Galvanizing industries of Bangladesh produce profuse amount of environmentally hazardous solid waste materials like zinc dross which contains significant amount of valuable zinc and harmful heavy lead. Zinc was extracted as zinc chloride (ZnCl 2 ) from zinc dross. Zinc stearate (ZnSt 2 ) samples were prepared by precipitation method from stearic acid, sodium hydroxide and ZnCl 2 by varying the amount of the reagents and product yield found within the range 96.06-99.18%. Characteristic peaks of ZnSt 2 were investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) onset curve assigned accurate melting point within the range 122.84-124.03°C. Surface morphology of ZnSt 2 was observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and products had semi-crystalline structure. Thermal stability of ZnSt 2 was evaluated by Thermo-gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) that complied with literature. A combination of ZnSt 2 and Calcium stearate (CaSt 2 ) at 1:1 ratio was used as thermal stabilizer in the powder commercial grade PVC resin and performed better thermal stability. The dehydrochlorination temperature of PVC with mixed stearates was 344.67±1.04°C for 10% (w/w) loading whereas for PVC, PVC with 10% (w/w) ZnSt 2 and PVC with 10% (w/w) CaSt 2 , it was 269.83±1.04°C, 317.33±1.26°C and 323.33±2.08°Crespectively.

Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth, invasion and sometimes metastasis. In order to find out a new anticancer drug, Ni(II) complex with benzoin thiosemicarbazon was synthesized and characterized. Anticancer activities of Ni(BTSC)2 2 2 has been studied against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) cells in Swiss albino mice by monitoring tumor cell growth inhibition, tumor weight measurement, survival time of tumor bearing Swiss albino mice. Hematological parameters were also studied in both normal and EAC bearing treated mice. The results were compared with those obtained with a standard anticancer drug bleomycin and the compound was found to possess pronounced anticancer effect. Maximum cell growth inhibition was found to be 77.15% after treatment with Ni(BTSC)2 at the dose of 8 mg/kg (i.p). About 69.56% enhancement of life span was found at 8 mg/kg (i.p).With the same dose Ni(BTSC)2 reduced the tumor weight by 52.17% at day 20. The hematological parameters (WBC, RBC, hemoglobin content and differential counts) were found to be significantly changed as compared to those of the normal mice. These parameters restored more or less towards normal when treated with the test compound.J. bio-sci. 23: 77-88, 2015

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The pilot trial on Aquatabs TM disinfectant tablets was undertaken over a period of one month (three 10-day period excluding the pre-and post-trial activities) during October-December 2004 in an area of low-income urban communities suffering from a lack of basic health services including a lack of adequate and safe water and sanitation facilities (Lalbagh) as well as adjacent areas of old Dhaka. Drinking water consumed by 347 persons was treated in 50 households comprising 70 children under 5 years old. A pre-trial survey and testing of the water supplies demonstrated that the mean faecal coliform count was > 10 3 MPN/100mL and that all children (100%) belonged to a "Severe Diarrhoea Group" (> 3 incidences of light diarrhoea or any serious diarrhoeal condition). One effervescent Aquatabs TM (67mg sodium dichloroisocyanurate) was added by the mother to the local container (filled from a community tap or standpipe, often through an illegal connection), which held about 20-25 litres of unsafe water, giving a dosage of about 2mg/L free chlorine. During the trial period water samples were tested at 3 x 10-day period for free residual chlorine levels and faecal coliform counts at all households. About 65.7% of children were reported to be free from diarrhoea during the trial period, there was a strong association between "under-chlorinated" water (<0.5mg/L residual free chlorine) and reported diarrhoea incidences. Survey analysis during the pilot trial concluded that 70% of mothers were not aware that health improvements were related to water supply and sanitation.

In this research work, cellulosic waste mango (Mangifera indica) saw dust used as the reinforcing material with low density polyethylene (LDPE). A number of samples of saw dust reinforced low density polyethylene (LDPE) composites were prepared by compression moulding technique. In order to improve the mechanical properties of saw dust-LDPE composites, unbleached raw saw dust fibers were modified by oxidation using sodium hypochlorite. FT-IR spectroscopic and scanning electron micrograph (SEM) analyses were done and the results showed the evidence of positive oxidation reaction. The effects of oxidized saw dust on the performance of oxidized saw dust reinforced LDPE composites were studied comparing with the raw saw dust-LDPE composites. The effects of fiber content on the physico-mechanical properties of composites were also studied by preparing the composites with different percentage of fiber loading (from 7.5 wt% to 30 wt%) for each type of composite. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break, flexural strength, flexural modulus of the resulting composite were measured. Better results were obtained from oxidized saw dust-LDPE composites. Scanning electron micrograph and water absorption tests were carried out for all composites and improved results were found for oxidized saw dust-LDPE composites.