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Hydrogen is a clean fuel and an abundant renewable energy resource. In recent years, huge scientific attention has been invested to invent suitable materials for its safe storage. Conducting polymers has been extensively investigated as a potential hydrogen storage and fuel cell membrane due to the low cost, ease of synthesis and processability to achieve the desired morphological and microstructural architecture, ease of doping and composite formation, chemical stability and functional properties. The review presents the recent progress in the direction of material selection, modification to achieve appropriate morphology and adsorbent properties, chemical and thermal stabilities. Polyaniline is the most explored material for hydrogen storage. Polypyrrole and polythiophene has also been explored to some extent. Activated carbons derived from conducting polymers have shown the highest specific surface area and significant storage. This review also covers recent advances in the field of proton conducting solid polymer electrolyte membranes in fuel cells application. This review focuses on the basic structure, synthesis and working mechanisms of the polymer materials and critically discusses their relative merits.

Citrus is one of the main fruit crops cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Approximately half (40–47%) of the fruit mass is inedible and discarded as waste after processing, which causes pollution to the environment. Essential oils (EOs) are aromatic compounds found in significant quantities in oil sacs or oil glands present in the leaves, flowers, and fruit peels (mainly the flavedo part). Citrus EO is a complex mixture of ~400 compounds and has been found to be useful in aromatic infusions for personal health care, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, color enhancers in foods and beverages, and aromatherapy. The citrus EOs possess a pleasant scent, and impart relaxing, calming, mood-uplifting, and cheer-enhancing effects. In aromatherapy, it is applied either in message oils or in diffusion sprays for homes and vehicle sittings. The diffusion creates a fresh feeling and enhances relaxation from stress and anxiety and helps uplifting mood and boosting emotional and physical energy. This review presents a comprehensive outlook on the composition, properties, characterization, and mechanism of action of the citrus EOs in various health-related issues, with a focus on its antioxidant properties.

Citrus is the largest grown fruit crop on the globe with an annual production of ~110–124 million tons. Approximately, 45–55% of the whole fruit post-processing is generally discarded as waste by the food processing industries. The waste is a huge problem to the environment in terms of land and water pollution along with displeasure from aesthetic viewpoint and spread of diseases owing to its huge content of fermentable sugars. The waste can be utilized as a raw material feedstock for producing a number of valuable chemicals and products, such as bioethanol, biogas, bio-oil, organic acids, enzymes, and so on. The production of these chemicals from waste biomass gives an inexpensive alternative to the harsh chemicals used during industrial synthesis processes as well as the possibility of controlling pollution from the waste discarded to the environment. The derived chemicals can be further utilized in the production of industrially important chemicals, as solvents and building blocks of newer chemicals. Furthermore, organic acids, pectin, enzymes, prebiotics, etc., derived from citrus wastes have an edge over their synthetic counterparts in practical applications in the food processing and pharmaceutical industries.