Assessment Of Physicochemical Characteristics Research Articles

Assessment of physico chemical characteristics and plankton diversity of Anchuthengu lake ecosystem, Thiruvananthapuram district – South India

Water is the most widespread substance found in the natural environment; liquid, solid and invisible vapour. Fresh water is a crucial resource for human life and natural systems. The quality of water is usually described according to its physical, chemical and biological characteristics. Rapid industrialization and use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture are causing heavy and varied pollution in aquatic environments leading to the deterioration in water quality and aquatic biota. Planktons are taxonomically diverse, composed of plants, animals, bacteria and viruses. Globally the biomasses of phytoplankton and zooplankton are about equal, although the doubling time of zooplankton is considerably longer than for phytoplankton. The present investigation was carried out to assess the water quality and plankton diversity in Anchuthengu lake, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Analysis of water quality was done with respect to eleven important physicochemical parameters like air and surface water temperature, pH, TDS, salinity, electrical conductivity, alkalinity, hardness, free CO2, DO and BOD. Conductivity shows high positive correlation with alkalinity and hardness. Alkalinity is positively correlated with hardness. The aquatic flora and fauna in the lake may grow well because the DO value in the current study was over 5 mg/L, and the BOD value also indicates that the lake is less contaminated.. The dominated plankton species identified in the present study were Spirogyra, Chlorella, Navicula, Pinnularia, Oscillatoria, Closterium, Cosmerium.

Assessment of physicochemical characteristics and identification of groundwater quality indicator parameters in Aizawl, Mizoram, Northeast India

The increase in population and rapid industrial development have resulted in surface water pollution that stresses groundwater resources to ensure sustainable consumption and human well-being. The present study was aimed to assess the physico-chemical characteristics and heavy metal concentration of groundwater in Aizawl city. The study also seeks to determine the indicator parameters of water quality through analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation coefficient in relation to physico-chemical properties. The results revealed that all physico-chemical parameters were within the regulatory standards, except turbidity (80.9 NTU) and phosphate (0.6365 mg/L). Trace amounts of Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu) were also present; however, Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn) slightly exceeded (Fe: 1.162 mg/L; Mn: 0.6892 mg/L) the permissible limit. Statistically, two-way ANOVA revealed that temperature, chloride, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), calcium, and dissolved oxygen (DO) were significant (p<0.001) both between sites and seasons. Further, TH showed positive and significant correlation with total dissolved solid (TDS) (R2=0.792), chloride (R2=0.52), TA (R2=0.62), calcium (R2=0.88), and Zn (R2=0.61). Conversely, DO demonstrated negative and significant correlation with turbidity (R2=-0.73), chloride (R2=-0.52), phosphates (R2=-0.70), ammonia (R2=-0.81), and Mn (R2=-0.58). These results indicate that the analysis of TH and DO can serve function as proxies for indirectly indicating the presence and concentrations of the other correlated water quality parameters. Thus, TH and DO act as indicator parameters for water quality in holistic groundwater monitoring in Aizawl. The identification of water quality indicator parameters can play a key role in future research for cost-effective, rapid, and seasonal groundwater monitoring to ensure the sustainable management of this resource.

Assessment of Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Heavy Metal Content of Mangrove Water and Sediment from Selected Sites, Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, India

Due to their function in averting catastrophic weather occurrences like tsunamis and cyclones, mangrove forests are of paramount importance. The current study sought to determine the heavy metal content in water and sediment as well as the physico-chemical quality of mangrove water and sediment. Physico-chemical parameters and edaphic characteristics were studied for different sites i.e. Vadgam, Tada Talav and Kantiajal of the Gulf of Khambhat having mangrove vegetation. Physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals were higher at Kantiajal which is situated in Hansot tehsil of Bharuch district. This might be because it is adjacent to the industrial area of Ankleshwar and Panoli. Some of the physico-chemical parameters studied were turbidity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, COD, sulphate, phosphate, ammonical nitrogen, Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Cobalt (Co) and Lead (Pb) were the metal selected for the study. In order to develop conservation and management plans, a thorough research of the mangrove species in the Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, is required. The current study gives the baseline data for these species.

Monthly Assessment Of Physicochemical Characteristics Of Sampled Fish Ponds Water At University Of Ibadan Fish Farm

Survival of artificial fish farm is based on chosen pond and its environment. Ideal environment will enhance optimum growth and development of fish. The major problem hindered the success of fish production are links to water, this are traced to seasonal variations in fish pond water. The negligence on part of fish farmer towards the aforementioned challenges has continues to bring set back to success of fish farming. The current study is focus on monthly assessment of physicochemical characteristics of water from University of Ibadan, Fish farm. Water samples were collected from two earthen ponds from University of Ibadan, Fish farm, Ibadan, Oyo state. Water Temperature, Air Temperature and pH, were determined in-situ while the other parameters were determined out-situ. All properties were examined according to standard methods. The overall mean and standard deviation of results obtained over a period of year are as follows: Water Temperature (26.40±1.91), Air Temperature (29.22±1.52), pH (8.08±0.52), Dissolved Oxygen (6.46±0.75mg/L), Total Dissolved Solids (22.02±9.31), Electrical conductivity (9.64±2.35μS/cm), Total Hardness (42.14±10.18mg/L), Total Alkalinity (35.42±5.23 mg/L), Phosphate (0.85±0.57 mg/L), Chloride (8.55±0.79), Nitrate (2.52±0.79 mg/L), Calcium (33.86±15.55 mg/L), Sodium (23.90±0.92), Magnesium (1.20±0.10), Potassium (1.04±0.06) and Iron (0.36±0.06). The above results are mostly within the WHO, SON and FEPA standards limits for drinking water. Also, they are within the required regulatory requirements for optimal survival for fish in ponds. Water sampled in two ponds examined are perfectly fit for fish production.

Assessment of physico-chemical characteristics of mosquito breeding sites in Northwest Nigeria

Assessment of physico-chemical characteristics of mosquito breeding sites in Northwest Nigeria

Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics and Microbiological Quality in Broiler Chicken Breast Muscle (Pectoralis major) Subjected to Different Temperatures and Lengths of Cold Transportation.

Cold truck transportation is considered one of the most integral parts in a food processing chain. However, countless cases of product spoilage and food poisoning incidents have proven that temperature control during transport has been neglected. Literature on the impact of temperature during distribution is scarce. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of various transportation temperatures and travel duration on the meat quality and microbial population of broiler chicken breast muscle. Sixty broiler chickens (42 days old) were slaughtered and eviscerated; they then had their breast muscles removed (each bird provided two breast muscle samples: left breast and right breast), which were wrapped in plastic film. All 120 packed boneless breasts (PBBs) were then placed at −18 °C for 24 h. After 24 h, the 60 PBB samples were subjected to transportation for 1 h at 4 °C (20 PBBs), 10 °C (20 PBBs), and 15 °C (20 PBBs) while the remaining 60 samples were transported for 5 h at 4 °C (20 PBBs), 10 °C (20 PBBs), and 15 °C (20 PBBs) before analyses. The samples transported at higher temperatures exhibited higher populations of coliform and Salmonella than those transported at lower temperatures. A significant impact of the transportation duration on the Salmonella population was only observed in samples transported at 4 °C for 5 h. However, a significant impact of transportation temperature on color was only recorded for the redness (a*) values, where the samples transported at higher temperatures exhibited higher redness (a*) values. Significant increases in lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values as well as decreases in redness (a*) and pH values were recorded in samples subjected to longer durations of transportation across all the temperatures observed in this study.

Electrospun wound dressings containing bioactive natural products: physico-chemical characterization and biological assessment

BackgroundCurrent research on skin tissue engineering has been focusing on novel therapies for the effective management of chronic wounds. A critical aspect is to develop matrices that promote growth and uniform distribution of cells across the wound area, and at the same time offer protection, as well as deliver drugs that help wound healing and tissue regeneration. In this context, we aimed at developing electrospun scaffolds that could serve as carriers for the bioactive natural products alkannin and shikonin (A/S).MethodsA series of polymeric nanofibers composed of cellulose acetate (CA) or poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and varying ratios of a mixture of A/S derivatives, has been successfully fabricated and their physico-chemical and biological properties have been explored.ResultsScanning electron microscopy revealed a uniform and bead-free morphology for CA scaffolds, while for PCL beads along the fibers were observed. The average diameters for all nanofibers ranged between 361 ± 47 and 487 ± 88 nm. During the assessment of physicochemical characteristics, CA fiber mats exhibited a more favored profile, while the assessment of the biological properties of the scaffolds showed that CA samples containing A/S mixture up to 1 wt.% achieved to facilitate attachment, survival and migration of Hs27 fibroblasts. With respect to the antimicrobial properties of the scaffolds, higher drug-loaded (1 and 5 wt.%) samples succeeded in inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. aureus around the edges of the fiber mats. Finally, carrying out a structure-activity relationship study regarding the biological activities (fibroblast toxicity/proliferation and antibacterial activity) of pure A/S compounds – present in the A/S mixture – we concluded that A/S ester derivatives and the dimeric A/S augmented cell proliferation after 3 days, whereas shikonin proved to be toxic at 500 nM and 1 μM and alkannin only at 1 μM. Additionally, alkannin, shikonin and acetyl-shikonin showed more pronounced antibacterial properties than the other esters, the dimeric derivative and the A/S mixture itself.ConclusionsTaken together, these findings indicate that embedding A/S derivatives into CA nanofibers might be an advantageous drug delivery system that could also serve as a potential candidate for biomedical applications in the field of skin tissue engineering.

Assessment of Physico-chemical Characteristics and Phytoplankton Diversity in Pond Ecosystems of Tripura,India

Ponds play an important role in the retention of water, supply of aquatic products, and biodiversity of an area. A pond ecosystem is a composition of plants, animals, microorganisms, and the physical environment in which they live and has different elements that work to maintain ecological balance. Tripura is known for its abundant pond ecosystem, which the community manages for its livelihood purpose. In this study, three different-sized ponds were selected from the Khowai district of Tripura. The water physic-chemical properties and plankton diversity of three different sized ponds were assessed as per the standard procedure. It was observed that the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is high in the large pond, whereas the level of dissolved oxygen (DO) was found to be less in this category of the pond. However,the DO level was higher in small ponds, and the medium pond is also within the acceptable limit. The pH results also revealed that the water has become chiefly alkaline in a large pond and moderately acidic in a medium pond. During the study, 43 species of phytoplanktons from 4 families were identified. Maximum species (31) were recorded from small ponds followed by medium (17 species) and a large pond (15 species). The most dominant phytoplankton families were Chlorophyceae (37%) and Eugleanophyceae (26%) in pond ecosystems. Though the small-sized ponds are more diverse and suitable for aquatic life, however, the large-sized ponds are economically viable for this region. So, the people and Government should take some initiatives for conserving those pond ecosystems for the betterment of society.

Assessment of physicochemical characteristics of lower River Niger at Kpata, Adankolo and Gadumo Stations in Kogi State, Nigeria

The present work was conducted to study the physicochemical parameters of lower River Niger at Lokoja and Ajaokuta local government area of Kogi state, with the aims to determine the physical and chemical situation of the River at this point in time, compare the physical and chemical situation of the river with earlier work done on River Niger and other relevant water bodies by relevant authors also to determine its suitability for fish growth and survival at this point in time. Water samples were collected for four month (January to April) at three sampling site (two site from Lokoja and one from Ajaokuta local government area) and analysed for various physicochemical parameter. The mean temperature values ranged from 23.55 - 28.350C at Kpata station, 24.65- 29.750C at Adankolo station and 23.90-28.900C at Gadumo station. The mean pH values ranged from 6.69-8.15 at Kpata station, 6.60-8.30 at Adankolo station and 6.10-8.20 at Gadumo station. The mean electrical conductivity values ranged from 68.50-135.50µS/cm at Kpata station, 68.00-122.50 µS/cm at Adankolo station and 68.00-122.50 µS/cm at Gadumo station. The mean dissolved oxygen (DO) values ranged from 6.10-9.30 mg/l at Kpata station, 5.65-7.78 mg/l at Adankolo station and 6.10-9.30 mg/l at Gadumo station. The mean transparency values ranged from 0.31-0.60m at Kpata station, 0.31-0.60m at Adankolo station and 0.30-0.44m at Gadumo station. The mean biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) values ranged from 2.10-2.95 mg/l at Kpata station, 2.05-3.25 mg/l at Adankolo station and 2.10-4.00 mg/l at Gadumo station. The mean nitrate values ranged from 0.02-0.05 mg/l at Kpata station, 0.02-0.03 mg/l at Adankolo station and 0.02-0.04 mg/l at Gadumo station. The mean phosphate values ranged from 0.48-0.61 mg/l at Kpata station, 0.51-0.65 mg/l at Adankolo station and 0.49-0.64 mg/l at Gadumo station. The study indicated that the mean value of the studied parameters which include pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, Electrical conductivity, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrate, transparency and phosphate of the River compares slightly favourably with the work of other researchers and within the range that support fish growth and survival. This indicates that the river is in a healthy state and is favourable for fish growth and survival.
 Keywords: physiochemical parameter, water, river Niger, fish growth

Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics of Effluents from Paper Mill in the State of Uttar Pradesh, India

Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics of Effluents from Paper Mill in the State of Uttar Pradesh, India

Comparative Assessment of Physico-chemical Characteristics of Two Grassland Soils Subjected to Different Uses in Delta State, Nigeria

In this study, physico-chemical properties of 2 differentially located grassland soils which were subjected to different economic usages, were assessed. The study was carried out for grassland soils of Ogbole-Ogume (excavation) and Abbi (Cultivation), both in Ndokwa West LGA of Delta State, Nigeria. The soils were collected at the road margin (0m), 30m into the grasslands and 10m away from the end of the grasslands at a depth of about 10.30m each from the soil surfaces. Soil characteristics as pH, Mg, Ca, Na, K, EC, CEC, SO₄, P, N, clay, silt and sand contents were analyzed following standard procedures and methodologies. At margins, soils from Ogbole-Ogume and Abbi contained 94.5% and 91.0% sand; at 30m into the grasslands, both were 93.0% sand while at 10m beyond the grassland soils, 93.0% and 90.0% sand were recorded for Ogbole-Ogume and Abbi, respectively. Comparatively, physico-chemical parameters investigated in this study showed variations between both sampled sites as parameters like pH, Mg, Ca, K, CEC, P and N were generally higher in Abbi than in Ogbole-Ogume grassland soils. This clearly indicated that crop cultivation at Abbi grassland soils must have significantly impacted more on the physico-chemical properties of the soils than excavation activities as practiced at Ogbole-Ogume grassland soils. This has strong indications for food security and environmental health.

Assessment of Physico Chemical Characteristics of Ground Water around Debre Tabor Town, Ethiopia

Assessment of Physico Chemical Characteristics of Ground Water around Debre Tabor Town, Ethiopia

Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics and Thermophilic Bacterial Enumeration from Hot Water Springs of Himachal Pradesh

Hot water springs are the geothermally heated and each thermal spring is found to be unique and different with respect to thermophilic bacterial diversity and various characteristics such as temperature, pH and chemistry of water. In the present study, pH and temperature of the six thermal springs assessed was found to vary from 6.5 to 8.4 and 36.5 to 94.6 °C respectively. Various physicochemical properties of these water samples evaluated were chloride (609.667–1857.667 mg/l), sulphate (12.667–44.667 mg/l), total hardness (34.833–131.600 mg/l), calcium hardness (29.00–125.00 mg/l), calcium carbonate hardness (58.00–272.33 mg/l) and magnesium content (3.85–26.15 mg/l). Evaluation of these six hot water springs was also carried out and thermophilic bacterial population was found to be highest (3.54 × 105 cfu/g) at Vashisht and minimum (0.54 × 105 cfu/g) at Kalath. In the present strudy most of the thermophilic bacterial isolates were found to belong to families Bacillaceae and Thermaceae.

Assessment of physicochemical characteristics and modifications of pasting properties of different varieties of maize flour using additives.

Maize cereal has potential to be used for food purpose but lack of viscoelastic behaviour that limits its use for this purpose. Therefore, present study on modification of pasting properties of maize flour using different additives was carried out. Flours of three maize varieties (PMH1, JL3459 and Buland) with and without additives (guar gum, xanthan gum, whey protein concentrate and potato starch) were analysed for physico-chemical and pasting properties. Maize (PMH1) had maximum thousand kernel weight (312.47g), bulk density (0.80g/ml), force to rupture (68.54kg) and contained the highest starch (67.70%) and fat (5.08%) among the three varieties. Different levels of guar gum (0-1.0%), xanthan gum (0-1.0%), whey protein concentrate (0-15.0%) and potato starch (0-10.0%) were incorporated in flours from three maize varieties. Results showed that guar gum 1.0% (w/w basis) and xanthan gum 1.0% (w/w basis) incorporation led to the highest peak and final viscosity whereas whey protein concentrate and potato starch were not selected because of negative effect on these properties. These additives can be used as binding agent in chapati and other maize products.

Assessment of physicochemical characteristics, thermal stability and release profile of ascorbic acid microcapsules obtained by complex coacervation

The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical characteristics, thermal stability and release profile of ascorbic acid (AA) microcapsules obtained by complex coacervation. Gelatin and gum arabic were used as wall materials in concentrations of 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 g% (w/v). The coacervate microcapsules were freeze-dried and assessed for physicochemical characteristics, thermal behavior and stability during 60 days of storage. The release profile was evaluated at different pH values (1.1, 2.2, 5.4, 7.4, 9.6 and 12). The encapsulation efficiency ranged from 27.3 to 93.8%. The microcapsules of AA presented good characteristics for application in food matrices, such as average diameter below 12.4 μm, low solubility and low hygroscopicity. The AA had its thermal stability significantly improved by the encapsulation process, which extends its application in the food industry. The release of AA was slower at pH near neutrality, with release of 97, 96 and 99% of encapsulated AA at 240, 300 and 270 min at pH 5.4, 7.4 and 9.6, respectively. Different mathematical models were successfully fitted to the release kinetics: R2 > 0.94, absolute deviations<16% and RMS deviations<0.09. A mathematical model for a two-step release was proposed, resulting in very high correlations with the experimental data observed: R2 > 0.99, absolute deviations<3.5% and RMS deviations around 0.02.

Assessment of Physico-chemical Characteristics and Functionality of Existing Potable Water Sources in Disaster Prone Area of South-West Coastal Region in Bangladesh

Assessment of Physico-chemical Characteristics and Functionality of Existing Potable Water Sources in Disaster Prone Area of South-West Coastal Region in Bangladesh

Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics of Selected Borehole Waters in Oke-Oyi Community, Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State

The physicochemical parameters of seven different borehole waters in Oke-Oyi, Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria were assessed to determine it suitability for human consumption. The parameters examined include temperature (28 - 29⁰C), conductivity (414 - 1603 μs/cm), pH (5.71 - 6.57), total hardness (20.2 - 67.3 mg/L). The concentrations of heavy metals determined are Zn (0.010 – 0.022 mg/L), Fe (0.002 - 0.120 mg/L), Cr (0.075 - 0.12 mg/L), Cu (3x10 -4 – 2x10 -3 mg/L), Co (0.01 - 0.26 mg/L) and Mn (0.082 - 0.94 mg/L). There was no lead detected in two of the borehole water samples while those detected have low concentration range 1 x 10 -5 – 6 x 10 -5 . The results of physicochemical parameters obtained are within World Health Organisation (WHO) limits except for the pH that is slightly lower and the conductivity of OKY 1 that is slightly higher. Keywords : Borehole water, physicochemical parameters, Heavy metals, Community, Quality

Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics of Groundwater Quality used for Drinking Water Supply of Firozabad City, India using Index Method

The aim of the present study is to assess the qualitative aspect of drinking water supply of Firozabad city (India) through index method and comparing it with existing standards for important parameters. The main components of the study include a field sampling analysis of groundwater collected from three different sites viz. Agra Gate (S1), Suhag Nagar (S2) and Raja Ka Tal (S3) and it’s Index is calculated from physico-chemical analysis of eight parameters taken together, which ranges from 235.56 to 576.59 indicating the heavy pollution load in water. The present paper also examines the occurrence of diseases in the households of Firozabad city obtained through field survey which shows that malaria, Diarrhea, Gastroenteritis and Cholera are most frequently diseases in the city inhabitants. The paper is concluded with few remedial strategies. Key Words: Water Quality, Water Quality Index, EIA, Health, Diseases, Firozabad City.

Dulce de leche‐like product enriched with emulsified pecan oil: Assessment of physicochemical characteristics, quality attributes, and shelf‐life

“Dulce de leche” (DL) is a rich, creamy, caramel‐like milk‐based sauce or spread, prepared by concentrating whole milk with sucrose, reaching a lipid content of about 6% w/w. A DL‐like product with pre‐emulsified pecan oil as fat source was developed. Nonfat milk, xanthan gum, sugars, pecan oil, and natural tocopherols were included in the formulation prepared in a pilot‐plant scale and stored at room temperature. Pecan oil‐DL showed physicochemical and rheological characteristics similar to those of commercial DL containing ∼6% milk fat. A slight increase in viscosity was observed after 2 months of storage, remaining almost constant thereafter. Crystal formation was not observed and microbial counts were low. Slight lipid oxidation was experienced after 138 days. DL fatty acid (FA) profile showed high content of unsaturated FA (UFA, 89–90% w/w), mainly oleic and linoleic acids, effectively protected by both tocopherols and antioxidant compounds. Pecan oil‐DL presented good sensorial characteristics (above 7 points on a 10 point‐hedonic scale), with 82.6% less saturated FA and 200% more UFA than a traditional milk fat‐product, being an alternative product with lipid profile enriched in unsaturated fatty acids.Practical applications: The “dulce de leche” (DL) jam‐like developed could be considered an alternative to the traditional DL, with better nutritional value considering its lipid composition. It has a fatty acid (FA) balance in favor of unsaturated FA as well as absence of cholesterol in the formulation because it is a product elaborated with nonfat milk. DL formulated with pecan oil showed physicochemical, rheological, and sensory characteristics similar to commercial products that contain about ∼6% milk fat. It showed good stability during storage at room temperature, with no lactose crystal formation, and only slight lipid oxidation. The product was successfully developed in the laboratory and also produced in a pilot plant scale, thus, it is feasible to produce it at an industrial scale.A DL‐like product with pre‐emulsified pecan oil as fat source was developed. Pecan oil‐DL showed physicochemical and rheological characteristics similar to those of commercial DL containing ∼6% milk fat. DL fatty acid (FA) profile showed high content of unsaturated FA (UFA, 89–90% w/w), mainly oleic and linoleic acids, effectively protected by both tocopherols and antioxidant compounds. Pecan oil‐DL presented good sensorial characteristics, with 82.6% less saturated FA and 200% more UFA than a traditional milk fat‐product, being an alternative product with lipid profile enriched in unsaturated fatty acids.

Assessment of Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Trace Metal Contents of Drinking Water Samples of District Tiruchirappalli

Assessment of Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Trace Metal Contents of Drinking Water Samples of District Tiruchirappalli