New Schiff base chelates of Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) derived from benzil-2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone with aniline have been synthesised. Microanalytical data, molar conductance, and magnetic susceptibility values have been obtained, and IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, UV-Vis, CV and EPR spectral studies have been carried out to suggest tentative structures for the complexes.

Neutral tetradentate N 2 O 2 type complexes of Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Zn(II) have been synthesised using the Schiff base formed by the condensation of acetylacetone and p-anisidine. Microanalysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility, IR, UV-Vis, 1 H NMR, CV and EPR studies have been carried out to determine the structure of the complexes. From the data, it is found that all the complexes possess square-planar geometry. The EPR spectrum of the copper complex in DMSO at 300 K and 77 K was recorded and its salient features are reported. All the title complexes were screened for antimicrobial activity by the well diffusion technique using DMSO as solvent. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were calculated at 37°C for a period of 24 h. It has been found that all the complexes are antimicrobially active and show higher activity than the free ligand.

The study is focused on the estimation of rate of soil erosion, using Revised Universal Soil Loss Eq. 2 (RUSLE2), in the Veppanapalli subwatershed of Krishnagiri catchment located in Tamil Nadu, India. The soil erosion is estimated for each of the hillslope units in the study area. The factors considered are intensity of rainfall, type of soil, land use classification and the existing soil conservation practices. Detailed analysis of soil samples were done to assess the texture, structure, permeability and organic matter content of the soil samples of each hillslope unit. The required data for the other parameters were estimated by carrying out intense field investigations and by the analysis of the satellite imagery of 5.6 m resolution. A data base was created with all the subfactor values for the hillslope units. Incorporation of remote sensing technique and Geographic Information System (GIS) made the spatial analysis of the study more reliable and accurate. The annual average soil erosion rate is estimated as 25 t/ha/year, which is on a higher range. This indicates the immediate need for the adoption of proper conservation strategies in this area to control the eutrophication in the Krishnagiri reservoir and to prevent further watershed degradation.

No abstract

Water quality variables--Turbidity, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Chlorides and Total Hardness (TH) were monitored at a downstream location in the Tamiraparani River during 1978-1992. The observations were made at weekly intervals in a water treatment and supply plant using standard methods. Graphical and statistical analyses were used for data exploration, trend detection and assessment. Box-Whisker plots of annual and seasonal changes in variables indicated apparent trends being present in the data and their response to the seasonal influence of the monsoon rainfall. Further, the examination of the median values of the variables indicated that changes in the direction of trend occurred during 1985-1986, especially in pH, EC and TH. The statistical analyses were done using non-parametric methods, the ANCOVA on rank transformed data and the Seasonal Man-Kendall test. The presence of monotonic trend in all the water quality variables was confirmed, however, with independent direction of change. The trend line was fitted by the method of least squares. The estimated values indicated significant increases in EC (28 microS cm(-1)) while significant decreases were observed in turbidity (90 NTU), pH (0.78), and total hardness (23 ppm) in a span of 15 years. The changes induced in river flow by the addition of a stabilizing reservoir, the influence of seasonal and spatial pattern of monsoon rainfall across the river basin and the increased agriculture appear causative factors for the water quality trends seen in the Tamiraparani River system.