61 research outputs found

    Optimizing Water Reuse: Integrating Computer-Aided Greywater Treatment Systems with Decision Support Techniques for Enhanced Dissolved Oxygen and Turbidity Evaluation

    Get PDF
    This paper presents a comprehensive approach to the design, implementation, and optimization of a robust, cost-effective, and sustainable Grey Water system. Through the utilization of advanced sensing technologies, the system meticulously monitors and analyzes a diverse array of water parameters, including Water Flow, Pressure, Temperature, Turbidity, Conductivity, and Dissolved Oxygen. Emphasizing the critical importance of optimized greywater management, the study integrates methodologies aimed at reducing Clean Water usage, thereby contributing to overall water conservation efforts. Prior to system deployment, extensive simulation, modeling, and analysis were conducted to develop efficient and low-energy grey water treatment prototypes. A significant emphasis of this research lies in the integration of Decision Support Techniques tailored to evaluate key parameters such as Dissolved Oxygen and Turbidity. By leveraging advanced computational methodologies, the system enables real-time monitoring and informed decision-making, enhancing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of greywater treatment processes. This research addresses pressing global challenges including climate change adaptation, food security, and environmental pollutant mitigation by exploring the vast potential of greywater reuse. While scrutinizing health and environmental perspectives, particular attention is given to the presence of microorganisms and xenobiotic organic compounds (XOCs) within greywater streams. Moreover, the study underscores the multifaceted benefits of greywater reuse, ranging from toilet flushing to irrigation, with the potential to significantly reduce household water consumption by up to 30%. In response to the imperative to mitigate groundwater contamination risks, the research proposes innovative treatment strategies at the household level. By merging environmental consciousness with technological innovation, this work contributes to the optimization of water resources in a world increasingly challenged by water scarcity. The pivotal role of computer science in result analysis and decision support underscores the interdisciplinary nature of this endeavor, offering promising avenues for sustainable water management practices globally

    Phytochemical constituents and biological activities of Erythrina indica

    Get PDF
    Erythrina indica commonly known as Coral tree has been widely used in Indian traditional medicine for treating common ailments such as asthma, arthritis, diarrhoea, fever, inflammation and leprosy. Certain phytochemical constituents such as: alkaloids, aliphatic fatty acids, alkaloids have also been reported. A wide range of medicinal formulations have been developed from E. indica that exhibit analgesic, antiarthritic, anti-hypertriglyceridemia, anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxing effects. This review summarizes the phytochemical investigations and pharmacological activities of E. indica

    A High Sensitivity Micro Format Chemiluminescence Enzyme Inhibition Assay for Determination of Hg(II)

    Get PDF
    A highly sensitive and specific enzyme inhibition assay based on alcohol oxidase (AlOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) for determination of mercury Hg(II) in water samples has been presented. This article describes the optimization and miniaturization of an enzymatic assay using a chemiluminescence reaction. The analytical performance and detection limit for determination of Hg(II) was optimized in 96 well plates and further extended to 384 well plates with a 10-fold reduction in assay volume. Inhibition of the enzyme activity by dissolved Hg(II) was found to be linear in the range 5–500 pg·mL−1 with 3% CV in inter-batch assay. Due to miniaturization of assay in 384 well plates, Hg(II) was measurable as low as 1 pg·mL−1 within 15 min. About 10-fold more specificity of the developed assay for Hg(II) analysis was confirmed by challenging with interfering divalent metal ions such as cadmium Cd(II) and lead Pb(II). Using the proposed assay we could successfully demonstrate that in a composite mixture of Hg(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II), inhibition by each metal ion is significantly enhanced in the presence of the others. Applicability of the proposed assay for the determination of the Hg(II) in spiked drinking and sea water resulted in recoveries ranging from 100–110.52%

    Poly(neutral red) based hydrogen peroxide biosensor for chromium determination by inhibition measurements

    Get PDF
    Amperometric hydrogen peroxide enzyme inhibition biosensors based on horseradish peroxidase (HRP) immobilised on electropolymerised neutral red (NR) or directly on the surface of carbon film electrodes (CFE) have been successfully applied to the determination of toxic Cr(III) and Cr(VI). Parameters influencing the performance of the biosensor including the enzyme immobilisation method, the amount of hydrogen peroxide, applied potential and electrolyte pH were optimised. The inhibition of horseradish peroxidase by the chromium species was studied under the optimised conditions. Results from the quantitative analysis of chromium ions are discussed in terms of detection limit, linear range and sensitivity. The HRP kinetic interactions reveal mixed binding of Cr(III) with I50 = 3.8 ÎŒM and inhibition binding constant Ki = 11.3 ÎŒM at HRP/PNR/CFE biosensors and uncompetitive binding of Cr(VI) with I50 = 3.9 ÎŒM and Ki = 0.78 ÎŒM at HRP/CFE biosensors in the presence of H2O2 substrate. Interferences from other heavy metal ions were studied and the inhibition show very good selectivity towards Cr(III) and Cr(VI)

    Recent Trends in Monitoring of European Water Framework Directive Priority Substances Using Micro-Sensors: A 2007–2009 Review

    Get PDF
    This review discusses from a critical perspective the development of new sensors for the measurement of priority pollutants targeted in the E.U. Water Framework Directive. Significant advances are reported in the paper and their advantages and limitations are also discussed. Future perspectives in this area are also pointed out in the conclusions. This review covers publications appeared since December 2006 (the publication date of the Swift report). Among priority substances, sensors for monitoring the four WFD metals represent 81% of published papers. None of analyzed publications present a micro-sensor totally validated in laboratory, ready for tests under real conditions in the field. The researches are mainly focused on the sensing part of the micro-sensors. Nevertheless, the main factor limiting micro-sensor applications in the environment is the ruggedness of the receptor towards environmental conditions. This point constitutes the first technological obstacle to be overcome for any long-term field tests

    Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

    Get PDF
    Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)

    Exploration of Chitinous Scaffold-Based Interfaces for Glucose Sensing Assemblies

    No full text
    The nanomaterial-integrated chitinous polymers have promoted the technological advancements in personal health care apparatus, particularly for enzyme-based devices like the glucometer. Chitin and chitosan, being natural biopolymers, have attracted great attention in the field of biocatalysts engineering. Their remarkable tunable properties have been explored for enhancing enzyme performance and biosensor advancements. Currently, incorporation of nanomaterials in chitin and chitosan-based biosensors are also widely exploited for enzyme stability and interference-free detection. Therefore, in this review, we focus on various innovative multi-faceted strategies used for the fabrication of biological assemblies using chitinous biomaterial interface. We aim to summarize the current development on chitin/chitosan and their nano-architecture scaffolds for interdisciplinary biosensor research, especially for analytes like glucose. This review article will be useful for understanding the overall multifunctional aspects and progress of chitin and chitosan-based polysaccharides in the food, biomedical, pharmaceutical, environmental, and other diverse applications
    • 

    corecore