Suicide bombings: process of care of mass casualties in the developing world

In recent times Pakistan's biggest city, Karachi, has witnessed numerous terrorist attacks. The city does not have an emergency response system and only one of the three public sector hospitals has a trauma centre. We describe the pattern of injuries and management of two terror-related mass casualty incidents involving suicide bombers in a developing nation with limited resources. The first incident occurred in May 2002 with 36 casualties, of whom 13 (36%) died immediately and 11 (30.5%) died at the primary receiving hospitals. The second incident was targeted against the local population in May 2004. The blast resulted in 104 casualties, of which 14 (13.46%) died at the site. All patients had their initial assessment and treatment based on Advanced Trauma and Life Support principles and documented on a trauma form.     

Removal of arsenic from groundwater by micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF)

The removal characteristics of arsenate using micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) were investigated. Among four different cationic surfactants used, hexadecylpyridinium chloride (CPC) showed the highest removal efficiency of arsenic (96%), and the removal efficiency with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was 94%. But the removal efficiency with benzalkonium chloride (BC) was the lowest (57%) due to higher critical micelle concentration (CMC) of BC than those of other surfactants. Over 80% of arsenic was removed with octadecylamine acetate (ODA). On the effect of solution pH on the arsenic removal, since the valance of arsenate decreases from trivalent to monovalent as pH decreases, the removal was reduced at lower pH. The presence of 0.45mM of nitrate and 0.01mM of phosphate reduced the removal efficiency by 5-8%. This decrease was because of the competition between the arsenate, nitrate and phosphate for the binding sites of the surfactant micelle. Similar decrease in the removal of arsenate was observed with CPC, CTAB and ODA in the presence of these anions. In cross-flow filtration, the removal efficiency of arsenic was similar to that in the dead-end system. However, the decline in flux was less than that in dead-end filtration. In order to lower the concentration of the surfactant in the effluent, the effluent was treated with powdered activated carbon (PAC) before discharging to the environment. Over 98% surfactant was removed with 1gl(-1) of PAC. In conclusions, the MEUF is considered as a feasible process using CPC or CTAB to remove the arsenate from groundwater compared with the other solid based adsorbent processes.     

The antioxidative response system in Glycine max (L.) Merr. exposed to Deltamethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide

Forty-five-day-old plants of Glycine max (soybean) were exposed to several Deltamethrin (synthetic pyrethroid insecticide) concentrations (0.00%, 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20%) through foliar spray in the field conditions. In the treated plants, as observed at the pre-flowering (10 DAT), flowering (45 DAT) and post-flowering (70 DAT) stages, lipid peroxidation, proline content and total glutathione content increased, whereas the total ascorbate content decreased, as compared with the control. Among the enzymatic antioxidants, activity of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase increased significantly whereas that of catalase declined markedly in relation to increasing concentration of Deltamethrin applied. The changes observed were dose-dependent, showing a strong correlation with the degree of treatment.     

Low cost sorbents for the removal of methyl parathion pesticide from aqueous solutions

Sorptive potential of selected agricultural waste materials i.e. rice (Oryza sativa) bran (RB), bagasse fly ash (BFA) of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), Moringa oleifera pods (MOP) and rice husk (RH) for the removal of methyl parathion pesticide (MP) from surface and ground waters has been investigated. Optimization of operating parameters of sorption process, i.e. sorbent dose, agitation time, pH, initial concentration of sorbate, and temperature have been studied. The sorption data fitted to Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) sorption isotherms. The maximum capacities of RB, BFA, MOP and RH for MP were calculated to be 3.6+/-0.8, 5.3+/-1.4, 5.2+/-1.5 and 4.7+/-1.0 mmolg(-1) by Freundlich, 0.39+/-0.009, 0.39+/-0.005, 0.36+/-0.004 and 0.35+/-0.008 mmolg(-1) by Langmuir and 0.9+/-0.08, 1.0+/-0.10, 1.0+/-0.10 and 0.9+/-0.07 mmolg(-1) by D-R isotherms respectively, employing 0.1g of each sorbent, at pH 6, 90 min agitation time and at 303 K. Application of first order Lagergren and Morris-Weber equations to the kinetic data yielded correlation coefficients, close to unity. Thermodynamic parameters of sorption process, i.e. DeltaH, DeltaS and DeltaG were computed and their negative values indicated the exothermic and spontaneous nature of sorption process. The pesticide may be stripped by sonication with methanol, making the regeneration and reutilization of sorbents promising. The sorbents investigated exhibited their potential applications in water decontamination, treatment of industrial and agricultural waste waters.     

Utility of cefixime as a complexing reagent for the determination of Ni(II) in synthetic mixture and water samples

A simple, sensitive, and accurate UV spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of nickel in synthetic mixture and water samples. The method is based on the complexation reaction of nickel ion with cefixime, thus leading to the formation of Ni–cefixime complex in ethanol-distilled water medium at room temperature. The complex showed the maximum absorption wavelength at 332 nm. Beer’s law is obeyed in the working concentration range of 0.447–4.019 μg?mL^?1 with apparent molar absorptivity of 7.314?×?10³?L?mol^?1?cm^?1 and Sandell’s sensitivity of 0.008 μg/cm²/0.001 absorbance unit. The limits of detection and quantitation for the proposed method are 0.016 and 0.054 μg?mL^?1, respectively. The factors such as cefixime concentration and solvent affecting the complexation reaction were carefully studied and optimized. The method is validated as per the International Conference on Harmonisation guideline. The method is successfully applied to the determination of Ni(II) in synthetic mixture and wadi water samples collected from Al Rustaq. The same water samples are also analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Both methods determined the amount of Ni(II) in water sample and found to be approximately the same.     

Assessment of background levels of trace metals in water and soil from a remote region of Himalaya

Selected trace metals were estimated by atomic absorption spectrometry in the water and soil samples collected from the remote region of Himalaya. The soil samples were analysed for soluble and acid extractable fraction of trace metals. In water samples, Ca, Na, Mg and K emerged as dominant contributors, whereas, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Fe and Pb were estimated at comparatively higher levels in the water extract of the soil. In case of acid extract of the soil samples, Ca, K, Fe, Mg, Mn and Na were found at elevated concentrations. Based on mean levels of the metals, following decreasing concentration order was observed in water samples: Ca > Na > Mg > K > Pb > Co > Cu > Zn > Mn > Cr > Fe > Cd > Li, however, in the acid extract of the soil, following order was noted: Ca > K > Fe > Mg > Mn > Na > Pb > Zn > Cr > Li > Cu > Co > Cd. The correlation study revealed appreciably diverse mutual relationships of trace metals in the water and soil samples. The multivariate cluster analyses exhibited divergent apportionment of trace metals in water and soil samples. Among the trace metals, Cd, Pb, Li, Zn, Cr, Cu, Mn and Co exhibited extreme to significant anthropogenic enrichment in the soil samples, while the rest of the metals were mostly contributed by the natural processes.     

Plant–bacteria partnerships for the remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils

Plant–bacteria partnerships have been extensively studied and applied to improve crop yield. In addition to their application in agriculture, a promising field to exploit plant–bacteria partnerships is the remediation of soil and water polluted with hydrocarbons. Application of effective plant–bacteria partnerships for the remediation of hydrocarbons depend mainly on the presence and metabolic activities of plant associated rhizo- and endophytic bacteria possessing specific genes required for the degradation of hydrocarbon pollutants. Plants and their associated bacteria interact with each other whereby plant supplies the bacteria with a special carbon source that stimulates the bacteria to degrade organic contaminants in the soil. In return, plant associated-bacteria can support their host plant to overcome contaminated-induced stress responses, and improve plant growth and development. In addition, plants further get benefits from their associated-bacteria possessing hydrocarbon-degradation potential, leading to enhanced hydrocarbon mineralization and lowering of both phytotoxicity and evapotranspiration of volatile hydrocarbons. A better understanding of plant–bacteria partnerships could be exploited to enhance the remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils in conjunction with sustainable production of non-food crops for biomass and biofuel production.