Impact of sublethal doses of 2,4-D, simulating drift, on tomato yield

Tomato is considered one of the most sensitive crops regarding 2,4-D drift. In many cases, such susceptibility has led to important restrictions in the use of 2,4-D based products. Field experiments were carried out for two consecutive years in tomato, by applying sublethal doses of 2,4-D (ranging from 0.42 to 13.44 g a.i. ha(-1)) directly to plants, at different stages of growth, as a simulation of eventual drifts to the crop. The range of rates was based on the assumption of a 0.0625-2.0% drift level of a 1 L ha(-1) of the most common formulated herbicides. For this crop, the range of rates between 0.42 and 13.44 g a.i ha(-1) applied at the beginning of flowering caused a linear crop reduction. On the other hand, rates < or = 13.44 g a.i. ha(-1) applied after full development of fourth truss stage or latter had no effect on crop yield or development. For tomato, tolerance to 2,4-D strongly increases with plant age.     

Effects of phosphorothionate on the reproductive system of male rats

Acute and Sub-acute toxic effects of a new pesticide phosphorothionate coded as RPR-V on testis of albino rat were studied. For the acute study, rats received a single dose of 30 mg/kg of RPR-V and sacrificed after 24 hours. For the Subacute study, 1.42 mg/kg/day was administered orally to rats for 10 days and 21 days. Acute exposure of rats to RPR-V brought no change either in the Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) or in the structure of testis or in the serum levels of Testosterone. Similarly, no significant change was observed in the Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity. But, in testis there was significant increased in the reduced Glutathione (GSH) and Acid Phosphatase (AcP), whereas Alkaline Phosphatase (AkP) levels decreased significantly at 24hr post treatment. On 7th day (withdrawal period) after the cessation of the treatment the GSH, AcP, and AkP levels reached to near control. The sub-acute study revealed a significant post treatment. Due to RPR-V treatment the testis AcP levels increased significantly at 21st day of medication but AkP levels decreased both at 10th and 21st day of post treatment. Histopathological studies showed that after 10th day testis showed considerable loss of spermatozoids and at 21st day complete derangement of cellular organization was observed. Testosterone levels decreased significantly after 10th day and remained significantly low at 21st day. However, withdrawal studies showed a recovery in testis of rat treated with RPR-V. GST, GSH, GSI, AcP and AkP values were recovered, testosterone levels were also recovered but recovery in testis structure remained at a low profile.     

Occurrence and distribution of hexachlorocyclohexane isomers in vegetation samples from a contaminated area

The occurrence and distribution of four major hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-) were studied in vegetation samples of a highly contaminated area close to a small-scale industrial belt in Lucknow (North India). Eight species of plants were collected at different points of the contaminated area and different parts of the plants were separated in order to study the difference in uptake and accumulation. The samples were extracted by matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction and finally determined by a gas-chromatograph equipped with (63)Ni electron capture detector (ECD). HCH isomers were present in almost all samples and the concentration of total HCH in the plant sample analyzed varied between 13 and 44 mg kg(-1), being the main isomer of beta-HCH (8-22 mg kg(-1)). Lindane (gamma-HCH) was present in all samples (1-9 mg kg(-1)). Solanum torvum Sw., and Erianthus munja shows the highest and lowest capacity for accumulation of HCH, respectively with a significant difference at p<0.01 level. The highest concentration of HCH residue in root samples indicates the most likely mechanism of HCH accumulation in these plants was sorption of soil HCH on roots. Solanum torvum Sw., and Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal could accumulate considerable levels of HCH isomers (44 and 34 mg kg(-1), respectively). The results reflect the importance of plants in monitoring purposes and their potential for phytoremediation of HCH contaminated soils.     

The green state and industrial decarbonisation

ABSTRACT

The large share of carbon emitted by energy-intensive industries in the extraction and processing of basic materials must be limited to decarbonise society and the economy. Ways in which the state can govern industrial decarbonisation and contributes to green state theory are explored by addressing a largely ignored issue: the green state’s industrial relations and its role in industrial governance. With insights from a Swedish case study, the tension between the state’s economic imperative and ecological concerns in greening industry are shown to persist. However, as the energy-intensive industry’s previously privileged position in the economy is weakening, industry is opened to decarbonisation strategies. While the case exposes a number of governance challenges, it also suggests potential areas where the state can pursue decarbonisation in energy-intensive industry and points the way to an active role of the green state in governing industrial decarbonisation and greening industry.     

Bacillus safensis with plant-derived smoke stimulates rice growth under saline conditions

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Salinity is a worldwide environmental problem of agricultural lands. Smoke and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) are individually used to improve...     

Testing environment Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in different regions

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study examines the association between air pollution and economic growth based on the idea of environment Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis which...     

Improving of photocatalytic activity of barium ferrate via bismuth and copper co-doping for degradation of paracetamol under visible light irradiation

Nanosized Ba_{1- x}Bi_xFe_1-xCu_xO₃（12–50 nm） with x values of 0, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 system was prepared using the Pechini method. Structural, morphological, surface and optical characterizations were performed for the prepared samples. Cubic phase was the predominant phase for the undoped BaFeO₃ and Bi and Cu co-doped BaFeO₃ samples. Minor phases of monoclinic Ba₂Fe₂O₅, orthorhombic BaFe     

Magnetic particles precipitated onto wheat husk for removal of methyl blue from aqueous solution

Magnetic particles prepared via co-precipitation and impregnated onto wheat husk (MN-WH) were used for the removal of methyl blue (MB) from aqueous solution. Experiments were conducted in a batch mode for optimization regarding pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentrations, and temperature. Maximum adsorption (98%) was achieved at pH 5. The adsorption data were fitted into pseudo-first, pseudo-second, intraparticle diffusion, and Elovich equation revealing that adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The four most common isotherm models, i.e. the Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R), were used to evaluate the data, with the best fit to a Langmuir isotherm (R² = 0.996), followed by a Freundlich isotherm (R² = 0.995), indicating monolayer adsorption of MB on the surface of MN-WH. Thermodynamic parameters calculated from the Van't Hoff equation revealed that the adsorption is exothermic (ΔHº = ?19.7 kJ mol^?1).