A simple and robust method for determination of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) oil in neem oil coated urea

The production of neem oil coated urea (NOCU), a technology developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, has been grown to over 2.0 million tons per year. The estimation of neem oil content in NOCU is important due to its significance in ensuring agronomic efficiency. Therefore, this study was taken up to develop a simple method for the determination of neem oil in NOCU. The procedure involves extraction of neem oil from NOCU; saponification of extracted oil; oxidation of released glycerol to formaldehyde, and subsequent conversion of formaldehyde to a dihydrolutidine derivative. Its concentration was determined spectrophotometrically. The recoveries of neem oil from NOCU with oil load of 500 and 1000?ppm were 87.6?±?3.0% and 90.0?±?4.8% respectively with direct method; and improved to 92.6?±?4.0% and 96.7?±?3.8% after including the in situ purification. A simple method based on the Hantzsch reaction was developed for the determination of neem oil in NOCU. This method is superior to earlier methods in terms of sensitivity, simplicity, and time required.     

大气甲醛在线分析仪的设计与应用

基于Hantzsch荧光法设计了一套大气甲醛在线分析仪,通过优化测量参数,发现该仪器可长期稳定运行,其时间分辨率为120 s,检出限为84×10-12(体积分数,下同)(S/N=6),在84×10-12~39.2×10-9的甲醛测量范围内,标线可决系数R2=0.9996.同时,对该仪器与商品化仪器AL4021进行了长期外场比对实验,结果发现,两者测量结果的一致性较好,R2=0.963,表明其适用于环境大气甲醛浓度的在线监测.外场观测结果表明,德州站点冬季甲醛浓度范围为0.6×10-9~21.6×10-9,均值为2.9×10-9,且其日变化显著.     

Concentrations of uranium in drinking water and cumulative,age-dependent radiation doses in four districts of Uttar Pradesh,India

The present work deals with the determination of uranium concentrations in drinking and ground water samples by laser fluorimetry and calculation of cumulative, age-dependent radiation doses to humans. The concentrations were found to be between 0.20 ± 0.03 and 64.0 ± 3.6 μg L^?1, with an average of 11.1 ± 1.5 μg L^?1, well within the drinking water limit of regulatory bodies. The concentrations of uranium increase with depth of water samples collection. The estimated annual ingestion dose due to the intake of uranium through drinking water for all age groups varied between 0.2 and 137 μSv a^?1, with an average of 17.3 μSv a^?1. The mean annual ingestion dose is 5% of the global average ingestion dose, for infants, marginally higher than for other age group. Most effective dose values were less than 20 μSv a^?1.