Protective effects of thymoquinone against acrylamide-induced liver,kidney and brain oxidative damage in rats

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Acrylamide (AA), an industrial monomer, may cause multi-organ toxicity through induction of oxidative stress and inflammation. The antioxidant...     

Water Appropriation Systems for Adapting to Water Shortages in Iraq

Climate variability and population growth have intensified the search internationally for measures to adapt to fluctuations in water supplies. An example can be found in the lower part of the transboundary Tigris‐Euphrates Basin where water shortages in 2008‐2009 resulted in high economic costs to irrigation farmers. Losses to irrigators in the lower basin have made a compelling case to identify flexible methods to adapt to water shortage. Few published studies have systematically examined ways to enhance the flexibility of water appropriation systems to adapt to water shortage. This article addresses an ongoing challenge in water governance by examining how profitability at both the farm and basin levels is affected by various water appropriation systems. Four water appropriation systems are compared for impacts on farm income under each of three water supply scenarios. Results show that a (1) proportional sharing of water shortages among provinces and (2) unrestricted water trading rank as the top two appropriation systems. The shadow price of water for irrigation rises from zero at a full water supply level to US$93/1,000 m³ when supply falls to 20% of full levels. Similar methods could be used to analyze challenges facing the design or implementation of water appropriation systems in the world's irrigated regions.     

SOIL MOISTURE SENSORS FOR CONTINUOUS MONITORING1

ABSTRACT: Certain physical and chemical properties of soil vary with soil water content. The relationship between these properties and water content is complex and involves both the pore structure and constituents of the soil solution. One of the most economical techniques to quantify soil water content involves the measurement of electrical resistance of a dielectric medium that is in equilibrium with the soil water content. The objective of this research was to test the reliability and accuracy of fiberglass soil-moisture electrical resistance sensors (ERS) as compared to gravimetric sampling and Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). The response of the ERS was compared to gravimetric measurements at eight locations on the USDA-ABS Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed. The comparisons with TDR sensors were made at three additional locations on the same watershed. The high soil rock content (≥45 percent) at seven locations resulted in consistent overestimation of soil water content by the ERS method. Where rock content was less than 10 percent, estimation of soil water was within 5 percent of the gravimetric soil water content. New methodology to calibrate the ERS sensors for rocky soils will need to be developed before soil water content values can be determined with these sensors.     

Integrated process approach for degradation of p-cresol pollutant under photocatalytic reactor using activated carbon/TiO2 nanocomposite: application in wastewater treatment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Over the years, biodegradation has been an effective technique for waste water treatment; however, it has its own limitations. In order to achieve a...     

Genotoxicity of ferric oxide nanoparticles in Raphanus sativus: Deciphering the role of signaling factors, oxidative stress and cell death

We have studied the genotoxic and apoptotic potential of ferric oxide nanoparticles(Fe_2O_3-NPs) in Raphanus sativus(radish).Fe_2O_3-NPs retarded the root length and seed germination in radish.Ultrathin sections of treated roots showed subcellular localization of Fe_2O_3-NPs,along with the appearance of damaged mitochondria and excessive vacuolization.Flow cytometric analysis of Fe_2O_3-NPs(1.0 mg/m L) treated groups exhibited 219.5%,161%,120.4% and 161.4% increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS),mitochondrial membrane potential(ΔΨm),nitric oxide(NO) and Ca2+influx in radish protoplasts.A concentration dependent increase in the antioxidative enzymes glutathione(GSH),catalase(CAT),superoxide dismutase(SOD) and lipid peroxidation(LPO) has been recorded.Comet assay showed a concentration dependent increase in deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) strand breaks in Fe_2O_3-NPs treated groups.Cell cycle analysis revealed 88.4% of cells in sub-G1 apoptotic phase,suggesting cell death in Fe_2O_3-NPs(2.0 mg/m L) treated group.Taking together,the genotoxicity induced by Fe_2O_3-NPs highlights the importance of environmental risk associated with improper disposal of nanoparticles(NPs) and radish can serve as a good indicator for measuring the phytotoxicity of NPs grown in NP-polluted environment.     

Efficient DDT and trichlorophenol detoxification using NaBH4 and Devarda alloy

DDT—1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane—is a pesticide that has been widely used to control insects in agriculture. TCP—2,4,6-trichlorophenol—has been used in pesticide formulations as a preservative, disinfectant and antiseptic. Detoxification of DDT and TCP is very difficult due to their stable chemical structure. Here, a mixture of NaBH₄ and Devarda alloy was applied for the first time to detoxify DDT and TCP. Results show 94 % dechlorination of DDT at 100 °C and 97 % dechlorination of TCP at 80 °C. The presence of diphenyl ethane suggests the complete dechlorination of DDT. The formation of benzene suggests a strong reduction. The method is efficient, cost-effective and may be applied at the industrial-level.     

Process Optimization and Adsorptive Mechanism for Reactive Blue 19 Dye by Magnetic Crosslinked Chitosan/MgO/Fe3O4 Biocomposite

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - A new biocomposite cross-linked glutaraldehyde-chitosan/MgO/Fe3O4 (CTS-GL/MgO/Fe3O4) adsorbent with magneto-responsiveness was prepared and applied for the...     

Effects of organic-waste compost addition on sesame growth, yield and chemical composition

The agronomic aspects of some organic waste compost applications to sesame plants grown on sandy soil were investigated. Different rates and combinations from biosolids (BS), municipal solid waste (MSW) and water hyacinth (W) compost, incorporated with or without shale deposits (tafla) at 8%, were used to treat the sandy soil. Dry matter accumulation was used as an indicator of the effectiveness of such treatments on plant growth. In addition, the contents of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium, chlorophyll, total protein, oil and carbohydrates were determined in plant tissue as physiological parameters. Heavy metal contents (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Cd, Pb) in seeds samples were determined. Results indicated that all compost treatments stimulated sesame growth and enhanced its pigment, carbohydrate and mineral contents. While the chemical constituents of sesame seeds (oil, carbohydrate and total protein) showed no variation when expressed as relative data (%), the absolute results expressed as gram per plant exhibited significant increases. The maximum levels (μg g⁻¹) of tested metals in seeds did not exceed 226 Fe, 12.5 Mn, 81. 7 Zn, 23.7 Cu, 3.8 Co, 24.6 Ni, 5.4 Pb and 1.72 Cd, which are below the reported concentrations at which phytotoxicity could occur.