The global increase in petroleum prices and the growing concern about the harmful effects of petroleum based plastics has led to a shift from a petroleum based economy to a natural feedstock based economy. One of the major outcomes of this economy shift is the global acceptance of biobased plastics such as Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as a replacement for traditional plastics. Even though PHAs have been described as useful polymers due to their intrinsic biodegradability and biocompatibility, the high price has limited their application significantly. The raw material cost has been known to contribute significantly to the manufacturing cost of PHA. Production of PHAs using agro-industrial residues offers an alternative use of low-cost feedstock to produce materials with appropriate physicochemical properties to be used in a broad range of applications. Therefore, much research has been carried out using renewable cheap raw materials such as molasses, lignocellulosic wastes, sewage, industrial by-products, whey etc. to replace the expensive commercial medium, which should reduce the overall production cost. This review highlights various microorganisms, substrates and fermentation strategies used for economical production of PHA.

During the last decade, there has been a widespread increase in the usage of mobile phones which resulted in an increase in electromagnetic radiations in the environment. These radiations have harmful effect on both plants and human being. A study was conducted to explore the effects of these radiations on the plants. The radiation emitted from mobile phones show effect on the early growth and biochemical changes in the emerging seedlings of Pisum sativum (Pea) and Trigonella foenumgraecum (Fenugreek). It was observed that the radiations emitted from mobile phone show considerable increase in the germination percentage, seedling length, proteins, lipid and Guaiacol content in comparison to control seeds. Different exposure time treatments were taken for the study as ½ hour, 1 hour, 2 hour, 4 hour and 8 hour. The biochemical parameter increases with increase in the radiation exposure. The study concluded that radiations emitted from mobile phone interfere with both morphological and the biochemical processes and affect the growth and nodule formation in the plants. The number of nodules developed both in Pisum sativum and Trigonella foenumgraecum increases with increase in the radiation exposure.

Cypermethrin is extensively used in cotton, fruit, and vegetable crops as well as in home and garden pest control worldwide. Because of its non-degrading and persisting nature, its extensive use is a great threat to the environment. Therefore, this study was undertaken in order to isolate fungi and evaluate their potential for mycoremediation of cypermethrin. Twenty-eight fungal isolates were purified from agricultural soil and then tested for cypermethrin degradation under lab conditions. Two of the isolates, 2S3 and 4S4, showed the potential to degrade cypermethrin at a concentration of 100 mg L −1 when incubated for 5 days. Strain 2S3 showed a degradation potential of about 66 % with cypermethrin only mixed with water and almost 80 % when media and a carbon source were available. On the other hand,, strain 4S4 showed around 70 and 80 %, respectively, under the same conditions. The strains were identified by 18S rRNA sequencing and alignment. The results showed 97 % sequence similarity with Fusarium oxysporum strain 8-11P and Fusarium sp. zzz1124. Both qualitative and quantitative investigations were conducted on the pesticide residues using FTIR set-up and HPLC analysis to confirm bioremediation of pyrethroid-contaminated environments.

No abstract

Soluble uranium salts enter human body through ground water and foodstuff. World Health Organization (2004) has set 15 µg/L as the "tolerated intake" of soluble uranium in drinking water. Uranium intake above this concentration is toxic to human body. The organ which are most affected are kidney and lungs leading to malfunctioning of kidneys and lung cancer. Soluble uranium is also known for its neuro-developmental, neuropsychological, cytotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects. So to overcome such hazardous problem in Bhatinda region (Cancer belt area-Jhajjal, Giana, Sivian, Malkana, Laliana, where cancer cases are prominent) of Punjab an effort has been done. Incubation of water samples with media specific for growth of Desulfovibrio genus was done for one month with soil from the same area from where water sample has been taken and with Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris strain. Chemical analysis of water samples was done again to measure final uranium (VI) concentrations after incubation. In case of incubation with soil, the average reduction of uranium (VI) in the presence of Linsmaier and Skoog's (LS) media specific for the growth of Desulfovibrio genus is 59.08%. This concluded that the presence of one or a group of species of Desulfovibrio in soil is responsible for reduction of uranium (VI). In case of incubation with D. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris strain, the average reduction of uranium (VI) is 97.77%. This concludes that D. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris strain can reduce uranium at an average rate of 0.003 μg/L/h. Biochemical tests were done to find out specific species of Desulfovibrio present in soil responsible for uranium reduction. The results of these tests concluded that the organism present in soil responsible for reduction of uranium is Desulfovibrio desulfuricans.