Carbohydrate accumulation patterns in mangrove and halophytic plant species under seasonal variation.

This study investigates the impact of carbohydrate accumulation in mangrove and halophytic plants on their response to abiotic stress. Using soil analysis and FT-IR spectroscopy, key species (Sueda nudiflora, Aeluropus lagopoides, Avicennia marina) were examined for seasonal changes in sugar content (reducing sugars, total soluble sugars, starch). The elevated carbohydrate levels may serve as an indication of the plant's ability to adapt to different environmental conditions throughout the year. This accumulation enables plants to adapt to variations in their environment, assuring their survival and functionality during periods of environmental fluctuation. Halophytic plants' sugar content peaked during the monsoon, suggesting biotic adaptations. The mangrove Avicennia marina had year-round sugar levels. PCA and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis revealed sugar accumulation trends across species and seasons. Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis revealed correlations between soil characteristics and sugar content, suggesting plant-microbe interactions. K-means clustering and correlation analysis of FT-IR data revealed sugar composition and resource allocation trade-offs. These findings shed light on the role of carbohydrate metabolism in enabling coastal plants to endure stress. Gaining insight into these mechanisms can enhance sustainable agriculture in challenging environments and shed light on plant adaptations to evolving environmental conditions, especially biotic interactions.

Phytoremediation potential of monocotyledonous plants in the sediments of the Uben River, Gujarat, India.

Phytoremediation is a basic eco-friendly technique that uses to treat contaminated water and soil. The plants that remediate the water and soil by their absorption process and improve the water and sediment fertility or decrease the contamination. Form this experiment our finding suggest that the contamination decrease in majority from starting point to end point, it means plants plays the most important role in clean-up the environment and its cost-efficient method to improve the quality of water and soil. This study was carried out on Uben River which is around 50kms long and we covered around 41.88kms of area which divided into six locations. in soil minerals (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+) from Up-stream to Down-stream the concentration of minerals is in decreasing order but in heavy metals (Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+ and Mn2+) the concentration data is varying. We selected plants that grow around riverbanks belongs to family Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Typhaceae. Most of the plants accumulate high Fe2+ concentrations in their root while in the shoots have low concentration observed from our data. For the statistical validation of data, we perform Grouped Component Analysis (GCA) and Radial Cluster Hierarchy (RCH) analysis. Further we included pollution indices: Contamination factor (CF), Degree of contamination (Cd), Geo accumulation index (Igeo).

Multivariate statistical analysis of bioavailability of heavy metals and mineral characterization in selected species of coastal flora.

This study presents a thorough investigation into the concentration of heavy metals and mineral composition within four distinct coastal flora species: Cyperus conglomeratus, Halopyrum mucronatum, Sericostem pauciflorum, and Salvadora persica. Employing rigorous statistical methodologies such as Pearson coefficient correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and interclass correlation (ICC), we aimed to elucidate the bioavailability of heavy metals, minerals, and relevant physical characteristics. The analysis focused on essential elements including copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg2+), calcium (Ca2+), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and chloride (Cl-), all of which are known to play pivotal roles in the ecological dynamics of coastal ecosystems. Through PCA, we discerned distinctive patterns within PC1 to PC4, collectively explaining an impressive 99.65% of the variance observed in heavy metal composition across the studied flora species. These results underscore the profound influence of environmental factors on the mineral composition of coastal flora, offering critical insights into the ecological processes shaping these vital ecosystems. Furthermore, significant correlations among mineral contents in H. mucronatum; K+ with content of Na+ (r = 0.989) and Mg2+ (r = 0.984); as revealed by ICC analyses, contributed to a nuanced understanding of variations in electrical conductivity (EC), pH levels, and ash content among the diverse coastal flora species. By shedding light on heavy metal and mineral dynamics in coastal flora, this study not only advances our scientific understanding but also provides a foundation for the development of targeted environmental monitoring and management strategies aimed at promoting the ecological sustainability and resilience of coastal ecosystems in the face of ongoing environmental challenges.

A review on L-methioninase in cancer therapy: Precision targeting, advancements and diverse applications for a promising future.

Cancer remains a global health challenge, demanding novel therapeutic options due to the debilitating side effects of conventional treatments on healthy tissues. The review highlights the potential of L-methioninase, a pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme, as a promising avenue in alternative cancer therapy. L-methioninase offers a unique advantage, its ability to selectively target and inhibit the growth of cancer cells without harming healthy cells. This selectivity arises because tumor cells lack an essential enzyme called methionine synthase, which healthy cells use to make the vital amino acid L-methionine. Several sources harbor L-methioninase, including bacteria, fungi, plants, and protozoa. Future research efforts can explore and exploit this diverse range of sources to improve the therapeutic potential of L-methioninase in the fight against cancer. Despite challenges, research actively explores microbial L-methioninase for its anticancer potential. This review examines the enzyme's side effects, advancements in combination therapies, recombinant technologies, polymer conjugation and novel delivery methods like nanoparticles, while highlighting the success of oral administration in preclinical trials. Beyond its promising role in cancer therapy, L-methioninase holds potential applications in food science, antioxidants, and various health concerns like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and neurodegenerative diseases. This review provides a piece of current knowledge and future prospects of L-methioninase, exploring its diverse therapeutic potential.

Development of bio-based material from the Moringa oleifera and its bio-coagulation kinetic modeling-A sustainable approach to treat the wastewater.

The development of bio-coagulants from Moringa oleifera seeds for sewage wastewater treatment has been investigated. The prepared bio-coagulant was treated with distilled water, HCl, NaOH, and NaCl to surface-functionalize the M. oleifera seed powder (MOSP). The bio-coagulant performance was investigated by monitoring the reduction of turbidity, EC, pH, TS, BOD, and COD from the wastewater. SEM, EDAX, and FTIR characterized the native and functionalized MOSP bio-coagulants. The HCl treated MOSP was found to be effective and have good coagulation activity (∼90%) compared to natural and other MOSPs. The turbidity removal by all the MOPS conformed to the WHO acceptable limit of finished water. Hence, maximum turbidity reduction was recorded in HCl > NaCl > NaOH > Natural (distilled water) treated MOSP. The pseudo-first and second-order kinetics rate also showed the effectiveness against turbidity reduction in municipal sewage water. Hence, the prepared MOSP bio-coagulants could be suitable for primary water treatments.

Characterization of L-asparaginase from marine-derived Aspergillus niger AKV-MKBU, its antiproliferative activity and bench scale production using industrial waste.

L-asparaginase (LA), an enzyme with anticancer activities, produced by marine-derived Aspergillus niger was subjected to purification and characterization. The purified enzyme was observed to have molecular weight ∼90KDa. The enzyme retained activity over a wide range of pH, i.e. pH 4-10. The enzyme was quite stable in temperature range 20-40°C. Tween 80 and Triton X-100 were observed to enhance LA activity while inhibition of LA activity was observed in presence of heavy metals. The values for Km was found to be 0.8141 mM and Vmax was 6.228µM/mg/min. The enzyme exhibited noteworthy antiproliferative activity against various cancer cell lines tested. Successful bench scale production (in 5L bioreacator) of LA using groundnut oil cake as low cost substrate has also been carried out.

Concentrations, input prediction and probabilistic biological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) along Gujarat coastline.

A comprehensive investigation was conducted in order to assess the levels of PAHs, their input prediction and potential risks to bacterial abundance and human health along Gujarat coastline. A total of 40 sediment samples were collected at quarterly intervals within a year from two contaminated sites-Alang-Sosiya Shipbreaking Yard (ASSBRY) and Navlakhi Port (NAV), situated at Gulf of Khambhat and Gulf of Kutch, respectively. The concentration of ΣPAHs ranged from 408.00 to 54240.45 ng g-1 dw, indicating heavy pollution of PAHs at both the contaminated sites. Furthermore, isomeric ratios and principal component analysis have revealed that inputs of PAHs at both contaminated sites were mixed-pyrogenic and petrogenic. Pearson co-relation test and regression analysis have disclosed Nap, Acel and Phe as major predictors for bacterial abundance at both contaminated sites. Significantly, cancer risk assessment of the PAHs has been exercised based on incremental lifetime cancer risks. Overall, index of cancer risk of PAHs for ASSBRY and NAV ranged from 4.11 × 10-6-2.11 × 10-5 and 9.08 × 10-6-4.50 × 10-3 indicating higher cancer risk at NAV compared to ASSBRY. The present findings provide baseline information that may help in developing advanced bioremediation and bioleaching strategies to minimize biological risk.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at the Gulf of Kutch, Gujarat, India: Occurrence, source apportionment, and toxicity of PAHs as an emerging issue.

The present study extrapolates the assessment and characterization of a barely studied region, the Gulf of Kutch, (near Jamnagar), Gujarat, India, in terms of PAH exposure, adverse effects caused by them, and various toxicological indices showing the catastrophic effects of their elevated concentrations. ΣPAH concentration in the site ranged from 118,280 to 1,099,410ngg-1 dw, with a predominance of 2-3-ring PAHs (79.09%) as compared to 4-5- and 6-ring PAHs (20.91%). The concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs were found to be between 8120 and 160,000ngg-1 dw, with a mean of 63,810ngg-1 dw, which is much higher than normal acceptable values. The toxic equivalent quotient for 6CPAHs ranged from 150.47 to 26,330ngg-1 BaPeq, encompassing 50.63% of ΣPAH toxicity. This toxicological profile of the present study site would be of paramount importance as it offers fresh information regarding the load of legacy pollutants such as PAHs and the inputs and methods to cope with their extremely high concentrations in less explored marine habitats.

Distribution, sources and ecological risk assessment of PAHs in historically contaminated surface sediments at Bhavnagar coast, Gujarat, India.

The concentration, distribution and ecological risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been investigated in surface sediments near Bhavnagar coast. The concentration of ∑PAHs ranged from 5.02 to 981.18 µg g(-1) dry weight, indicating heavy pollution compared to other historically polluted study sites. It was found to be introduced via mixed origins such as burning of gas, oil, coal, production of petrochemicals, cement, and rubber tires. Domestic fuel burning and motor vehicles are also culprits for air pollution. Industrial effluents and accidental oil spillage can also be considered. PAHs can be exposed through air, water, soil and food sources including ingestion, inhalation, and dermal content in both occupational and non-occupational levels by single or sometimes multiple exposures routes concomitantly. Furthermore, diagnostic ratios, statistical principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) models have confirmed that the sources of PAHs were both - petrogenic and pyrogenic. For both the sites, assessment of ecological risk of the elevated levels of these pollutants has been exercised based on toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) and risk quotient (RQ) methods. The composite results indicated accurately that both the sites, bears potentially acute and chronic health hazards such as decreased immune functionality, genotoxicity, malignancy and developmental malfunctions in humans. The sites studied here and the workers have been exposed to hazardous pollutants for a longer period of time. Evidences indicate that mixtures of PAHs are carcinogenic to humans, based on occupational studies on workers, exposed to these pollutants. Hence, the present study and statistical approaches applied herein clearly indicate the historic mix routes of PAHs that resulted in magnified concentrations leading to high ecosystem risk. Thus, the scientific communities are urged to develop strategies to minimize the concentrations of PAHs from the historically impacted coastlines, thereby concerning for the future investigations and restoration of these sites.

Enhanced chrysene degradation by a mixed culture Biorem-CGBD using response surface design.

Degradation of chrysene, a four ringed highly carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) has been demonstrated by bacterial mixed culture Biorem-CGBD comprising Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Pseudomonas sp. and Sphingomonas sp., isolated from crude oil polluted saline sites at Bhavnagar coast, Gujarat, India. A full factorial Central Composite Design (CCD) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to construct response surfaces, predicting 41.93% of maximum chrysene degradation with an experimental validation of 66.45% chrysene degradation on 15th day, using a combination of 0.175, 0.175 and 0.385 mL of OD600 = 1 inoculum of A. xylosoxidans, Pseudomonas sp. and Sphingomonas sp., respectively and a regression coefficient (R2) of 0.9485 indicating reproducibility of the experiment. It was observed that chrysene degradation can be successfully enhanced using RSM, making mixed culture Biorem-CGBD a potential bioremediation target for PAH contaminated saline sites.

Application of response surface methodology for rapid chrysene biodegradation by newly isolated marine-derived fungus Cochliobolus lunatus strain CHR4D.

For the first time, Cochliobolus lunatus strain CHR4D, a marine-derived ascomycete fungus isolated from historically contaminated crude oil polluted shoreline of Alang-Sosiya ship-breaking yard, at Bhavnagar coast, Gujarat has been reported showing the rapid and enhanced biodegradation of chrysene, a four ringed high molecular weight (HMW) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Mineral Salt Broth (MSB) components such as ammonium tartrate and glucose along with chrysene, pH and trace metal solution have been successfully optimized by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using central composite design (CCD). A validated, two-step optimization protocol has yielded a substantial 93.10% chrysene degradation on the 4(th) day, against unoptimized 56.37% degradation on the 14(th) day. The results depict 1.65 fold increase in chrysene degradation and 1.40 fold increase in biomass with a considerable decrement in time. Based on the successful laboratory experiments, C. lunatus strain CHR4D can thus be predicted as a potential candidate for mycoremediation of HMW PAHs impacted environments.

Enhanced biodegradation of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (TPAHs) by marine halotolerant Achromobacter xylosoxidans using Triton X-100 and ß-cyclodextrin--a microcosm approach.

Ability of Achromobacter xylosoxidans, a chrysene degrading marine halotolerant bacterium to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using a cost effective laboratory microcosm approach, was investigated. Effect of variables as chrysene, glucose as a co-substrate, Triton X-100 as a non-ionic surfactant and ß-cyclodextrin as a PAHs solubilizer was examined on degradation of low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs. A total of eleven PAHs detected from polluted saline soil were found to be degraded. Glucose, in combination with Triton X-100 and ß-cyclodextrin resulted in 2.8 and 1.4-fold increase in degradation of LMW PAHs and 7.59 and 2.23-fold increase in degradation of HMW PAHs, respectively. Enhanced biodegradation of total PAHs (TPAHs) by amendments with Triton X-100 and ß-cyclodextrin using Achromobacter xylosoxidans can prove to be promising approach for in situ bioremediation of marine sites contaminated with PAHs.