Evaluating Microplastic Experimental Design and Exposure Studies in Aquatic Organisms

Environmental microplastic particles (MPs) represent a potential threat to many aquatic animals, and experimental exposure studies, when done well, offer a quantitative approach to assess this stress systematically and reliably. While the scientific literature on MP studies in aquatic environments is rapidly growing, there is still much to learn, and this chapter presents a brief overview of some of the successful methods and pitfalls in experimental MP exposure studies. A short overview of some experimental design types and recommendations are also presented. A proper experimental exposure study will yield useful information on MP-organism impacts and must include the following: a comprehensive MP characterization (e.g., density, buoyancy, type, nature, size, shape, concentration, color, degree of weathering/biofilm formation, an assessment of co-contaminant/surfactant toxicity and behavior, an understanding exposure modes, dose and duration, and the type and life stage of the target species). Finally, more conventional experimental considerations, such as time, costs, and access to clean water, specialized instrumentation, and use of appropriate controls, replicate, and robust statistical analyses are also vital. This short review is intended as a necessary first step towards standardization of experimental MP exposure protocols so one can more reliably assess the transport and fate of MP in the aquatic environment as well as their potential impacts on aquatic organisms.

Kajian Proses Fermentasi Limbah Sayur dan Buah Dari Pasar Tradisional Kintamani

ABSTRAK Tujuan dari penelitian ini yakni sebagai berikut: (1) mengetahui pengaruh kombinasi antara limbah sayur dan limbah buah untuk dibuat pupuk organik cair, dan (2) mengetahui perlakuan yang terbaik pada proses fermentasi limbah sayur dan buah dari pasar tradisional Penelitian ini menggunakan 4 perlakuan sebagai berikut : perlakuan A0 = sayur 100 %, A1 = sayur 90 % dan buah 10 %, perlakuan A2 = sayur 80 % dan buah 20 %, perlakuan A3 = sayur 70 dan buah 30 %. Campuran sayur dan buah dari setiap perlakuan adalah 10 kg dan dihancurkan dengan blender, hasil pengecilan ukuran kemudian di ditambahkan dengan air 20 liter dan molase masing masing 1 kg . Sayur adalah sawi putih, kobis, sayur hijau,sedangkan buah : Tomat.Parameter yang diamati yaitu : perubahan warna, derajat keasaman (pH) dan Daya hantar listrik (EC), (TDS), BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), C-organik dan N-total. Secara umum, kualitas pupuk cair yang dihasilkan dari keempat perlakukan sesuai dengan Standar SNI No.70/Permentan/SR.140/10/2011. ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the effect of a combination of waste vegetables and fruit waste to make liquid organic fertilizer, and (2) find out the best treatment in the fermentation process of vegetable and fruit waste from the traditional market of Kintamani. This study uses 4 treatments as follows: A0 treatment = 100% vegetables, A1 = 90% vegetables and 10% fruit, A2 treatment = 80% vegetables and 20% fruit, A3 treatment = 70 vegetables and 30% fruit. The mixture of vegetables and fruit from each treatment is 10 kg and crushed with a blender, the size reduction results are then added with 20 liters of water and molasses 1 kg each. Vegetables are chicory, cabbage, green vegetables, whole fruit: Tomatoes. The observed parameters are changes in color, degree of acidity (pH) and electrical conductivity (DHL), (TDS), BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand), COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), C-organic, and N-total. In general, the quality of liquid fertilizer produced from the four treatments is in accordance with SNI Standard No.70 / Permentan / SR.140 / 10/2011

Color confinement at the boundary of the conformally compactified AdS5

The topology of closed manifolds forces interacting charges to appear in pairs. We take advantage of this property in the setting of the conformal boundary of AdS5 spacetime, topologically equivalent to the closed manifold S1× S3, by considering the coupling of two massless opposite charges on it. Taking the interaction potential as the analog of Coulomb interaction (derived from a fundamental solution of the S3 Laplace-Beltrami operator), a conformal S1× S3 metric deformation is proposed, such that free motion on the deformed metric is equivalent to motion on the round metric in the presence of the interaction potential. We give explicit expressions for the generators of the conformal algebra in the representation induced by the metric deformation.By identifying the charge as the color degree of freedom in QCD, and the two charges system as a quark-anti-quark system, we argue that the associated conformal wave operator equation could provide a realistic quantum mechanical description of the simplest QCD system, the mesons.Finally, we discuss the possibility of employing the compactification radius, R, as an- other scale along ΛQCD, by means of which, upon reparametrizing Q2c2 as (Q2c2+ħ2c2/R2), a perturbative treatment of processes in the infrared could be approached.

Morphological characterization and hierarchical classification of 40 bush pea genotypes (Pisum sativum L.)

The Universidad de Nariño is home to a collection of bush pea plantlets that are a source of biodiversity for the genetic improvement of pea species in Colombia. The characterization of these accessions is required to identify genotypes with attributes that could be used in the search for new varieties. For the morphological characterization, 40 pea accessions were planted in Pasto, Colombia. 23 quantitative variables and 12 qualitative variables were documented, descriptors proposed for this species by the European Union in 2003. The data were subjected to Principal Component Analysis and Multiple Correspondence Analysis. Finally, a hierarchical classification method was applied using Ward’s method. The first four components, which explained 78.80% of the total variability of the population, were selected for the quantitative variables. Four groups were identified. Genotypes with the afila gene, which are of interest for pea breeding programs, were found in groups 1 and 2. The highest seed weight was in group 1, and the genotypes with the best reaction to powdery mildew were in group four. For the qualitative variables, the first six factors, which described 60.51% of the variability, were selected, and the hierarchical classification analysis resulted in five groups. The qualitative characteristics that contributed more to the differentiation of the groups included leaflet type, hilum color, degree of curvature of the pod, color and shape of the grain.

Rainbow Matchings of size $m$ in Graphs with Total Color Degree at least $2mn$

The existence of a rainbow matching given a minimum color degree, proper coloring, or triangle-free host graph has been studied extensively. This paper generalizes these problems to edge colored graphs with given total color degree. In particular, we find that if a graph $G$ has total color degree $2mn$ and satisfies some other properties, then $G$ contains a matching of size $m$. These other properties include $G$ being triangle-free, $C_4$-free, properly colored, or large enough.

Populus nigra as a phytoremediator for Cd, Cu, and Pb in contaminated soil

The contamination of agricultural soil with heavy metals is a complex phenomenon that causes negative consequences for various organisms. Poplars may have considerable phytoremediation potential, and this plant species can tolerate Cd, Cu, and Pb up to 15.6, 63.6, and 173.3 mg kg-1 soil, respectively, with 100% survival. The analyzed data revealed significant reduction in vegetative growth traits and leaf N, P, K, and carbohydrate (%) and leaf green color degree. However, a simultaneously significant increase in enzymatic activities and electrolyte leakage were recorded in comparison to control plants. A bioconcentration factor of plant organs was ˂ 1, and the translocation factors (TF) of Cd and Cu were ˂ 1 ( ˂100%) under various concentrations of each heavy metal, while TF of Pb was ˃ 1(>100%), except for the first level. More Cd, Cu, and Pb contents were localized in roots compared to leaves or stems. Thus, the risk of contamination through leaf can be minimized. Populus nigra has defense mechanisms against Cd, Cu, and Pb up to 7.8, 29.8, and 91.1 mg/kg soil, respectively because the tolerance index (TI) of either biomass or root was >0.8. Finally, it is a good candidate for research of phytoremediation and phytoextraction.

Formulation of Flakes Bran Flour Substitution with Fortified Zinc for Fertile-Age Women

<p>There are about 32.9% Indonesian women susceptive to obesity and free radical exposure. Free radicals are resistible to Zn-cofactors and a-tocopherols. The aims of this study was to make flakes formulations with zinc fortification, then analyze the physical and chemical character of flakes (hardness and color degree), and analyze carbohydrate, protein, fat, zinc, and α-tocopherol. The experimental design used for this study was a complete randomized design. The results showed the best formulas that substitution by bran was 25 % and fortified seng was 118,9 mg. The chemical properties of the best formulas should has increased the levels of protein, fat, and Zinc. One serving (55g) of flakes has 208,4 Kal; 3,38 g protein; 0,27 g fat; 48,12 g carbohydrate ; 1,89 mg seng; and 3,53mg α-tocopherol.</p>

Development of Alginate Extraction Method from Seaweed Turbinaria ornata

Indonesia has a lot of high potential seaweed as a source of an alginate, but the extraction method had been used was not suitable. The aim of this research is to develop alginate extraction method from Turbinaria ornata seaweed with calcium method and compare the cost of extraction with an acid method as a control. In this research, various concentration of calcium chloride (CaCl2) was used in the separation of alginate from the extracted filtrate. The concentration of CaCl2 used varies from 0.50; 0.75; 1.00; 1.25; and 1.50 M. For comparison, alginate extraction with acid (control) method was used. Alginate quality parameters observed included alginate yield, product color degree, and gel viscosity. The results showed that the yield of alginate produced by calcium method was 36.89; 44.00; 56.00; 52.89 and 53.11% and for control 22.45%. From the degree of product color, CaCl2 concentration did not significantly affect the color of alginate but was darker when compared to the product extracted by the acid method. The viscosity of alginate produced by calcium method was 27,69; 26,57; 24.50; 22.41 and 19.92 cP while for control 32.88 cP. The extraction of Na-alginate with calcium method can decrease the need for Na-alginate extraction cost by 85% from the amount of Na-alginate extraction cost requirement by the acid method.