PAHs in some brands of tea

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of environmental pollutants generated from incomplete combustion of organic materials. PAHs in tea have been studied for five locally available brands. Six to seven PAHs from list of 16 priority pollutants (US EPA) were found to be present in samples of various brands of tea. Benzo[a]pyrene (2A: probable human carcinogen) was found in two samples, and naphthalene (2B: possible human carcinogen) was found in all the tea samples.     

Degradation of synthetic dyes using nanoparticles: a mini-review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The industrial revolution has marked a strong impact on financial upgradation of several countries, and increase in the industrial establishment...     

Experimental study and comparative analysis of modified solar paraboloidal dish–thermoelectric generator systems

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Solar energy is one of the major sources of renewable energy which contributes for environmental protection and pollution reduction. Methods and...     

Innovative application of facile single pot green synthesized CuO and CuO@APTES nanoparticles in nanopriming of Vigna radiata seeds

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nanopriming is an emerging field of science which uses nanoparticles in solution to improve parameters of seed vigor. This leads to an initial...     

A cointegration and causality analysis of copper consumption and economic growth in rich countries

The paper examines the copper consumption-economic growth nexus for 16 rich economies from the period 1966 to 2010. Various generations of panel unit root and cointegration tests are applied. Both series are found to be integrated of order one. Evidence of cointegration is found especially when controlling for breaks and long-run cross-sectional dependence. Causality is investigated using a vector error-correction mechanism (VECM) framework. At individual level, unidirectional causality running from economic growth to copper consumption is unraveled for Finland, France and UK in the long-run. Unidirectional causality is also found running from copper consumption to economic growth for Spain. Long-run bi-directionality between economic growth and copper consumption is found for Belgium, Greece, Italy, Japan and South Korea. The neutrality hypothesis holds for Australia, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and USA in the long-run. Taken as a whole, panel causality test reveals a long-run unidirectional causality running from economic growth to copper consumption.     

Bisphenols promote the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes without damaging cell membrane

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The global dissemination of antibiotic resistance is severely threatening public health. Several non-antibiotic chemicals facilitate the horizontal transfer of...     

Self-healing concrete for sustainable buildings. A review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - A total of 12 billion tons of concrete materials are produced annually, about 2 tons per person. More sustainable buildings are thus needed to decrease the carbon...     

Elimination of Hazard Cadmium Ions from Simulated Groundwater Using Hydroxyapatite Coated Filter Cake Made of Sewage Sludge and Cement Kiln Dust

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Novel sorbent named “coated filter cake by hydroxyapatite (CFCHAP)” that prepared from precipitation of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles on the...     

Effect of complete and skeleton photoperiods in baya weaver, Ploceus philippinus

A study was performed to investigate the effects of complete and skeleton photoperiods on gonadal stimulation in baya weaver, Ploceus philippinus. In August 2003, five groups of acclimatized birds (n = 7 each) were exposed to 6L: 13D: 1L: 4D, 6L: 6D: 1L: 11D, 11L: 13D and 13L: 11D. Birds were refractory and their exposure to 6L:13D:1L:4D, 6L:6D:1L:11D, 11L:13D and 13L:11D did not evoke any response. This clearly indicates that the birds were insensitive to the stimulatory effects of these photoperiods and perceived them as short days. An attempt was made to test the responsivity by subjecting all these groups to long day exposure after 16 weeks of experiment. Under 16L: 8D, birds did not show a response during the first 4 weeks of exposure (week 16 to week 20), but thereafter there was a significant photoinduction except 11L:13D (week 24), but the rate and magnitude was different. Until the end of the experiment (32 weeks), all groups of birds had maximum testicular volume except 11L:13D. Birds pre-exposed to 6L:13D:1L:4D, 6L:6D:1L:11D, 11L:13D and 13L:11D responded to 16L:8D, which suggests that these photoperiods helped the birds in recovering their photosensitivity. The results from this experiment indicate that baya weaver interprets a light period depending when the light falls relative to its endogenous circadian system.     

Acute toxicity of copper sulphate to fresh water prawns

Fresh water prawns, Macrobrachium lamarrei and Macrobrachium dayanum (Crustacea-Decapoda) were subjected to static bioassay tests to ascertain the LC50 values of copper sulphate. The 24, 48, 72 and 96 hr LC50 values of copper sulphate for M. lamarrei were 0.38, 0.361, 0.343 and 0.300 mg/l and for M. dayanum were 1.634, 0.988, 0.532 and 0.418 mg/l respectively. Behavioral responses and LC50 values indicate that M. lamarrei were more sensitive to copper sulphate than M. dayanum.