, including XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, Zeta analysis, differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), GC–MS, and NMR (1H, 13C), were employed to characterize the synthesized nanocatalyst and biodiesel product. The biodiesel's fuel properties, such as acid value, fire point, pour point, viscosity, kinematic density, sulfur content, and cloud point, were rigorously tested, demonstrating compliance with international standards (ASTM D‐6571, EN 14214, and GB/T 20828‐2007). The use of P. maderaspatensis seed oil, an economical and environmentally friendly feedstock, in conjunction with a cost‐effective nanocatalyst, presents a viable pathway for the sustainable and scalable production of biodiesel. This study contributes to the advancement of bioproducts for a sustainable bioeconomy by demonstrating an integrated approach to bioenergy production that leverages biotechnological innovations and addresses both environmental and socio‐economic dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising materials for next‐generation batteries due to their unique properties such as high surface area, tuneable pore size, and composition. Objective: This review explored the comprehensive summary of MOF‐based electrode materials, their synthetic ways and applications for batteries. Methods: For example, solvothermal synthesis is commonly used for generating large MOF crystals, while hydrothermal synthesis is often used for synthesizing highly porous MOFs for energy storage devices. Herein, the synthetic strategies and applications of MOFs and their composites in batteries and supercapacitors are introduced. Results: Our findings demonstrate that MOFs have the potential to revolutionize the field of batteries and open new possibilities for designing next‐generation batteries with improved performance and safety. Conclusion: However, further research is needed to overcome the challenges and fully realize the potential of MOFs in batteries and it will contribute to forward advancement of pristine MOFs with excellent electrochemical behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study focuses on the synthesis of Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanocatalyst via Tragacanth Gum (TG) using the wet impregnation method and its application for sustainable biodiesel production from a novel, non-edible Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl seed oil. The D. sophia seed oil has higher oil content (36 wt%) and free fatty acid (FFA) value (0.6 mg KOH/g). Innovative analytical methods, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, were used to characterize the newly synthesized, environmentally friendly, and recyclable CeO2-TG phytonanocatalyst (FT-IR). The results show that the CeO2-TG phytonanocatalyst was 22 nm in diameter with a spherical shape outer morphology, while the inner structure was hexagonal. Due to low FFA content, the D. sophia seed oil was pretreated and transesterified via a single step. Using varying parameters, the optimized process variables were determined via Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimum process values were 8:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 0.3 wt% catalyst concentration, 90 °C temperature, and reaction time of 210 min with 98% biodiesel yield. The recently created phytonanocatalyst was reliable and effective, with three times reusability in the transesterification reaction. Thin layer chromatography (TLC), FT-IR, gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GCMS), and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses were used to characterize the synthesized biodiesel. Physico-chemical properties of D. sophia biodiesel, i.e., Kinematic viscosity (4.23 mm2/s), density (0.800 kg/m3), pour point (−7 °C), cloud point (−12 °C), and flash point (73.5 °C) agree well with international biodiesel standards (ASTM-6751, 951), (EU-14214), and China (GB/T 20828) standards. The results show that the synthesized nanocatalyst demonstrated remarkable stability, indicating a bright future for industrial biodiesel production from low-cost feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. seeds contain 30% oil content and 0.43 mg KOH/g FFA content. Ni-TG nano-catalyst was synthesized through a wet impregnation route. The Ni-TG nano-catalyst has a crystalline size of 39.29 nm with a semispherical and ovoid shape. 0.3 wt% catalyst concentration, 6:1 methanol to oil ratio at 90 °C for 120 min yielded 93% of Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. biodiesel. In the current study, a novel green nano-catalyst from Tragacanth gum (TG) was synthesized and used for sustainable biodiesel production from Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. seed oil. Brassica juncea (L.) Czern contains 30% oil on dry basis and free fatty acid content of 0.43 mg KOH/g. Physiochemical characterization of a newly synthesized nano-catalyst was performed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. The XRD results showed an average crystalline size of 39.29 nm. TEM analysis showed the cluster form of NiSO4 nanoparticles with a size range from 30–50.5 nm. SEM analysis of the catalyst showed semispherical and ovoid shapes with surface agglomeration. The synthesized catalyst was recovered and re-used in four repeated transesterification cycles. Maximum biodiesel yield (93%) was accomplished at 6:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration of 0.3 wt%, at 90 °C for 120 min at 600 rpm using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) coupled with central composite design (CCD). Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. biodiesel was characterized by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), FT-IR, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) (1H, 13C), and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS) analytical techniques. The major fatty acid methyl esters were 16-Octadecenoic acid and 9-Octadecenoic acid methyl ester. The fuel properties, i.e., flash point (97 °C), density (825 kg/m3 at 40 °C), kinematic viscosity (4.66 mm2/s), pour point (–10 °C), cloud point (–14 °C), sulfur content (66 wt.%), and total acid number (182 mg KOH/g) were according to the International biodiesel standards. The reaction kinetic parameters were determined, and all the reactions followed Pseudo first-order kinetics. It was concluded that non-edible Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. seed oil is one of the sustainable candidates for the future biofuel industry using a cleaner, reusable, and highly active Ni-modified TG nano-catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]