Impact of heavy metals on water, fish (Cyprinus carpio) and sediments from a water tank at Tumkur, India

This study was carried out to assess the concentrations of various heavy metals and their distribution in a hyper-eutrophic urban Tumkur tank system, which is being polluted from industrial, domestic and sewage effluents. Samples of water, fish and soil sediment were analyzed for the concentration of seven heavy metals (iron, zinc, copper, nickel, chromium, lead and cadmium) using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The water-soluble (bioavailable) fractions of heavy metals correlated positively with their total concentration, exhibiting the following sequence of bioavailability: Zn > Cd > Ni > Pb > Cu > Cr > Fe. Cyprinus carpio exhibited a maximum bioaccumulation factor for copper (5500). The mean values of all types of collected samples were correlated with the corresponding mean values in a control tank (Teetha tank). The sequence of the order of the concentration of the metals in water, fish and sediment samples exhibiting higher values than those observed in the control tank was as follows: Cr > Pb > Cu ≈ Ni > Fe > Cd > Zn, Cr > Cd > Cu ≈ Zn > Pb > Fe ≈ Ni and Fe > Pb > Cr > Cu > Ni > Zn > Cd, respectively. The geoaccumulation indices of the heavy metals revealed that the tank is moderately to strongly contaminated. As Cyprinus carpio is extensively used for human consumption, there is a growing health risk that these metals could find their way into the human food chain

Catfish reappeared in Dakshina Kannada Coast

After a gap of several years catfish reappeared in Malpe during September, 1994. Three purse seiners together landed three tonnes of catfish Tachysurus serratus (90 per cent) and T. dussumieri (10 per cent

Unusual occurrence of oil sardine along Uchila and Ullal beach on 21st and 28th July 2000

In an unusual instance, live oil sardine in very good numbers were handpicked from the beach at Uchila and Ullal, near Someshwara 20 km south of Mangalore. The beach at Someshwara is very steep and the sea is very rough especially during the monsoon months

'Marinefish-famine'(?) In Karnataka with particular reference to Udupi district during 1998-'99

'Marinefish-famine' is an issue often raised by the fishermen of Karnataka over the past several years whenever, they are affected monetarily and there is a failure of major fisheries of the region like mackerel and oil sardine and the high-value resources like cuttlefishes, squids and prawnsThe production of 1,64,710 t in 1998 is less by 12.3%(23,048 t) compared to 1997 but, higher than the average production of 1.59,567 t for 1993-'97. Therefore, this marginal decrease in production in 1998 cannot be considered as anyfishfamine condition in the marine fishery sectorof the state during 1998. As far as the fishery situation during 1998-99 in the Udupi district is concerned, the study on the fish landing at the largest landing centre of the district i.e., Malpe Fisheries Harbour shows that the production during 1998-'99 was normal compared to the past several years but, when compared to the previous year (which was one of the two most productive years since the commssioning of the MFH in 1986-'87 with a record landing of 50,558 t), the landing declined by 31.4% (15,897 t). Short-term, long-term and cyclic fluctuations in marine fish landings are common features and are governed by a complex of biotic and abiotic factors and the exact causes for these variations are largely unknown. Therefore, the decrease of 12.8 and 31.4% in the marine fish landings of the state and Udupi district with reference to Malpe Fisheries Harbour respectively during 1998-'99 can be treated as one such short-term fluctuations and hence, the year cannot be considered as fish famin

Mussel culture in mulky estuary, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka during 1997-'99

During 1997-'98 seasons, the mussel culture activities were carried out at Mulky estuary with the active participation of local fishermen and the growth rate was studied. Culture work was continued at two places in Mulky estuary during 1998-'99 seasons. The growth rate of mussels in Chitrapu area was higher than that observed in Mulky area. During 1998-'99 seasons, the meat content of the harvested mussel was low as they had spawned before the harvest. The culture works carried out at Mulky estuary reveal that mussel culture can be profitabily done during October-May months in Mulky estuary. The fishermen group can take up the culture activities as a part-time venture as the culture involves minimum labour only during the initial period and thereafter it needs little husbandry work. There is good demand for mussels in monsoon months when supply of marine fish is less due to ban on mechanized fishing. Mussels harvested in May can be processed and marketed for sale during the lean season, for which infrastructural facilities have to be developed. Once the marketing infrastructure is developed mussel culture activities can be taken up by more fishermen group in a profitable manner

A constraint-based systems approach to line yield improvement in semiconductor wafer fabrication

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1994.Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-106).by Viju S. Menon.M.S

IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF AQUEOUS AND ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACTS OF ACACIA AURICULIFORMIS

Objective: The present study focuses on in vitro antimicrobial properties of aqueous and ethanol leaf extract of Acacia auriculiformis tested on Gram-positive cocci, Gram-negative bacilli, multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacilli, and fungus.Methods: Ethanol and aqueous extracts of the leaves of A. auriculiformis were prepared. Agar well diffusion was the method for antimicrobial susceptibility. Freshly grown standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) , Escherchia coli (E.coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, clinical strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Candida albicans (C. ailbicans), and MDR E. coli, and MDR Klebsiella pnuemoniae were used. Ampicillin disc (10 μg) was used as control.Results: The zone of inhibition was measured to determine the antimicrobial activity. Ethanolic extract of A. auriculiformis exhibited antibacterial activity against all the strains including MDR strains of K. pneumoniae and E. coli. Antifungal activity was exhibited by both aqueous and ethanol leaf extracts of A. auriculiformis.Conclusion: Ethanol extract could be used against MDR K. pneumoniae and MDR E. coli. Similarly, aqueous and ethanol extract can be the drug of choice for C. albicans infection. Further study is necessary to evaluate the accurate compound responsible for antibacterial and antifungal activity for pharmaceutical applications

Sustainable utilization of discarded foundry sand and crushed brick masonry aggregate in the production of lightweight concrete

Nowadays, there is a considerable shortage in the availability of river sand and natural stone aggregate for the construction activities all around the globe and the way out is being worked out by the use of discarded foundry sand and crushed brick masonry aggregate for construction purposes. In the present study, river sand was partly replaced by the discarded foundry sand procured from steel moulding industries and the crushed brick masonry aggregate was used as coarse aggregate for the production of lightweight concrete. The experimental program involved casting of six distinct mixes with 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% & 100% replacement of fine aggregate by discarded foundry sand. The mechanical and durability properties of the lightweight concrete were assessed for each of the six diverse blends. Even though the 80% and 100% replacement mixes were found to be less dense than the rest of the mix, the blend of 40% replacement acquired desirable mechanical and durability properties when compared to that of all other mixes. The optimum replacement level of the discarded foundry sand by mass to the river sand was 40%. The lightweight concrete produced by utilizing crushed brick masonry aggregate and discarded foundry sand (40% substitution level) can be employed in all major structural lightweight construction aspects and is ideally suited for sloped roof slabs and making architectural or decorative concrete blocks