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This article describes the synthesis and characterization of a novel hydrogel formed through maleimide-thiol conjugation. The hydrogel is produced by combining two precursors: chitosan functionalized with thiol groups and polyethylene glycol (PEG) functionalized with maleimide groups, both of which were analyzed using NMR. The hydrogel was then subjected to several tests to evaluate its properties, including gelation time, swelling behavior, viscoelasticity, and degradation rate. The results showed that the gelation time of the hydrogel could be adjusted by changing the weight percentage of the precursors, as evidenced by the gelation time test. Additionally, the optimal formula for gelation was determined based on references and was used in subsequent experiments. The hydrogel demonstrated excellent flexibility in the swelling study, and the degradation test confirmed that it was biodegradable. The viscoelastic test revealed that the hydrogel was an elastic solid. Overall, the results suggest that this novel hydrogel has potential for biomedical applications.

Mycobacterium abscessus complex is a group of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The NTM may involve skin, soft tissue, and other organs like the eye and central nervous system. Clinically may mimic multidrug resistance. Here, we present a case of a 29‐year man with a history of multiple scalp swellings with mild symptoms. He had undergone multiple triamcinolone acetonide injections on his scalp to stop hair fall and baldness 2 months prior. As there was a history of injections on the scalp and lesions associated with minimal symptoms, we suspected the possibility of NTM and fungal infections. As a part of treatment and obtaining a sample for investigation, lesions were aspirated with a needle. The swellings contained gelatinous material, which was sent for microscopic examination, and revealed the presence of acid‐fast bacilli (AFB). Xpert MTB/RIF assay was negative for mycobacteria (MTB complex), but culture revealed NTM was identified as M. abscessus complex by line probe assay. Based on the diagnosis, the patient was treated with an injection of amikacin, moxifloxacin, and azithromycin. The lesions improved. The patient has completed over a year of follow-up with no recurrence noted. Mycobacterium abscessus, a rapidly growing NTM, has been occasionally reported to cause cutaneous soft tissue infection when injected with nonsterile medicine or needles. Therefore, a high index of suspicion for NTM infection is warranted in patients with cutaneous scalp abscess following scalp injections for hair loss.

Osteoarticular tuberculosis (OATB) is a severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB), which causes notable morbidity and warrants a high index of suspicion for prompt management. The diagnosis of OATB poses a challenge, because of the difficulty of collecting the samples and, secondarily, the paucibacillary nature of lesion, which gives poor sensitivity and reproducibility, with long turnaround time of routine/conventional laboratory tests and the requirement for invasive procedures and expertise. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay has been approved by the World Health Organization as a rapid diagnostic tool for diagnosing pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB.To emphasize the diagnostic efficiency of gene Xpert for OATB in suspected patients in a tertiary care hospital of Eastern India.This retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology and Orthopaedics by analyzing the data of the gene Xpert assay over a 3-year duration from January 2018 to February 2021. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. The diagnostic efficiency of gene Xpert was evaluated against the composite reference standard (CRS).A total of 37 cases fell into positive, probable, and possible categories of osteoarticular TB out of 112 patients included in the study by CRS; gene Xpert result was positive in 35 out of the 37 different CRS categorized cases. Of the 112 cases, culture was put in 40 cases, and, of these cultures, 5 cases showed the growth of MTB. Of these, 4 cases were included in the 35 cases diagnosed by gene Xpert. Smear microscopy was positive in 6 out of 37 CRS categorized cases. When compared with CRS, the sensitivity of gene Xpert assay, culture, and smear was found to be 94.6%, 13.5%, and 16.2%, respectively, while specificity in all the three types of tests was 100%. When kappa statistics were applied, the percentage of agreement gene Xpert, culture, and microscopy with CRS was found to be 95%, 20%, and 22.6%, respectively. Follow-up of the gene Xpert positive patients after getting anti-tubercular treatment revealed improved conditions.Gene Xpert could detect 31 extra cases with a low and very low mycobacterial load that were missed by the routine culture methods. Hence, more samples should be processed for molecular diagnostic methods like gene Xpert along with other conventional methods for the validation of the molecular test prospectively for the timely diagnosis of osteoarticular TB.

A huge quantity of toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI or Cr6+) was released into the environment through mine effluent at the South Kaliapani chromite mining area during different mining activities. The present in situ bioremediation approach was conducted to assess the remediation potential of a well-known aquatic weed water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms-Laub) for attenuating Cr(VI) from mine wastewater. The study correlates the bio-concentration factors (BCF) of Cr with the reduction percentage. The percent reduction of Cr content in mine effluent was maximum (53.5%) at 100 days after treatment (DAT) followed by 40.7% at 75 DAT after passage through 2,000 sq. ft. area covering four water hyacinths populated (1350 plants) ponds. Reduction in Cr content if OMC discharged mine effluent varies with plant age as well as with the distance of passage. A constant increase in root biomass was recorded with increased passage distance and days of treatment of contaminated mine effluent. The plants could not survive after 125 days of treatment but could show an increasing trend in shoot biomass up to 100 DAT. After 75 days of treatment, it was noted that Cr concentration in roots decreased from 200 to 148 ppm and from 76 to 21 ppm in shoots after passage through the 2000 sq. ft area at 100 (DAT). Water hyacinth roots exhibit maximum Cr bioaccumulation at 75 DAT whereas this was highest in shoots at 100 DAT.

Improvements in the material characteristics of bandgap semiconductors allow the use of high-temperature, high-voltage, and fast switch rates in power devices. Another good reason for creating new Si power converter devices is that previous models perform poorly. The implementation of novel power electronic converters means high energy efficiency but a more logical use of electricity. At this moment, titanium dioxide and gallium nitride are the most prospective semiconductor materials because of their great features, established technology, and enough supply of raw components. This study is focused on providing an in-depth look at recent developments in manufacturing Si-C- and high-powered electronic components and showcasing the whole scope of the newly developing product generation.

Nickel is an important mineral trace nutrient found at low concentrations in most natural soils as a heavy metal. However, it may reach toxic levels in certain areas and affect a number of biochemical and physiological processes in plants. The present study reports nickel (Ni) induced phytotoxic alterations in plant growth, physiology and antioxidative enzyme activities in rice (Oryza sativa L cv. NDR-97) seedlings under applications of Ni2+ ions. Hydroponically grown 7 days old rice seedlings were studied for the impact of different concentrations of Ni+2 (10µM to100 µM). The seedlings showed stimulated growth when supplemented with 10μM of Ni+2 and where as growth retardation was observed beyond 10μM of Ni+2 treatments which were evidenced from their respective total chlorophyll values. Catalase and peroxidase activity exhibits a concentration dependent increase with elevated Ni+2 treatments. Ni Phytotoxicity assessment in developing rice crops will reveal the extent of negative impacts of Ni in response to its physiological and biochemical parameters. References Alloway B. J. 1995. Heavy metals in soils, 2nd Edition, Springer 1995, pp: 384. Behbahaninia, A., Mirbagheri, S.A., Khorasani, N., Nouri, J. and Javid, A.H. 2009. Heavy metal contamination of municipal effluent in soil and plants. J Food Agric. Environ. 7 (3-4): 851-856. Dey, S.K., Jena, P.P. and Kunelu, S. 2009. Antioxidative efficiency of Triticum aestivum L. exposed to chromium stress. J. Environ. Biol. 30: 539-544 Dudka, S. and Adriano, D.C. 1997. Environmental impacts of metal ore mining and processing: a review. J. Environ. Qual. 26: 590-602. Girard, M.C., Walter, C., Remy, J.C., Berthelin, J. and. Morel, J.L. 2005. Sols et environnement, Editions Dunod, Paris, 2005. Grataq, P.L., Polle, A., Lea P.J. and Azevedo, A. 2005. Making the life of leaves metal stressed plants a little easier. Func. Plant Biol. 32: 481-494. Kabata-Pendias, A. and Pendias, H. 2001.Trace elements in soils and plants, 3rd Edition, CRC Press LLC, pp. 413. Kribek, B., Majer, V., Veselovsky, F. and Nyambe, I. 2010. Discrimination of lithogenic and anthropogenic sources of metals and sulphur in soils of the central-northern part of the Zambian Copperbelt Mining District: A top soil vs. subsurface soil concept. doi: 10.1016/j.gexplo.2009.12.005. Macnair, M.R., Tilstone, G.H., and Smith, S.E. 2000. The genetics of metal tolerance and accumulation in higher plants. In: Phytotremediation of contaminated soil and water (Eds.: N. Terry, G. Banuelos), CRC Press, LLC 235-250. Mohanty, M. and Patra, H.K. 2012. Effect of Chelate assisted Hexavalent Chromium on Physiological changes, Biochemical alterations and Cr Bioavailability in Crop Plants - An in vitro Phytoremediation Approach. Bioremediat. J. 16(3): 147–155.

Biotechnology plays an important role in mitigation of various pollution in a cost effective manner by using the complex chemistry of living organisms, various cell manipulations and their approaches for environmental cleanup along with environmental sustainability. One such technology is phytoremediation technology or green technology which has emerged and evolved as a novel tool for remediation of toxic contaminants from environment. Plants with its diverse range show a remarkable range of their phytoremediation potentiality for establishing a sustainable environment. There is a huge exploitation of natural resources through expanded industrialization, urbanization, modern agricultural development, energy generation to fulfill the never-ending human desires and need. This disturbs the balance in nature where we reside and leads to progressive deterioration of the environment. There are several biotechnological advances which are employed for combating both the biotic and abiotic stress problems caused due to toxic contaminants in the environment. Various biotechnological interventions such as bioinformatics, proteomics, genomics, metallomics and metabolomics play a crucial role and open new avenue in this context. This omics approach is now integrated with bioinformatics to serve as a novel tool in phytoremediation technology. This smart technology provides insights into the complex behavior of enzymes, proteins and metabolites action and their biochemical pathways for degradation of wastes. This leads towards deriving a sustainable solution for environmental pollution.

Three new anionic dioxidovanadium(V) complexes (HNEt3)[VO2(L)1–3] (1–3) of tridentate binegative aroylhydrazone ligands containing the azobenzene moiety were synthesized and structurally characterized. The aroylhydrazone ligands (H2L1–3) were derived from the condensation of 5-(arylazo) salicylaldehyde derivatives with the corresponding aroyl hydrazides. All the synthesized ligands and metal complexes were successfully characterized by several physicochemical techniques, namely, elemental analysis, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, spectroscopic methods (IR, UV-vis and NMR), and cyclic voltammetry. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction crystallography of 1–3 revealed five-coordinate geometry, where the ligand coordinates to the metal centre in a binegative tridentate O, N, O coordinating anion and two oxido-O atoms, resulting in distortion towards the square pyramidal structure. The complexes were further evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against HeLa and HT-29 cancer cell lines. All the complexes manifested a cytotoxic potential that was found to be comparable with that of clinically referred drugs, while complex 3 proved to be the most cytotoxic among the three complexes for both cell lines, which may be due to the synergistic effect of the naphthyl substituent in the azohydrazone ligand environment coordinated to the vanadium metal. The synthesized complexes 1–3 were probed as catalysts for the oxidative bromination of thymol and styrene as a functional mimic of vanadium haloperoxidases (VHPOs). All the reactions provided high percentages of conversion (>90%) with a high turnover frequency (TOF) in the presence of the catalysts 1–3. In particular, for the oxidative bromination of thymol, the percentage of conversion and TOF were in the ranges of 98–99% and 5380–7173 (h−1), respectively. Besides, 3 bearing the naphthyl substituent showed the highest TOF among all the complexes for the oxidative bromination of both thymol and styrene.

OBJECTIVE: The unprecedented demand for testing for the ongoing coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to an acute shortage and limited availability of test reagents for which pooling of samples has been recommended in areas with low prevalence. Considering the possibility of dilution factor in pool testing, an attempt was made to find out possibility of any true positive sample/s in pools with late amplification. METHODS: The study was conducted on samples received from various collection centres in different districts of Odisha as well as from patients attending the screening clinic or admitted in COVID ward of the hospital. Nasal/nasopharyngeal/throat swabs received in viral transport media in cold chain were subjected to RT-PCR testing in a Biosafety Laboratory level-2 by including uniform volume of 4 units (samples) per pool. All confirmed and probable positive pools in screening assay were de-convoluted and individual samples tested for confirmatory assay. RESULT: Inclusion of an additional criteria of probable positive pool (Ct value >35 with non-sigmoid amplification curve or showing a line of amplification towards the end of the cycle) yielded 39 (15.5%) more true positive samples out of a total of 251 positive samples that would otherwise have been missed if only the classical criteria of positive (Ct within 35 with proper sigmoid curve) had been considered. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of considering any indication of late amplification in the RT-PCR test to label a pool as positive to avoid missing any true positive sample in the pool. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the design computation and prototype model implementation of a Modified Mechanical Structure (MMS) Electric Bike (E-Bike). It is the technology that allows the vehicle to operate with the assistance of electrical energy. All conventional cars will be converted to electric vehicles (EVs) in the future. EVs will be affordable to all types of people, allowing them to fly comfortably and safely. As a result, this paper proposes a design estimate and model implementation of the MMS E-Bike with the smallest number of parts, lowest expense, and lightest weight possible. The most important parts of the designed MMS E-Bike are the battery, MMS, BLDC motor, and electronic commutator with their controller. Because of its adapted mechanical frame nature, the designed E-Bike is low in cost and weight, and it can also go up to 25 kmph. Furthermore, the rider will be able to ride the built MMS E-Bike without any pain to their bodies and should be able to sit comfortably during their journey. In comparison to the Ampere Angel and DMW Electra 20 E-Bikes, the performance of the developed model is tested under various operating conditions, as well as their battery backup.

Background: The nonzoonotic (nonsevere acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)/Middle East respiratory syndrome) human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are usually considered as the causative agent for acute respiratory infection. We studied the characteristics and outcome of children with non-SARS HCoV acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study from a tertiary care teaching hospital in eastern India. Results: Of 137 samples tested positive for respiratory viruses, 13 were due to HCoV (7 boys, median age: 2 years). Cough was the most common symptom, followed by breathing difficulty and fever. An underlying comorbid condition present in 38.4%. Co-infection with other viruses was seen in 69% of cases. Chest radiograph was abnormal in 69.3% of children. Antibiotics were administered in 53.8%. The median length of hospitalization was 5 d, irrespective of underlying disease. There was no mortality. Conclusions: HCoV is an uncommon but increasingly recognized cause of ALRI in hospitalized children. No severe illness was found in children with underlying comorbidities. This study underscores the importance of HCoV in causation of childhood ALRI, necessitating a surveillance system in India.

The occurrence of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) leads to a massive death across the world. Hence the early prediction of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) becomes vital to prevent from ventricular arrhythmia. In this study, we present a process to detect and classify VT and VF arrhythmias using temporal, spectral, and statistical features. The CU Ventricular Tachyarrhythmia Database (CUDB) and MIT-BIH Malignant Ventricular Ectopy Database (VFDB) databases are used from PhysioNet database for evaluation and comparison of the proposed algorithm. Thirteen time-frequency based features were extracted for a window length of 5 s with an appropriate thresholding to make a feature set. The gain ratio attribute evaluation has been used for potential utilization of the informative features by ranking them according to their individual evaluation weightage. Classification of selected features for VF, VT, and normal sinus rhythm (NSR) is done by using cubic support vector machine (SVM) and the C4.5 classifiers. Assessment of this process is done on 57 records of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals and the result shows that the proposed method achieved a sensitivity of 90.97%, specificity of 97.86% and accuracy of 97.02% in C4.5 classifier, which was better than the obtained results of cubic SVM having an accuracy of 92.23%. This study demonstrated that by using informative features and classifying them with C4.5 algorithms, the system data could be an aid to the clinician for precise detection of ventricular arrhythmias.

Release of huge quantities of toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) owing to its widespread use in several industrial and mining activities is a major environmental concern in 21st century. The present in situ vegetation analysis at three study sites gives insight on Cr hyperaccumulation potentiality which evaluates the phytoremediation ability of abundant native weeds growing in and around the Cr contaminated effluent discharge site at South Kaliapani chromite mine area, Odisha, India. Moreover, the study measure the relative bioconcentration of chromium in different plant parts with analysis of uptake related phytoremediation indices viz. Bioconcentration factor (BCF), Transportation index (Ti), Translocation factor (TF) and Metal Extraction Ratio (MER) to assess hyperaccumulation potentiality. Vegetation study near mine effluent discharge site (Site-1) reported maximum abundance for Diectomis fastigiata (8.25) followed by Vernonia cinerea (7.6) with Ti values 56 and 657 respectively. In site-2 (uncultivated barren land near site-1), Croton sparsiflorus showed maximum abundance (6.7) followed by Tephrosia purpurea (5.8) with Ti values 95.2 and 87.8 respectively whereas Kyllinga monocephala reported maximum abundance (6.1) followed by Fern sps. (5.9) with Ti values 62.4 and 81.1 respectively in site-3 (a swampy land flooded with chemically treated mine waste effluent). The highest Cr concentrations was recorded in roots of Diectomis fastigiata (2371 mg/kg dry matter) and shoot of Vernonia cinerea (5500 mg/kg dry matter) indicating their Cr phytoremediation potential. Moreover, the study provides the early indicative tools for detecting native Cr hyperaccumulators growing in an in situ environment with an in situ phytoremediation perspective.

The analysis of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals provides valuable information for automatic recognition of arrhythmia conditions. The objective of this work is to classify five types of arrhythmia beat using wavelet and Hilbert transform-based feature extraction techniques. In pre-processing, wavelet transform is used to remove noise interference in recorded signal and the Hilbert transform method is applied to identify the precise R-peaks. A combination of wavelet, temporal and morphological or heartbeat interval features has been extracted from the processed signal for classification. The principal component analysis (PCA) is used to select the informative features from the extracted features and fed as input to the support vector machine (SVM) classifier to classify arrhythmia beats automatically. We obtained better performance results in the PCA-SVM-based classifier with an average accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 98.50%, 95.68% and 99.18%, respectively in cubic-SVM classifier for classifying five types of ECG beats at fold eight in ten-fold cross validation technique. The effectiveness of our method is found to be better compared to published results; therefore, the proposed method may be used efficiently in the ECG analysis.

The 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine derived Schiff bases (E)-1-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-2-(n-nitrobenzylidene)hydrazine (where, n = 2, L1; n = 3, L2 and n = 4, L3) were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR and mass spectra. The interaction of the ligands (L1-L3) with the protein BSA was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking methods. The fluorescence titration experiments of BSA resulted in fluorescence quenching with the incremental addition of the ligands (L1-L3). The fluorescence quenching is static in nature, and the estimated Stern-Volmer constants of the ligands with BSA followed the order of L1 ≈ L3 > L2. The modes of binding of the ligands with BSA were explored by molecular docking analysis. In addition, the cytotoxicity of the ligands was examined in live HeLa and HT-29 cells. The IC50 values were found in the range 13 μM–243 μM.

Due to the constant development in the integrated circuits, the automatic test pattern generation problem become more vital for sequential vlsi circuits in these days. Also testing of integrating circuits and systems has become a difficult problem. In this paper we have discussed the problem of the automatic test sequence generation using particle swarm optimization(PSO) and technique for structure optimization of a deterministic test pattern generator using genetic algorithm(GA).

Artocarpus altilis (breadfruit) leaf extracts in different solvent media (petroleum ether, methanol, and ethyl acetate) were assessed for antimicrobial activity. Breadfruit leaf extracts have been reported to have different phytoconstituents. The effect of leaf extracts in different solvent media on pathogenic organisms like Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus mutans, and Enterococcus faecalis was studied by disc diffusion assay and MIC (minimal inhibitory concentrations) values were investigated. Phytochemical compounds like steroids, phytosterols, gums and resins were found to be present in leaf extracts with different extraction media. Phenols and terpenoids were detected in ethyl acetate and methanol leaf extracts. Flavonoids were present in the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate leaf extracts, whereas tannins were detected only in the methanol leaf extract. Maximum zone of inhibition was observed for Strep. mutans, E. faecalis, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa by using 50 μl of et...

The substituted hydrazones H2L(1-4) (L(1-4) = dibasic tridentate ONO(2-) donor ligands) obtained by the condensation of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 2-aminobenzoylhydrazine (H2hnal-abhz) (H2L(1)) , 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 2-hydroxybenzoylhydrazine (H2hnal-hbhz) (H2L(2)), 2-hydroxy-1-acetonaphthone and benzoylhydrazine (H2han-bhz) (H2L(3)), or 2-hydroxy-1-acetonaphthone and 2-aminobenzoylhydrazine (H2han-abhz) (H2L(4)) are prepared and characterized. Reaction of ammonium vanadate with the appropriate H2L(1-4) results in the formation of oxidoethoxidovanadium(V) [V(V)O(OEt)(L(1-4))] (1-4) complexes. All compounds are characterized in the solid state and in solution by spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV-vis, (1)H, (13)C, and (51)V NMR, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 1, 3, and 4 confirms the coordination of the corresponding ligands in the dianionic (ONO(2-)) enolate tautomeric form. In solution, the structurally characterized [V(V)O(OEt)(L)] compounds transform into the monooxido-bridged divanadium(V,V) [(V(V)OL)2-μ-O] complexes, with the processes being studied by IR and (1)H, (13)C, and (51)V NMR. The density functional theory (DFT) calculated Gibbs free energy of reaction 2[V(V)O(OEt)(L(4))] + H2O ⇆ [(V(V)OL(4))2-μ-O] + 2EtOH is only 2-3 kcal mol(-1), indicating that the dinuclear complexes may form in a significant amount. The electrochemical behavior of the complexes is investigated by cyclic voltammetry, with the V(V)-V(IV) E1/2(red) values being in the range 0.27-0.44 V (vs SCE). Upon controlled potential electrolysis, the corresponding (L)(O)V(IV)-O-V(V)(O)(L) mixed-valence species are obtained upon partial reduction of the [(V(V)OL)2-μ-O] complexes formed in solution, and some spectroscopic characteristics of these dinuclear mixed-valence complexes are investigated using DFT calculations and by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), with the formation of V(IV)-O-V(V) species being confirmed by the observation of a 15-line pattern in the EPR spectra at room temperature.

Mine waste water at South Kaliapani usually contains toxic levels of hexavalent Cr(VI). The present in situ study was conducted at South Kaliapani chromite mine area in Orissa state, India, to assess the phytoremediation ability of three plants, namely, rice (Oryza sativa L.), paragrass (Brachiaria mutica), and an aquatic weed (Eichhornia crassipes), in attenuating Cr(VI) from mine waste water and to correlate the bio-concentration factors (BCF) of Cr. Water hyacinth (E. crassipes) showed 24% to 54% reduction whereas paragrass (B. mutica) was able to reduce 18% to 33% of Cr(VI) from mine water. This reduction was studied over a period of 100 days of plant growth. The reduction was observed through a passage of a sum total of 2,000 sq. ft. cultivated plots and ponds separately. Reduction in Cr(VI) content in mine water varies with plant age as well as with the distance of passage. Cr accumulation and BCF values increased with high soil Cr levels as well as the age of plants. High BCF and transportation index (Ti) values, i.e., 10,924 and 32.09, respectively, were noted for water hyacinth. The Ti values indicated that the root-to-shoot translocation of Cr was very high after 100 days of growth. The total accumulation rate was maximum (8.29 mg Cr kg dry biomass(-1) day (-1)) in paragrass. The BCF values for roots were noted to be higher than those of leaves, stems, and grains of the 125-day-old plants. Hence, paragrass and water hyacinth may be used as tools of phytoremediation to combat the problem of in situ Cr contamination.

The present in vivo pot culture study showed hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) induced phytotoxic impacts and its translocation potential in 21 days old sesban (Sesbania sesban L. Merrill.) seedlings. Cr+6 showed significant growth retardation in 21 days old sesban (Sesbania sesban L. Merrill.) seedlings. Germination of seeds at 10,000 mg L-1 of Cr+6 exhibit 80% inhibition in germination. Seedling survival was 67% after 7 days of seedling exposure to 300 mg kg-1 of Cr+6. Shoot phytotoxicity was enhanced from 6% to 31% with elevated supply of Cr+6 from 10 mg kg-1 to 300 mg kg-1. Elevated supply of Cr+6 exhibited increasing and decreasing trends in % phytotoxicity and seedling tolerance index, respectively. Elevated supply of chromium showed decreased chlorophyll and catalase activities. Peroxidase activities in roots and leaves were significantly higher at increased supply of Cr+6. Cr bioconcentration in roots was nearly 10 times more than stems whereas leaves showed nearly double accumulation than stems. Tissue specific chromium bioaccumulation showed 53 and 12 times more in roots and shoots respectively at 300 mg kg-1 Cr+6 than control. The present study reveals potential of sesban for effective Cr translocation from roots to shoots as evident from their translocation factor and Total Accumulation Rate values.

The present investigation aims to assess the phytoremediation potential of six aquatic macrophytes, viz. Eichhornia crassipes, Hydrilla verticillata, Jussiaea repens, Lemna minor, Pistia stratiotes and Trapa natans grown in paper mill effluent of JK Paper mill of Rayagada, Orissa, for remediation of heavy metals. The experiment was designed in pot culture experiments. Assessment of physico-chemical parameters of paper mill effluent showed significant decrease in pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, chlorine, sulphur, biological and chemical oxygen demand after growth of macrophytes for 20 days. Phytoremediation ability of these aquatic macrophytic species for copper (Cu) and mercury (Hg) was indicated by assessing the decrease in the levels of heavy metals from effluent water. Maximum reduction (66.5 %) in Hg content of untreated paper mill effluent was observed using L. minor followed by T. natans (64.8 %). L. minor showed highest reduction (71.4 %) of Cu content from effluent water followed by E. crassipes (63.6 %). Phytoextraction potential of L. minor was remarkable for Hg and Cu, and bioaccumulation was evident from bioconcentration factor values, i.e. 0.59 and 0.70, respectively. The present phytoremediation approach was considered more effective than conventional chemical treatment method for removing toxic contaminants from paper mill effluent.

The objectives of the study are to analyze the physiological changes, biochemical alterations and attenuation of nickel toxicity effects in wheat seedlings under combined applications of Ni ions, metal chelators (EDTA/Citric Acid) and metal ions (Zn2+ /Mg2+). Wheat (Triticum aestivum L cv UP262) seedlings were grown hydroponically using different concentrations of Ni up to 7 days along with chelators and metal ions for study. The seedling growth was maximum with NiCl2–Zn2+ (100μM) and minimum with NiCl2–EDTA (100μM) treatments. Total chlorophyll content was maximum in the seedlings treated with NiCl2-Zn2+ (100μM) and minimum in NiCl2-EDTA (100μM) treatments. NiCl2–EDTA (100μM) showed less Fo and Fm values and therefore, a trend in the decrease in OJIP transient indicates the maximum alteration of photochemical activity of PS-II in presence of NiCl2–EDTA (100μM) treatment. Similar observation was found by NiCl2 –EDTA (200μM) treatment where Fo and Fm values were noted to decline. High nickel content in roots of the seedlings was noted as compared to shoots.