Application of phytoaccumulation perspective of Monochoria hastate L. on fluoride contaminated water in hydroponic treatment: its statistical design and characterization studies.

The present research work approaches the accumulation of fluoride ions from contaminated water using an aquatic plant Monochoria hastate L. in hydroponic culture. A design of experiment (DOE) has been adopted and an analysis of variance has been conducted to establish the statistical significance of various process parameters. The different experimental factors are root and shoot (Factor A), fluoride concentration (Factor B), and experimental days (Factor C) largely influence the output response. Plants treated with 5 mg/L of fluoride solutions accumulated the highest concentration in root biomass 1.23 mg/gm, and shoot biomass 0.820 mg/gm, dry weight after 21 days' experimentation. The accumulation mechanism and potentiality of treated plants depend on root cells of the plasma membrane and energy-capturing molecules of adenosine triphosphate. Monochoria hastate L. root biomass was characterized to confirm the accumulation of fluoride ions in the experimented plants using scanning electron micrographs-energy dispersive spectrum (SEM-EDS), and Fourier transforms infrared analysis (FTIR) analysis.

The novelty of this study is the high fluoride accumulation efficiency in hydroponic treatment by Monochoria hastate L an excellent choice for phytoremediation technique. The Design of Experiment (DOE) has a good approach for the optimization of fluoride in the accumulation process. The maximum absorption of fluoride ions in root biomass is 1.23 mg/gm, and shoot biomass is 0.820 mg/gm, dry weight after 21 days of treatment. To know the fluoride ions in shoot and root biomass are characterized using scanning electron micrographs-energy dispersive spectrum (SEM-EDS), and Fourier transforms infrared analysis (FTIR).

A study on traffic noise of two campuses of University, Balasore, India.

Noise pollution is a significant environmental problem in many rapidly urbanizing areas of Orissa, India. Transportation sector is one of the major contributors to noise in these areas. The present study is an attempt to estimate traffic noise pollution at five places on the way from Vyasa Vihar Campus to Gyan Vigyan Vihar Campus of Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, Orissa. The sources of noise at the studied sites are predominantly attributable to motor vehicular traffic. The noise levels of all the five locations were found to be beyond permissible limit during the day time. The contributions of different types of vehicles to environmental noise were found to ranging from 70.4-94.2, 79.0-96.1, 77.8-110.2, 70.8-90.3, 71.0-87.5, 71.1-84.4, 72.5-86.9 and 74.0-85.4 dB (A) by cargo carrying Trucks, Tractors, Dumpers, Town Buses, Motor cycles, Bolero/Trucker, Pick up and Tempo respectively. The contributions of individual vehicles towards noise pollution were found to be more than the road traffic noise-limit i.e., 70 dB (A). On certain local inhabitants interviewed, the impact of noise was observed in the forms of alterations in their physical, psychological and personal aspects. This study warrants attention from all sections of people to deal with the problem of noise pollution.

Antioxidative efficiency of Triticum aestivum L. exposed to chromium stress.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Sonalika) seedlings were grown in presence of K2Cr2O7 (10, 50 and 100 ppm) for 7 days and growth, total chlorophyll, activities of antioxidative enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT; EC 1.11.1.6) and guaiacol peroxidase (POX; EC 1.11.1.7) and lipid peroxidation were determined in root and shoot tissues. Growth of the seedlings was significantly (p < or = 0.05) depressed and at 100 ppm, root length was reduced by 63% and shoot length by 44% in comparison to the respective controls. Total chlorophyll loss in shoots was about 46% at 10 ppm of K2Cr2O7 which further increased to 80% at 100 ppm. Both in root and shoot tissues, activities of SOD and CAT declined with increase of metal in growth medium and it was significant (p < or = 0.05) even at lowest concentration of the metal tested. But POX activity showed a different trend. In root tissues it was decreased whereas in shoots, there was many fold increase in the activity (about 370% over control at 100 ppm). Malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased both in root and shoot tissues, but it reached significant (p < 0.05) level at 50 ppm in roots and at 100 ppm in shoot tissues. Even though antioxidative enzyme activities were not assayed in germinating embryos, inhibition in germination percentage (by 40% at 100 ppm) and increase in lipid peroxidation level (by 71% over control at 100 ppm) were observed in 2-day-old embryos, germinated in presence of K2Cr2O7 (10, 50 and 100 ppm). The results indicated the imposition of oxidative stress situations both during germination and early stages of seedling growth by Cr6 stress, which might be one of the probable reasons behind Cr toxicity in plants.