Environmental pollution leads to non-communicable diseases which are a result of chronic exposure to toxic pollutants and environmental chemicals. Climate change, global warming, exposure to allergens, radiation, pathogens etc. merely add to the burden. Increased urbanization and industrialization as well as lifestyle changes cause exposure to hazardous pollutants. Today, diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, cancers of the lungs and skin, allergies etc. that have become a severe health risk for humans worldwide, can all be attributed to environmental pollution. Therefore, it has become utmost necessary to restore the environmental balance and also provide remedial measures for associated diseases with the help of latest drug discovery and therapeutic techniques. The first book of the two had introduced and explored the close association and interdependence of medicinal chemistry and environmental chemistry. The present book Medicinal and Environmental Chemistry: Experimental Advances and Simulations further explores the association between these two focal areas, with an aim to provide solutions and curative strategies for the well-being of humans and the environment as a whole. The first chapter of the book is dedicated to air pollution, its causes and health hazards along with general preventive measures. The biochemical aspect of Cytochrome P450 and its association with mitigation strategy upon the exposure of smog on the human body has been explored in the second chapter. The third chapter of the book elaborates the utility of computational modelling for drug discovery and disease progression with respect to COPD. The next two chapters of the book explore water pollution, heavy metal toxicity and remedial measures through chelation therapy and polymeric ceramic composite membrane technology. Experimental techniques like the use of quantification methods for pharmaceuticals and persistent organic pollutants, chemosensors have been dealt with in the following chapters. Nanotechnology is an important field to explore for environment friendly drug discovery and the concept has been explored for the synthesis and use of gold and silver nanoparticles from plant-based sources. Likewise use of bio-isosteric groups in chemical synthesis for effective and improved environmental health has been elaborated in one of the chapters. Antibiotic pollution, its causes and remediation like adjuvant therapy has been explored in the other. An interesting chapter also explains ligand identification for effective drug development through virtual screening, taking the example of COVID-19.
The eleven chapters included in the second part of this book set cover diverse topics, blending the fields of environmental chemistry and medicinal chemistry and have been authored by experts, scientists and academicians from renowned institutions. This part is more specialized in nature, focusing primarily on the effects of air pollution and water contamination on human health. Chapters covering pharmaceutical interventions and pollution control measures, respectively follow these initial topics.
Part II also features specialized topics that aim to address some unique challenges of the above mentioned problems including antibiotic pollution, pharmaceutical analysis of pollutants, chemosensors, biosteric modifications and new drug development strategies against SARS-CoV2.
This reference is an essential source of information for readers and scholars involved in environmental chemistry, pollution management and pharmaceutical chemistry courses at graduate and undergraduate levels. Professionals and students involved in occupational medicine will also benefit from the wide range of topics covered.