13 research outputs found
Laccase Activity and Azo Dye Decolorization Potential of Podoscypha elegans
Azo dyes containing effluents from different industries pose threats to the environment. Though there are physico-chemical methods to treat such effluents, bioremediation is considered to be the best eco-compatible technique. In this communication, we discuss the decolorization potentiality of five azo dyes by Podoscypha elegans (G. Mey.) Pat., a macro-fungus, found growing on the leaf-litter layer of Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal, India. The fungus exhibited high laccase and very low manganese peroxidase activities under different culture conditions. Decolorization of five high-molecular weight azo dyes, viz., Orange G, Congo Red, Direct Blue 15, Rose Bengal and Direct Yellow 27 by the fungus was found to be positive in all cases. Maximum and minimum mean decolorization percentages were recorded in Rose Bengal (70.41%) and Direct Blue 15 (24.8%), respectively. This is the first record of lignolytic study and dye decolorization by P. elegans
Castor Oil Based Hyperbranched Poly(ester amide)/Polyaniline Nanofiber Nanocomposites as Antistatic Materials
Biobased hyperbranched polyÂ(ester
amide) (HBPEA)/polyaniline (PAni)
nanofiber nanocomposites were prepared by incorporating the as-synthesized
PAni nanofiber at varied weight percentages by an ex situ polymerization
technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses indicated
the interactions of the benzenoid–quinoid moieties of PAni
with HBPEA. The transition from liquidlike to solidlike behavior of
the nanocomposites with a percolation threshold at 10 wt % nanofiber
content was studied using dynamic rheology. The formation of nanofibrous
network within the HBPEA matrix as vouched for by TEM study and initial
degradation temperature (from 277 to 307 °C) was found to be
increased with the increment of nanofiber content. The evaluation
of mechanical properties such as tensile strength (7.2–12.25
MPa), elongation at break (88–70%), impact resistance (>100
cm), and scratch hardness (8.5–10 kg) together with the decrease
in the sheet resistance (from 10<sup>7</sup> to 10<sup>5</sup> Ω/sq)
forwarded the epoxy–polyÂ(amido amine) cured nanocomposites
as prospective antistatic materials
Antimicrobial hyperbranched poly(ester amide)/polyaniline nanofiber modified montmorillonite nanocomposites
Second-Generation Bio-Fuels: Strategies for Employing Degraded Land for Climate Change Mitigation Meeting United Nation-Sustainable Development Goals
Increased Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from both natural and man-made systems contribute to climate change. In addition to reducing the use of crude petroleum’s derived fuels, and increasing tree-planting efforts and sustainable practices, air pollution can be minimized through phytoremediation. Bio-fuel from crops grown on marginal land can sustainably address climate change, global warming, and geopolitical issues. There are numerous methods for producing renewable energy from both organic and inorganic environmental resources (sunlight, air, water, tides, waves, and convective energy), and numerous technologies for doing the same with biomass with different properties and derived from different sources (food industry, agriculture, forestry). However, the production of bio-fuels is challenging and contentious in many parts of the world since it competes for soil with the growth of crops and may be harmful to the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to use wildlife management techniques to provide sustainable bio-energy while maintaining or even improving essential ecosystem processes. The second generation of bio-fuels is viewed as a solution to the serious issue. Agricultural lignocellulosic waste is the primary source of second-generation bio-fuel, possibly the bio-fuel of the future. Sustainable practices to grow biomass, followed by their holistic conversion into ethanol with desired yield and productivity, are the key concerns for employing renewable energy mix successfully. In this paper, we analyze the various types of bio-fuels, their sources, and their production and impact on sustainability
Biofunctionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube: A Reactive Component for the in Situ Polymerization of Hyperbranched Poly(ester amide) and its Biophysico Interfacial Properties
A facile
method of ultrasound-assisted noncovalent functionalization
of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with fatty amide of castor
oil and use of the same as a reactive component in the in situ polymerization
of hyperbranched polyÂ(ester amide) (HBPEA) via an A<sub>2</sub> +
B<sub>2</sub> + A′A<sub>2</sub> approach is reported. The reaction
entails anchoring of the amide groups to MWCNT to maximize the reaction
with the diacids, resulting in formation of the nanocomposite. Fourier
transform infrared analyses validated the anchorage of ester-amide
groups to the nanotubes. Intercalation and formation of dense polymer
layers on the isotropically dispersed nanotubes (with mean coherency
coefficient of 0.229) were evident from transmission electron microscopy.
The changes in biophysico attributes were reflected in their selective
efficacy against the Gram-positive bacteria with an enhanced cytotoxicity
(death rate increase of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> by
137.5% and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> by 107.6%) and significant
decrease in the sheet resistance by 3 orders of magnitude (from 10<sup>7</sup> to 10<sup>4</sup> Ω sq<sup>–1</sup>)
as compared to the pristine HBPEA at low loading of 1 wt % MWCNT.
The multifunctional nanocomposites maintained the acceptable mechanical
performance, and kinetics evaluation of activation energy revealed
enhanced thermal stability over pristine HBPEA; the nanocomposites
can be envisaged for MWCNT-based bionano applications, particularly
in the field of advanced textiles
Reactive Oxygen Species Driven Angiogenesis by Inorganic Nanorods
The exact mechanism of angiogenesis by europium hydroxide nanorods was unclear. In this study we have showed that formation of reactive oxygen species (H2O2 and O2·−) is involved in redox signaling pathways during angiogenesis, important for cardiovascular and ischemic diseases. Here we used single-walled carbon nanotube sensor array to measure the single-molecule efflux of H2O2 and a HPLC method for the determination of O2·– from endothelial cells in response to proangiogenic factors. Additionally, reactive oxygen species-mediated angiogenesis using inorganic nanorods was observed in transgenic (fli1a:EGFP) zebrafish embryos.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (CA150190)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant HL70567)India. Dept. of Science and Technology (Ramanujan Fellowship grant (SR/S2/RJN-04/2010, GAP 0305\DST\CP))National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (HL090712)Children's Research Institute (Washington, D.C.