Leaves of roadside plants as bioindicator of traffic related lead pollution during different seasons in Sargodha, Pakistan

Plants are important bioindicators of heavy metal environmental pollution. For this purpose a study was conducted during winter and summer seasons in Sargodha, Pakistan. Three roadside plants that is Dalbergia sissoo Roxb., Prosopis juliflora L. and Eucalyptus spp. were collected from different locations. The study area was divided into five on the basis of traffic density and industrial pollution. These were Urban, Suburban, Industrial, Roadside and Rural. It was found that lead concentration was highest in the plants that were collected from industrial site in Dalbergia during winter and summer that is 421.43 ± 1 9.30 and 429.37 ± 14.49 ug g-1 respectively and lowest at the control site (rural site) 69.57 ± 36.80 ug g-1 in Eucalyptus during winter and 61.89 ± 35.97 ug g-1 in Prosopis during summer. All the three selected plants proved to be good indicators of lead pollution and due to their diverse distribution in different parts of the world their leaves can be used as bioindicators of lead pollution.Key words: Bioindicator, lead, roadside plants, seasonal variation

Isolation of cellulolytic activities from Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle)

Cellulolytic enzymes have immense potential to convert cellulosic biomass into useful products. Tribolium castaneum crude proteins were isolated to screen the cellulolytic activities. The activity was established by substrate-agar plate assay and confirmed by endoglucanase assay. Cellulolytic activitywas further purified and characterized using the different chromatographic techniques and electrophoresis. Gel filtration chromatography showed the presence of multiple forms of enzyme activities with different molecular weights. Stability of enzyme activity was investigated at differenttemperatures and pH. Optimum pH for was found 4.8 at 40oC determined as optimum temperature. Gradually decreasing Enzyme activity remained half at 60oC. Zymography and SDS-PAGE showed the presence of multiple forms of endoglucanase activities (Cel I and Cel II) with molecular weight of 55 kDaand 35 kDa