Determination of Lead and Cadmium in Sugar and Cement Industry Effluents of North Karnataka

The  aim of this study is to assess the extent of lead and cadmium contamination in effluent released from sugar and Cement Industries in north Karnataka. Physicochemical analysis of effluent reveals that the concentration of lead (0.05mg/l)and cadmium(0.01mg/l) is greater than the permissible limit. The effluent as well as contaminated water is extensively used for the irrigation and drinking purposes in the surrounding areas. Several studies of heavy metal constituents in molasses and other sugars have been conducted

Seismology of the Sun : Inference of Thermal, Dynamic and Magnetic Field Structures of the Interior

Recent overwhelming evidences show that the sun strongly influences the Earth's climate and environment. Moreover existence of life on this Earth mainly depends upon the sun's energy. Hence, understanding of physics of the sun, especially the thermal, dynamic and magnetic field structures of its interior, is very important. Recently, from the ground and space based observations, it is discovered that sun oscillates near 5 min periodicity in millions of modes. This discovery heralded a new era in solar physics and a separate branch called helioseismology or seismology of the sun has started. Before the advent of helioseismology, sun's thermal structure of the interior was understood from the evolutionary solution of stellar structure equations that mimicked the present age, mass and radius of the sun. Whereas solution of MHD equations yielded internal dynamics and magnetic field structure of the sun's interior. In this presentation, I review the thermal, dynamic and magnetic field structures of the sun's interior as inferred by the helioseismology.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the meeting "3rd International Conference on Current Developments in Atomic, Molecular, Optical and Nano Physics with Applications", December 14-16, 2011, New Delhi, Indi

Status of Pesticide Residue in Grapes of Bijapur (Karnataka)

AbstractGrapes grown in Bijapur district (Karnataka) were analysed for pesticide residue content employing multiresidue analysis by gas liquid chromatography equipped with ECD and NPD detectors. All the fruit samples showed the presence of one or the other group of pesticides. Out of 8 samples analyzed only two samples showed pesticide residue content below the European MRL.  The detected pesticides are Chlorothalonil, Chloropyriphos, Monocrotophos, Triazophos, Cypermethrin, Lamda Cyhalothrin, Matalaxyl, Flusilazole, Hexaconazole, Myclobutanil, Penconazole, Propiconazole, Triadimenol, Difenoconazole,  Carbendazim,  Azoxystrobin. On the bases of these studies it is suggested that pesticide residue monitoring should be extended to the grape grown for the supply in domestic market similar to the export quality, which may serve as basis for the future policy in chemical use. Keywords: Grape, Gas Liquid chromatography (GLC), Maximum Residue Limit (MRL), Pesticide

Структурно-механічні дослідження сегнетоелектриків BaxPb1 − xTiO3 в залежності від температури спікання

Сегнетоелектрична кераміка свинцю-барію-титанату (PBT) синтезувалась за допомогою методу твердотільної реакції з різними температурами спікання. Структура зразків характеризувалася рентгенівською дифракцією (XRD), скануючою електронною мікроскопією (SEM) та інфрачервоною спектроскопією з перетворенням Фур'є (FTIR). XRD зразків Pb-Ba-TiO3 підтверджує тетрагональну перовскітну сегнетоелектричну структуру з параметрами решітки в діапазоні 3,94-3,987 Å і 4,068-4,22 Å. Зростання зерен збільшується з температурою спікання, і за допомогою SEM аналізу розмір зерна досліджуваних зразків виявляється в межах 0,6-1,713 мкм. З аналізу FTIR випливає, що смуги поглинання близько 575 см – 1-585 см – 1 відносяться до коливань розтягування зв'язків Ti–O. Повідомляється також про розмір кристалітів (D), постійну решітки (a), мікронапруження (ε) та густину дислокацій (ρD). Графік Вільямсона-Холла та залежність розміру зерна від напружень також використовуються для розуміння структурних та механічних ознак сегнетоелектричних зразків. Таким чином, ми повідомляємо про зміну структурно-механічних властивостей PBT залежно від температури спікання.Lead-Barium-Titanate (PBT) ferroelectric ceramic has been synthesized by using solid state reaction technique with different sintering temperatures. Structure of the samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). XRD of the Pb-Ba-TiO3 samples confirms the tetragonal perovskite ferroelectric structure with lattice parameters in the range 3.94-3.987 Å and 4.068-4.22 Å, respectively. The grain growth increases with sintering temperature and the grain size of these samples is observed in the range 0.6-1.713 µm from SEM analysis. The absorption bands around 575 cm – 1 to 585 cm – 1 are assigned to the stretching vibrations of Ti–O bonds from FTIR analysis. The crystallite size (D), lattice constant (a), microstrain (ε), and dislocation density (ρD) are also reported. The Williamson-Hall plot and size-strain plot are also employed to understand the structural and mechanical attributes of ferroelectric samples. Thus, we report variation of structural and mechanical properties of PBT with respect to sintering temperature