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Molecularly imprinted plasmonic nanosensors are robust devices capable of selective target interaction, and in some cases reaction catalysis. Recent advances in control of nanoscale structure have opened the door for development of a wide range of chemosensors for environmental monitoring. The soaring rate of environmental pollution through human activities and its negative impact on the ecosystem demands an urgent interest in developing rapid and efficient techniques that can easily be deployed for in-field assessment and environmental monitoring purposes. Organophosphate pesticides (OPPs) play a significant role for agricultural use; however, they also present environmental threats to human health due to their chemical toxicity. Plasmonic sensors are thus vital analytical detection tools that have been explored for many environmental applications and OPP detection due to their excellent properties such as high sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid recognition capability. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have also significantly been recognized as a highly efficient, low-cost, and sensitive synthetic sensing technique that has been adopted for environmental monitoring of a wide array of environmental contaminants, specifically for very small molecule detection. In this review, the general concept of MIPs and their synthesis, a summary of OPPs and environmental pollution, plasmonic sensing with MIPs, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) MIP sensors, and nanomaterial-based sensors for environmental monitoring applications and OPP detection have been elucidated according to the recent literature. In addition, a conclusion and future perspectives section at the end summarizes the scope of molecularly imprinted plasmonic sensors for environmental applications. 

Antibiotic resistance is a formidable global threat. Wastewater is a contributing factor to the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes in the environment. There is increased interest evident from research trends in exploring nanoparticles for the remediation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles have various technological, biomedical, and environmental applications. Beyond the environmental remediation applications of degradation or adsorption of dyes and organic pollutants, there is emerging research interest in the environmental remediation potential of Co3O4 nanoparticles and its nanocomposites on antibiotic-resistant and/or pathogenic bacteria. This review focuses on the recent trends and advances in remediation using Co3O4 nanoparticles and its nanocomposites on antibiotic-resistant or pathogenic bacteria from wastewater. Additionally, challenges and future directions that need to be addressed are discussed.