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Synthesis of nano‐particles using various greener approaches such as the use of plant extract, microbes, etc. is gaining a lot of popularity in the scientific community due to their advantages of being a cheaper protocol, reduction in the use of less hazardous chemicals, more environmentally benign method and good yield. It has been previously reported by many research groups that plant material provides reducing, capping as well as stabilizing agents and brings down biological and environmental risks in the green synthesis of nano‐particles. So it was thought worthwhile to synthesize copper oxide nano‐particles (CuO NPs) using some locally available medicinal plants. Rivina humilis L. plants which are available in our region of Vidarbha in Maharashtra State, India are considered to be the herbal plant for the treatment of respiratory‐related disorders mainly for asthma and cold by local tribal peoples. It has been found that it contains a variety of phytochemicals which can be employed for the synthesis of nanomaterials. With this aim it was thought worthwhile to present an efficient and greener approach for the synthesis of copper oxide nano‐particles using Rivina humilis L. (RH) whole plant extract. For characterization of bio‐synthesized CuO NPs, various spectral and analytical techniques such as UV‐Vis spectroscopy, FT‐IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, and EDS were employed. The newly synthesized CuO NPs were also tested for their potential biological activities against six different bacterial stains namely E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, P. vulgaris, B. subtilis, and S. typhi using the well diffusion method. The antioxidant efficacy of the synthesized CuO NPs was undertaken through 1,1‐Diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity. Their results have been presented and discussed in the present work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has the world's second-largest population and the demand for transportation is increasing. However, our energy resources for car engines are limited. Every day, India consumed over 4.9 million barrels of crude oil. 85 percent of total oil consumption is imported from nations such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Russia, among others. India is ranked third in the world. Despite our efforts to transition from internal combustion to electric power, India's electricity is heavily reliant on coal, which accounts for 55 percent of total production. As a result of this circumstance, jatropha biodiesel is being sought as a diesel engine alternative fuel. According to the Indian government, the country will spend about Rs 8 lakh crores on diesel and petrol imports in 2021, with this figure expected to rise to Rs 25 lakh crores in the next five years. The features of jatropha biodiesel with various percentages of blending with diesel fuel, such as B0, B5, B10, B15, B20, B30, B40, B50 and B100 are investigated in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles has been carried out by using the cell free filtrate of marine sediment fungal species of Southern peninsular coastal region of India and identified based on the sequence analysis of Internal Transcribed Spacer region of rRNA genes. Species were identified as Aspergillus flavus SP-3, Trichoderma gamsii SP-4, Talaromyces flavus SP-5, and Aspergillus oryzae SP-6. The phylogenetic relationship between the fungal isolates and other fungal strains was compared. Treatment of silver nitrate with the fungal extract produced stable, predominant, monodispersed and spherical silver nanoparticles. Preliminary characterization revealed that the nano-particles were in the range of 20–60 nm in all the fungal isolates. Among all the fungi the silver nano-particles of T. gamsii SP-4 showed an enhanced antimicrobial activity against Gram positive bacteria, Gram negative bacteria and fungi pathogens; an anti-oxidant activity at an effective concentration of 99 µg/ml; and a dose dependent cytotoxic activity against HEp2 cell lines at LC 50 value of 23 µg/ml. Thus, the strains, SP3, SP4, SP5, and SP6 could be used for simple, non-hazardous and efficient synthesis of antimicrobial and HEp2 cytotoxic silver nano-particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano-mixed oxides of 'CeO2-ZrO2ʹare synthesised through green methods. Sapindus plant seeds skins extract functions as an effective stabilising agent in controlling the size of the nano particles of 'CeO2-ZrO2ʹ. These mixed oxide nano-particles are embedded in 'Iron alginate (nCeO2-ZrO2-Fe-alig). The beads are investigated as adsorbent for As (III/V) removal. Extraction conditions are investigated and optimised. Adsorption capacities of the beads are as high as:153.25/140.5 mg/g for As (III)/As (V). Sorption nature is analysed adopting FESEM, EDX, XRD and FTIR investigations. Adsorption mechanism is investigated by various isotherm models. Endothermic nature and spontaneity of sorption process are revealed by thermodynamic studies.Pseudo-second-order model defines adsorption kinetics. Spent adsorbent can be reused. Method developed is applied to treat arsenic-polluted ground water in West Bengal, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the influence of seed treatment with nano particles on seed quality in groundnut at the Seed Technology Research Unit, All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Seed (Crops), University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. Seeds of groundnut cv. KCG-6 were obtained from the Breeder Seed Production, Unit, GKVK, UAS, Bangalore. Then they were dried and shelled to get Sound Matured Kernels (SMK) and these SMKs were treated with different chemicals like SiO2, TiO2, ZnO, FeO and Sulphur in both in nano and bulk forms at different concentrations (0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ppm) and evaluated for various seed quality attributes in order to optimize the treatment protocol for nano priming besides to know the impact of nano chemicals on seed quality. The study revealed that dry dressing treatment with SiO2 NPs @ 250 ppm recorded higher germination (100%), total dehydrogenase activity (2.57) and lowest electrical conductivity (225.20μS/cm) which was closely followed by SiO2 NPs @ 500 ppm (99%, 2.52, 245.83μS/cm, respectively) when compared to untreated control (89%, 2.22 and 286.71μS/cm, respectively). Polymer coating treatments also exhibited better results, but relatively less compared to dry dressing treatments. Therefore, the findings suggested that seed treatment of nanoparticles in dry form improved seed quality of groundnut significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic equilibrium in the aquatic ecological factors was being disturbed by anthropogenic activities, in stream sand mining is one of them. River Sone at Koelwar near Bihta, Bihar, India, is heavily intervened for in stream sand mining. This study was to assess the impact of sand mining on physicochemical parameters of Sone water. For chemical analysis samples were collected in three seasons, pre monsoon, monsoon and post monsoon on the basis of mining load at three sites, 1st Reference site - upstream where sand mining doesn't take place, 2nd sand mining site - where intensive sand mining take place, and 3rd downstream of sand mining site. Measured mean value of cations TZ+ (52.96 mg/L) predominate over anions TZ- (29.35 mg/L) in Sone water. Mean hike in silica particles (33.94 mg/L) and turbidity (31.96 mg/L) were noted at sand mining sites which augments fluvial load and also attenuate transmission of sun rays in to water by reflecting most of the incident rays when it strikes on nano particles dispersed in turbid water and decreases primary productivity. Concentration of DO was found higher at some sampling stations. All other parameters were within prescribed limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbal medicine is one of the oldest valuable bestowal that was given to mankind. Many plants and herbs hold their prestigious position in the field of medicine among which Ficus religiosa belonging to the family Moraceae is the vital one. It is commonly named as "sacred fig", "Bo tree" "Peepal" or "Ashwattha" in Sanskrit. It is found all over India, as it is one of the sacred tree worshipped by Hindus. The different parts of the F. religiosa species tree namely bark, fruits, leaves, seeds and latex are used as chief indigenous medicines to cure various ailments. Recent studies have reported that F. religiosa is used in the traditional medicine to relieve about 50 types of disorders including diabetes, diarrhea, epilepsy inflammatory disorders, and gastric problems, sexual and infectious disorders. Green synthesis of Nano Particles (NPs) plays significant roles in medicines, clinical applications and in vitro diagnostic applications. This has also attracted the use of F. religiosa in the process of green synthesis of NPs where specific targeted treatment and theranostics are made easier. The applications of the green nanotechnology using F. religiosa has shown that the phytochemical investigation of plant extracts exhibits the presence of flavonoids, tannins, phenoids, alkaloids, saponins and terpenoids. The studies also prove that the extracts express pharmacological activities like anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, hypoglycemic, hypo-lipidemic, wound-healing, anti-helmintic, immune-modulatory, anti-convulsant and anti-ulcer in Humans. The present study is an attempt to compile and provide a brief review on the phytochemical investigations and pharmacological applications of F. religiosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of recent advancements in the design and performance of flat plate solar collectors (FPSCs) for solar thermal power plants. The article highlights various strategies that have been explored to improve the efficiency of FPSCs, including the use of Micro Heat pipe Arrays, nano-materials, phase change materials, and novel tube geometries. The study emphasizes the importance of keeping costs low while improving overall collector efficiency and highlights the research gap in distinct aspects of FPSCs for heat enhancement. The article concludes that these advancements have the potential to significantly increase the use of solar thermal power, which could play a critical role in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating climate change. This study examines the power potential and carbon emission reduction capabilities of solar collectors in India, taking into account the local climatic conditions and geographical location. The study also identifies major challenges and opportunities in the current research domain. Based on the analysis, the study highlights the opportunities for commercializing low cost solar plants in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic chitosan beads (MCB) were synthesized using a co-precipitation method and made to react with epichlorohydrin (ECH) to get the cross-linked derivative (ECH-MCB). In the FTIR spectrum of chitosan (CS) and magnetic chitosan beads, band appeared at 606 cm−1 attributed to Fe–O group in case of MCB. The strong adsorption band at 3438 cm−1, due to –OH stretching vibration, indicates that the hydroxyl groups in chitosan molecules were involved in the cross-linking of ECH-MCB. The surface of magnetic chitosan beads is smooth as compared to the rough surface of cross-linked beads as established by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) proving the better adsorption. The EDX of epichlorohydrin cross-linked magnetic chitosan beads gives the composition of elements present in terms of weight and atomic percentages. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) establishes its three-stage degradation for MCB and ECH-MCB. Two endothermic peaks were observed at 96.28 °C for MCB and at 99.61 °C for ECH-MCB using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is found that zinc metal ion sorption efficiency in terms of adsorption capacity of ECH-MCB (qmax is 0.059 mg/g) is significantly higher than MCB (qmax 0.0488 mg/g). Various factors affecting the uptake behavior of metal ions such as pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature effects were investigated. The correlation coefficient R2 values lie between 0.9 and 1.0 and fitted well with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The equilibrium parameter RL values support that the adsorption (0 < RL < 1) is a favorable and spontaneous process. The thermodynamic parameters confirm that it is an endothermic reaction which results in an increase in the randomness of the adsorption process. The beads were regenerated by using easily available, economical chelating agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) which forms considerably stable five-membered complex with Zn+2 ions on desorption. These beads prove as promising materials for the removal of pollutants from industrial wastewater. In the case of Hindon water sample, the Zn(II) level was within permissible limits of 1.01 mg L−1 from initial concentration of 4.34 mg L−1 after 20 min of adsorption, and for Yamuna water samples, it was 1.00 mg L−1 from 9.69 mg L−1 after 40 min of adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust pollution is common in Indian roads and several industrial settings (including mines) that affects human health. Identification and characterization of the dust particles in the mining area is essential for knowing the properties of the dust that effectively causes ailments to humans, particularly among workers those who are working in unorganized industrial settings. The present study aimed to determine the level of dust pollution and to know the size and characterize the dust particles in the Pachami-Hatgacha stone mine areas of Birbhum district, West Bengal, India. Dust samples were collected and analysed for Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) to determine the size and shape of the particles, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) to determine the free silica content, and X-ray Florence (XRF) analysis for quantitative estimation of components in the sample. All the analyses were done following standard instrumentation and techniques. The size of the dust particles was much less (ranges 101–298 nm) than the size of respirable particles (2500 nm). Those were mostly generated as well as precipitated during peak working hours of the day. Presence of considerable amounts of silica was confirmed by the FT-IR (strong and broad band at 1000 cm−1) and XRF analysis (76.85% SiO2). Exposure to these dust particles may cause severe health impairments. Therefore, interventions like wet drilling and blasting, sprinkling of water during peak working hours, and awareness of use of personal protective devices among workers are required to reduce the risk and hazards associated with dust pollution to the health of miners and inhabitants around the mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization and industrialization had decreased the drinking water quality to a greater extent. Iron contamination is a serious issue in many open well and bore well samples of Kerala, India. Intake of large amount of iron causes serious health issues to humans. There were several methods for the removal of iron from drinking water. But the cost of these treatments is not affordable to common people. Use of eco-friendly materials for the effective removal of iron from water samples is the major concern for this study. Different plant materials which are easily available in Kerala were used in this study for the effective removal of iron. Clitoria ternatea, which is a climber was selected as the adsorbent material. The extracts of this plant materials were incorporated in Magnesium based Metal-Organic-Framework (MOF) and used for water treatment. Among the prepared MOFs, that modified with flower extract of Clitoria ternatea, was found to be more effective at an adsorbent dosage of 40ppm. The adsorption process was analyzed using different isotherms and found suitable for Langmuir adsorption. Hence a mono-layer of adsorption was formed on the adsorbent surface by physical adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solar still is a device that uses sun energy to convert brackish or salted water into drinkable water and its distillate output is lower. In addition, it is the primary issue with the solar still; thus, researchers are looking for fresh ideas to raise the distillate output. The primary goal of this study is to examine the effects of mixing different weight concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of toner waste powder (TWP) nanoparticles with black paint on distillate output and energy–exergy efficiency analysis. Two solar stills of similar dimensions have been used in the current study from February to March 2023 at Palanpur, Gujarat, India. Basin water, inner glass surface temperature, distillate output, and intensity of solar radiation are all monitored hourly for solar stills. This research indicates that the application of TWP coating to absorber plates increased the distillate output, and the highest distillate output of 955 ml was achieved at 10 wt. % concentration of nanoparticles, which is 40.03% higher than a conventional solar still (CSS) and 33.38%, 10.40%, and 30.64% higher than 5, 15, and 20 wt. % concentrations of nanoparticles at the same water depth, respectively. In addition, it was discovered that adding TWP to the solar still enhanced energy and exergy efficiency. Based on this research, it can be concluded that TWP is a suitable, inexpensive resource to boost energy and exergy efficiency and distillate output of solar still. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil stabilization is a process which permanently changes the physical and chemical properties of soil. Soil stabilization is used to improve the bearing capacity of poor sub grade or sub-base soil to make it suitable to support structures like pavements, railways, foundations etc. Addition of nano particles to natural soil materials are often used to affect soil atomic structure thereby changing its permeability, strength and resistance properties. The addition of Cement (OPC) and terrasil is known to improve the strength of soils. This project primarily deals with the investigation of the strength characteristics of block cotton soil when mixed with a range of proportions of additives such as terrasil, fly ash and cement using CBR and UCC tests. The natural soil was tested according to Indian standards. The soil is classified as CH. Addition of cement and terrasil were based on the guidelines given by the ZYDEX Company. The test results show that the CBR and UCC values are similar for the proportions Cement (OPC) (3%) + terrasil (0.1%) and cement (OPC) (2%) + fly ash (5%) + terrasil (0.1%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glauconite is a potassium (K) bearing mineral, which generally contains 6–10% K2O and mostly available in various natural deposits in India. Glauconite mineral was converted to nano-particle form by grinding in a high-energy ball mill. The release of K from glauconite nano-particle in soil was studied in a pot culture experiment. Five different treatments viz., 0 mg K2O kg−1, 100 mg K2O kg−1, 150 mg K2O kg−1, 200 mg K2O kg−1 used glauconite nano-particle (GNP) as a K source and 100 mg K2O kg−1 from muriate of potash (MOP), were applied in soil to grow maize (Zea mays L.) plant. The highest K+ concentration was observed in shoot at the application of 200 mg K2O kg−1 through GNP and recorded 2 times more K+ concentration in shoots as compared to 0 mg K2O kg−1 treatment whereas 1.1 times more than the MOP treated soil at 5th harvesting stage. Selected plant physiological parameters namely electrical conductivity of plant cell, height, leaf area and nitrate reductase activity were also recorded maximum at 200 mg K2O kg−1 GNP treated soil. Overall, glauconite nano-particle could supply K throughout the growth period and enhanced biomass yield of maize plant without showing any K deficiency symptom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many low- and middle-income countries, school children consume untreated water that has been pumped into storage tanks. The water is often of poor quality and consumption can cause gastrointestinal illnesses resulting in missed school days, growth stunting, and cognitive impairment. This study deployed a silver-ceramic technology (MadiDrop) to disinfect drinking water in school storage tanks. While silver ionization is effective at the household scale, relatively little research has been conducted on its effectiveness at the community scale. To address this gap, we assessed disinfection via MadiDrop at three schools that serve vulnerable populations in rural India. Tank inflow and treated outflow samples were tested for total coliforms (TCs) and Escherichia coli (EC). TC was significantly reduced overall and in two of three intervention tanks. Compared to the baseline, reductions in TC were significant in all three tanks and overall, while EC reductions were significant overall and in two of three tanks. TC reduction was negatively correlated with silver concentration and tank residence time, and silver concentrations were maintained below the drinking water quality guideline. While the intervention could be considered successful, several barriers and caveats are provided as are study limitations and areas for future research., Competing Interests: The authors declare there is no conflict., (© 2024 The Authors This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY 4.0), which permits copying, adaptation and redistribution, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Background and Aims: The accessibility and relatively low cost of nitrogen (N) fertilizers have been a gift to humankind and made it possible to feed the exponentially growing world population. The excessive use of N, in combination with a poor N use efficiency (NUE) in crop production, is associated with severe environmental impacts, and the scientific community has repeatedly warned that the safe operating space for N within the planetary boundaries has been exceeded. In the light of these considerations, a global player and India's largest fertilizer manufacturer, the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative (IFFCO), has recently developed and patented a nanotechnology-based fertilizer marketed as Nano Urea (liquid). Strikingly, the producers state that it is now possible to replace a 45 kg bag of conventional urea, containing 21 kg N, by foliar application of just 20 g N in the form of nano urea (NU). If so, N from this novel high-tech fertilizer product should be able to increase the NUE of crops more than 1000 times compared to conventional urea. This year, the Indian government and IFFCO announced plans to massively boost production by building 10 new factories, with an annual production capacity of 440 million bottles NU by 2025 and to expand export of the product to another 25 countries, mainly situated in Asia, Africa and South-America. In the marketing of NU, IFFCO states that there is scientific evidence for distinct beneficial properties in terms of higher crop yields and reduced negative environmental impacts. Similar ambitions have recently been presented for Nano Zinc, Nano Copper, and Nano Di-Ammonium-Phosphate, a product that entered the market in March 2023. Methods: In this Opinion Paper, we compare the claims made by IFFCO scientists to the existing scientific evidence in the field of foliar nanofertilizers. Results: We observe that NU is a poorly described product with no scientifically proven effects. The product is marketed with misleading and wrong statements about its fertilizer efficiency, the underlying plant uptake pathways, and the environmental friendliness. Conclusion: The expectations raised by IFFCO are far from reality and may lead to large-scale yield losses with serious consequences for food security and the livelihood of farmers. At the same time, the confidence in innovative sustainable products as well as the science behind them may be threatened. Based on the IFFCO case, and considering the booming emergence of novel nano based fertilizers appearing all over the world these years, it is clear that much more priority should be given to scientifically prove their efficacy and mode of action, before they are launched on the markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive screening methods and the late stage diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) are contributing for the devastative prognosis. The gradual shift of the disease pattern among younger generations requires the implementation of phytochemicals and traditional medicines. Arkeshwara rasa (AR) is a herb–mineral combination of Tamra bhasma/incinerated copper ashes and Dwigun Kajjali/mercury sulphide levigated with Calotropis procera leaf juice, Plumbago zeylanica root decoction and the decoction of three myrobalans (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica, Emblica Officinalis decoction)/Triphala decoction. The SW-480 cell line was checked for the cytotoxicity and the cell viability criteria with MTT(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide) assay. The acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) assay revealed the depth of apoptosis affected cells in the fluorescent images. The FTIR analysis exhibited the graphical spectrum of functional groups within the compound AR. The IC50 from the 10−7 to 10−3 concentrations against SW-480 cells was 40.4 μg/mL. The staining of AO/EtBr was performed to visualize live and dead cells and it is evident from the result that number of apoptotic cells increases at increasing concentration of AR. The single bond with stretch vibrations of O–H and N–H are more concentrated in the 2,500–3,200 cm−1 and 3,700–4,000 cm−1 of the spectra whereas, the finger print region carries the O–H and S=O type peaks. The AR shows strong cyto-toxicity against the SW-480 cells by inducing apoptosis. It also modulates cellular metabolism with the involvement of functional groups which antagonizes the strong acids. Moreover, these effects need to be analyzed further based in the in vivo and various in vitro models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand in energy and energy crisis made way towards the development of biodiesel implementation. Since various biodiesel are made from renewable resources and has positive environmental effects, bio-diesel has recently gained in popularity as a replacement for diesel fuel in CI engines. Considering these scenarios, this research article describes the extraction of bio-oil from the processed seeds of linum usitatissimum and its conversion into biodiesel through two stage transesterification process. Linum usitatissimum is a plant which has seeds which are rich in oil content which was extracted through soxhlet extraction process and converted to bio-diesel. Compositions of linum usitatissimum fatty acid profiles employing Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry is reported in the work. Further, fourier transform infra-red analysis and Physio-chemical characterization was carried out to confirm the usage of linum usitatissimum as a biodiesel in place of commercial diesel. The objective of this research is to view the properties and characterization analysis to verify whether this linum usitatissimum biodiesel can be utilized as an alternate fuel in our conventional diesel engines. The effects of using linum usitatissimum oil biodiesel in CI engines are the subject of this study. In conclusion, conventional diesel in India can be replaced with linum usitatissimum oil biodiesel which may also give reasonable impact on vehicle fuel efficiency and performance based on the properties of the fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metallic nano-oxide has been influenced the environment in the past two decades. Their consequences are dreadfully uncertain. The increased graph of their interference suggested many extensive studies in various fields of the environment. The Gossypium hirsutum one of the prime harvest plants in India has been chosen for studying the impacts of metallic nano-oxide on their morphological characters as well as their fresh shoot and root weights. Methods: Study has been done in July 2020 as a randomized triplet. The need for the study was fulfilled by the four different metallic nano-oxides with their five specific concentrations. The metallic nano-oxides were titanium oxide, silver oxide, copper oxide and zinc oxide. The five concentrations 00 ppm, 40 ppm, 60 ppm, 80 ppm and 100 ppm were taken from each one of metallic nano-oxide. Result: The zinc oxides treatment gave noteworthy positive growth and development in Gossypium hirsutum from germination to the blossoming time. Conversely, the concentrations of silver oxides were found little toxic for the growth of species. The copper and titanium oxides indicated little diversity in their growth patterns. The germination studies calculated best with titanium oxide treatment. The 80 ppm concentration of copper oxide also reported better results at germination in comparison to control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation deals with the development of a process flow sheet for recovering strategic mineral monazite concentrate from a lean-grade offshore placer deposit of the Bramhagiri coast along the southeast coast of Odisha, India.In the present study, both dry and wet processes are investigated to improve the recovery and purity of monazite. The results of the pre-concentration studies reveal that by using multi-stage spiral concentrators, the Total Heavy Minerals [THM] have been upgraded to 97.8% with a monazite content of 0.33% from a feed sample containing 4.72% total heavy minerals and 0.01% monazite content. The beneficiation studies revealed that the feed was initially subjected to a high-tension separator, and the non-conducting fraction of the high-tension roll was further subjected to magnetic separation. The magnetic product was again subjected to a flotation process followed by cleaning of the flotation product using a magnetic separator. This magnetic product contains 98.89% monazite with 84% recovery and 0.28% yield from a spiral product containing 0.33% monazite and qualifies for extracting rare earths. It is worth recovering monazite mineral from even lean-grade deposits, as it is a source of uranium, thorium, and rare earth elements and is very high in demand for humankind due to technological advancements. In view of this, monazite recovery is not to be considered for the economic profitability of the process but for strategic requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary Fiber, also known as roughage, is an indigestible part of plant food that escapes digestion in the gastrointestinal tract. It plays a crucial role in stabilizing gut health by establishing a healthy gut microbiota, reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Vegetables, fruits, nuts and cereals are rich sources of dietary fiber. In the food industry, dietary fibers are being incorporated as functional foods for improving consistency, texture and sensory characteristics. Changes in physiological and functional properties of dietary fibers determine both the beneficial and adverse effects on the gut ecosystem. This study attempts to estimate the physiological and functional characteristics pertaining to dietary fibers derived from the residuals of some commonly consumed fruits like coconut, guava, jackfruit, and watermelon. Along with the proximate analysis and functional properties of these selected fruit fibers, size distribution, zeta potential, texture and SEM analysis were determined. Based on the proximate analysis, watermelon fibers were found to have high ash and protein content. Assay of zeta potential confirmed that the fibers were negatively charged. The textural studies showed that watermelon fibers were more resilient and coconut fibers exhibited hardness and adhesiveness than the other fibers. The physiological and functional studies determine the characteristic property of fruit fibers, whereas the texture and SEM analysis reveal the morphological characteristics of fruit fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broccoli is an important cole crop, widely grown in India. The excessive use of inorganic fertilizer, resulting in infertility of soil and chemically toxic agricultural by-products, is one of the most limiting factors affecting the quality production and productivity of the crop. To evaluate the effect of different organic and inorganic nitrogen sources and the application of different mulching materials on productivity and quality aspects of broccoli cv Palam Samridhi, the experiment was conducted for two years during 2021-22 and 2022-23. Among the treatments, the highest plant height (36.12cm), leaf length (22.39cm), leaf width (13.30), stem diameter (2.5), plant spread (1687.60cm²), head weight (367.75g), head yield/ha (254.43q/ha), moisture (91.65%), TSS (8.10°B), head dry matter (12.54%) and protein (3.65%) were recorded in treatment N5M2 (50% Nitrogen with Urea (108kg/ha) along with 50% Nitrogen utilizing Poultry Manure (1.5t/ha) and black polythene mulch) and quality traits such as highest chlorophyll (19.83%) in N3M2 (50% N Urea(108kg/ha)+50% N FYM (10t/ha) + Black Polythene mulch). In contrast, Proline (36.58%) were recorded in treatment N4M1 (50% N Urea (108kg/ha) +50% N Vermicompost (4t/ha) + Paddy Straw mulch), which was found superior overall individual treatments and their combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study intends to analyze the thermal performance of a novel solar air heater based on heat pipe vacuum tube solar collector and finned-tube heat exchanger. The solar collector has been introduced with a new header where heat transfer fluid (Therminol-55) gains heat directly in contact with the condenser section of the heat pipe. This eliminates thermal paste application between the condenser and manifold in the existing systems. The system's thermal performance has been experimentally evaluated using two different (four-row and eight-row) finned-tube heat exchangers at four varied air flow rates, viz. 100 kg h–1, 400 kg h–1, 700 kg h–1 and 1000 kg h–1. The system with eight-row heat exchanger performed better than the four-row heat exchanger at each air flow rate. 100 kg h–1 resulted in a maximum rise in temperature of air (55.4 °C) and maximum outlet temperature of air (89.4 °C). Meanwhile, the maximum energy and exergy efficiency of 95.7% and 2.17% were observed at 1000 kg h–1. The maximum effectiveness of the four and eight-row heat exchangers was found as 70.7% and 79.4%, respectively, at 100 kg h–1. The monthly cost saving by utilization of the proposed system is 65.65 $, and the payback period is 12.4 months. The amount of CO2 averted from releasing into the atmosphere is 787.7 kg per month. The results suggest the utility of the proposed solar air heater as an environment-friendly replacement for conventional air heaters for consistent operation in the daytime. The experimental study was performed at the campus of NIT Kurukshetra, India (29.9476°N, 76.8155°E). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted at the instructional farm of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India during early Pre-kharif seasons of 2020 and 2021 to evaluate the comparative performance of green gram (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) under single super phosphate (SSP) and nano-phosphorus. Experiments consisted of T1: 100% phosphorus through SSP, T2: 75% through SSP +1 ml L−1 of nano-phosphorus at 15 days after sowing (DAS), T3: 50% through SSP +1 ml L−1 of nano-phosphorus at 15 DAS, T4: 25% through SSP +1 ml L−1 of nano-phosphorus at 15 DAS, T5: 100% through nano-phosphorus (1 ml L−1 at 15 and 30 DAS), T6: 100% through nano-phosphorus (2 ml L−1 at 15 DAS), and T7: control (no phosphorus). Results of the experiment revealed that whenever nano-phosphorus was applied either in combination or in alone performed better in terms of growth and yield of green gram over single use of molecular phosphatic fertilizer. Pooled data over the years revealed that application of 2 ml L−1 of nano-phosphorus at 15 DAS (T6) recorded significantly tallest plant, larger root volume, greater leaf area, maximum dry matter, longest pod, and highest number of pod plant−1 which ultimately helped in producing 33.13% more grain yield and contributing 50.28% higher profit over 100% phosphorus through SSP. It can be concluded that farmers of the Eastern sub-Himalayan region can grow green gram profitably during summer season with the foliar application nano-phosphorus 2 ml L−1 along with 20 kg nitrogen and 40 kg potassium ha−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to augment the performance of a solar desalination unit. To experimental examine this idea, a modified solar still with three different microparticles doped in black paint-coated absorber were designed, fabricated, and tested in Jaipur, India. Three different microparticles such as copper, aluminum, and tin with particle size of 50-80 μm with weight concentration of 10% were doped in black paint and then coated on the absorber of solar still. The coated absorber of solar still were compared with the conventional solar still without any microparticle coating to obtain the effect of different coating materials on the water productivity, thermal performance, economic, and environment-economics analysis of solar still. The result showed that under the water depth of 1 cm, coating of copper, aluminum, and tin on absorber augmented the full-day water yield by 33.13, 22.18, and 11.53%, compared to conventional solar still without any coating. In addition, full-day energy and exergy efficiency of solar still with copper-coated absorber exhibited maximum values compared to all other solar stills, owing to the higher thermal conductivity and excellent solar-thermal conversion behaviors of copper. The cost of water per liter estimated through economic analysis was found to be US $ 0.0074 for conventional solar still, which was significantly reduced to US $ 0.0066 in the case of solar still with copper-coated absorber along with the payback time of 2.7 months. The environment-economic assessment estimated that solar still with copper-coated absorber plate has reduced the 13.19 tons of CO 2 emission. It is concluded that augmented heat transfer rate from water basin to inner glass surface through utilization of microparticle coating would pave a pathway to develop energy-efficient low-cost solar-based desalination system., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

The present study aims at enhancing the yield of tubular solar still (TSS) by employing fins and coating the absorber plate. We doped the SiO 2 nanoparticles into black paint at the weight concentration ranging from 10 to 40%. The solar still was tested in a bright sunny climatic condition of Chennai, Indian (lat. 13° 08' N and long. 80° 27' E). Under transient heat flux conditions, water, basin, and TSS glass temperatures with and without fin were measured. The rate of heat transfer by convection between the water and absorber plate was increased. Results revealed that the basin and water temperatures were improved by 10.49% and 10.88%, respectively when using black paint with SiO 2 nanoparticle in the concentration of 20%, coated on the absorber plate compared to that when using the ordinary black paint, while using the fins on the absorber plate enhanced the potable water produced by 55.18% when using 20% SiO 2 nanoparticle compared to that of conventional TSS. The cost per liter of water produced using the flat and finned absorber coated using 20% SiO2 nanoparticle in black paint is found as 0.0187 and 0.012 $/L respectively., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Sustainability and innovation are fundamental to any production system. Providing food to the increasing population is of paramount importance and is crtical to the global stability. However, the issue of food security is facing stiff challenge from continuously declining soil fertility and scarcity of fertile land. Our reliance on excessive use of toxic chemical fertilizers for increased yield is major concerns for environment and agriculture's future. Biofertilizers are gaining traction as a viable alternative to toxic chemical fertilizers, with a market potential of 3.8 billion dollars by 2025. Use of biofertilizer is natural mean to use live microorganisms to improve soil nutritional status by root surface area expansion, enhanced nutrient availability and acquisition (nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization), production of plant growth promoting substances and inhibition of plant pathogen growth, and combining all these. Despite being cost-effective and environmentally benign, constraints like inconsistent supplies and a lack of sufficient quality control is limiting the wide adoption or deployment of biofertilizers. To make them commercialy successful, we need to diversify resource base (i.e., identify and include more viable strains), create better manufacturing technology, and implement quality control procedures. Use of nanotechnology in biofertilizer sector via green synthesis or by nanocoating or encapsulation of beneficial microorganism using nanomaterials is a promising option. Bio-nanofertilizers increase nutrient use efficiency; diminishing nutrient losses, have multiple crop growth promoting activities and release of nutrients to rate compatible to plants demand. Adoption and popularization of bio-nanofertilizers require extensive field-testing, public awareness campaigns, capacity building of resource persons and stakeholders, adoptation of standard production processes, storage and application, as well as active participation of private organizations and enforcement of suitable legislation. Here, we discuss before-mentioned issues in light of available evidences and our experience with India system. Diagrammatic representation of selection of potent plant growth promoting rhizobacteria showing its production at lab and industrial scale, and green synthesis of nano particles by potent strain and its characterization. [Display omitted] • Biofertilizers technology is a viable alternative to toxic chemical fertilizers. • Erratic supplies and frivolous quality control limit this technology's adoption. • Use of nanotechnology for the development of most effective biofertilizers. • Green synthesis or nanocoating/encapsulation of useful microbes by nanomaterials. • Bio-nanofertilizers increase crops nutrient use efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the biggest challenges to be addressed in world agriculture is low nitrogen (N) use efficiency (<40%). To address this issue, researchers have repeatedly underlined the need for greater emphasis on the development and promotion of energy efficient, and environmentally sound novel fertilizers, in addition to improved agronomic management to augment nutrient use efficiency for restoring soil fertility and increasing farm profit. Hence, a fixed plot field experiment was conducted to assess the economic and environmental competency of conventional fertilizers with and without nano-urea (novel fertilizer) in two predominant cropping systems viz., maize-wheat and pearl millet-mustard under semi-arid regions of India. Result indicates that the supply of 75% recommended N with conventional fertilizer along with nano-urea spray (N75PK+nano-urea) reduced the energy requirement by ~8–11% and increased energy use efficiency by ~6–9% over 100% nitrogen through prilled urea fertilizer (business as usual). Furthermore, the application of N75PK+ nano-urea exhibited ~14% higher economic yields in all the crops compared with N50PK+ nano-urea. Application of N75PK+nano-urea registered comparable soil N and dehydrogenase activities (35.8 μg TPF g-1 24 hrs-1 across all crops) over the conventional fertilization (N100PK). This indicates that application of foliar spray of nano-urea with 75% N is a soil supportive production approach. More interestingly, two foliar sprays of nano-urea curtailed nitrogen load by 25% without any yield penalty, besides reducing the greenhouse gases (GHG) emission from 164.2 to 416.5 kg CO2-eq ha-1 under different crops. Therefore, the application of nano-urea along with 75% N through prilled urea is an energy efficient, environmentally robust and economically feasible nutrient management approach for sustainable crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid industrialization and population expansion increased the demand for petroleum-based fuels, resulting in price hike and creates serious environmental issues. Biodiesel, a clean, renewable and long-lasting alternative and for large scale production needs readily available and sustainable feedstocks. Edible and non-edible plants are abundant in Southern India, particularly Ceiba penandra (CP), Mahua longifolia (ML), and Azadirachta indica (AI), which were employed in this study in combination. An efficient heterogeneous nano-catalyst CaO-TiO2 was synthesized and employed in the transesterification process due to its recoverability and insensitivity to FFA. The catalyst was subjected to characterize by FTIR, XRD and SEM with EDX mapping. Response surface approach is engaged in this study for cost-effective production. More than 95% biodiesel yield was achieved for Ceiba penandra oil (CPO), Mahua longifolia oil (MLO), Azadirachta indica oil (AIO) and their mixture (MIO) by optimization of significant reaction parameters and the best combination was obtained as methanol oil ratio (0.32, 0.46, 0.34 and 0.42 v/v), catalyst usage (5, 6.5, 6 and 4 wt.%), mixing intensity (750, 840, 700 and 540 rpm) and duration (80, 105, 85 and 85 min) respectively with constant temperature of 70°C. Fatty acid profile was characterized by chromatograph also established the properties by ASTM and EN guidelines to confirm its compatibility in the IC engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a green synthesis was used for the structural design of the nanomaterials and used as an effective photocatalyst to address water pollution issues in the environment. Sunlight-active n–n heterojunction of TiO2-coupled-CdS (TiO2-CdS) was synthesized by using seed extract of Sapindus mukorossi (commonly found plant in India) and employed for the removal of toxic and persistent colorant industrial pollutants congo red (CR) and rhodamine B (RB). Microscopic and spectroscopic techniques of synthesized nanocomposite revealed the high crystallinity and particle size in nanorange. The TiO2-CdS nanocomposite showed maximum degradation (CR 95%; RB 93%) at minimum concentration of pollutant (25 mgL−1) with catalytic dose (15 mg) and at neutral pH within 5 h. Owing to higher surface area (91.7 m2g−1), lower band-energy (1.9 eV) and negative zeta potential (− 26.3 mV) result into excellent photocatalytic efficiency. The degradation followed first-order kinetics and Langmuir adsorption in both the cases. The presence of active radicals during the photocatalysis process caused rapid degradation, which was backed up by scavenger analysis. The breakdown of harmful contaminants into safer metabolites, which were then mineralized, was demonstrated by GC–MS analysis. The charge separation was supported by photoluminescence and UV-reflectance studies. Reusability of green synthesized nanophotocatalyst for multiple times (n = 8) confirmed its sustainability and high suitability for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) made by green synthesis offer a variety of biochemical properties and are an excellent alternative to traditional medications due to their low cost. In the current study, we synthesised AgNPs from the leaf extract of the medicinal plant Uvaria narum, commonly called narumpanal. The nanoparticles were characterised by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SEM analysis showed AgNPs are highly crystalline and spherical with an average diameter of 7.13 nm. The outstanding catalytic activity of AgNPs was demonstrated by employing the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. The AgNPs showed antiangiogenic activity in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. AgNPs demonstrated anticancer activity against Dalton's lymphoma ascites cells (DLA cells) in trypan blue assay and cytotoxicity against three fish cell lines: Oreochromis niloticus liver (onlL; National Repository of Fish Cell Lines, India (NRFC) Accession number—NRFC052) cells, Cyprinus carpio koi fin (CCKF; NRFC Accession number—NRFC007) cells and Cyprinus carpio gill (CyCKG; NRFC Accession number—NRFC064). Furthermore, the AgNPs demonstrated their ability to inhibit pathogenic microorganisms, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. The results from the study displayed green synthesised AgNPs exhibit antiangiogenic activity, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and catalytic properties, which are crucial characteristics of a molecule with excellent clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tapping the full potential of clean, renewable energy resources to effectively meet the steadily increasing energy demand is the critical need of the hour and an important proactive step towards achieving sustainability. India's solar energy consumption has witnessed a nearly twofold increase from 6.76 GW in 2015–16 to 12.28 in 2016–17. Since India enjoys the advantage of high solar insolation, increasing the efficiency of solar power systems can tremendously boost clean energy generation. The escalating energy crisis currently faced by India has compelled scientists and researchers to focus on identifying novel economical and efficient technologies for large-scale energy production. Direct utilization of solar energy for fuel conversion has attained greater importance. In this context, generation of hydrogen from industrial wastewater by using solar energy offers significant economic as well as environmental benefits. This investigative review paper focuses on the importance of the solar photocatalytic process to recover the clean energy H2 from sulphide containing industrial wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depletion of petroleum resources, rise in fuel prices and stringent emission norms over diesel engines play a vital role in economic development of country like India, which attracts the researchers to search for novel alternate fuel for diesel. The present experimental work explores the effect of 1-butanol with rich potential of tamarind seed biodiesel for diesel engine applications. This investigation focuses on the effect of butanol as an oxygenated fuel additive to tamarind biodiesel at different concentrations like 5%, 10%, and 15% on volume basis to examine engine characteristics. The test results indicate the addition of 5% butanol to biodiesel blend had shown considerable enhancement in brake thermal efficiency, which is 3.21% over the tamarind biodiesel blend. It is also found marginal reductions in exhaust emissions such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and smoke opacity by 7.25%, 6.52%, and 6.2% respectively when contrasted with tamarind biodiesel blend at peak load operation. However, marginal increment found for nitrogen oxide emissions at all load conditions. Hence, the use of oxygenate additive to tamarind biodiesel blend could be critically considered as a prospective renewable fuel source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation and optimization of multi-criteria with multiple alternatives have been essential activities for decision-making process. TOPSIS (Technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution), a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique, has been adopted in the past for research & decision-making and ranking of alternatives by optimizing input parameters to get the maximum overall output from the system. This study aims to explore the context, reasons, and particular advantages of using TOPSIS in the materials science and engineering field for realizing goals of competitive supply chains (SCs). This study has reviewed and analyzed research papers from the approach of systematic review of the literature. This study has presented a conceptual framework to emphasize the antecedents and consequences of using the TOPSIS methodology for output optimization in the materials science and engineering industry that can improve the competitiveness of SCs. This study found that TOPSIS based methodologies have been used in eleven types of industries in India, indicating the prowess of TOPSIS methodology. The results of TOPSIS have compared very well with other MCDM methods that are relatively more difficult and cumbersome. This study will help the engineers, practitioners, academicians, researchers, and SC managers with the application approach of TOPSIS for output optimization in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat energy storage is pivotal in modern times. However, the technology to efficiently stored heat energy is still in the research stage. Heat energy storage is possible through phase change material, exothermic chemical reactions, and solar ponds. The latter uses a natural phenomenon that relies on solar Energy and convective heat transfer. Solar ponds can store more heat energy throughout the day than other processes and meet higher energy demands. The working principle of a typical solar pond can be adopted to develop a compact setup that can store sufficient heat energy to meet the heat energy demand of a small family. Salinity gradient solar ponds are used for heat storage to meet the demand of rural and urban communities in arid and semiarid zones around the globe. Often the solar ponds are constructed on the ground by storing a large volume of salt water. The performance of the solar pond is affected by the intensity of solar radiation. In this study, a compact solar pond is constructed using aluminum plates and a glass cover. Sea water was used to store solar radiation in this experiment. The experiment was carried out in South India during the winter season when the intensity of solar radiation was minimum. The study aims to determine the performance of the solar pond and its thermal properties under low sunshine. Heat storage mediums comprising paraffin wax and additives of nanoparticles of graphene and carbon nanotubes were used to enhance the heat storage capacity of the solar pond. It was found that compared to the simple salinity gradient solar pond, the heat storage medium with carbon nanotube nanoparticles increased the maximum temperature attained by 26.5%. The carbon nano tubes infused phase change material increased the heat transfer, heat transfer coefficient, and the heat stored in the saline water by 244%, 713%, and 83.3%, respectively. It is concluded that the carbon nano tubes and phase change material augmented the performance of the solar pond even while the intensity of solar radiation was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy consumption in India is massive, and even the quantity used for household tasks is substantial. The majority of the requirement is satisfied by using fossil fuels, which are the traditional methods. Heating water is the most frequent home application. Accordingly, this article examines studies from the previous ten years. The information in this article demonstrates that using renewable energy is the greatest way to cut back on both the use of fossil fuels and carbon emissions while heating water for residential use. Solar, hydroelectric, wind, and biofuels are the most significant renewable sources for improving building efficiency that can be used for an extended period of time. The solar water heater is a common example of how solar energy is being used in homes more frequently. In order to identify key issues and solutions related to employing solar water heaters as an effective water heating application in both commercial and residential buildings, this article compiles research data from earlier studies (2012–2022). The literature survey was carried out using Scopus, a specialized database. Sixty-six dedicated research publications having search keywords plus recently published articles that matched the inclusion criteria were chosen for this review study. The study's findings show that there is a greater inclination of researchers towards research and development in the field of domestic solar water heaters. The research publications that are being presented are all from the past 10 years (2012–2022) and stress the use of solar energy in increasing building efficiency. The study highlights how flat plate solar collectors with distilled water as the heat transfer fluid and a phase-changing substance as the thermal energy storage could potentially be enhanced. The thermal conductivity of paraffin wax and distilled water was improved by 75% of the researchers by using 0.05 to 0.5% concentrations of Al and Cu oxide nanoparticles, making it useful in solar water heaters. A total of 78% of researchers are interested in domestic water heating applications since they use a lot of energy in both urban and rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nutrient release rate in nano fertilizers can be controlled as per environmental conditions like soil moisture percentage, temperature fluctuations and soil acidity level to effectively increase the efficiency of nutrients for plant growth. An experiment was conducted during the year 2021 to find out the best combination in nano nitrogen, nano Zn and nano Cu on certain growth and yield characters of ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula L.) cv. COH 1 at Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The data collected for the growth and yield parameters were put through to analysis of variance for randomized block design (RBD). The treatments were scheduled as follows: T1-100% RDF, T2-50% RD-N+100% RD-P+100% RD-K+nano N,T3-25% RD-N+100% RD-P+100% RD-K+nano N,T4-T2+nano Zn (a)+nano Cu (a), T5-T2+nano Zn (b)+nano Cu (a), T6-T2+nano Zn (a)+nano Cu (b), T7-T2+nano Zn (b)+nano Cu (b), T8-T3+nano Zn (a)+nano Cu (a), T9-T3+nano Zn (a)+nano Cu (a), T10-T3+ nano Zn (a)+nano Cu (b) and T11-T3+nano Zn (b)+nano Cu (b). The results generated from the experiment were statistically significant (P≥0.05) for all the growth and yield characters recorded. The combination of 50% RDF with nano nitrogen @ 2.5 ml, nano zinc @ 4 ml and nano copper @ 4 ml was observed to be significantly superior over other treatments. It recorded profuse growth and yield in respect of maximum vine length (9.69 m), number of primary branches (7.87/vine), number of leaves (251.65/vine), number of fruits (26.60/plant), fruit length (52.36 cm) and fruit weight (472.74 g) were found significantly superior over all the other treatments. This study identified that the combined application of 50% RDF along with nano nitrogen, nano zinc and nano copper had significant influence on certain growth and yield characters on ridge gourd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is the world's second-most populous country and less than half of its population has access to clean and safe drinking water due to over-exploitation of groundwater, poor waste management, and pollution of water sources. Our study focused on developing a membrane filter that uses a combination of Cassia seeds extract and chitosan to improve pond water quality. In this study, the bioactive components of Cassia fistula seeds were extracted with ethanol and acetone (100%, v/v); the phenol content, flavonoids, tannins, and antioxidant content were evaluated. The antimicrobial assay was performed by disc diffusion. The ethanol extract and chitosan were used to develop membrane filters. The morphological and structural properties were analyzed using SEM and FTIR. The physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of filtered water were examined. According to the analysis, phenol and tannin content in ethanol extract was relatively high, while physicochemical analyses of filtered water showed an overall reduction in pH, turbidity, alkalinity, and total dissolved solids. Despite the reduction in carbonate content, the BOD values increased, possibly as a result of the reduced microbiological impact of the membrane filter. FTIR and SEM images clearly showed that chitosan had encapsulated bioactive parts of the seed extract that may have interfered with the antimicrobial properties of the membrane filters. Based on the evidence presented, Cassia seed extract/Chitosan membrane filters could provide an alternative that is eco-friendly, sustainable, and cost-effective for water filtration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: AsV removal in synthetic water representing elemental composition equivalent to contam-inated groundwater of Ballia; The prepared γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (MNPs) show efficient capabilities for AsV removal; Inter-parametric interactions revealed that adsorption also occurred through the formation of surface complexes; Surface complexation modeling (SCMs) shows the involvement of singlet (FeOH−0.5) and triplet (Fe3O−0.5) species in adsorption; Weak electrostatic interactions are responsible for the removal process. An investigation of the potential of γ-Fe2O3 (maghemite) nanoparticles (MNPs) to remove AsV from groundwater is reported. The MNPs were synthesized using a modified co-precipitation method via refluxing. The morphological and surface characteristics of MNPs were analyzed using XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM, and Zetasizer techniques. Their AsV removal potential was explored in synthetic water representing the elemental composition equivalent to arsenic-contaminated groundwater of the Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, India. The arsenic concentration in the samples collected from the study area was observed to be much more than the provisional WHO guideline value for drinking water (10 µg L−1). An orthogonal array L27 (313) of the Taguchi design of experimental methodology was employed to design the experiments and optimization of AsV removal. The ANN tool was trained to evaluate Taguchi's outcomes using MATLAB. The percentage of ionic species distribution and surface complexation modeling was performed using Visual MINTEQ. The study explored the effects of pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dose, total dissolved solids, and shaking speed on the removal process. The adsorption was found to occur through electrostatic interactions. The inter-parametric analysis demonstrated the involvement of secondary sites affecting the adsorption. The charge distribution multi-sites complexation (CD-MUSIC) model and 2pk-Three-Plane-Model (TPM) indicated the involvement of the reactivity of singlet (FeOH−0.5) and triplet (Fe3O−0.5) species in the examined pH range. The developed nanoparticles are observed to be efficient in AsV removal. This information could benefit field-scale arsenic removal units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct-seeded rice (DSR) seeds are often exposed to multiple environmental stresses in the field, leading to poor emergence, growth and productivity. Appropriate seed priming agents may help to overcome these challenges by ensuring uniform seed germination, and better seedling stand establishment. To examine the effectiveness of sodium selenite (Na-selenite), sodium selenate (Na-selenate), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), and their combinations as priming agents for DSR seeds, a controlled pot experiment followed by a field experiment over two consecutive years was conducted on a sandy clay loam soil (Inceptisol) in West Bengal, India. Priming with combinations of all priming agents had advantages over the hydro-priming treatment (control). All the combinations of the three priming agents resulted in the early emergence of seedlings with improved vigour. In the field experiment, all the combinations increased the plant chlorophyll, phenol and protein contents, leaf area index and duration, crop growth rate, uptake of nutrients (N, P, K, B, Zn and Si), and yield of DSR over the control. Our findings suggest that seed priming with the combination of ZnO-NPs, Na-selenite, and Na-selenate could be a viable option for the risk mitigation in DSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An estimated 35% of the world's population depends on wheat as their primary crop. One fifth of the world's wheat is utilized as animal feed, while more than two thirds are used for human consumption. Each year, 17–18% of the world's wheat is consumed by China and India. In wheat, spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is one of the major diseases which affects the wheat crop growth and yield in warmer and humid regions of the world. The present work was conducted to evaluate the effect of green synthesized silver nanoparticles on the biochemical constituents of wheat crops infected with spot blotch disease. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using Mangifera indica leaf extract and their characterization was performed using UV-visible spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, and PSA. Characterization techniques confirm the presence of crystalline, spherical silver nanoparticles with an average size of 52 nm. The effect of green synthesized nanoparticles on antioxidative enzymes, e.g., Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Reductase (GR), Peroxidase (POX), and phytochemical precursor enzyme Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase (PAL), and on primary and secondary metabolites, e.g., reducing sugar and total phenol, in Bipolaris sorokiniana infected wheat crop were studied. Inoculation of fungal spores was conducted after 40 days of sowing. Subsequently, diseased plants were treated with silver nanoparticles at different concentrations. Elevation in all biochemical constituents was recorded under silver nanoparticle application. The treatment with a concentration of nanoparticles at 50 pp min diseased plants showed the highest resistance towards the pathogen. The efficacy of the green synthesized AgNPs as antibacterial agents was evaluated against multi drug resistant (MDR) bacteria comprising Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (n = 6) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 7) and Gram-positive bacteria Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (n = 2). The results show promising antibacterial activity with significant inhibition zones observed with the disc diffusion method, thus indicating green synthesized M. indica AgNPs as an active antibacterial agent against MDR pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pb–Zn mineralization at Rajpura‐Dariba and Zawarmala, India, is hosted in the Palaeoproterozoic meta‐volcano‐sedimentary sequence of Aravalli‐Delhi Belt. We have studied different generations of pyrite (Py‐I, II and III) and sphalerite (Sph‐I, II and III), associated with ore mineralization and remobilization stages, from both the deposits. In Rajpura‐Dariba, high concentrations of the majority of trace elements in syngenetic Py‐I and Sph‐I suggest their formation from trace element enriched hydrothermal fluid in SEDEX environment. Enrichment of lattice bound elements in Py‐II (As, Co, Ni) and Sph‐II (Mn, Hg and Cd) during metamorphic recrystallization of early pyrite and sphalerite indicates their local derivation from host rocks. The Pb, Tl, Ag and Sb rich Py‐III and Sph‐III in discordant ore indicate their crystallization from low melting‐point chalcophile elements enriched sulfide melt. In Zawarmala, the trace element poor natures of diagenetic banded Py‐I and Sph‐I suggest that the initial ore‐forming fluid was depleted in trace elements. Enrichment of trace elements in Py‐II (As, Mn, Tl, Cu) and Sph‐II (Mn, Hg, As, Ga) in sphalerite‐pyrite vein ore signify their derivation from carbonate host rocks. The high abundance of trace elements in Py‐III and Sph‐III indicates their precipitation at lower temperatures from a trace element enriched hydrothermal fluid during the massive galena‐sphalerite ore formation. Pyrite and sphalerite from global SEDEX are trace elements enriched as compared to MVT deposits, where their compositions have remarkably correlation with host rocks. Our study highlights the influence of host rock in pyrite and sphalerite compositions and their ore genetic implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]