Synthesis and Characterization of Ag/AgO nanoparticles as alcohol sensor

Bhidea Gauri, Kalyankara Vidya, Dagadeb Sharada and Waghmodea Shobha

A flexible room temperature ethanol gas sensor was fabricated using Ag/Ago nanoparticles as a sensing material. The synthesis of Ag/AgO nanoparticles was carried out by using sonochemical method with PAP apoenzyme as a stabilizing and capping agent. The Ag/AgO sensor has a detection limit of 10 ppm at room temperature and shows good sensitivity to ethanol. An extraction and isolation of PAP was carried from novel source Colocasia esculenta(arvi). The synthesized nano particles were analyzed for structural study using XRD, FESEM and UV–VIS spectroscopy. The XRD pattern shows the formation of Ag/ AgO nanoparticles. The FESEM images show spherical and plate like morphology with the average particle size in the range of 40-50 nm. The UV-VIS spectra show the broad peak at 428 nm, corresponding to Ag nanoparticles.

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Study on thermal and mechanical properties and crystallization behaviour of PA6, PVC and OMMT nanocomposites

Barman Ghanshyam, Sonawane S. Shriram and Wasewar L. Kailas

The thermal and viscoelastic properties of Polyamide 6(PA6), Poly vinyl chloride (PVC) andorganically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites have been investigated. Nanocomposites with 70+30+5, 80+20+3 and 90+10+1wt % concentration of PA6, PVC and OMMT nanocomposites respectively were compounded by melt extrusion followed by injection moulding machine for preparation of specimen. Octadecylamine was used as a compatibilizer for compounding prior extrusion. The thermal and mechanical analysis of nanocomposites was done by Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The thermal analysis showed an improvement in heat release ratio (HRR) and peak heat release ratio (PHRR).The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed an increase in storage modulus and tan δ for the nanocomposites with improvement in glass transition temperature (Tg).

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Removal of paracetamol onolive stones and date pits heat treated: kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies

Medjdoub Fatma, Saliha Boughrara, Benali Ali and Louhab Krim

The aim of this work is to investigate the potential of olive stones 'OS' and date pits 'DP' waste as natural adsorbents for the removal of paracetamol ‘PAC’. The influence of reaction parameters such as contact time and temperature was also evaluated. For a constant mass of olive stones and date pits heat treated at different temperatures (500°C, 600°C and 700°C), kinetics resulted in good PAC removal efficiencies following the model Langmuir and the pseudo second order equation. The olive stones heat treated to 700°C show a higher adsorption capacity (over 98%). Concerning the thermodynamic data, the results show that the adsorption of PAC on to olive stones and date pits treaties is produced by means of an exothermic process accompanied by a decrease of randomness solid interface / solution.

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Toxicity of neonicotinoids and conventional insecticides to south Indian populations of cotton leafhopper (Amrasca biguttulabiguttula)

Vimala, Bheemanna M., Chowdary Rajesh and Ronda Srinivasa Reddy

Laboratory bioassay was conducted to observe the susceptibility level of field collected populations of cotton leafhopper (Amrasca biguttulabiguttula) collected from different regions of south India against neonicotinoides and conventional insecticides viz. imidacloprid, acetamaprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, dinotefuran, flonicamid, acephate, diamethoate, monocrotophos, oxydemeton methyl, buprofezinandfipronil. The results revealed that the standard check treatments viz. Imidacloprid, Acetamaprid, Clothianidin Acephate, Dimethoate, Monocrotophos, oxydematon methyl, Buprofenzin and Fipronil showed least percent mortality. Irrespective of all the locations, dinotefuran and flonicamide showed maximum percent mortality followed by thiamethoxam and were highly effective in managing the leafhopper population as compared with that of other chemical treatments and proved very successful in suppression of resistance. The differential susceptibility level of field collected populations of leafhoppers to neonicotinoides and conventional insecticides revealed that level of susceptibility decreased considerably in Karnataka (Raichur) which recorded lowest percent mortality followed by Maharshtra (Nanded), Andhra Pradesh (Vijayawada) and Tamilnadu (Aduthurai) as compared to recommended concentrations of insecticides.

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Oxidant-Antioxidant Imbalance induced by Influence of Smoking in Male Fertile and Infertile Humans

Muthukumar Aruna, Ranganathan Parameswari, Sundaram Vickram and Balasundaram Sridharan

One out of every third person in the world is a smoker. Most of these people are in the reproductive phase of life. Smoking is found to be one of the leading causes of not only lung cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders but also infertility in men. This is due to the presence of oxidants in cigarette smoke. These contribute to an increase in the concentration of Reactive Oxygen Species. The hike in oxidative stress causes lipid peroxidation of the sperm membrane, thus disrupting its structure. As a result, there is a decrease in sperm motility which reduces its ability to fertilize the egg. This study deals with assays (Lipid Peroxidation assay and NBT Staining) that measure or indicate the ROS concentration and antioxidant concentration (Ascorbate and Superoxide Dimutase assay). Sperm stability is analysed by calculating Zeta potential.

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Review on Composition, Emission sources of RSPM, TSPM, Heavy metals and Ions with effect on environment and health

Shubhankar Basant and Ambade Balram

Particulate pollution in urban atmosphere has become a matter of concentration nowadays. There are number of research works related to Respirable suspended Paticulate Matter (RSPM) and Total suspended Paticulate Matter (TSPM) in several cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Raniganj- Asansol, Dhanbad- Jharia, Lucknow, Mumbai, Chennai, Visakhapatnam etc. in our nation as well as in international places like Taiyuan, Kathmandu, Guiyang, Dhaka, Pakistan and Italy etc. All these research works reflect that these particulate materials are comprised of trace amount of heavy metals like Pb, Cd, Cr and other inorganic ions like Na+, K+, F-, SO42- and Cl-. These secondary air pollutants are also found to be dependent on the prevailing meteorological condition. It is noticed that the atmospheric Pb is in decreasing trend nowadays due to phase out of leaded gasoline in cities. Cd and Mn both originated mainly from industrial origin and transportation activities etc.

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