scholarly journals Azolla & Soya Hulls-Substitutes for Urea in Coir Pith Composting Using Pleurotus Sajor Caju

CORD ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radhakrishnan S ◽  
Anita Das Ravindranath ◽  
Sarma U S ◽  
Jayakumaran Nair A

Bio composting process is the available means of converting various organic wastes generated from the industry and the agricultural sectors into beneficial products such as biofertilizers and as a soil conditioners. The unique feature of these agricultural wastes are their organic content, pH, and high C: N ratio. Coir pith is a biomass residue obtained during the extraction of coir fibre from coconut husk. Accumulation of coir pith leads to an environmental concern and its management is a major problem with all coir industrialists. The high quantum of its production and the difficulties experienced in its disposal have tended to create a major problem of pollution of large areas of land and water in coir fiber extraction units. Therefore, biodegradation of coir pith is an essential requirement to control pollution. Coir pith, even though a problematic waste; it is a potential wealth when it is converted into valuable organic manure by microbial degradation. A method of composting of coir pith with urea has been developed by Coir Board, India using a fungus viz., Pleurotus sajor caju commercially known as Pithplus.               Application of urea releases higher concentration of ammonia in the soil making it more acidic and retards soil natural fertility. Hence an alternative cost effective nitrogen supplement needs to be developed as a substitute to urea for composting of coir pith. The present study aims at the formulation of bio organic manure from coir pith avoiding inorganic urea in the composting. Overall assessment on the physico chemical properties of the biodegraded coir pith leads to the conclusion that a combination of Azolla and Soya hulls (2:1 ratio) was found to be efficient in lignin degradation and contribute to novel changes in coir pith

CORD ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Radhakrishnan S ◽  
Anita Das Ravindranath ◽  
Abesh Reghuvaran ◽  
Geena MG

Coir pith is a by-product of the coir fibre processing industry. Accumulation of coir pith leads to an environmental concern and its management is a major problem with all coir industrialists. Therefore biodegradation of coir pith is an essential requirement to control pollution. Coir pith is a potential wealth and can be converted into valuable organic manure by microbial degradation. A method of composting of coir pith with urea has been developed by Coir Board which uses a fungus viz., Pithplus (Pleurotus sajor caju). Application of urea releases higher concentration of ammonia in the soil making it more acidic and retards soil natural fertility. Hence an alternative cost effective nitrogen supplement needs to be developed as a substitute to urea for composting of coir pith. Coir pith can be converted to effective organic manure with the use of fungus (Pleurotus sajor caju) along with the addition of nitrogen supplements like Azolla, Neem cake and Fish waste in 1:1:1 proportion. The present study aims at the formulation of bioorganic manure from coir pith avoiding urea in the composting. Overall assessment on the physico chemical properties of the biodegraded coir pith leads to the conclusion that a combination of Azolla, Neem cake and Fish waste in 1:1:1 proportion was found to be efficient in lignin degradation and contribute to novel changes in coir pith. A study was conducted to evaluate the competence of biocompost thus produced for the cultivation of Amaranthus and Groundnut. Studies confirmed that Coir-KrishiMithra can be used as an effective growing media and hence, the use of Coir-KrishiMithra, a 100% organic manure can be entertained in homes, nurseries and fields for the cultivation of plants mainly vegetables; thereby promoting the eco-friendly organic cultivation and minimize the environmental pollution caused by chemical fertilizers.


CORD ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radhakrishnan S

Coir is the natural hard fruit fibre extracted from the exocarp of the coconut. The fibre has over 40 percent lignin and is spun into yarn and rope. Coir is used globally for manufacturing floor coverings as home furnishing. The Coir Industry enjoys the status as the largest cottage industry in Kerala giving employment to over a million people, of which 80 percent constitute women. Coir pith is a biomass residue generated during the extraction of coir fibre from coconut husk. Coir pith produced during coir fibre extraction is of environmental concern as its dumping on shore line and leaching of its constituents alter water quality and aquatic life. Management of coir pith is a major problem with all coir industrialists. Hillocks of coir pith accumulate in the vicinities of coir fibre extraction units in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Orissa. These agricultural wastes have traditionally been disposed by burning which resulted in various environmental problems. Therefore, composting is an alternate way to dispose coir pith and is of critical importance. Ligninolytic enzyme production during coir pith composting by Pleurotus sajor caju has been studied in detail. Pleurotus sajor caju produces oxidative enzymes which degrade lignin in the presence of urea as nitrogen source. Substitution of urea with vegetative sources has resulted in the vigorous growth of the mushroom which leads to decreased lignin content and C: N ratio in the biodegraded coir pith. Combination of Azolla and Soya hulls as biological supplements was observed to be the best substitute for lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase production. Activity of manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase was maximum on the twentieth day of fermentation of coir pith. The level of enzyme activity during biological composting using vegetative sources was compared with the conventional process using urea. The enzyme profile exhibited variation with change in substrate and duration of decomposition. The colonization of Pleurotus sajor caju by its utilization leads to biochemical changes in coir pith converting it into an ideal plant nutrient.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke D Geoffrion ◽  
David Medina Cruz ◽  
Matthew Kusper ◽  
Sakr Elsaidi ◽  
Fumiya Watanabe ◽  
...  

Bismuth oxide is an important bismuth compound having applications in electronics, photo-catalysis and medicine. At the nanoscale, bismuth oxide experiences a variety of new physico-chemical properties because of its increased...


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 1939
Author(s):  
Helyati Abu Hassan Shaari ◽  
Muhammad Mahyiddin Ramli ◽  
Mohd Nazim Mohtar ◽  
Norizah Abdul Rahman ◽  
Azizan Ahmad

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a lightweight insulating polymer that possesses good mechanical stability. On the other hand, polyaniline (PANi) is one of the most favorable conducting materials to be used, as it is easily synthesized, cost-effective, and has good conductivity. However, most organic solvents have restricted potential applications due to poor mechanical properties and dispersibility. Compared to PANi, PMMA has more outstanding physical and chemical properties, such as good dimensional stability and better molecular interactions between the monomers. To date, many research studies have focused on incorporating PANi into PMMA. In this review, the properties and suitability of PANi as a conducting material are briefly reviewed. The major parts of this paper reviewed different approaches to incorporating PANi into PMMA, as well as evaluating the modifications to improve its conductivity. Finally, the polymerization condition to prepare PMMA/PANi copolymer to improve its conductivity is also discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6207
Author(s):  
Cheng-Kuo Tsai ◽  
Jao-Jia Horng

Recycling and reusing glass fiber waste (GFW) has become an environmental concern, as the means of disposal are becoming limited as GFW production increases. Therefore, this study developed a novel, cost-effective method to turn GFW into a mesoporous zeolite-like nanomaterial (MZN) that could serve as an environmentally benign adsorbent and efficient remover of methylene blue (MB) from solutions. Using the Taguchi optimizing approach to hydrothermal alkaline activation, we produced analcime with interconnected nanopores of about 11.7 nm. This MZN had a surface area of 166 m2 g−1 and was negatively charged with functional groups that could adsorb MB ranging from pH 2 to 10 and all with excellent capacity at pH 6.0 of the maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of 132 mg g−1. Moreover, the MZN adsorbed MB exothermically, and the reaction is reversible according to its thermodynamic parameters. In sum, this study indicated that MZN recycled from glass fiber waste is a novel, environmentally friendly means to adsorb cation methylene blue (MB), thus opening a gateway to the design and fabrication of ceramic-zeolite and tourmaline-ceramic balls and ceramic ring-filter media products. In addition, it has environmental applications such as removing cation dyes and trace metal ions from aqueous solutions and recycling water.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahdi Hosseini Bafghi ◽  
Razieh Nazari ◽  
Majid Darroudi ◽  
Mohsen Zargar ◽  
Hossein Zarrinfar

Abstract Biosynthesis of nanoparticles can stand as a replacement for the available chemical and physical methods by offering new procedures as green syntheses that have proved to be simple, biocompatible, safe, and cost-effective. Considering how nanoparticles with a size of 1 to 100 nanometers contain unique physical and chemical properties, recent reports are indicative of observing the antifungal qualities of selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs). Recently, the observance of antifungal resistance towards different species of these fungi is often reported. Therefore, due to the antifungal effects of biological nanoparticles, this study aimed to investigate the exertion of these nanoparticles and evaluate their effects on the growth of fungal pathogens. Se-NPs were biosynthesized by the application of wet reduction method, which included specific concentrations of Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans. The presence of nanoparticles was confirmed by methods such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR analysis, and FESEM electron microscope that involved FESEM and EDAX diagram. The fungal strains were cultured in sabouraud dextrose agar medium to perform the sensitivity test based on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method in duplicate. The utilization of Se-NPs at concentrations of 1 µg/ ml and below resulted in zero growth of fungal agents. However, their growth was inhibited by antifungal drugs at concentrations of 2 µg/ ml and higher. Based on the obtained results, biological nanoparticles produced by fungal agents at different concentrations exhibited favorable inhibitory effects on the growth of fungal strains.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-24
Author(s):  
Amboko Benjamin Muhiwa ◽  
Mathias Fru Fonteh ◽  
Estella Buleng Tamungang Njoyim ◽  
François N. Gapgue

In recent years, research on biochar as an eco-friendly material and cost-effective means for water treatment, soil amendment and carbon sequestration has gained more attention due to the availability of feedstock, the simplicity of the preparation methods, and their enhanced physico-chemical properties. Given that pyrolysis temperature and resident time amongst other factors have significant effect on biochar’s pollutant removal efficacy, this study focused on the evaluation of some properties of biochars produced by pyrolysis (500 - 600 °C) from Entandrophragma cylindricum (ECB), Eucalyptus maiden (EMB), Milicia excelsa (MEB) and Ocotea michelsonie (OMB) sawdusts for their water treatment potentials by using standardized methods. Biomass generated from wood mill in the city of Goma (DR Congo) is valorised for the first time as potential water  purifier. The highest yield was obtained from OMB (36.6%) which was found to be significantly greater that those of ECB and EMB (p<0.05). All the biochars had neutral to weakly alkaline pH (7.10-7.90), very high porosity (92-94%, with EMB having the highest value) and ash content between 9.40 and 18.40%, with the highest value attributed to OMB). Most physical and chemical characteristics of biochars varied significantly due to different wood species. Potential toxic elements were far belowenvironmental threshold values and exchangeable cations were equally detected in the biochars. The obtained biochars are therefore seen as good media for water treatment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Širochmanová ◽  
Ľ. Čomor ◽  
E. Káňová ◽  
I. Jiménez-Munguía ◽  
Z. Tkáčová ◽  
...  

Abstract The presence of a blood-brain barrier (BBB) and a blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier presents animmense challenge for effective delivery of therapeutics to the central nervous system. Many potential drugs, which are effective at their site of action, have failed due to the lack of distribution in sufficient quantity to the central nervous system (CNS). In consequence, many diseases of the central nervous system remain undertreated. Antibodies, IgG for example, are difficult to deliver to the CNS due to their size (~155 kDa), physico-chemical properties and the presence of Fc receptor on the blood-brain barrier. Smaller antibodies, like the recently developed nanobodies, may overcome the obstacle of the BBB and enter into the CNS. The nanobodies are the smallest available antigen-binding fragments harbouring the full antigenbinding capacity of conventional antibodies. They represent a new generation of therapeutics with exceptional properties, such as: recognition of unique epitopes, target specificity, high affinity, high solubility, high stability and high expression yields in cost-effective recombinant production. Their ability to permeate across the BBBmakes thema promising alternative for central nervous system disease therapeutics. In this review, we have systematically presented different aspects of the BBB, drug delivery mechanisms employed to cross the BBB, and finally nanobodies — a potential therapeutic molecule against neuroinfections.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2409
Author(s):  
Hamed Alarefee ◽  
Che Fauziah Ishak ◽  
Daljit Singh Karam ◽  
Radziah Othman

Efficient use of co-composted organic manure with biochar is one of the sustainable management practices in an agriculture system to increase soil fertility and crop yield. The objectives of this research are to evaluate the use of co-composted biochar, biochar in formulation with poultry litter (PL), and PL compost on soil properties and maize growth. Organic amendments were applied at 10 Mg ha−1, and synthetic fertilizer was applied at the recommended rate of maize (N: P2O5: K2O at 60:60:40 kg ha−1). The results showed that addition of organic amendment significantly increased the total biomass parameter compared to the control, which ranged from 23.2% to 988.5%. The pure biochar treatment yielded lower biomass than the control by 27.1%, which was attributed to its low nutrient content. Consequently, the application of the co-composted biochar achieved higher plant height and aerial portion, which ranged from 46.86% to 25.74% and 7.8% to 108.2%, respectively, in comparison to the recommended fertilizer rate. In addition, the soil amended with co-composted biochar had a significant increase in soil organic matter and had significantly higher chlorophyll and nutrient concentrations in plants, which increased with an increase in the biochar ratio of the co-composts. This was probably attributed to the release of the nutrients retained during composting, thereby possibly making the co-composted biochar act as a slow-release fertilizer. In conclusion, the addition of organic manure with biochar enhanced the nutrient supply by gradual release in comparison to the mineral fertilizer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 6557-6579

The introduction of inorganic and organic pollutants into water bodies has become a serious issue globally. The waste streams released from the textile, plastic, leather, paper, pharmaceutical, and food industries introduce different natural and synthetic dyes into the aquatic system. Nanomaterials play a significant role in the photocatalytic degradation of dyes present in wastewater. Inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles have many improved physical and chemical properties and attracted much attention in photocatalytic activities. Dyes have been released in our aquatic bodies due to many anthropogenic activities and caused life-threatening problems. Various conventional methods were reported to remove dyes from water and wastewater; the photocatalytic method is one of the efficient and cost-effective. The present review article includes detailed information on photocatalysis, the potential of metal oxide and their composite materials as photocatalysts in the degradation of toxic dyes, and some common synthetic and characterization methods used for metal oxide-based nanoparticles.


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