Abstract:The potential to remove chromium(VI) from aqueous solutions through biosorption using coffee husk was investigated. The effects of pH, contact time, initial concentration and adsorbent dosage on the adsorption of Cr(VI) were studied. The data obeyed Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The Langmuir adsorption capacity was found to be 44.95 mg/g. The Freundlich constants K f and n were 1.027 [mg/g (l/mg) n ] and 1.493, respectively. Desorption studies indicated the removal of 60% of the hexavalent chromium. Infrared spectral studies revealed the presence of functional groups, such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, on the surface of the biomass, which facilitates biosorption of Cr(VI).

PurposeThe goal of the present study is to examine the degree of knowledge amongst Indian women about millet grain and its nutritional advantages. Millet is regarded to be five times more nutritious than rice and wheat. Despite the fact that millet contributes to 10% of India's food grain basket and has an annual production of 18 million tonnes, it is not consumed in the same proportion as mainstream cereals (that is rice and wheat). As a result, the study's primary objective is to determine the level of awareness and consumption pattern of millet amongst Indian women regarding millet grains.Design/methodology/approachThe research was carried out in the city of Bengaluru in the state of Karnataka, India. For the purpose of study, a sample of 855 female respondents was approached using a non-probability sampling technique known as convenience sampling. The data were gathered through the use of a self-administered structured questionnaire.FindingsAccording to the findings of the study, the vast majority of respondents consume millet for preserving overall health. Building self and family immunity is the most important factor with 4.11 mean scores and low standard deviation of 0.985. The results reveal that 80.6% of women in the study are aware of millet but only 62.7% of women are consuming millet. The motivating factors and demotivating factors leading to consumption and non-consumption behaviour, respectively have also been identified. The study also reveals that demographic factors such as age, qualification and income have a direct influence on millet consumption.Research limitations/implicationsThe scope of research can be extended to explore the impact of millet consumption on long term health benefits of millet amongst the target respondents. Further, the study can be extended to explore the consumption pattern of millet among different target audience in various parts of India. The media interventions in creating awareness of millet consumption benefits need to be studied for increasing the consumption of millet.Practical implicationsCompanies involved in producing Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) products can be encouraged to produce millet based foods like cereals, biscuits, ready to eat foods etc. Workshops can be organized to raise awareness on how the millet can replace traditional grains in the cooking process.Social implicationsPolicy measures may include millet being promoted through technology dissemination, creating awareness about advantages of millet and including millet in the Public Distribution System (PDS). It is also important to promote the cultivation, maintenance and processing of the local variety of millet with competent marketing strategies so as to increase their cultivation comparable to the cash crops. Farmers should be educated on the importance of cultivation of minor millet.Originality/valueThe fast-paced lifestyle of urban Indians has a direct impact on their dietary preferences. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people have a nutritionally balanced diet and engage in regular physical activity to reduce health risks. In India, as a result of women's increased participation in the workforce, women are forced to manage many tasks and obligations, which has detrimental effects on their health. The poor nutritional status of modern-day workers is attributed to a lack of education, lack of awareness and a general disregard for health-related concerns. There is a need to investigate if Indian women are aware of the nutritional benefits of millet grains that are higher in protein.

In present study, zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesised using Syzygium aromaticum and characterized using UV visible spectroscopy, SEM, XRD and FTIR techniques. The characteristic hexagonal structure of the ZnO nanoparticles was confirmed through XRD analysis. The UV-Visible spectrum showed a strong absorbance at 366 nm confirming the presence of ZnO and the peak at 496 cm-1 in FTIR indicated the Zn-O stretch bond. Average size of the zinc oxide nanoparticles obtained from SEM analysis was found to be 86 nm. The zinc oxide nanoparticles exhibited better antibacterial activity than clove extract, when tested against clinical isolates of Streptococcus mutans. The nanoparticles incorporated into the dental restorative material, glass ionomer cement (GIC) were tested against S. mutans and exhibited better antibacterial activity than clove extract. Glass ionomer cement (GIC) did not exhibit antibacterial activity alone, but the incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles into GIC significantly improved antibacterial activity. Hence, ZnO embedded GIC is a promising material in restorative dentistry for preventing the recurrence of dental caries.

The catalytic effect of nano-HZSM-5 zeolite on co-pyrolysis of cotton shell (CS) and municipal plastic wastes (MPW) was studied. The influence of reaction temperature during individual pyrolysis, blending ratio, and catalytic effects was studied by applying constant heating rate. The experiments were conducted in a fixed bed batch type reactor. The hindering effect during catalytic decomposition of MPW was carried out and its positive synergistic effect on liquid oil yield was analysed. The reaction temperature for all the experiments are fixed based on the decomposition rate obtained from thermogravimetric study. The experimental outcomes revealed that during co-pyrolysis, the formation of char was reduced to 7.2 wt% with increased liquid oil yield of 66.5 wt%. Furthermore, adding catalyst for co-pyrolysis process improved the reaction by decreasing char formation. During catalytic process, the maximum liquid oil output was 69.3 wt% at 500°C temperature, CS/MPW ratio of 1 : 2. When compared to co-pyrolysis process, the catalytic co-pyrolysis showed 4.21 wt% higher liquid oil yield. The physical analysis of the oil shows maximum hating value of 34.6 MJ/kg. The FTIR study on catalytic co-pyrolysis oil shows the presence of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

The goal of this work is to evaluate the impact of CeO2/ZrO2 (CZ) nanocomposite materials on performance and emission characteristics of direct injection (DI) diesel engine fueled with ternary blends of pumpkin oil methyl ester (PME) and neem oil methyl ester (NME). The blend B20 (10% PME +10% NME +80% diesel) and various CZ nanocomposite blended fuels such as B20CZ25 (B20 +25 ppm CZ), B20CZ50 (B20 +50 ppm CZ), B20CZ75 (B20 +75 ppm CZ), and B20CZ100 (B20 +100 ppm CZ) were prepared and used for analysis. Pumpkin and neem seed oil were chose for this study due to noble economic feasibility, and they were transesterified with methanol and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in order to get corresponding methyl esters. The experimental findings demonstrates that adding CZ nanocomposite improves brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and reduces brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) at full load, as well as being beneficial in reducing harmful gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The study suggested that CZ nanocomposite with ternary blend will be a viable new strategy for improving engine performance and lowering emission characteristics without modifying the engine.