Application of electron beam technology in improving sewage water quality: An advance technique

The use of electron beam to disinfect sewage water is gaining importance. The current problem on environmental health in relation to water pollution insists for the safe disposal of sewage water. In general, sewage water comprises of heterogeneous organic based chemicals as well as pathogens. EB (electron beam) treatment of the wastewater was found to be very effective in reducing the pathogens as well as organic load. EB dose of 1.5 kGy was sufficient for complete elimination of total coli forms. The experimental results elucidated that the reduction of biological oxygen demand (BOD) (30.38 and 51.7%) in both inlet and outlet sewage samples. Similarly, reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was observed (37.54 and 52.32%) both sewage samples with respect to increasing of irradiation doses (0.45 to 6 kGy). The present study demonstrated the potential of ionizing radiation for disinfection of sewage and to increase the water quality of the wastewater by decreasing BOD and COD. So, the irradiation sewage water can find its application either in agriculture for irrigation or in industry sector for cooling purpose or in both the sectors.Key words: Disinfection, electron beam accelerator, organic matter, sewage water quality

Behavioral Tests in Neurotoxin-Induced Animal Models of Parkinson’s Disease

Currently, neurodegenerative diseases are a major cause of disability around the world. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second-leading cause of neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. In PD, continuous loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra causes dopamine depletion in the striatum, promotes the primary motor symptoms of resting tremor, bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and postural instability. The risk factors of PD comprise environmental toxins, drugs, pesticides, brain microtrauma, focal cerebrovascular injury, aging, and hereditary defects. The pathologic features of PD include impaired protein homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, nitric oxide, and neuroinflammation, but the interaction of these factors contributing to PD is not fully understood. In neurotoxin-induced PD models, neurotoxins, for instance, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), paraquat, rotenone, and permethrin mainly impair the mitochondrial respiratory chain, activate microglia, and generate reactive oxygen species to induce autooxidation and dopaminergic neuronal apoptosis. Since no current treatment can cure PD, using a suitable PD animal model to evaluate PD motor symptoms’ treatment efficacy and identify therapeutic targets and drugs are still needed. Hence, the present review focuses on the latest scientific developments in different neurotoxin-induced PD animal models with their mechanisms of pathogenesis and evaluation methods of PD motor symptoms