Mixture toxicity of Cadmium and Manganese to the larvae of Chironomus tentans

Acute toxicity of cadmium and manganese ions was determined using static bioassay after 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of exposure separately. Based on the 96 hour LC50 values, acute toxicity of two metal combinations was determined keeping 1/10th of 96hr LC50 concentration of one metal constant and varying concentrations of another metal. Among the individual metals tested, cadmium is more toxic than manganese. Among the two metal combinations (Mn)+Cd was the most toxic than (Cd)+Mn metal mixture

Biodegradation of Ferulic Acid Using Aspergillus fumigatus

The soil samples collected from the dumped sites of coffee industry residues contaminated with ferulic acid at Keezhkadu, Kodaikanal were subjected to serial dilution and the development of fungal colonies in PDA plates. One of the colonies was selected and identified as Aspergillus fumigatus using Lacto phenol cotton blue staining method. The efficiency of the fungal strain on the degradation of different concentrations of the ferulic acid was studied using 5, 10, 15 and 20 ppm of ferulic acid. The changes in pH, COD, and biomass observed were proved statistically significant using ANOVA. It was also confirmed by the appearance of new peaks in HPLC analysis after ten days of treatment. Hence this strain can be used efficient in degrading the phenolic compound

SCIENCES SERVICES, MANAGEMENT AND ENGINEERING: ONE ANSWER TO THE EMERGENT SERVICES SECTOR

The sector services are already the most important in the economy of the developed societies. In spite of it, the discussion on the professional management goes very late regarding the social and economic necessities of the organizations and the society. As part of this society, the University needs to elaborate answers to the demands of this emergent sector. At the beginning of this century a combined university and managerial discussion originated an academic new discipline: "Science, management and engineering of the services (SSME). In this work the role of the university in the development of this Science is presente

Impact of electroplating industry effluent on the electrophoretic protein pattern of serum in the freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio

460-465The investigation on electrophoretic protein fractions of serum was carried out on the freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio to determine the sublethal toxic effects of electroplating industrial effluent (EIE) using SDS-PAGE. Fish were exposed to 0.004, 0.007, 0.010 and 0.013% of effluent as well as control for twenty eight days. The results revealed the appearance or disappearance of protein fractions in the serum of C. carpio compared to control fish after seven, fourteen, twenty one and twenty eight days due to stress caused by metals in the effluent. Thus protein electrophoresis can be a sensitive tool for biomonitoring aquatic pollution

Impact of electroplating industry effluent on the electrophoretic protein pattern of serum in the freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio

The investigation on electrophoretic protein fractions of serum was carried out on the freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio to determine the sublethal toxic effects of electroplating industrial effluent (EIE) using SDS-PAGE. Fish were exposed to 0.004, 0.007, 0.010 and 0.013% of effluent as well as control for twenty eight days. The results revealed the appearance or disappearance of protein fractions in the serum of C. carpio compared to control fish after seven, fourteen, twenty one and twenty eight days due to stress caused by metals in the effluent. Thus protein electrophoresis can be a sensitive tool for biomonitoring aquatic pollution

Acute Toxicity of Chromium, Aluminium and Their Combinations to the Larvae of Chironomus Tentans

Heavy metals pose serious environmental problems not only to human beings but also to other animals and plants. They are the major constituents of industrial effluents and they cannot be degraded by microbes like other organic compounds. Hence they accumulate in organisms and move up the food chain resulting in biomagnification. The larvae of Chrionomus spp. are considered as bioindicators and they are commonly found in sewage contaminated sites. In the present study, acute toxicity of chromium, aluminium and their combinations to the larvae of Chironomus tentans was determined using static bioassays. The LC50 values for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours were worked out using probit analysis, regression analysis and chi-square tests. The 96hr LC50 values of Cr, Al, (Cr)+Al and (Al)+Cr combinations are 1.23, 25.55, 46.34 and 26.06ppm respectively. The significance of the results is discussed

Biosorption of Zinc using Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 2423)

Heavy metals such as zinc in untreated industrial effluents cause diseases and disorders in living organisms. They cannot be degraded like organic contaminants and hence have to be removed. Though physical and chemical methods are available for their removal, most of them are not economical and eco-friendly. Hence, a suitable technique is necessary to minimize the deleterious effects of dispersion of heavy metals in ecosystems. Though zinc serves as a micronutrient, it becomes toxic in higher concentrations. Bacteria can be used in the removal of zinc and the process is economical and ecofriendly. Hence, in the present study, we tested zinc removal efficiency of Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 2423) for various concentrations viz. 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm of zinc in nutrient broth for a period of 10 days. Samples were tested for the zinc level every two days in each concentration and the maximum removal was noticed after six days of treatment. With the increase in zinc concentration, both biomass and zinc removal efficiency showed an increase. Autoclaved cells showed maximum zinc removal when compared with other cell types. Among the other heavy metals tested, iron enhanced the biomass of B. subtilis during zinc treatment and the results are discussed.

Biodecolourisation of Bismarck Brown dye using Orange peel

564-569Dyes discharged from dyeing units and textile industries pollute the environment, particularly aquatic systems and cause considerable damage to organisms. Removal of colour is a prerequisite for discharge of treated textile effluents into the environment. Though several physical and chemical methods are available for decolourisation, biosorption is considered as cost effective and ecofriendly technique. Hence, in the present study, we explored possibilities of using orange peel for decolourisation of Bismarck brown dye, one of most common dyes used in the textile industry. Orange peel in different quantities (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 g/100 mL) was tested with 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 ppm concentrations of Bismarck Brown dye for ten days. The decolourisation activity proportionally increased with the increase in the treatment period. The dye concentration of 100 ppm was tested with 0.4 g orange peel in different pH ranges of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 and the absorption was high in acidic pH. The increase in contact time also resulted in increased dye removal. Over all, the adsorption of dye onto orange peels was influenced by initial dye concentration, pH, amount of adsorbent and contact time. Four grams of orange peel showed highest decolourisation after 200 min, and it was proportional to the contact time. The dye removal was the maximum at pH 2. Both Langmuir (R2 = 0.922) and Freundlich (R2 = 0.999) adsorption isotherms were calculated

Biodegradation of dimethylamine using Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The degradation of different concentrations of Dimethylamine (DMA) (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mM) was attempted employing the bacterial strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from tannery effluent contaminated site. The isolated strain exhibited efficient degradation of DMA which was assessed by studying the factors, pH, turbidity of the medium, CO2 and ammonia released during the degradation experiment. The degradation of DMA was further confirmed by HPLC analysis. The results of the experiment were evaluated statistically using two way ANOVA

Biosorption of Zinc using Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 2423)

798-804Heavy metals such as zinc in untreated industrial effluents cause diseases and disorders in living organisms. They cannot be degraded like organic contaminants and hence have to be removed. Though physical and chemical methods are available for their removal, most of them are not economical and eco-friendly. Hence, a suitable technique is necessary to minimize the deleterious effects of dispersion of heavy metals in ecosystems. Though zinc serves as a micronutrient, it becomes toxic in higher concentrations. Bacteria can be used in the removal of zinc and the process is economical and ecofriendly. Hence, in the present study, we tested zinc removal efficiency of Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 2423) for various concentrations viz. 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm of zinc in nutrient broth for a period of 10 days. Samples were tested for the zinc level every two days in each concentration and the maximum removal was noticed after six days of treatment. With the increase in zinc concentration, both biomass and zinc removal efficiency showed an increase. Autoclaved cells showed maximum zinc removal when compared with other cell types. Among the other heavy metals tested, iron enhanced the biomass of B. subtilis during zinc treatment and the results are discussed