Soil properties and crop productivity as influenced by flyash incorporation in soil

Field experiments were carried out during 1996–97at Gulawathi, Muthiani and Salarpur Villages, IARI Farm, NewDelhi and NCPP Campus, Dadri to evaluate changes in soilcharacteristics and growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.),mustard (Brassica juncea L.), lentil (Lence esculentaMoench.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) byvarying amounts of flyash addition (up to 50t ha^-1) in soils atsowing/transplanting time of crops. Flyash addition in areasadjoining NCPP Thermal Power Plant, Dadri, Ghaziabad, U.P.ranged from 5–12 t ha^-1 yr^-1 in 1995–96. Shoot and root growthand yield of test crops at different locations after flyashincorporation resulted in beneficial effects of flyashaddition in most cases. The silt dominant texture of flyashimproved loamy sand to sandy loam textures of the surfacesoils at the farmers' fields. The increased growth in yield ofcrops with flyash incorporation was possibly due tomodifications in soil moisture retention and transmissioncharacteristics, bulk density, physico-chemical characterssuch as pH and EC and organic carbon content. The response offlyash addition in the soil on soil health and cropproductivity needs to be evaluated on long-term sustainableaspects.     

Targeting cellular batteries for the therapy of neurological diseases

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The mitochondria, apart from being known as the cell’s “powerhouse,” are crucial in the viability of nerve cells. Any damage to...     

Role of UPP pathway in amelioration of diabetes-associated complications

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the most widely spread metabolic disorder also called as “life style” disease. Due to the alarming number...     

Assessment of hydrothermally modified fly ash for the treatment of methylene blue dye in the textile industry wastewater

Dyes and pigments are one of the major water pollutants and if not discharged properly cause ecological disturbance. Considering this, the current study investigates the application of thermal power plant by-product, i.e., fly ash for the elimination of a hazardous methylene blue dye from its synthetic aqueous solution. Experiments were conducted in batch mode to study the effect of pH, temperature, adsorbent dose and contact time. Highest dye removal (94.3%) was achieved at pH 10 using adsorbent dose of 10 g/L in 90 min of contact time at 40 °C. However, for cost-effective operation at neutral pH and room temperature (30 °C), it yields 89.3% dye removal having similar dose and contact time. Equilibrium isotherms for adsorption were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm equations. The results revealed that the best fit model of adsorption closely followed Langmuir adsorption. Based on adsorption isotherm models, thermodynamics parameters ΔG, ΔH and ΔS were calculated. The negative value of ΔG and ΔH revealed that adsorption process was exothermic, spontaneous and physical. The present work suggests that through simple process hydrothermally modified fly ash has the potential to be used as cost-effective and efficient adsorbent for the treatment of wastewater from textile industries.     

Plant steroid hormones produced under Ni stress are involved in the regulation of metal uptake and oxidative stress in Brassica juncea L

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are involved in the amelioration of various biotic and abiotic stresses. With an aim to explore the role of BRs under heavy metal stress, plants of Brassica juncea L. were grown in pots. The plants were subjected to various concentrations of Nickel metal (0.0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mM) and harvested on 60th day in order to observe the expression of these hormones. The isolated BRs from the leaves of Brassica plants characterized by GC-MS include 24-Epibrassinolide (24-EBL), Castasterone, Dolicholide and Typhasterole. The effect of isolated 24-EBL was studied on Ni metal uptake and antioxidative defense system in 60 d old plants of Brassica. It was observed that 24-EBL significantly increased the activities of stress ameliorating enzymes and lowered the metal uptake in plants. This is the first report in B. juncea L. plants showing the expression of BRs under metal treatments and effect of the isolated 24-EBL on metal uptake and in oxidative stress management.     

Review of Pesticide Retention Processes Occurring in Buffer Strips Receiving Agricultural Runoff1

Arora, Kapil, Steven K. Mickelson, Matthew J. Helmers, and James L. Baker, 2010. Review of Pesticide Retention Processes Occurring in Buffer Strips Receiving Agricultural Runoff. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(3):618-647. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00438.x Abstract: Review of the published results shows that the retention of the two pesticide carrier phases (runoff volume and sediment mass) influences pesticide mass transport through buffer strips. Data averaged across different studies showed that the buffer strips retained 45% of runoff volume (ranging between 0 and 100%) and 76% of sediment mass (ranging between 2 and 100%). Sorption (soil sorption coefficient, K_oc) is one key pesticide property affecting its transport with the two carrier phases through buffer strips. Data from different studies for pesticide mass retention for weakly (K_oc < 100), moderately (100 < K_oc < 1,000), and strongly sorbed pesticides (K_oc > 1,000) averaged (with ranges) 61 (0-100), 63 (0-100), and 76 (53-100) %, respectively. Because there are more data for runoff volume and sediment mass retention, the average retentions of both carrier phases were used to calculate that the buffer strips would retain 45% of weakly to moderately sorbed and 70% of strongly sorbed pesticides on an average basis. As pesticide mass retention presented is only an average across several studies with different experimental setups, the application of these results to actual field conditions should be carefully examined.     

Construction of multifunctional NH2-UiO-66 metal organic framework: sensing and photocatalytic degradation of ketorolac tromethamine and tetracycline in aqueous medium

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Existence of pharmaceutical residues in water has endangered environmental pollution worldwide, which makes it ineludible to develop prospective...     

Effect of cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides on salt stress alleviation and seed germination

Effectof exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by a consortium of cyanobacteria on germination of three crops wheat, maize and rice was studied at different salt concentrations. Production of EPS was found to be stimulated by salts, which in turn had a significant Na+ removal capability from aqueous solution. Seed germination, vigor index and mobilization efficiency in all the three crops remarkably improved when cyanobacterial EPS was applied. While germination improved significantly by 13 to 30%, mobilization efficiency increased marginally by 1.03 to 1.1 times and vigor index increased by 1.15 to 2.4 times in these crops in response to EPS under non-saline conditions. Salinity had an inhibitory effect on seed germination of all the species showing 18 to 54% reduction. However, in the presence of EPS, the salt induced inhibition diminished to 13 to 18%. Inhibitory effect of salt on chlorophyll concentration, vigor index and mobilization efficiency of the seedlings was much less in these crops in the presence of EPS, indicating the latter's role in salt stress alleviation.     

Cardioprotective effects of Commiphora mukul against isoprenaline-induced cardiotoxicity: a biochemical and histopathological evaluation

Commiphora mukul commonly known as Guggul is one of the oldest and commonly consumed herb for promoting heart and vascular health. Present study was undertaken to evaluate cardioprotective potential of Commiphora mukul against isoprenaline-induced myocardial necrosis in rats. Wistar albino rats were divided into three main groups: sham (saline only), isoprenaline control (saline and isoprenaline) and Commiphora mukul treated (Commiphora mukul and isoprenaline) groups. Commiphora mukul was administered in three doses 100, 200 and 400 mg kg(-1) p.o. for 30 days. On 29th and 30th day, the animals of isoprenaline control and Commiphora mukulpretreatment groups were administered isoprenaline (85 mg kg(-1); s.c.), consecutively at an interval of 24 hr. Isoprenaline administration produced a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in myocardial antioxidants; superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), reduced glutathione (GSH), and myocyte injury marker enzymes creatine-phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) along with enhanced lipid peroxidation; malondialdehyde (MDA) in heart. Commiphora mukul pretreatment reversed the isoprenaline-induced oxidative changes in rat myocardium by significant (p < 0.05) increase in SOD, CAT, GSHPx, GSH and reduction of MDA. In addition to improving myocardial antioxidant status, Commiphora mukul also prevented the leakage of LDH and CK-MB from heart. Further, histopathological examination showed the reduction of necrosis, edema and inflammation following Commiphora mukul pretreatment. Based on present findings, it is concluded that Commiphora mukul may be a potential preventive and therapeutic agent against the oxidative stress associated ischemic heart disease owing to antioxidant and antiperoxidative activity.     

Chemometrics in assessment of seasonal variation of water quality in fresh water systems

The spatial and temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated in Gomti River, a major tributary of the Ganga river (India). A total of 96 samples (water and sediments) were collected from eight different sites over a period of 2 years and analysed for 16 PAHs. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs in water and bed sediments ranged between 0.06 and 84.21 ??g/L (average (n?=?48), 10.33 ± 19.94 ??g/L) and 5.24?C3,722.87 ng/g dw [average (n?=?48): 697.25 ± 1,005.23 ng/g dw], respectively. In water, two- and three-ring PAHs and, in sediments, the three- and four-ring PAHs were the dominant species. The ratios of anthracene (An)/An + phenenthrene and fluoranthene (Fla)/Fla + pyrene were calculated to evaluate the possible sources of PAHs. These ratios reflected a pattern of pyrolytic input as a major source of PAHs in the river. Principal component analysis, further, separated the PAHs sources in the river sediments, suggesting that both the pyrolytic and petrogenic sources are contributing to the PAHs burden. The threat to biota of the river due to PAHs contamination was assessed using effect range low and effect range median values, and the results suggested that sediment at some occasions may pose biological impairment.