Sulfamethoxazole Leaching from Manure-Amended Sandy Loam Soil as Affected by the Application of Jujube Wood Waste-Derived Biochar

Vertical translocation/leaching of sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) through manure-amended sandy loam soil and significance of biochar application on SMZ retention were investigated in this study. Soil was filled in columns and amended with manure spiked with 13.75 mg kg−1 (S1), 27.5 mg kg−1 (S2), and 55 mg kg−1 (S3) of SMZ. Jujube (Ziziphus jujube L.) wood waste was transformed into biochar and mixed with S3 at 0.5% (S3-B1), 1.0% (S3-B2), and 2.0% (S3-B3) ratio. Cumulative SMZ leaching was lowest at pH 3.0, which increased by 16% and 34% at pH 5.0 and 7.0, respectively. A quicker release and translocation of SMZ from manure occurred during the initial 40 h, which gradually reduced over time. Intraparticle diffusion and Elovich kinetic models were the best fitted to leaching data. S3 exhibited the highest release and vertical translocation of SMZ, followed by S2, and S1; however, SMZ leaching was reduced by more than twofold in S3-B3. At pH 3.0, 2.0% biochar resulted in 99% reduction in SMZ leaching within 72 h, while 1.0% and 0.5% biochar applications reduced SMZ leaching to 99% within 120 and 144 h, respectively, in S3. The higher SMZ retention onto biochar could be due to electrostatic interactions, H-bonding, and π-π electron donor acceptor interactions.

Green Synthesis of Dyes and Appliance on Silk by Using Metamordating Technique

The main idea of extracting dyes from plant (natural) sources is to avoid the environmental pollution. Natural dye from plants has been given much interest in recent years due to the threat and harmful effects are used by synthetic dyes and environmental awareness created by researchers. The drawback of synthetic dyes is that they are not durable as they do not completely fix on all kind of fabric and remaining dyestuff drained into rivers, becoming the cause of water pollution as well as they cause diseases in human being like cancer and allergies. On the other hand, natural dyes are eco-friendly and find use in the colouring of textiles, drugs and cosmetics etc. Owing to their non-toxic effects, they are also even used for colouring various food products. Mordents are used in natural dyes which enhance the colour of dye and stick it on fabric. Due to lack of availability of precise technical knowledge on the extracting and dyeing technique, it has not commercially succeeded like the synthetic dyes. Hence, the present study was planned to isolate eco-friendly dyes from the bark of the plants (Ziziphus jujube Mill., Albizialebbeck L., Cordia dichotoma G Forst., Ficus benghalensis L. and Cassia fistula L.) and the roots of Ficus benghalensis L. Later on the dyes were applied on silk fabric by using metamordating technique. Then fastness properties like rubbing, heating, washing and sunlight were evaluated by using gray scale. F. benghalensis showed excellent fastness properties. Z. jujube showed series of colour variations on silk. Therefore, the bark and root of these plants can be successfully used for dyeing of silk. Natural dyes worldwide should be increased to prevent us from pollution and other harmful effects.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF TRANSLUCENT SOAP PREPARED USING ALOE VERA GEL AND ZIZIPHUS JUJUBE LEAF EXTRACT AS ANTIMICROBIAL SOURCE

In this study, the antimicrobial and physicochemical properties of translucent antimicrobial soap prepared using two medicinal plants, Aloe vera gel and Ziziphus jujube leaf extract was evaluated. The results of the physicochemical analysis showed the pH (7.52±0.02), hardness(1.3 cm±0.02), solubility (0.82 g±0.02) and foamability (6.80 cm±0.03) of the prepared soap and these values were within the acceptable limit set by WHO/SON which make the prepared soap skin-friendly. Similarly, the antimicrobial screening was carried out on selected Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as on fungi species using disc diffusion methods and the results showed varying antimicrobial activity at different concentrations ranging from 62.5-500 mg/ml. However, the susceptibility of test bacteria in terms of the zone of inhibition at 500mg/ml of the soap was observed on Staphylococcus lentus (22 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (20mm), Escherichia coli (15 mm), Raoltella ornithinolytica (12mm). The result of antifungal properties was as follows, Candida albicans (12 mm), Trichophyton rubrum (12 mm), and Aspergillus nigar (10 mm) at 500 mg/ml concentration. The results when compared to other antimicrobial soap in the market indicate good quality by inhibiting the growth of both Gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The antimicrobial activities exhibited by the soap in this study could be attributed to the presence of phytochemical constituents in the plant extracts, which signify the potential of the soap as an antimicrobial agent. Therefore, these findings confirmed the efficacy of Aloe vera gel and Zizipus jujube extract in traditional medicine.