Residues of phosphamidon in rice fields

Thirty-day-old seedlings of rice plants (IR-20 variety) from the nursery were transplanted into experimental plots and after 52 days were sprayed with phosphamidon (Dimecron 85% EC) at two dose-rates (0.38 kg a.i. ha(-1) and 0.76 kg a.i. ha(-1)). Residues of phosphamidon in the plant, soil and water were analysed by GLC, at various time intervals, and were found to decrease steadily up to 15 days. A second application of the pesticide was made on day 113 and grains harvested on day 138. The residue level in the plants was 0.12 microg g(-1) and in the grains 0.04 microg g(-1) with the high dose. This is slightly below the EPA prescribed tolerance level of 0.05 microg g(-1). The residues in both soil and water were very low, 24 h after spraying.     

Adaptive particle swarm optimization–based deep neural network for productivity enhancement of solar still

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water is considered one of the most superabundant resources on the earth that covers 75% of the entire earth’s surface, yet numerous countries...     

A novel approach to preparation of nano-adsorbent from agricultural wastes (Saccharum officinarum leaves) and its environmental application

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Saccharum officinarum leaves (SL) assisted nano-silica (NS) were synthesized and used as adsorbent to remove Pb2+ and Zn2+ from aqueous solutions. The...     

Sleepy driving and risk of obstructive sleep apnea among truck drivers in Saudi Arabia

Objective: Truck drivers represent a group at a particularly higher risk of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). Sleepy driving and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among truck drivers are major risk factors for MVAs. No study has assessed the prevalence of sleepy driving and risk of OSA among truck drivers in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess sleepy driving and risk of OSA among these truck drivers.

Methods: This study included 338 male truck drivers working in Saudi Arabia. A validated questionnaire regarding sleepy driving and OSA was used. The questionnaire included sociodemographic assessment, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ), and driving-related items.

Results: The drivers had a mean age of 42.9?±?9.7 years. The majority (94.7%) drove more than 5?h a day. A history of MVAs during the last 6 months was reported by 6.5%. Approximately 95% of the participants reported that they had accidentally fallen asleep at least once while driving over the past 6 months, and 49.7% stated that this had happened more than 5 times during the last 6 months. Based on the BQ score, a high risk of OSA was detected in 29% of the drivers. “Not getting good-quality sleep” (odds ratio [OR]?=?2.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–7.75; P = .014) and driving experience from 6 to 10 years (OR = 3.37; 95% CI, 1.28–8.91; P = .034) were the only independent predictors of MVAs in the past 6 months.

Conclusions: Sleepy driving and a high risk of OSA was prevalent among the study population of male truck drivers in Saudi Arabia. Not getting good-quality sleep and driving experience from 6 to 10 years contributes to the accident risk among these truck drivers.     

Development of activated carbon from Nerium oleander flower and their rapid adsorption of direct and reactive dyes

The present study investigates the thermally activated carbon derived from Nerium oleander flower which was used an adsorbent. Physicochemical properties of Nerium oleander flower carbon (NOFC) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared for the removal of DTB (Direct Turquoise Blue) and RR-HE7B (Reactive red–HE7B) dyes from aqueous solution. Adsorption studies were carried out with different pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, and initial concentration dye solution. Optimum conditions for maximum removal of DTB and RR-HE7B was achieved to be pH 2 for both dyes, adsorbent dose of 100 mg and equilibrium time of 35 and 60 min, respectively, for NOFC. The maximum adsorption capacity of NOFC was found to be 33.33 and 19.60 mg g^?1, respectively, for the removal of dye solution. The mechanism of adsorption was studied by using different kinetic models and isotherms. The results clearly showed that the NOFC adsorption was fitted to pseudo–first-order for DTB and pseudo–second-order for RR-HE7B. Equilibrium data were well fitted with both isotherm models. According to the results, NOFC can effectively remove DTB and RR-HE7B from aqueous solutions.     

Environmental physiology of the mole crab Emerita asiatica, at a power plant discharge area on the east coast of India

Cage experiments at the discharge area of Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) facilitated studies of thermal tolerance in Emerita asiatica. At the laboratory, oxygen consumption at various temperatures and varying salinities was also investigated. In the field 100% mortality of crabs was recorded at the Condenser Cooling Water Pumps (CCWP) discharge site compared to no mortality at the Processed Sea Water Pumps (PSWP) site. This observation implicated temperature as a stress factor at the CCWP outfall, because other factors, including residual chlorine and water velocity, were the same at the PSWP and CCWP sites. Laboratory experiments on tolerance revealed that 38.5 degrees C was lethal to mole crabs. The time taken for 100% mortality decreased as the temperature increased from 35 to 40 degrees C. Oxygen metabolism showed a progressive increase with temperature from 29 to 36 degrees C, and declined at 37 degrees C. The influence of salinity on oxygen consumption was marginal at salinities of 20 to 35 per thousand but, when reduced to 15 per thousand, the oxygen consumption declined. The present study thus indicates that temperature could be the lethal factor, determining the distribution of mole crabs near the power station, where water temperature can exceed 40 degrees C.