Evaluation of nineteen food wastes for essential and toxic elements

Abstract Purpose The study evaluates and provides an overview of the nutritional importance of 19 selected food wastes as aids in human/livestock/soil/plant health. Methods Nitric acid-digested extracts of food wastes belonging to four different classes (fruits, vegetables, oilseeds and beverages) were analysed for different elements in an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Results Our study recommends spent coffee grounds, tea leaves, radish peel, watermelon rind and pineapple skin that contain substantially high concentrations of essential elements such as N, P, K, S and Fe for their use as: (a) substrates for composting, (b) biofertilizers, (c) soil amendments, and (d) bioadsorbents of toxins. Although these food wastes are rich in essential nutrients, we do not suggest them for the preparation of food supplements as they contain non-essential elements in concentrations beyond the human safety limits. However, food wastes like banana peel, plum pomace and pistachio shell that contain low and permissible concentrations of toxic elements can be recommended as dietary supplements for oral intake in spite of their lesser essential elemental composition than the other residues examined. Conclusions Our study confirms that food wastes are rich sources of essential nutrients and there is need to harness their real industrial systems

Assessment of heart rate variability and reaction time in traffic policemen

Introduction: Air Pollution can have a deleterious effect on cardiovascular function and cognition. Heart rate variability (HRV), which is a non-invasive and objective measure of cardiac autonomic function, is a cardiovascular risk predictor. Reaction time is a simple method of assessing the perceptual-cognitive processing capability of the central nervous system. Hence, the aim of the study was to assess the heart rate variability and reaction time in traffic police officers of Puducherry. Methods: Fifty-five age and BMI matched traffic police and healthy controls were recruited. Basal cardiovascular parameters; basal heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BHR, SBP, DBP) were assessed. Short term HRV analysis was done. Time and frequency domain indices were computed. Simple and Choice Auditory and Visual reaction time (SART, CART, SVRT, CVRT) were measured. Results: BHR and DBP were significantly increased in traffic police. Time domain indices (Mean RR, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50) were significantly reduced in traffic police. In frequency domain, Total Power was significantly reduced. LF-HF ratio was increased, though not significant. SVRT was significantly delayed in traffic police. CVRT, SART and CART were delayed in traffic police though not significant. Conclusion: Traffic police have decreased HRV with increased sympathetic and decreased vagal tone, and delayed reaction time

Pyrogenic carbon and its role in contaminant immobilization in soils

<p>Pyrogenic carbon (PyC), including soil native PyC and engineered PyC (biochars), is increasingly being recognized for its potential role as a low-cost immobilizer of contaminants in soils. Published reviews on the role of soil native PyC as a sorbent in soils have so far focused mainly on organic contaminants and paid little or no attention to inorganic contaminants. Further, a comprehensive review on the production of both natural PyC and engineered PyC (biochars), mechanisms involved, and factors influencing their role as soil contaminant immobilizer is so far not available. The objective of this review is thus to systematically summarize the sources, formation, and properties of PyC, including its quantification in soils, followed by their roles in the immobilization of both organic and inorganic contaminants in soils. Effectiveness of PyC on bioavailability, leaching, and degradation of soil contaminants was summarized. Notably, the mechanisms and factors (for the first time) influencing the immobilization processes for soil contaminants were also extensively elucidated. This review helps better understand and design PyC for soil contaminant immobilization.</p