Adsorption of Diclofenac Sodium Using Low-Cost Activated Carbon in a Fixed-Bed Column

In recent years, the presence of pharmaceutical contaminants, such as diclofenac sodium (DCF) in water bodies and their potential influence on aquatic organisms gained much attention. As a result of high demand and usage by consumers, in addition to incomplete removal during wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical contaminants will end up on water surfaces. To mitigate this problem, the elimination of DCF by employing activated carbon derived from Dillenia Indica peels was evaluated. The adsorption of DCF was performed in a continuous process. The findings showed that the adsorption of DCF was favorable at a lower flow rate, greater bed height, and initial DCF concentration, with the highest removal percentage of 44.93%. To assess the characteristics of the breakthrough curve of DCF, the adsorption data were used to match three distinct adsorption models, namely, Boharts and Adam, Yoon-Nelson, and Thomas. The breakthrough results were well-fitted with these models, as the values of R2 for all models and parameters were higher than 0.88. Thus, it was concluded that the activated carbon from Dillenia Indica can effectively remove DCF from an aqueous solution.

A breeding record of the brown hawk owl (Ninox scutulata) in Assam, India

The brown hawk owl, Ninox scutulata (Raffles, 1822) is a common, medium sized bird of prey on the Indian subcontinent and listed as of least concern. Its distribution range extends up to eastern Siberia, Japan, the Andmans, the Malay Peninsula, the Great and Lesser Sundas, Wallacea, Taiwan, the Philippines and Australia. There are 11 well documented subspecies across this wide distribution. A pair of brown hawk owls was observed nesting on a Dillenia indica tree (Family Dilleniaceae), in Guwahati, Kamrup District, Assam, India. The nest was in a cavity at a height of about 4 m. The tree was about 14 m tall and the main trunk was about 7 m in girth. It had a dense canopy with its large elliptical leaves.

Batch adsorption studies for ketoprofen removal via Dillenia Indica peel activated carbon

Removal of ketoprofen using Dillenia Indica peel activated carbon was investigated using batch adsorption at a laboratory scale. Chemical activation method with the aid of phosphoric acid was utilised in preparing the activated carbon. The adsorption experiments were evaluated using various factors which, are initial concentration, adsorbent dosage, and pH of ketoprofen. The optimum condition was determined to be at pH 6 and adsorbent dosage of 0.4 g with a most KTP uptake of 8.354 mg/g. The experimental findings showed that adsorption is favorable at lower pH. Isotherm studies were conducted and the data indicated that Langmuir isotherm was well fitted to the adsorption process and the pseudo-second-order model was more preferable in simulating the kinetic process. In essence, Dillenia Indica peel activated carbon was proven as being a favourable adsorbent for the uptake of ketoprofen in batch mode.

Seasonal Variation and Tissues Specificity of Endophytic Fungi of Dillenia Indica L. and their Extracellular Enzymatic Activity.

Endophytes are an unexplored group of microbes that live inside the living tissues of healthy plants without any visible symptoms of the disease. This study focused on the exploration and characterisation of culturable endophytic fungi inhabiting in different parts the medicinal plant Dillenia indica L during different seasons. A total of 2360 segments from different parts like leaves (820), stems (820) and fruits (720) were screened to isolate endophytic fungi from the plants growing in Botanical Gardens of Panjab University, Chandigarh (India), during different seasons i.e., Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter of the years 2018 and 2019. A total of twenty-five (25) species of fungi belonging to twenty (20) genera were isolated from the selected plant during different seasons. The plant has the highest affinity for Lasiodiplodia theobromae followed by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Cladosporium cladosporides. The percentage frequency was found to be 96%, 64% and 20% for leaves, stems and fruits. The colonization rate for leaves, stems and fruits was 55.6%, 25.6% and 8.8%. The isolated fungi were identified by morphological, microscopic and molecular characteristics. Monsoon (Rainy season) had the highest number of isolates (312 isolates), followed by summer (208 isolates), Winter (164 isolates) and Autumn (114 isolates). Species diversity was highest during the rainy season (19 species) and lowest during the Winter (12 species). The isolated fungi also produce extracellular enzymes such as amylase, lipase, protease, asparaginase, cellulase and ligninolytic enzymes. The results indicate that Dillenia indica L. harbors novel endophytic fungi having agricultural, medical and industrial applications.

SEBARAN POHON PAKAN DI HABITAT BEKANTAN (Nasalis larvatus Wurmb.) DI HUTAN RIPARIAN AREAL PERTAMBANGAN PT JORONG BARUTAMA GRESTON

The variety of proboscis monkey habitat causes the composition of plants, the preparation of different habitats, including the type of feed and its composition. The aim of this research is to map the distribution of proboscis monkeys and inventory the proboscis monkeys. Retrieval of vegetation data is placed in an area where frequent activity of proboscis monkeys occurs. Data collection was carried out to determine tree species and undergrowth as macro habitat as well as the potential source of proboscis food that includes the leaves, buds, flowers, fruit or parts that are being eaten or already eaten. Sampling of feed tree sampling data using accidental sampling method is a method of recording accidentally or accidentally when finding proboscis probes that are eating or traces of food. The coordinates of the meeting point with the proboscis feed tree are made into the distribution map of the proboscis feed tree using GIS software. There are 9 distribution locations and 13 species of plants whose parts are eaten by proboscis monkeys in the Riparian forest of PT JBG areas such as Ficus racemosa, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Gluta renghas, Albizia chinensis, Eugenia sp, Uncaria sp, Dillenia indica, Oxyceros longifer, Syzigium sp, Calamus sp, Macaranga bancana, Premna corymbusa, Centrosema pubescens. These types are divided into two levels of vegetation, namely forage trees and undergrowth with edible parts such as shoots, leaves, flowers, fruit and umbut Habitat bekantan yang bervariasi menyebabkan komposisi jenis tumbuhan penyusunan habitat berbeda-beda, termasuk jenis pakan dan komposisinya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan pemetaan sebaran pohon pakan bekantan dan menginventarisasi jenis pohon pakan bekantan. Pengambilan data vegetasi diletakkan pada areal yang sering terjadi aktivitas bekantan. Pengambilan data dilakukan untuk menentukan jenis pohon dan tumbuhan bawah sebagai habitat makro serta potensi sumber pakan bekantan yang meliputi bagian daun, pucuk, bunga, buah atau bagian yang sedang dimakan atau sudah dimakan. Pengambilan data sampling pohon pakan menggunakan metode accidental sampling yaitu metode pencatatan secara kebetulan atau tidak sengaja saat menemukan bekantan yang sedang makan atau jejak bekas makanan.pada lokasi tempat ditemukannya pohon pakan atau bekas makanan bekantan lalu ditandai titik koordinatnya menggunakan GPS. Koordinat titik pertemuan dengan pohon pakan bekantan dibuat menjadi peta sebaran pohon pakan bekantan dengan menggunakan software GIS. Terdapat 9 titik lokasi persebaran dan 13 jenis tumbuhan yang bagian-bagiannya dimakan oleh bekantan di hutan Riparian areal PT JBG seperti jenis Ficus racemosa, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Gluta renghas, Albizia chinensis, Eugenia sp, Uncaria sp, Dillenia indica, Oxyceros longifer, Syzigium sp, Calamus sp, Macaranga bancana, Premna corymbus, Centrosema pubescens. Jenis-jenis ini terbagi menjadi dua tingkatan vegetasi yaitu pohon pakan dan tumbuhan bawah dengan bagian yang dimakan seperti pucuk, daun, bunga, buah dan umbut.