Vermiremediation of engine oil contaminated soil employing indigenous earthworms, Drawida modesta and Lampito mauritii.

Engine oil consists of hazardous substances that adversely affect the environment and soil quality. Bioremediation (employing organisms) is an appropriate technique to mitigate engine oil pollution. In the present study, the earthworm species, Drawida modesta (epigeic) and Lampito mauritii (anecic) were used to restore the soil polluted with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) from used engine oil. Four treatments were set up in addition to positive and negative controls. A maximum of 68.6% PAHs and 34.3% TPHs removal in the treatment with soil (1 kg), cow dung (50 g), used engine oil (7.5 mL) and earthworms was recorded after 60 days. Undoubtedly, earthworms effectively removed PAHs and TPHs from the oil-contaminated soil. PAHs were more strongly accumulated in D. modesta (16.25 mg kg-1) than in L. mauritii (13.25 mg kg-1). Further, histological analysis revealed the epidermal surface irregularity, cellular disintegration, and cellular debris in earthworms. The pH (6.3%), electrical conductivity (12.7%), and total organic carbon (35.4%) were significantly (at P < 0.05) decreased after 60 days; while, total nitrogen (62%), total potassium (76.2%), and total phosphorus (19.2%) were substantially increased at the end of the experiment. The seed germination assay with fenugreek indicates that germination percentage (95%), and germination index (179), were dramatically increased in earthworm inoculated treatments when compared to the negative control (without earthworms). The results reveal that there is a great scope for utilizing the earthworms, D. modesta and L. mauritii for the bioremediation of soils contaminated with PAHs and TPHs.

Preventive effect of S-allylcysteine on membrane-bound enzymes and glycoproteins in normal and isoproterenol-induced cardiac toxicity in male Wistar rats.

This study was aimed to evaluate the preventive role of S-allylcysteine (SAC) on creatine kinase-MB, iron, iron binding capacity, uric acid, total protein, membrane-bound enzymes such as sodium potassium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase, calcium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase and magnesium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase, and glycoproteins such as hexose, hexosamine, fucose and sialic acid in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats. Male albino Wistar rats were pre-treated with SAC (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) daily for a period of 45 days. After the treatment period, isoproterenol (150 mg/kg) was subcutaneously injected in rats at an interval of 24 hr for 2 days. Isoproterenol-induced rats showed significantly (P < 0.05) increased activities of serum creatine kinase-MB and calcium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase and magnesium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase in the heart, and the levels of iron and uric acid in serum and significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the levels of plasma iron binding capacity, plasma total protein, plasma albumin/globulin ratio and activity of sodium potassium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase in the heart. Isoproterenol induction also showed a significant increase in the levels of glycoproteins in serum and the heart. Pre-treatment with SAC (100 and 150 mg/kg) daily for a period of 45 days exhibited significant (P < 0.05) effect and altered these biochemical parameters positively. SAC (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg) treatment to normal rats did not exhibit any significant effect in any of the parameters studied. Thus, our study shows that SAC has a protective role in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats. The observed effects might be due to the free radical scavenging, antioxidant and membrane stabilizing properties of SAC.