Energy Crisis in Pakistan, Adaptation and Mitigation Measures

Energy is part and parcel of every aspect of life as well as backbone of a country’s economy. Pakistan is lagging behind in this area despite of rich reserves of raw energy, but there is dire need for the investment and proper use of these reserves for driving the wheel of economy. Present energy scenario of the country, its available resources and their potential towards the solution are addressed in this paper. Statistical data in this work provides ease to policy makers in deciding major investment area to take the country towards prosperous future. A lot of partial projects like Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and Rental Power Plants (RPPs) have been made and invested but all in vain rather burden on economy. The sequence of investment field is also proposed which will pay back more in the long run

Microbial Diversity Analysis in Malachite Green Dye Treating Sequencing Batch Reactor

ABSTRACT Microbial diversity was investigated in an optimized sequencing batch reactor (SBR), treating malachite green containing wastewater, with the decolorization efficiency of 89 % and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removing ability of 93%. Both culture-independent 16S rRNA gene method and culture-dependent plate-dilution method were utilized. Phylogenetic trees were sketched by neighbor-joining method using bioinformatics tools. Cultureindependent method showed the SBR community affiliation with the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta proteobacteria, in addition to the moderate resemblances with Verrucomicrobia, and some uncultured bacteria. The culture-dependent isolates, however, identified only with the Beta and Gamma proteobacteria. Some sequences had less than 95% homology to the data in GenBank indicates the possibility of novel bacterial species

Kinetics of the pyrolysis of cobalt-impregnated sesame stalk biomass

In this work, thermogravimetric analysis of sesame biomass samples was conducted in inert atmosphere at heating rate of 10 °C/min in the temperature range 30–1000 °C. Kinetic parameters were calculated applying the Coats-Redfern (CR) method. TG/DTG of sesame biomass showed that pyrolysis mainly occurred in the temperature range 205–412 °C. Therefore, the biomass was thermally decomposed in the same temperature range in the presence of cobalt oxide in an indigenously made salt bath furnace. The pyrolysis oil was collected and analyzed using GC-MS. The Physicochemical properties of the oil were determined, and the results have shown that sesame biomass can be utilized as fuel if the oil obtained from it is properly upgraded to make it equivalent to commercial fuel

Discutindo a educação ambiental no cotidiano escolar: desenvolvimento de projetos na escola formação inicial e continuada de professores

A presente pesquisa buscou discutir como a Educação Ambiental (EA) vem sendo trabalhada, no Ensino Fundamental e como os docentes desta escola compreendem e vem inserindo a EA no cotidiano escolar., em uma escola estadual do município de Tangará da Serra/MT, Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se entrevistas com os professores que fazem parte de um projeto interdisciplinar de EA na escola pesquisada. Verificou-se que o projeto da escola não vem conseguindo alcançar os objetivos propostos por: desconhecimento do mesmo, pelos professores; formação deficiente dos professores, não entendimento da EA como processo de ensino-aprendizagem, falta de recursos didáticos, planejamento inadequado das atividades. A partir dessa constatação, procurou-se debater a impossibilidade de tratar do tema fora do trabalho interdisciplinar, bem como, e principalmente, a importância de um estudo mais aprofundado de EA, vinculando teoria e prática, tanto na formação docente, como em projetos escolares, a fim de fugir do tradicional vínculo “EA e ecologia, lixo e horta”.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Study of Variations in the Extraction Yield, Phenolic Contents and Antioxidant Activities of the Bark of F. religiosa as a Function of Extraction Procedure

In present study, the effect of different solvents and multiple techniques on the extraction yield, phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of bark of F. Religiosa, was investigated. Four solvents (absolute ethanol, absolute methanol, 80% aqueous ethanol and 80% aqueous methanol) and three techniques (orbital shaker, sonication and magnetic stirrer) were applied for this purpose. The extract obtained by the application of 80% methanol, exhibited significantly (p 80% ethanol > absolute methanol >absolute ethanol. As for as techniques are concerned, the extracts obtained by the application of sonication demonstrated significantly (

Dyeing of UV irradiated cotton and polyester fabrics with multifunctional reactive and disperse dyes

The dyeing behaviour of UV irradiated cotton and polyester fabrics using multifunctional reactive and disperse dyes has been investigated. The plain, woven, mercerized, bleached, cotton and polyester fabrics were exposed to UV radiation (180 w, 254 nm) for 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. Dyeing was performed using irradiated fabric with a dye solution of un-irradiated reactive and disperse/azo dyes. The dyeing parameters such as, temperature, time, pH and salt concentration have been optimized. The colour strength values of dyed fabrics were evaluated by comparing irradiated and un-irradiated cotton and polyester fabrics in CIE Lab systems using spectra flash SF600. Finally ISO standard methods were employed to observe the effect of UV radiation on fastness properties. It was found that UV radiation has a potential to improve the colour strength values of cotton and polyester fabrics by using reactive and disperse dyes

A novel study for producing complexed and encapsulated nutrients at nanometric scale to enhance plant growth

Abstract Complexation of micronutrients with complexing agents reduce undesirable reactions of fertilizers in soil water system. In the form of complex structure nutrients remain available to plants in the useable form. Nanoform fertilizer enhances the surface area of particles and less amount of fertilizer contact with large area of plant roots which reduce fertilizer cost. Controlling release of fertilizer using polymeric material like sodium alginate makes agriculture practices more efficient and cost effective. Several fertilizers and nutrients are used at a large scale to improve crop yields globally and almost more than half goes to waste. Therefore, there is a dire need to improve plant-available nutrients in soil, using feasible, environmentally friendly technologies. In the present research, complexed micronutrients were successfully encapsulated using a novel technique at nanometric scale. The nutrients were complexed with proline and encapsulated using sodium alginate (polymer). Sweet basil was subjected to seven treatments over three months in a moderately controlled environment (25 °C of temperature and 57% of humidity) to study the effects of synthesized complexed micronutrient nano fertilizers. The structural modifications of the complexed micronutrient nanoforms of fertilizers were examined, through X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The size of manufactured fertilizers was between 1 and 200 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy stretching vibration peaks at 1600.9 cm−1 (C=O), 3336 cm−1 (N–H) and at 1090.2 cm−1 (N–H in a twisting and rocking) corresponds to the pyrrolidine ring. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to analyze the chemical makeup of the essential oil of the basil plants. Essential oil yield of basil plants increased from 0.0035 to 0.1226% after treatments. The findings of the present research show that complexation and encapsulation improve crop quality, essential oil yield, and antioxidant potential of basil

Biodiesel Production from Waste Plant Oil over a Novel Nano-Catalyst of Li-TiO2/Feldspar

A novel Li-impregnated TiO2 catalyst loaded on feldspar mineral (Li-TiO2/feldspar) was synthesized via a wet impregnation method and was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Using these techniques, it was possible to confirm the catalyst’s structural organization with a high crystallinity. This catalyst was used in the transesterification of five waste plant oils of Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple), Pongamia pinnata (karanja), Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard), Ricinus communis (castor) and Carthamus oxyacantha (wild safflower). The catalytic tests were performed at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80 °C, employing a variable methanol/ester molar ratio (5:1, 10:1, 15:1, 20:1 and 25:1) and different catalyst concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5%) relative to the total reactants mass. Conversion of 98.4% of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) was achieved for Pongamia pinnata (karanja). The main fatty acids present in bitter apple, karanja, wild mustard, castor and wild safflower oils were linoleic acid (70.71%), oleic acid (51.92%), erucic acid (41.43%), ricinoleic acid (80.54%) and linoleic acid (75.17%), respectively. Li-TiO2/feldspar produced more than 96% for all the feedstocks. Fuel properties such as iodine value (AV), cetane number (CN), cloud point (CP), iodine value (IV), pour point (PP) and density were within the ranges specified in ASTM D6751