The present study examined the interactive effects of fluoride and phthalates on their uptake, generation of reactive oxygen species and activation of antioxidative defence responses in Spirodela polyrhiza L. Schleiden. A hydroponic study was conducted in which S. polyrhiza cultured in Hoagland’s nutrient medium, was exposed to fluoride (50 ppm) and different concentrations viz., 75, 150 300 ppm of diethyl phthalate (DEP) and diallyl phthalate (DAP) individually as well as in combination for the time period of 24, 72, 120 and 168 h respectively. A significant decline in fresh weight, dry to fresh weight ratio, total chlorophyll, carotenoid content and increased anthocyanin content was observed. Fluoride and phthalates was found to be readily accumulated by S. polyrhiza in all the exposure periods. Interestingly, when binary treatments were given in nutrient medium, uptake of both fluoride and phthalate was found to be influenced by each other. In combined treatments, DEP stimulated fluoride uptake, while its own uptake was restricted by fluoride. In contrary to this, fluoride stimulated DAP uptake. Moreover, combined stress further caused significant decrement in carbohydrate, protein content and increment in MDA levels, phenolic content and electrolyte leakage. Nevertheless, phthalates showed more pronounced oxidative stress and growth inhibition compared to fluoride. To cope up with the oxidative damage, enhanced level of antioxidant enzymatic activities was observed in S. polyrhiza under both fluoride and phthalate stress as compared to control. Scanning electron microscope imaging of leaf stomata revealed that combined stress of fluoride with phthalates caused distortion in the shape of guard cells. Confocal micrographs confirmed the generation of reactive oxygen species, cell damage, disruption in membrane integrity, and enhanced levels of glutathione in plant cells. This study focussed on ecotoxicological and interactive significance of fluoride led phthalate uptake or vice versa which was also assumed to confer tolerance attributes.

The present study has been made to evaluate indoor and outdoor noise levels at different institutional and commercial units of Bishnah Town, Jammu. The observed values of noise levels in all the institutional and commercial units of the study area were found to be higher than the noise level values prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board.

Noise at school poses a serious challenge to the classroom atmosphere with negative impacts on teachers’ and students’ ability to listen and learn. Kargil town is the gateway to the Ladakh Himalayan region that remains cut from the rest of the world during the winter months. During the summer months, the region experiences a spike in traffic activity. The current study was designed to assess noise exposure levels in schools within the Kargil town administrative boundaries. The result indicates that indoor, as well as the outdoor Equivalent noise level (LAeq), in the schools located in Commercial area (58.3 ± 7.7 & 60.0 ± 1.9 dBA) Highway area (57.4 ± 8.1 & 63.0 ± 2.3 dBA) and Residential area (52.9 ± 9.8 & 60.0 ± 1.9 dBA) was above the permissible limits of World Health Organization and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) India. The highest indoor and outdoor Noise Climate was (15.4 ± 3.9 & 19.8 ± 2.3 dBA) in the school located on the Highway area is due to the flow of heavy vehicular traffic on the Highway and the Traffic Noise Index was also high in schools located on the Highway (97.5 ± 7.6 dBA). The Noise Pollution Level (LNP) value was also found to be high in the Highway area (72.8 ± 10.7 & 82.8 ± 3.0 dBA). The findings of this study will be beneficial for policymakers and stakeholders in the context of noise pollution management in schools with evolving noisescape of Kargil town.

No abstract