A primary study on the degradation of low-density polyethylene treated with select oxidizing agents and starch

Polyethylene has become an integral part of our contemporary lives. The neoteric versatile nature of polyethylene is used in constructing various applications. Out of the plastic waste discarded, 60% of the plastic waste enters landfills. The polyethylene discarded in the soil and water on exposure to the environment forms macroplastics (>2.5 cm), mesoplastics (5 mm - 2.5 cm) and microplastics (<5 mm). Microplastics in the water and soil are observed to have lethal and ecotoxicological effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms. They enter the food chain and permeate into the food that one eats. In order to address this impending concern, the present study aimed to treat plastics to form a degradable, safe and earthy material. The dissolved polyethylene was treated with starch and was made to react with oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid and acetic acid to lower its inert ability to withstand its degradation. The effect of starch and oxidizing agents on dissolved low density polyethylene was subsequently analysed. The analysis of treated polyethylene showed a decrease in its crystallinity percentage by 6.19 and an increase in its functional groups on reaction with solvent trichloroethylene made to react with starch and oxidizing agents. In the present research, tests were conducted to obtain the various methods that can be utilized to reverse the inert ability of polyethylene. The prevailing recycling model that uses antioxidation techniques is counterproductive since it was found that such techniques appeared to make the polyethylene more resistant to further degradation. In this study, the polyethylene was dissolved in the solvents, such as xylene and trichloroethylene, to make the polyethylene more susceptible to reactants and hence a viable model for treating polyethylene

Effect of bio-control agents and botanicals on in vitro growth and development of Ganoderma applanatum

Efficacy of bio-control agents and botanicals against Ganoderma applanatum, a fungi causing basal stem rot of coconut was studied at Agricultural Research Station, Arsikere during the year 2008-09. Among the 17 bio-control agents screened, native Trichoderma sp. (V2) recorded minimum radial growth of 1.72 cm by exerting 81 per cent reduction over control, which was followed by Trichoderma sp. (12a) by accounting 2.30 cm radial growth with 74 per cent reduction over control. Among the six bio-control agents, tested for biomass production, native Trichoderma sp. (B4) recorded maximum biomass (0.76 g) followed by Trichoderma sp. (C4) which accounted for 0.7 g 100 ml-1 potato dextrose broth. Among 10 botanicals tested, only Glyricidia was found to be inhibitory against G. applanatum, by recording radial growth of 5.4 cm as against 9.0 cm in control

Electrical properties of the Fe<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB>-V<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>5</SUB> system

The electrical transport properties of single phase compositions in the system (Fe2O3) x (V2O5)1-x , where 0&lt;x&lt;0·25, have been investigated and discussed. The compounds have been found to exhibit thermally activated hopping conduction, where the charge carriers are electrons localised at V4+ (3d 1) centres. The Fe3+ ions appear to occupy interstitial as well as substitutional positions in the V2O5 lattice

Blast Disease of Millets: Present Status and Future Perspectives

Millet crops are affected by various biotic and abiotic stresses. Among biotic stresses, blast disease caused by Pyricularia grisea (finger, pearl and proso millets) and Pyricularia setariae (foxtail millet) is the most devastating and widespread disease that causes substantial grain and forage yield losses and is a key constraint to pearl millet, finger millet and foxtail millet production in most of finger millet growing areas, and recently, it is also reported in barnyard millet in few locations. This book chapter emphasizes mainly on occurrence, distribution, symptoms, yield loss, etiology, genetic diversity, mode of spread of the pathogen and survival and integrated disease management approaches for mitigating of disease. This information will be highly helpful for better understanding of the disease. Further, it will be useful to enhance production and productivity of millets and to reinforce the food and nutritional security in the developing countries of Asia and Africa continents where the millets are mainly grown as staple food crops

Synthesis of γ-(Al1-xFex)2O3 solid solutions from oxinate precursors and formation of carbon nanotubes from the solid solutions using methane or ethylene as carbon source

This work reports for the first time the synthesis of ?-(Al1-xFex)2O3 solid solutions with a high specific surface area (200-230 m2/g) by the decomposition of metal oxinate [(Al1-xFex)(C9H6ON)3] and investigated the potential of these materials as catalysts for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes by catalytic chemical vapor deposition using methane or ethylene as carbon the source. The nanocomposite powders prepared by reduction in H2-CH4 contain carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are mostly double-walled but also contain a fair amount of undesirable carbon nanofibers, hollow carbon particles, and metal particles covered by carbon layers. Moreover, abundant metallic particles are observed to cover the surfaces of the matrix grains. By contrast, the nanocomposite powders prepared by reduction in N2-C2H4 are not fully reduced, and the CNTs are much more abundant and homogeneous. However, they are multiwalled CNTs with a significant proportion of defects. The powders were studied by several techniques including Mössbauer spectroscopy and electron microscopy

‘Not All That Is White Is Lime’—White Substances from Archaeological Burial Contexts: Analyses and Interpretations

YesArchaeological burial contexts may include a variety of white substances, but few analyses have been published. This study reports on the physico‐chemical characterization of such residues from seven archaeological sites. It is often assumed that white materials from burial contexts are lime. Our findings demonstrate that they can be gypsum, calcite (chalk), aragonite, brushite, degraded metal, natural (gum) resins or synthetic polymer–based products. These may be present as the result of diagenetic processes, funerary practices or modern contamination. This paper provides an analytical approach for the holistic investigation of white materials encountered in burial contexts.Investments for the future’ (IdEx Bordeaux ANR‐10‐IDEX‐03‐02). Grant Number: ANR‐10‐IDEX‐03‐02; Collaborative Projects of the France‐Stanford Center for Interdisciplinary Studies; Collaborative Projects of the France–Stanford Center; French State. Grant Number: IdEx Bordeaux ANR‐10‐IDEX‐03‐02; Northern Archaeological Associates Ltd; PACEA; Wessex Archaeology; INRAP; Mersea Island Museum Trust; Vatican's Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology; University of Reading; IRAMAT-CRP2A; University of Bradford; CEREG

Studies on the Electrical Properties of Tungsten Doped V2O5

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