Faculty Publications

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    Homogeneous photocatalysts immobilized on polymeric supports: Environmental and chemical synthesis applications
    (Elsevier, 2021) Prekodravac, J.; Nair, V.; Giannakoudakis, D.A.; Hsu, S.H.-Y.; Colmenares, J.C.
    The interest in homogeneous photocatalysis arises from the high activity and selectivity advantages of controlled photochemical transformations such as synthesis of chemical/pharmaceutical products or complete degradation/mineralization of hazardous compounds. However, the major drawback of homogeneous photocatalytic reactions lies in the separation and recovery of the photocatalyst after the reaction, necessary to make the photocatalytic process eco-friendly. Immobilization of homogeneous photocatalysts on different supports is considered to be a viable method to increase the retainability and reusability of the photocatalyst simultaneously. This chapter aims to provide an in-depth information related to the immobilization of various homogeneous photocatalysts on well-known synthetic and natural polymers. Detailed information related to the potential environmental and chemical synthesis applications of immobilized homogeneous photocatalysts are also discussed. Finally, this chapter concludes with a new direction in emerging technologies for developing better supported photocatalysts. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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    Biocatalytic Remediation of Industrial Pollutants
    (Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2023) Pallavi, P.; Manikandan, S.K.; Nair, V.
    The release of an significant amount of pollutants from various industrial activities pose a serious threat to environmental sustainability and ecological integrity. Toxic pollutants, such as dyes, pesticides, metal ions, plastics, and antibiotics, can cause detrimental diseases to diverse living beings in their ecosystems. Biocatalytic remediation is one efficient method of removing toxic industrial pollutants by applying microorganisms or enzymes. Microorganisms in the environment typically produce a variety of enzymes to immobilize and degrade contaminants by using them as a substrate for growth and development. Biocatalytic remediation has attracted enormous interest worldwide due to its affordability and eco-friendliness. The use of microbial enzymes and microorganisms, especially immobilized biocatalysts, has been established as a flexible approach for the sustainable alleviation of industrial pollutants, in contrast to physical and chemical methods. This chapter presents and discusses recent scientific and technological advancements related to biocatalytic remediation of industrial pollutants. It also considers different biocatalysts and novel methodologies to mitigate various pollutants. This article also examines current trends, challenges, and directions for efficiently removing pollutant using biocatalysis method. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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    Role of Lignocellulosic Waste in Biochar Production for Adsorptive Removal of Pollutants from Wastewater
    (Springer Nature, 2023) Rao, K.A.; Nair, V.; Divyashri, G.; Murthy, T.P.K.; Dey, P.; Samrat, K.; Chandraprabha, M.N.; Hari Krishna, R.H.
    Biochar is a carbon-rich material obtained through the thermal decomposition of lignocellulosic percussor in the absence of oxygen. Biochar is widely utilized as a sustainable and potential adsorbent for the removal of pollutants owing to its unique physicochemical properties. This chapter aims to review the importance of utilizing lignocellulosic waste in the development of biochar-based adsorbents. The influence of process parameters that affect the properties of biochar is also provided. The comprehensive review of modification methods of biochar properties is explained along with adsorption characteristics, and sorption abilities of biochar in the amputation of organic and inorganic pollutants. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.
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    Bioprocesses for Sustainable Management of Mine Waste in Contaminated Environmental Matrices
    (CRC Press, 2024) Nair, V.; Singh, A.; Gowda, N.K.
    Mining activities release heavy metals into the soil, which causes pollution, habitat loss, soil erosion, acid mine drainage, and serious threats to human health. Mining waste also includes waste rocks and slag, which accumulate toxins and have tailing effects. In recent years the accelerated growth in population and industrial production has made it impossible to restrict mining activities. Mining waste management needs to be redefined to become more sustainable. The use of conventional remediation methods requires use of expensive equipment and complex techniques and can led to the formation of noxious secondary pollutants. Continual efforts to develop biological treatment methods offer promising results using various alternatives like bacteria-assisted degradation, phytoremediation, phycoremediation, and modifications in the bioreactor system for the removal of pollutants from mining-contaminated sites. These methods have an innate ability to bioaccumulate the leached metals from the surroundings and build rich phytomass, which can be used for biofuel production. The zero-waste concept has been receiving a lot of attention in recent years since it helps in not only resolving the problem of mining waste accumulation but also reducing the demand for fossil fuels and their derivatives. This chapter focusses on biotechnological methods that can be applied to efficiently extract and treat mining waste from different industries in order to harness bioenergy from its by-products. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Alok Prasad Das, Eric D. van Hullebusch, and Ata Akçil; individual chapters, the contributors.
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    Glowworm swarm based informative attribute selection using support vector machines for simultaneous feature selection and classification
    (Springer Verlag service@springer.de, 2015) Gurav, A.; Nair, V.; Gupta, U.; Jayaraman, J.
    In this paper, we propose a hybrid filter-wrapper algorithm, GSO-Infogain, for simultaneous feature selection for improved classification accuracy. GSO-Infogain employs Glowworm-Swarm Optimization(GSO) algorithm with Support Vector Machine(SVM) as its internal learning algorithm and utilizes feature ranking based on information gain as a heuristic. The GSO algorithm randomly generates a population of worms, each of which is a candidate subset of features. The fitness of each candidate solution, which is evaluated using Support Vector Machine, is encoded within its luciferin value. Each worm probabilistically moves towards the worm with the highest luciferin value in its neighbourhood. In the process, they explore the feature space and eventually converge to the global optimum. We have evaluated the performance of the hybrid algorithm for feature selection on a set of cancer datasets. We obtain a classification accuracy in the range 94-98% for these datasets, which is comparable to the best results from other classification algorithms. We further tested the robustness of GSO-Infogain by evaluating its performance on the CoEPrA training and test datasets. GSO-Infogain performs well in this experiment too by giving similar prediction accuracies on the training and test datasets thus indicating its robustness. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015.
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    Formal Specification and Verification of Time-Sensitive Drone Systems using TLA+: A Case Study
    (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2024) Surya, A.; Ayush, V.; Thakur, V.; Nair, V.; Das, M.; Mohan, B.R.
    This research paper presents a detailed analysis of time sensitivity in drone system operations, exploring the critical impact of temporal factors on their performance and reliability using Temporal Logic of Action (TLA+), primarily aiming to enhance the reliability and safety of drone systems. The study addresses the critical need to rigorously model complex drone behaviors while considering their interactions with the environment to identify and rectify potential safety hazards and system flaws. It introduces a new dimension by emphasizing the temporal aspect in critical systems, providing a dynamic perspective on system reliability. This research introduces a real-time module to accommodate commonly used time patterns, responding to the growing demand for time-sensitive evaluations in mission-critical systems. © 2024 IEEE.
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    Metal organic frameworks as desulfurization adsorbents of DBT and 4,6-DMDBT from fuels
    (MDPI AG indexing@mdpi.com Postfach Basel CH-4005, 2019) Kampouraki, Z.-C.; Giannakoudakis, D.A.; Nair, V.; Hosseini-Bandegharaei, A.; Colmenares, J.C.; Deliyanni, E.A.
    Ultradeep desulfurization of fuels is a method of enormous demand due to the generation of harmful compounds during the burning of sulfur-containing fuels, which are a major source of environmental pollution. Among the various desulfurization methods in application, adsorptive desulfurization (ADS) has low energy demand and is feasible to be employed at ambient conditions without the addition of chemicals. The most crucial factor for ADS application is the selection of the adsorbent, and, currently, a new family of porous materials, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), has proved to be very effective towards this direction. In the current review, applications of MOFs and their functionalized composites for ADS are presented and discussed, as well as the main desulfurization mechanisms reported for the removal of thiophenic compounds by various frameworks. Prospective methods regarding the further improvement of MOF’s desulfurization capability are also suggested. © 2019 MDPI AG. All rights reserved.
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    Role of catalyst supports in biocatalysis
    (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2023) Manikandan, S.K.; Giannakoudakis, D.A.; Prekodravac, J.R.; Nair, V.; Colmenares, J.C.
    Biocatalysis utilizes enzymes and microbial cells as catalysts for a wide range of applications in biotechnology. Immobilization of biocatalysts on various materials has several advantages, including the capacity for reuse, quick reaction termination, easy biocatalyst recovery and operational stability. The present article focuses on the use of material supports for developing immobilized biocatalysts in applications related to energy, environment and chemical synthesis. The work provides a comprehensive overview of a broad class of materials, including organic, inorganic and composites, that have been shown to be prosperous candidates to support the immobilization of enzymes and microbial cells. It also highlights the properties of nanomaterial support such as large surface area and comfort compartment for immobilization. The availability of different types of materials as catalyst support provides an opportunity to understand and develop efficient biocatalytic systems. The choice of selecting a catalyst support will mostly depend on the interaction of the material with the enzyme or microbial cell. Finally, potential challenges, future approaches in developing immobilized biocatalytic systems for various applications and novel material supports are suggested. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
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    Effective Usage of Biochar and Microorganisms for the Removal of Heavy Metal Ions and Pesticides
    (MDPI, 2023) Manikandan, S.K.; Pallavi, P.; Shetty K, V.; Bhattacharjee, D.; Giannakoudakis, D.A.; Katsoyiannis, I.A.; Nair, V.
    The bioremediation of heavy metal ions and pesticides is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Microbial remediation is considered superior to conventional abiotic remediation processes, due to its cost-effectiveness, decrement of biological and chemical sludge, selectivity toward specific metal ions, and high removal efficiency in dilute effluents. Immobilization technology using biochar as a carrier is one important approach for advancing microbial remediation. This article provides an overview of biochar-based materials, including their design and production strategies, physicochemical properties, and applications as adsorbents and support for microorganisms. Microorganisms that can cope with the various heavy metal ions and/or pesticides that enter the environment are also outlined in this review. Pesticide and heavy metal bioremediation can be influenced by microbial activity, pollutant bioavailability, and environmental factors, such as pH and temperature. Furthermore, by elucidating the interaction mechanisms, this paper summarizes the microbe-mediated remediation of heavy metals and pesticides. In this review, we also compile and discuss those works focusing on the study of various bioremediation strategies utilizing biochar and microorganisms and how the immobilized bacteria on biochar contribute to the improvement of bioremediation strategies. There is also a summary of the sources and harmful effects of pesticides and heavy metals. Finally, based on the research described above, this study outlines the future scope of this field. © 2023 by the authors.
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    Advancing date palm cultivation in the Arabian Peninsula and beyond: Addressing stress tolerance, genetic diversity, and sustainable practices
    (Elsevier B.V., 2025) Manikandan, S.K.; Jenifer A, D.; Gowda, N.K.; Nair, V.; Al-Ruzouq, R.; Gibril, M.B.A.; Lamghari, F.; Klironomos, J.; Hmoudi, M.A.; Sheteiwy, M.; El-Keblawy, A.
    Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivation in the Arabian Peninsula is crucial for regional agriculture and global markets. The Arabian Peninsula is dominant in date production, contributing approximately 34 % of the global output. Recent advancements in agricultural technologies have improved fruit yield and quality, expanding date palm cultivation globally. However, sustainability challenges persist due to various abiotic stresses, such as salinity, temperature extremes, drought, soil factors, and biotic stresses, including diseases and pests. This review examines key environmental factors affecting date palm cultivation, with a focus on soil salinity, water scarcity, and climate change-related stresses. The genetic diversity among date palm varieties is emphasized, highlighting the need for breeding programs aimed at improving stress tolerance and yield. Biotechnological advancements, such as genetic transformation and genome editing, are discussed for their potential to enhance crop resilience and productivity. Additionally, remote sensing techniques are explored for their application in precision agriculture, particularly in the mapping and monitoring of date palm health and soil conditions. The significant role of artificial intelligence in accurately mapping date palm trees using multi-platform remotely sensed data is also reviewed, illustrating its potential to enhance geospatial databases and support sustainable management practices. The review concludes with recommendations for optimizing cultivar selection and management strategies tailored to local conditions, emphasizing the need for ongoing research to advance date palm cultivation on a global scale. © 2024