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In this paper, we have developed a light-activated single component fluorescent organic nanoparticles for synergistic combination therapy (chemo-photodynamic therapy) utilizing the combined benefits of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) phenomena. The single-component organic nanoparticles were synthesized by coupling tetraphenylethylene (TPE) moiety with the p-hydroxy phenacyl-chlorambucil conjugate. Then, tetraphenylene-p-hydroxyphenacyl-chlorambucil (TPE-pHP-Cbl) nanoparticles were prepared by a simple reprecipitation technique. Our designed TPE-pHP-Cbl NPs exhibited the unique benefits such as (i) aggregation-induced emission enhancement, (ii) large Stoke’s shift, (iii) the photoirradiation wavelength >410 nm, (iv) the drug release occurs only in the aggregated state upon photolysis, (v) PDT activity, (vi) real-time monitoring of drug release by a noninvasive fluorescence color change approach, and (vii) PDT activity of the released photoproduct (TPE-pHP-OH), thereby resulting in the improved therapeutic efficiency. In vitro experiments show that TPE-pHP-Cbl NPs display excellent properties such as cellular imaging, synergistic combination therapy, and biocompatibility.

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Butachlor, a chloroacetanilide herbicide, used extensively all over the world as pre-emergence control of unwanted weeds. As a consequence, concerns about its potential adverse effects on the ecosystem and toxicity have risen. Several techniques have been used or are being investigated for effective removal of butachlor from the contaminated sites. This review reports the various toxicological studies conducted so far on the butachlor and the removal technologies available for its decontamination for better understanding. A new insight was also proposed after critical analysis of the merits and demerits of the removal technologies elucidated in the literature. An attempt was made to summarize the currently available analytical techniques reported for determination of butachlor in the environmental samples.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) behaves like a two-edged sword, at low concentrations it has beneficial and cytoprotective effects, while at higher concentrations it exhibits toxicity.