Entomotoxic effect of silicon dioxide nanoparticles on Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) under laboratory conditions

The use of higher dosage and repeated applications of conventional pesticides have led to the rapid development of insect resistance to pesticide and adverse effects on human health and environment. Accordingly, researchers are prompted to identify an alternative entomotoxic agent for crop protection. Nanocides are being considered as alternatives to conventional insecticides because they are expected to lessen the application rate and reduce the chances of resistance development in pests. In this study, we evaluated the entomotoxic effects of nanosilica on larvae of Plutella xylostella, in a laboratory by using dust spray, larva dipping, leaf dipping, and solution spray methods. Dust treatment showed a more highly significant effect than the other three treatments. The mortality percentage increased up to 58% and 85% at 24 and 72 h after treatment, respectively, when nanosilica was applied at a rate of 1 mg cm^?2. In all four bioassays, mortality rate increased with both increased time after nanosilica exposure and increased concentration. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images showed that larval death was due to desiccation, body wall abrasion, and spiracle blockage. These results suggested that nanosilica can be an alternative to conventional pesticides if dust formulation would be properly used.     

Advanced microbial fuel cell for waste water treatment—a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Petroleum, coal, and natural gas reservoir were depleting continuously due to an increase in industrialization, which enforced study to identify...     

Assessment of major food crops production-based environmental efficiency in China,India, and Pakistan

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Global warming and food security have led to increasing concern about agricultural crop production efficiency, especially wheat and rice farming. The...     

The genes road: impact of migration on newborn screening and health amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the Eastern Mediterranean region

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nearly two-thirds of migrants residing in camps in Europe are women and children. Many of these children, being born on the way without essential...     

Multifarious revolutionary aspects of microbial keratinases: an efficient green technology for future generation with prospective applications

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Since the dawn of century, tons of keratin bio-waste is generated by the poultry industry annually, and they end up causing environmental havoc....     

Do risk perceptions and constraints influence the adoption of climate change practices among small livestock herders in Punjab,Pakistan?

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Climate change is severely damaging the agricultural system of many food producing regions worldwide. Small/subsistent livestock herders are the most...     

Empirics on heterogeneous links among urbanization,the intensity of electric power consumption,water-based emissions,and economic progress in regional China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study investigates the heterogeneous causal linkages between urbanization, the intensity of electric power consumption, water-based pollutant...     

Factors influencing corrosion of metal pipes in soils

Deterioration of buried metal pipes due to corrosive soil environment is a major issue worlwide. Although failures of buried pipe due to corrosive soil is an old problem, yet such failures are still uncontrollable even with the application of advanced corrosion protection technologies. Therefore, understanding factors causing corrosion of buried pipes is necessary. This article reviews factors causing corrosion of buried pipes in soils. Factors include moisture content, soil resistivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and microbial activity. Moreover, we discuss the influence of manufacturing method and the comparison of corrosion behaviour of cast iron, ductile and mild steel pipes. We found that corrosion rate of pipes increases with moisture contents up to the critical moisture value. Although pH affects corrosion, there is no relationship between corrosion and pH and the corrosion rates of buried pipes are inversely proportional to soil resistivity. Soils containing more organic matter show high resistivity. Dissolved oxygen in soil develops differential cell which accelerates corrosion of metallic pipe. Different types of bacteria present in soil develop biofilms on metallic pipes, which deteriorates pipes with time.