Pharmacological evaluation of crude methanolic extract of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves

Medicinal plants play a crucial role in maintaining human health. Kalanchoe pinnata has been used for treatment of different ailments like infections, rheumatism, and inflammation. Data showed that Kalancho pinnata methanolic extract (100 or 1000 μg/ml) significantly inhibited growth of shoots (hypocotyls) and roots (radicals) of rice compared to control after 3 or 7 days treatment. Further, the Kalancho pinnata methanolic extract (50–1000 μg/ml) exhibited antioxidant properties and scavenged free radicals in dose-dependent manner compared with a standard antioxidant (ascorbic acid). Kalancho pinnata methanolic extract also possesses antifungal property that inhibited approximately 76% and 51% growth of Aspergillus flavous and Aspergillus niger, respectively, using the extract at 200 μg/ml.     

Faecal and nitrate contamination in the groundwater of Mardan district,Pakistan

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - This study aimed to determine the status of groundwater contamination with faecal coliform and nitrate in the rural areas of Mardan district, Pakistan. Both...     

Managing bioremediation of a creosote‐contaminated superfund site by optimizing moisture and temperature in a biopile

Soil moisture content and temperature in a contaminated soil biopile equipped with immobilized microbe bioreactors (IMBRs) were optimized during ex situ bioremediation at a creosote‐contaminated Superfund site. Efficiency of remediation during warm summer months without soil‐temperature and moisture optimization was compared with that of cold winter months when corrective measures were applied. Significant reduction (35 percent) in total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was observed, compared to 3.97 percent without corrective measures (p < 0.05). Kinetic rates (KRs) for total PAH removal were significantly enhanced from 3.93 to 50.95 mg/kg/day. KRs for removal of high molecular mass four‐to‐six‐ring PAHs were also significantly enhanced from 70.29 mg/kg/day to 97.45 mg/kg/day ( p < 0.05). Bioremediation of two‐ and three‐ring PAHs increased significantly from 15 percent to 40 percent. Benzo[a]pyrene toxicity equivalent mass (BaP_equiv) was significantly reduced by 48 percent with KR of 0.47 mg/kg/day as compared to 22 percent with KR of 0.14 mg/kg/day (p < 0.05). Soil moisture content was enhanced from 15.7 percent to 41.4 percent. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Molecular Detection of Indigenous Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) from Tibetan Pigs in Tibet,China

Hepatitis E is an important public health concern throughout the world. Many molecular and serological surveys have reported the prevalence and genotypic characteristics of HEV in humans and animals worldwide. However, the genotypic characterization of this virus is very limited in Tibetan pigs. Hence, we aimed to explore the genotype of HEV, prevailing among Tibetan pigs in China. For this purpose, 253 bile samples of Tibetan pigs (free-range animals) were collected from different slaughterhouses during 2017–2018 and subsequently tested for HEV RNA by RT-nPCR. A total of 11 out of 253 (4.35%) samples tested were positive for HEV RNA. Based on the sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, all the isolated HEV strains belonged to genotype 4 and clustered into subtype 4b by sharing more than 84.8–95.2% identities with other reported strains. Our results concluded that HEV genotype 4 is prevailing among Tibetan pigs in Tibet, China.     

Leaf biochemistry of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. at different stages of plant development as affected by mercury treatment

The effect of mercury (Hg) on the biochemical parameters of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill leaf was studied. Application of mercuric chloride in varying concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mM HgCl2 kg(-1) sand) caused significant reduction that went up to 89% and 72% chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b contents respectively (at flowering stage), 69% in carotenoid content, 64% in total soluble protein content and 91% in nitrate reductase activity (all at post-flowering stage). The amounts of nitrate and proline increased maximally (151% and 143% respectively) at the flowering stage, whereas total soluble sugar enhanced by 57% at the post-flowering stage. Changes observed in most of the parameters, were concentration dependent. Such studies seem to be able to discover suitable bioindicators of heavy metal pollution.     

Toxic responses in primary rat hepatocytes exposed with occupational dust collected from work environment of bone-based industrial unit

In this in vitro study we investigated the toxic responses in hepatocytes treated with occupational dust to which workers are exposed in bone-based industrial units. The present study investigated the toxicity mechanism of bone-based occupational dust, from a particular industrial unit, on isolated rat hepatocytes. The hepatocytes were isolated by collagenase perfusion method and cell viability was determined by trypan blue exclusion and MTT [3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay treated with occupational dust at 0.1-1.0 mgmL(-1), for 120 min. The cell viability decreased significantly in a concentration-dependent manner. Dust induced significant membrane damage measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutathione (GSH) release in culture media for 30-, 60- and 120 min treatment duration. The toxicity was found to be correlated with the induction of lipid peroxidation (LPO). In addition, nitric oxide (NO), and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) generation by occupational dusts were also found to be time- and concentration-dependent. Over all the present study provides initial evidences for the toxic potential of occupational dust generated in bone-based industries and, therefore, the dust exposure to workers in unorganized industrial units should be controlled.     

Salt marsh macrophyte Phragmites australis strategies assessment for its dominance in mercury-contaminated coastal lagoon (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal)

Introduction and aims

The dominance of a plant species in highly metal-contaminated areas reflects its tolerance or adaptability potential to these scenarios. Hence, plants with high adaptability and/or tolerance to exceptionally high metal-contaminated scenarios may help protect environmental degradation. The present study aimed to assess the strategies adopted by common reed, Phragmites australis for its dominance in highly mercury-contaminated Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Portugal).

Materials and methods

Both plant samples and the sediments vegetated by monospecific stand of Phragmites australis were collected in five replicates from mercury-free (reference) and contaminated sites during low tide between March 2006 and January 2007. The sediments?? physico-chemical traits, plant dry mass, uptake, partitioning, and transfer of mercury were evaluated during growing season (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) of P. australis. Redox potential and pH of the sediment around roots were measured in situ using a WTW-pH 330i meter. Dried sediments were incinerated for 4?h at 500??C for the estimation of organic matter whereas plant samples were oven-dried at 60??C till constant weight for plant dry mass determination. Mercury concentrations in sediments and plant parts were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with thermal decomposition, using an advanced mercury analyzer (LECO 254) and maintaining the accuracy and precision of the analytical methodologies. In addition, mercury bioaccumulation and translocation factors were also determined to differentiate the accumulation of mercury and its subsequent translocation to plant parts in P. australis.

Results and conclusions

P. australis root exhibited the highest mercury accumulation followed by rhizome and leaves during the reproductive phase (autumn). During the same phase, P. australis exhibited ??5 times less mercury-translocation factor (0.03 in leaf) when compared with the highest mercury bioaccumulation factor for root (0.14). Moreover, seasonal variations differentially impacted the studied parameters. P. australis?? extraordinary ability to (a) pool the maximum mercury in its roots and rhizomes, (b) protect its leaf against mercury toxicity by adopting the mercury exclusion, and (c) adjust the rhizosphere-sediment environment during the seasonal changes significantly helps to withstand the highly mercury-contaminated Ria de Aveiro lagoon. The current study implies that P. australis has enough potential to be used for mercury stabilization and restoration of sediments/soils rich in mercury as well.     

Monitoring and identification of airborne asbestos in unorganized sectors, India

Rajasthan state in India is credited to cater more than 90% of total production of asbestos in this country, of which around 60% is processed there in unorganized sectors including milling and manufacturing of asbestos-based products. Unorganized asbestos units particularly mills showed unhealthy occupational conditions, therefore industrial hygiene study was carried out focusing on the prevalence of asbestos fibres in air at work zone area of asbestos milling units. Fibre levels were in the range of 2.00-5.09f/cm(3) and 4.07-15.60f/cm(3) in unorganized asbestos mills of Rajasthan located at Beawer and Deogarh districts, respectively. Like asbestos concentration, fibre type and length are also vital factors in the health risk assessment of industrial workers. Phase contrast and polarized light microscopic study of asbestos fibres showed their amphibole nature registering about 90% as tremolite and rest as anthophyllite. Fibre length measured micrometrically were sub-grouped in <10microm, 11-20microm, 21-30microm and >30microm. About 30-40% fibres belonged to sub-group <10microm. It is concluded that unorganized asbestos mills bear poor industrial unhygienic conditions reflected specifically from their manyfold higher fibre concentrations than the Indian and International standards. Poor industrial unhygienic conditions are attributable to obsolete milling technology, lack of pollution control devices and escape from regulatory control.     

Genotypic variation of nitrogen use efficiency in Indian mustard

This experiment was conducted to investigate the variation of nitrogen efficiency (NE), nitrogen uptake efficiency (UE), physiological nitrogen use efficiency (PUE) among Indian mustard genotypes, grown under N-insufficient and N-sufficient conditions. Nitrogen efficiency varied from 52.7 to 92.8. Seed yield varied from 1.14 t ha(-1) to 3.21 t ha(-1) under N-insufficient condition, while 2.14 t ha(-1)-3.33 t ha(-1) under N-sufficient condition. Physiological basis of this difference was explained in terms of nitrogen uptake efficiency and physiological nitrogen use efficiency, and their relationship with the growth and yield characteristics. While nitrogen uptake efficiency was positively correlated with plant biomass (0.793**), leaf area index (0.664*), and leaf nitrogen content (0.783**), physiological nitrogen use efficiency is positively correlated with photosynthetic rate (0.689**) and yield (0.814**). This study suggests that genotype having high nitrogen uptake efficiency and high physiological nitrogen use efficiency might help in reducing the nitrogen load on soil without any penalty on the yield.     

Development of in-house ELISA for detection of chloramphenicol in bovine milk with subsequent confirmatory analysis by LC-MS/MS

This study was undertaken to develop and validate direct competitive ELISA for the determination of chloramphenicol residues in bovine milk. Antisera and an enzyme-tracer for chloramphenicol were prepared and used to develop an ELISA with inhibition concentrations, IC₂₀ and IC₅₀, of 0.09 and 0.44 ng mL^?1, respectively. Milk samples were spiked with standards equivalent to 0, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0 &; 1.5 ng mL^?1 and extracted in methanol. The mean recoveries were found to be 73–100% with coefficient of variance 7–11%. The decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) were calculated as 0.10 and 0.12 ng mL^?1, respectively. The results were found comparable with the commercial ELISA, having recoveries of 87 to 100%, CCα 0.09 ng mL^?1 and CCβ 0.12 ng mL^?1. As per Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, in-house ELISA was further validated by using LC-MS/MS. Mass spectral acquisition was done by using electrospray ionization in the negative ion mode applying single reaction monitoring of the diagnostic transition reaction for CAP (m/z 152, 194 and 257). The calibration curve showed good linearity in concentrations from 0.025 to 1.6 ng mL^?1 with correction coefficient 0.9902. The mean recoveries were found to be 88 to 100%. The CCα was calculated as 0.057 ng mL^?1 and CCβ 0.10 ng mL^?1. Since CCα and CCβ are less than half of the MRPL (0.15 ng mL^?1), the test was found suitable for screening and quantification of CAP residues in bovine milk samples. Results of surveillance studies indicated that out of 31 analyzed milk samples, 12.9% samples were found with CAP residues but only 3.2% samples were declared positive with maximum concentration 0.31 ng mL^?1, slightly above the MRPL.