Dose-dependent sub-chronic toxicity of diethyl phthalate in female Swiss mice

The experiment was conducted to study the after effects of administering DEP at different doses to female Swiss mice for a period of 90 days. Group I mice were fed on normal diet and water ad libitum. Group II mice were maintained on normal diet mixed with corn oil at 8.25 mg/kg of the diet/day as oil control. Group III, IV and V mice were given diethyl phthalate dissolved in corn oil mixed with the diet at 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg of the diet/day, which is approximately equal to 1.25, 3.125 and 6.25 mg/kg body weight/day. A significant dose dependent increase was observed in serum acid phosphatase (ACP) whereas, serum and liver triglycerides levels showed a significant increase only in the high-dose treated group. Significant dose-dependent increase in serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase (AST and ALT) and liver glycogen was observed. Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was significantly increased only in 25 and 50 ppm DEP-treated mice. Liver cholesterol was significantly increased in all the treated groups. Liver histology by light microscopy showed intracellular vacuolations in all the treated groups which was much more evident in the 25 and 50 ppm DEP-treated mice while hepatocellular degeneration and hypertrophy of the hepatocytes was evident in 50 ppm DEP-treated mice. Proliferation of mitochondria and peroxisomes was evident in the electron micrographs of the 10 ppm DEP-treated mice while 25 and 50 ppm DEP-treated mice showed increase in lipid droplets and severe mitochondrial proliferation.     

Seed inoculation with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> spp. improves seedling vigour in oil-seed plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jatropha curcas</Emphasis> L.

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) is a non-edible oil-seed plant with adaptability to marginal semi-arid lands and wastelands. The Indian Government is promoting jatropha to reduce dependence on the crude oil and to achieve energy independence by the year 2012, under the National Biodiesel Mission. Selected strains of Bacillus spp., either supplemented with or without chitin, were tested for their ability to promote growth of jatropha seedlings in pot culture studies. The strains supported growth of jatropha seedlings up to 42 days after sowing. Among all strains, Bacillus pumilus (IM-3) supplemented with chitin showed over all plant growth promotion effect resulting in enhanced shoot length (113%), dry shoot mass (360%), dry root mass (467%), dry total plant mass (346%), leaf area (256%), and chlorophyll content (74%) over control. Treating seeds with strain IM-3 without chitin resulted in enhanced dry shoot mass (473%), dry total plant mass (407%), and chlorophyll content (82%). However, Bacillus polymyxa (KRU-22) with chitin supported maximum root length (143%). Either strain IM-3 alone or in combination with other promising strains could be promoted further for enhanced initial seedling growth of jatropha.     

Cosolvent-enhanced Desorption and Transport of Heavy Metals and Organic Contaminants in Soils during Electrokinetic Remediation

Numerous sites are contaminated with both heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the technologies to treat such mixed contaminants are very limited. Electrokinetic remediation has the potential to remediate mixed contaminants in soils, including low permeability soils; however, the efficiency of this technology depends on the extracting solution employed. Previous studies on electrokinetic remediation have focused on the removal of heavy metals and organic compounds when they exist individually in clayey soils. In the present study, the feasibility of using cosolvents to enhance the electrokinetic removal of PAHs from clayey soils in the presence of heavy metals is investigated. A series of laboratory electrokinetic experiments was conducted using kaolin soil spiked with phenanthrene and nickel at concentrations of 500 mg/kg each to simulate typical field mixed contamination. Experiments were performed using n-butylamine (cosolvent) at concentrations of 10 and 20% and deionized water, each mixed with 0.01 M NaOH solution and circulated at the anode to maintain alkaline conditions. A periodic voltage gradient of 2 VDC/cm in cycles of 5 days on and 2 days off was applied in all the tests. During the initial stages when the soil pH was low, nickel existed as a cation and electromigrated towards the cathode. However, as the soil pH increased due to hydroxyl ions generated at the cathode and also flushing of high pH n-butylamine solution from the anode, nickel precipitated with no further migration. Phenanthrene was found migrating towards the cathode in proportion to the concentration of n-butylamine. The extent of phenanthrene removal was found to depend on both the electroosmotic flow and the concentration of n-butylamine, but the presence of nickel did not influence the transport and removal of phenanthrene.