An ergonomic study on posture-related discomfort among preadolescent agricultural workers of West Bengal, India.

In India, particularly in West Bengal, preadolescents are primarily associated with agricultural work in rural areas. Owing to poor socio-economic conditions, they are compelled to carry out a considerable number of manual, rigorous tasks in agricultural fields. The main aim of this study was to investigate postures adopted by preadolescent agricultural workers during individual agricultural activities and to analyze the causes of discomfort related to those postures. Fifty male and 50 female preadolescent agricultural workers were randomly selected and a detailed posture analysis was performed with the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS). It was observed that those workers worked continuously in awkward postures during certain agricultural activities. Consequently they suffered from discomfort in different parts of their body. Even though they were very young, they were likely to suffer from serious musculoskeletal disorders in the future.     

An Ergonomie Study on Posture-Related Discomfort Among Preadolescent Agricultural Workers of West Bengal,India

In India, particularly in West Bengal, preadolescents are primarily associated with agricultural work in rural areas. Owing to poor socio-economic conditions, they are compelled to carry out a considerable number of manual, rigorous tasks in agricultural fields. The main aim of this study was to investigate postures adopted by preadolescent agricultural workers during individual agricultural activities and to analyze the causes of discomfort related to those postures. Fifty male and 50 female preadolescent agricultural workers were randomly selected and a detailed posture analysis was performed with the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS). It was observed that those workers worked continuously in awkward postures during certain agricultural activities. Consequently they suffered from discomfort in different parts of their body. Even though they were very young, they were likely to suffer from serious musculoskeletal disorders in the future.     

Protein-Polymer Grafts via a Soy Protein Derived Macro-RAFT Chain Transfer Agent

Methodology to produce materials derived from renewable resources is of great importance in decreasing both environmental impact as well as dependence on fossil fuels. We report a straightforward method of polymer grafting to soy protein hydrolysates, which are available in surplus. Benzylthiocarbonate moieties were installed on the protein surface via amidation of free amino groups, creating a protein macro chain transfer agent (CTA) for reversible addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization. We found that subjection of this soy protein macro-CTA (SP-CTA) to RAFT polymerization conditions with polar acrylate monomers resulted in protein-polymer nanometer-scale particles with solubility properties dictated by monomer polarity. Polymer grafting, particle size and polymerization were characterized by elemental analysis, transmission electron microscopy and gel permeation chromatography. We anticipate that this method of grafting will be of use in generation of new materials based on renewable resources.     

Removal of aqueous nickel (II) using laterite as a low-cost adsorbent.

The present paper describes the laboratory study of laterite as a low-cost adsorbent for removal of aqueous nickel (II). At pH 7 and a temperature of 30 degrees C, a sorbent dose of 15 mg/L resulted in approximately 90% removal of nickel (II) from its initial concentration of 10 mg/L. A maximum removal of 98% of the adsorbate was observed with an adsorbent particle size of 210 micro with the above conditions. Batch kinetics results were described by fitting in a Langmuir isotherm. Helffrich's half-time equation (Helffrich, 1962) has been applied to evaluate the adsorption process. It appears that film diffusion would be the rate-limiting step. The effect of pH on the sorption process was carried out to a value of 8.0. The removal rate of nickel was found to be the function of pH of the reaction mixture. The rate of nickel uptake by laterite with the decrease in pH value has been explained on the basis of aqueous-complex formation and the subsequent acid-base dissociation at the solid-solution interface.     

Antidiabetic effects of Trigonella foenum-graecum seed powder in a rat model

Free radical production and oxidative stress are known to increase in liver during diabetes and may contribute to oxidative damage. In this study, the effect of oral feeding of Trigonella foenum-graecum seed powder (TSP) has been studied on blood glucose, membrane-linked ATPases, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, lipofuscin content and membrane fluidity in livers of a diabetic rat. Diabetes was induced by administration of alloxan monohydrate. Hyperglycemia during diabetes has been shown to entail free radical generation, with a concomitant increase in lipid peroxidation and lipofuscin content, inhibition of membrane-linked ATPases, increased antioxidant enzyme activities and decreased membrane fluidity. TSP treatment reverses the changes to near normal levels thereby ameliorating the management of diabetic complications.     

Assessment of Ergonomic and Occupational Health-Related Problems Among Female Prawn Seed Collectors of Sunderbans,West Bengal,India

Abstract

Sixty female prawn seed collectors and 60 female control subjects from Sajenakhali and Sandeshkhali blocks of Sunderbans, West Bengal, India, were randomly selected to evaluate and compare musculoskeletal disorders and physiological stress. The control group was engaged in domestic work involving minimum hand-intensive activities. The modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and rapid entire body assessment were used. Most subjects suffered from discomfort in different body parts, especially in the lower back (98%), knees (88%), shoulders (75%), ankles (70%) and feet (67%). This study reveals that female prawn seed collectors suffer from significant physiological load and extreme physiological stress due to prolonged working hours in a standing posture and excessive work pressure. Consequently, all these factors affect female prawn seed collectors ‘ health and work performance.     

Application of HYDRUS 1D model for assessment of phenol–soil adsorption dynamics

Laboratory-scale batch, vertical, and horizontal column experiments were conducted to investigate the attenuative capacity of a fine-grained clayey soil of local origin in the surrounding of a steel plant wastewater discharge site in West Bengal, India, for removal of phenol. Linear, Langmuir, and Freundlich isotherm plots from batch experimental data revealed that Freundlich isotherm model was reasonably fitted (R ²?=?0.94). The breakthrough column experiments were also carried out with different soil bed heights (5, 10, and 15 cm) under uniform flow to study the hydraulic movements of phenol by evaluating time concentration flow behavior using bromide as a tracer. The horizontal migration test was also conducted in the laboratory using adsorptive phenol and nonreactive bromide tracer to explore the movement of solute in a horizontal distance. The hydrodynamic dispersion coefficients (D) in the vertical and horizontal directions in the soil were estimated using nonlinear least-square parameter optimization method in CXTFIT model. In addition, the equilibrium convection dispersion model in HYDRUS 1D was also examined to simulate the fate and transport of phenol in vertical and horizontal directions using Freundlich isotherm constants and estimated hydrodynamic parameters as input in the model. The model efficacy and validation were examined through statistical parameters such as the coefficient of determination (R ²), root mean square error and design of index (d).     

Performance study and kinetic modeling of hybrid bioreactor for treatment of bi-substrate mixture of phenol-m-cresol in wastewater: Process optimization with response surface methodology

Performance of a hybrid reactor comprising of trickling filter(TF) and aeration tank(AT) unit was studied for biological treatment of wastewater containing mixture of phenol and m-cresol,using mixed microbial culture.The reactor was operated with hydraulic loading rates(HLR) and phenolics loading rates(PLR) between 0.222-1.078m3/(m2·day) and 0.900-3.456kg/(m3·day),respectively.The efficiency of substrate removal varied between 71%-100% for the range of HLR and PLR studied.The fixed film unit showed better substrate removal efficiency than the aeration tank and was more resistant to substrate inhibition.The kinetic parameters related to both units of the reactor were evaluated and their variation with HLR and PLR were monitored.It revealed the presence of substrate inhibition at high PLR both in TF and AT unit.The biofilm model established the substrate concentration profile within the film by solving differential equation of substrate mass transfer using boundary problem solver tool ’bvp4c’ of MATLAB 7.1 software.Response surface methodology was used to design and optimize the biodegradation process using Design Expert 8 software,where phenol and m-cresol concentrations,residence time were chosen as input variables and percentage of removal was the response.The design of experiment showed that a quadratic model could be fitted best for the present experimental study.Significant interaction of the residence time with the substrate concentrations was observed.The optimized condition for operating the reactor as predicted by the model was 230mg/L of phenol,190mg/L of m-cresol with residence time of 24.82 hr to achieve 99.92% substrate removal.     

Modeling and multi-objective optimization of commercial ethylene oxide reactor to strike a delicate balance between profit and negative environmental impact

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present work emphasizes the development of a generic methodology that addresses the core issue of any running chemical plant, i.e., how to...