11 research outputs found

    Decentralized systems for the treatment of antimicrobial compounds released from hospital aquatic wastes

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    In many developing countries, untreated hospital effluents are discharged and treated simultaneously with municipal wastewater. However, if the hospital effluents are not treated separately, they pose concerning health risks due to the possible transport of the antimicrobial genes and microbes in the environment. Such effluent is considered as a point source for a number of potentially infectious microorganisms, waste antimicrobial compounds and other contaminants that could promote antimicrobial resistance development. The removal of these contaminants prior to discharge reduces the exposure of antimicrobials to the environment and this should lower the risk of superbug development. At an effluent discharge site, suitable pre-treatment of wastewater containing antimicrobials could maximise the ecological impact with potentially reduced risk to human health. In addressing these points, this paper reviews the applications of decentralized treatment systems toward reducing the concentration of antimicrobials in wastewater. The most commonly used techniques in decentralized wastewater treatment systems for onsite removal of antimicrobials were discussed and evidence suggests that hybrid techniques should be more useful for the efficient removal of antimicrobials. It is concluded that alongside the cooperation of administration departments, health industries, water treatment authorities and general public, decentralized treatment technology can efficiently enhance the removal of antimicrobial compounds, thereby decreasing the concentration of contaminants released to the environment that could pose risks to human and ecological health due to development of antimicrobial resistance in microbes.</p

    <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> Regulates Synthesis of Propyl Fraction of Aliphatic Glucosinolates in Oilseed Mustard <i>Brassica juncea</i>: Functional Validation through Genetic and Transgenic Approaches - Fig 6

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    <p>(A) Gel picture showing amplification of <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> (PCR using forward primer GS1B-NS-FP and reverse primer GS1B-NS-RP) in five T<sub>0</sub> transgenics each of EH-2 and QTL-NIL <i>J16Gsl4</i>. (B) Expression analysis of <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> from leaves of T<sub>0</sub> transgenic lines by RT-PCR using the same primers as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0150060#pone.0150060.g004" target="_blank">Fig 4</a>. V—Varuna, H—Heera, E—EH-2, QN—QTL-NIL <i>J16Gsl4</i>, gDNA—genomic DNA, cDNA—complementary DNA.</p

    Phenotypic (for sinigrin) and genotypic (for <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i>) co-segregation data of a F<sub>2</sub> population from a cross between QTL-NIL <i>J16Gsl4</i> line and Varuna.

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    <p>Phenotypic (for sinigrin) and genotypic (for <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i>) co-segregation data of a F<sub>2</sub> population from a cross between QTL-NIL <i>J16Gsl4</i> line and Varuna.</p

    Map of T-DNA construct of <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> used for genetic transformation of <i>B</i>. <i>juncea</i>.

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    <p>Map of T-DNA construct of <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> used for genetic transformation of <i>B</i>. <i>juncea</i>.</p

    RT-PCR analysis from developing siliques showing expression of <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> in parents and F<sub>2</sub> segregants derived from a cross between Varuna and QTL-NIL <i>J16Gsl4</i>.

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    <p>RT-PCR reactions were performed using gene specific primers for <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> (forward primer GS1G-NS-FP and reverse primer GS1B-NS-RP) and Actin (forward primer Actin-FP and reverse primer Actin-RP). Amplification from genomic DNA was done by primer pair GS1G-NS-FP and GS1B-NS-RP (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0150060#pone.0150060.s008" target="_blank">S2 Table</a>). No DNA lane was used as control. V—Varuna, QN—QTL-NIL <i>J16Gsl4</i> line, F<sub>1</sub> –F<sub>1</sub> between Varuna x QTL-NIL <i>J16Gsl4</i>, H—Heera, cDNA—complementary DNA, 1–8 –F<sub>2</sub> segregants where <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> is present (Varuna allele), 9–12 –F<sub>2</sub> segregants where <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i> is absent (Heera allele).</p

    Map of LG B4 showing positions of marker At1g16410 (named as <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i>) and QTL <i>J16Gsl4</i> in <i>B</i>. <i>juncea</i>.

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    <p>Map of LG B4 showing positions of marker At1g16410 (named as <i>BjuB</i>.<i>CYP79F1</i>) and QTL <i>J16Gsl4</i> in <i>B</i>. <i>juncea</i>.</p

    PCR amplification by three B genome specific primers (names of primers used have been given on top of the gel lanes) for <i>CYP79F1</i> from <i>B</i>. <i>juncea</i> lines Varuna (V) and Heera (H); <i>B</i>. <i>rapa</i> (R); <i>B</i>. <i>nigra</i> (N).

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    <p>PCR amplification by three B genome specific primers (names of primers used have been given on top of the gel lanes) for <i>CYP79F1</i> from <i>B</i>. <i>juncea</i> lines Varuna (V) and Heera (H); <i>B</i>. <i>rapa</i> (R); <i>B</i>. <i>nigra</i> (N).</p

    High-Performance Recyclable Magnetic CuFe<sub>2–<i>x</i></sub>Cr<sub><i>x</i></sub>O<sub>4</sub> Nanocatalysts for Facile Reduction of Nitrophenols and Photooxidative Degradation of Organic Dyes

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    Remediating pollutants in water sources is essential for preserving and protecting our water resources. Water pollution can have severe environmental, economic, and public health consequences. Water scarcity for domestic purposes can eventually be addressed by improving wastewater management. In the present study, highly active and magnetically separable Cr-doped copper ferrites CuFe2–xCrxO4 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1) were synthesized via a sol–gel technique and employed for the conversion of nitrophenols to aminophenols and photooxidative deterioration of various dyes such as methyl orange (MO), rhodamine B (RhB), and methylene blue (MB), as well as their ternary solution (RhB + MO + MB). Powder X-ray diffraction investigation indicates that the prepared phases are well indexed in the Fd3̅ m space group except for CuFe2O4, which crystallizes in the I41/amd space group. The M–H hysteresis loop results support the ferromagnetic behavior of the nanophases, which makes them magnetically separable. The optical-band-gap energies of prepared nanostructures were found to be in the range of 1.70–1.39 eV, which makes them appropriate and reliable photocatalysts. CuFe2O4 was found to be the most efficient nanocatalyst toward the conversion of nitrophenols to aminophenols, while CuCrFeO4 showed a maximum degradation efficiency for the deterioration of dyes. The kinetic models correctly explain both reduction and photodegradation processes using pseudo-first-order kinetics. Further, several recyclability runs demonstrated that the nanocatalysts were extremely stable and reusable. This study reflects the possibility of employing mesoporous nanocatalysts for practical applications in the treatment of wastewater

    Ultrathin, Flexible Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Silicon Nanowires and PEDOT:PSS

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    Recently, free-standing, ultrathin, single-crystal silicon (c-Si) membranes have attracted considerable attention as a suitable material for low-cost, mechanically flexible electronics. In this paper, we report a promising ultrathin, flexible, hybrid solar cell based on silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays and poly­(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly­(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). The free-standing, ultrathin c-Si membranes of different thicknesses were produced by KOH etching of double-side-polished silicon wafers for various etching times. The processed free-standing silicon membranes were observed to be mechanically flexible, and in spite of their relatively small thickness, the samples tolerated the different steps of solar cell fabrication, including surface nanotexturization, spin-casting, dielectric film deposition, and metallization. However, in terms of the optical performance, ultrathin c-Si membranes suffer from noticeable transmission losses, especially in the long-wavelength region. We describe the experimental performance of a promising light-trapping scheme in the aforementioned ultrathin c-Si membranes of thicknesses as small as 5.7 μm employing front-surface random SiNW texturization in combination with a back-surface distribution of silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs). We report the enhancement of both the short-circuit current density (<i>J</i><sub>SC</sub>) and the open-circuit voltage (<i>V</i><sub>OC</sub>) that has been achieved in the described devices. Such enhancement is attributable to the plasmonic backscattering effect of the back-surface Ag NPs, which led to an overall 10% increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the devices compared to similar structures without Ag NPs. A PCE in excess of 6.62% has been achieved in the described devices having a c-Si membrane of thickness 8.6 μm. The described device technology could prove crucial in achieving an efficient, low-cost, mechanically flexible photovoltaic device in the near future

    Plasmonic Effects of Au/Ag Bimetallic Multispiked Nanoparticles for Photovoltaic Applications

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    In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the use of plasmons, that is, free electron oscillations in conductors, to boost the performance of both organic and inorganic thin film solar cells. This has been driven by the possibility of employing thin active layers in solar cells in order to reduce materials costs, and is enabled by significant advances in fabrication technology. The ability of surface plasmons in metallic nanostructures to guide and confine light in the nanometer scale has opened up new design possibilities for solar cell devices. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of highly monodisperse, reasonably stable, multipode Au/Ag bimetallic nanostructures using an inorganic additive as a ligand for photovoltaic applications. A promising surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect has been observed for the synthesized bimetallic Au/Ag multispiked nanoparticles, which compare favorably well with their Au and Ag spherical nanoparticle counterparts. The synthesized plasmonic nanostructures were incorporated on the rear surface of an ultrathin planar c-silicon/organic polymer hybrid solar cell, and the overall effect on photovoltaic performance was investigated. A promising enhancement in solar cell performance parameters, including both the open circuit voltage (<i>V</i><sub>OC</sub>) and short circuit current density (<i>J</i><sub>SC</sub>), has been observed by employing the aforementioned bimetallic multispiked nanoparticles on the rear surface of solar cell devices. A power conversion efficiency (PCE) value as high as 7.70% has been measured in a hybrid device with Au/Ag multispiked nanoparticles on the rear surface of an ultrathin, crystalline silicon (c-Si) membrane (∼12 μm). This value compares well to the measured PCE value of 6.72% for a similar device without nanoparticles. The experimental observations support the hope for a sizable PCE increase, due to plasmon effects, in thin-film, c-Si solar cells in the near future
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