Important Economic Product Research Articles

Mercury Pollution in Soils from the Yacuambi River (Ecuadorian Amazon) as a Result of Gold Placer Mining.

Gold mining is known to generate important economic products but also to produce several types of contamination/pollution. We report here the first data about Hg concentrations in the soils of the Yacuambi River in the Ecuadorian Amazon. We analyzed soil samples to assess the extent of contamination caused by gold placer mining in this area. Hg concentrations in soils exceeded the local background concentrations. High concentrations of Mn, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Fe and Zn in some soil samples were probably derived from the geology of the site, which is rich in polysulfides and metamorphic rocks. Placer mining may accelerate the natural release of these elements to the environment by the exposure of the bedrock to the atmosphere. Accumulation of Hg in the river soils may be a potential source of toxicity for aquatic life and a risk to human health in the future.

Cytogenetic, cytotoxic and GC-MS studies on concrete and absolute oils from Taif rose, Saudi Arabia.

Taif rose (Rosa damascena trigintipetala Dieck) is a sort of damask rose, which is considered as one of the most important economic products of Taif. In this study, the authors investigated the possible cytotoxic, genotoxic, antimutagenic and anticancer effect of concrete and absolute rose oils. The results showed that both concrete and absolute rose oils were cytotoxically and genotoxically safe at a dose of 10μg/ml when tested on cultures of normal human blood lymphocytes. Also, the results showed significant antimutagenic activity at p<0.001 for absolute rose oil at the same dose level when tested on cultures of normal human blood lymphocytes supplemented with 300ng/ml mitomycin C (MMC). On the other hand, concrete and absolute oils exerted a cytotoxic activity against two kinds of human cancer cell lines: HepG2 and MCF7. Concrete oil showed cytotoxic activity against HepG2 and MCF7 with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50)of 16.28 and 18.09μg/ml, respectively, whereas absolute rose oil showed its cytotoxic activity against HepG2 and MCF7 with an IC50of 24.94 and 19.69, respectively. From this study, it is concluded that concrete and absolute rose oils are cytotoxically and genotoxically safe at a dose of 10μg/ml when tested on cultures of normal human blood lymphocytes. In addition, absolute oil has an antimutagenic activity at the same dose. Further investigations are needed to study the activity of higher doses of both oils in vitro and in vivo in experimental animals in order to evaluate the capability of using these oils as therapeutic for treatment of some kinds of cancers.

Characterization of the phytochemical constituents of Taif rose and its antioxidant and anticancer activities.

Ward Taifi (Taif rose) is considered one of the most important economic products of Taif, Saudi Arabia. In this study both fresh and dry Taif rose were biologically and phytochemically investigated. The 80% methanol extracts and n-butanol fractions of dry and fresh Taif rose had high radical scavenging activity toward artificial 1,1-diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)• radical with SC50 values range 5.86−12.24 µg/ml whereas the aqueous fractions showed weak activity. All samples had in vitro anticancer activity toward HepG2 with IC50 < 20 µg/ml which fall within the criteria of the American Cancer Institute. High positive correlation appeared between the antioxidant activity and total phenolics whereas there is no correlation between total phenolics and anticancer activity. The LC-ESI(− ve)-MS analysis of all extracts indicate the presence of phenolic compounds belonging to hydrolysable tannins and flavonol glycosides. In conclusion, the presence of this is considered to be the first phytochemical report that identifies the major compounds in dry and fresh roses using HPLC-ESI-MS. The methanol extracts and its n-butanol and aqueous fractions for both fresh and dry Taif rose could be used as preventive and therapeutic effective natural agents for diseases in which free radicals involved after more in vitro and in vivo studies.

Total Phenolics and Antioxidant Activity of Defatted Fresh Taif Rose, Saudi Arabia

Recently, the residues or by-products of agriculture industry take attention for their valuable source of natural antioxidants. Taif rose (Rosa damascena trigintipetala Dieck) is considered one of the most important economic products of Taif, Saudi Arabia. In this study, the antioxidant and total phenolic contents of the defatted flowers of fresh Taif rose were investigated. The antioxidant activity was chemically determined using three methods; 1,1-diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH.) free radical scavenging activity, phosphomolybdenum method and reducing power activity. The methanol extract showed antiradical activity with SC50=49.44 mg/ml. Different fractions obtained from successive fractionation of the methanol extract with organic solvents of different polarities; chloroform (CHCl3), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and n-butanol (n-BuOH); showed that, the EtOAc fraction had higher antiradical activity than n-BuOH fraction, and their respective SC50 were 15.62 and 36.29 mg/ml. On the other hand, CHCl3 fraction had a poor antiradical activity (SC50>100 mg/ml). The total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols and RP-HPLC analysis of the methanol extract and its EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions were determined. The ethyl acetate fraction had the highest contents of phenolics, flavonoids and flavonols that correlated with the antioxidant activity. From this work, it is obvious that the by-product from concrete oil production of Taif rose could be used as a good inexpensive source of antioxidant polyphenolics.

Treatment of cassava mill wastewater and production of electricity through microbial fuel cell technology

Cassava mill wastewater has a high organic content and is an important economic product of traditional and rural low technology agro-industry in many parts of the world. This study explores the utilization of agro-industrial wastewater collected from cassava mills as a resource for electricity generation by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Mixed culture sludge was used to inoculate the bottom chamber of the MFCs whilst cassava mill wastewater was used in the MFCs. Experimental results showed that the MFCs could generate electricity from full-strength cyanide laden wastewater (16000mg-COD/L, 86mg/L cyanide) with a maximum power density of 1771mW/m2. The results from this study demonstrate the feasibility of using MFC technology to generate electricity whilst simultaneously treating cyanide laden cassava mill wastewater effectively. Using MFCs for cassava mill wastewater treatment provides an attractive way to reduce the cost of wastewater treatment in addition to generating electricity.

The Harvest Ceremony Seú as a Case Study of the Dynamics of Power in Post-Emancipation Curaçao (1863–1915)

IntroductionOn 8 August 1862 the so-called Emancipation law was passed in the Netherlands: the enslaved in the Dutch colonies would become free on 1 July 1863. Accordingly, the 67 government slaves and 6,958 private slaves in Cura?ao gained their freedom on the latter date (Lant?rnu 2003:17). The group of Afro -Cura?ao ans comprised approximately 85 percent of the total population, of which thirty- five percent became freed people at this time (Oostindie, 1995:158; Oostindie, 1997:56).The sociologists Harry Hoetink (1987) and Ren? R?mer (1979) who studied the post-Emancipation society of Cura?ao stated that in this society, policy and the locus of political, social and economic power continued in place after slavery. The upper class remained predominantly white and continued to lead the economic, political and cultural spheres in society, while most blacks remained subjected - even though no longer enslaved. The economic standing thus continued to follow color lines with power lying in the hands of a select few.An important element to consider is the position of the Roman Catholic Church in the daily lives of the Afro -Cura?ao ans. Before emancipation, this Church was allowed by the colonial state, Protestant Dutch Reformed oriented, to convert the Afro-Cura?aoans. The Roman Catholic Church played a very important role by way of its attempts to change the way of life of the Afro-Cura?aoans and to bring about, through Catholicism, a type of culture which it considered civilized and respectable.In this paper I focus on the post-Emancipation social life of Afro-Cura?aoans within the dynamics of culture and power. It examines the social life of Afro-Cura?aoans in the period between 1 863, the year of emancipation, and 1915, the year in which the establishment of Shell oil company on the island triggered the beginnings of an industrialized society.My concern in this paper is to explore how the state, the plantation owners and the Roman Catholic Church exercised power affecting the social life of Afro -Cura?ao ans and to explore how Afro -Cura?ao ans, within the parameters of these key power groups/institutions, were able to shape their daily life around their own expectations and aspirations. I look at how this manifested itself in the harvest ceremony named se?. This celebration originated during slavery and continued afterwards. It developed around the harvesting of millet (sorghum vulgare) ? a very important economic product both during and after slavery.The paper is based on archival sources as well as oral history, including interviews about the past conducted by Elis Juliana and Father Brenneker and also by myself with elderly Afro -Cura?ao ans.The Harvest Celebration Se?Cura?ao did not have a plantation economy as most other parts of the Caribbean did. Commerce was one of the main economic pillars. During slavery, enslaved in Cura?ao produced subsistence products and occupied roles in the small trades and crafts rather than labouring in the mass production of an export crop such as tobacco or sugar. This significantly differentiated them from the enslaved on most other Caribbean islands. More importantly for the present discussion, this trade economy shaped a different type of social system in Cura?ao than the one found in most other parts of the Caribbean.The island's strength as a commercial area was countered-balanced by the fact that subsistence was a major concern on the island. How to feed the people was a matter of greater importance than the export of a plantation crop. This affected the ways in which enslaved could live their daily life and establish their social, economic and cultural spheres. It also affected the daily lives of freed people both during and after slavery.The planting and harvesting of millet was an important aspect of daily life. During slavery, millet was an important economic product, primarily used for self-consumption for the enslaved. …

Syntenic relationships among legumes revealed using a gene-based genetic linkage map of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Molecular linkage maps are an important tool for gene discovery and cloning, crop improvement, further genetic studies, studies on diversity and evolutionary history, and cross-species comparisons. Linkage maps differ in both the type of marker and type of population used. In this study, gene-based markers were used for mapping in a recombinant inbred (RI) population of Phaseolus vulgaris L. P. vulgaris, common dry bean, is an important food source, economic product, and model organism for the legumes. Gene-based markers were developed that corresponded to genes controlling mutant phenotypes in Arabidopsis thaliana, genes undergoing selection during domestication in maize, and genes that function in a biochemical pathway in A. thaliana. Sequence information, including introns and 3' UTR, was generated for over 550 genes in the two genotypes of P. vulgaris. Over 1,800 single nucleotide polymorphisms and indels were found, 300 of which were screened in the RI population. The resulting LOD 2.0 map is 1,545 cM in length and consists of 275 gene-based and previously mapped core markers. An additional 153 markers that mapped at LOD <1.0 were placed in genetic bins. By screening the parents of other mapping populations, it was determined that the markers were useful for other common Mesoamerican × Andean mapping populations. The location of the mapped genes relative to their homologs in Arabidopsis thaliana (At), Medicago truncatula (Mt), and Lotus japonicus (Lj) were determine by using a tblastx analysis with the current psedouchromosome builds for each of the species. While only short blocks of synteny were observed with At, large-scale macrosyntenic blocks were observed with Mt and Lj. By using Mt and Lj as bridging species, the syntenic relationship between the common bean and peanut was inferred.

Cyanide removal from cassava mill wastewater using Azotobactor vinelandii TISTR 1094 with mixed microorganisms in activated sludge treatment system

Cassava mill wastewater has a high organic and cyanide content and is an important economic product of traditional and rural low technology agro-industry in many parts of the world. However, the wastewater is toxic and can pose serious threat to the environment and aquatic life in the receiving waters. The ability of Azotobactor vinelandii TISTR 1094, a N 2-fixing bacterium, to grow and remove cyanide in cassava wastewater was evaluated. Results revealed that the cells in the exponential phase reduce the level of cyanide more rapidly than when the cells are at their stationary growth phase. The rate of cyanide removal by A. vinelandii depends on the initial cyanide concentration. As the initial cyanide concentration increased, removal rate increased and cyanide removal of up to 65.3% was achieved. In the subsequent pilot scale trial involving an activated sludge system, the introduction of A. vinelandii into the system resulted in cyanide removals of up to 90%. This represented an improvement of 20% when compared to the activated sludge system which did not incorporate the strain.

Avaliação química e sensorial de ovos obtidos por diferentes tratamentos

Os ovos estão entre os produtos mais importantes economicamente no país, e sua maneira de produção apresenta diferentes opções. A pesquisa teve por objetivo avaliar, química e sensorialmente, ovos obtidos pela forma tradicional, semi-orgânica e orgânica. Foram coletados 144 ovos convencionais brancos e vermelhos, semi-orgânicos e orgânicos, nos locais de produção. As análises químicas de composição centesimal e minerais foram realizadas. O teor de retinol, alfa e beta caroteno foi determinado por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência. Foram realizados teste hedônico e teste de ordenação. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos completos casualizados. Foi realizado teste de Tukey (p < 0,05) e qui-quadrado. Para as análises químicas não houve diferença quanto aos teores de umidade, cinzas, carboidratos e ferro, porém houve diferença (p < 0,05) para proteínas, lipídios, cálcio e magnésio. Para o retinol não houve diferença significativa e não foram detectados alfa e beta caroteno. Para o teor de colesterol houve diferença significativa, mas para a análise sensorial não. Portanto, o manejo influencia tanto no teor de proteína e lipídeos quanto no cálcio e magnésio, assim como no teor de colesterol das gemas, porém, não altera os teores de vitamina A e as características sensoriais.

Preservation or Conversion? Valuation and Evaluation of a Mangrove forest in the Philippines

Mangrove ecosystems are rapidly declining in many parts of the world. This has resulted in the loss of important environmental and economic products and services including forest products, flood mitigation and nursery grounds for fish. The aquaculture industry was the single biggest threat to mangroves in the Philippines until 1981 when conversion of the remaining mangrove stands was prohibited by law. However, the decreasing yield from capture fisheries is putting pressure for the re-examination of this policy. To understand the importance of mangroves, insight is needed into the value of products and services provided is needed. This article compares the costs and benefits of mangrove preservation with those generated by alternative uses such as aquaculture and forestry. Equity and sustainability objectives are taken into account, in addition to economic efficiency and analyzed according to the perspectives of the different types of decision makers involved.

The geochemistry and mineralization of alkaline ring complexes in Africa (a review)

Carbonatites are defined as igneous rocks containing more than 50% carbonate minerals. They are divided into four classes: (1) calcic, (2) dolomitic, (3) ferrocarbonatite, and (4) natrocarbonatite. Carbonatites are characteristically associated with ijolites, but not all carbonatites are entirely magmatic. Many centres show metasomatic replacement features, referred to as fenitization. Most subvolcanic and volcanic carbonatite centres are calcic, but trapped fluids as inclusions in apatite crystals indicate that the bulk composition was alkalic and chemically comparable to natrocarbonatite. Experimental evidence suggests that parental carbonatite magma is the product of immiscibility from an alkali silicate liquid of phonolitic or nephelinitic composition. Alkali loss from the bulk carbonatite magma caused fenitization represented by zones of sodic and potassic metasomatism. Sodic metasomatism is more frequently located at deeper eroded centres and is characterized by the occurrence of albitite. Potassic metasomatism is more common in many carbonatite centres and is represented mineralogically by alkali feldspar and phlogopite. Many fenites carry an alkaline ferromagnesian assemblage consisting principally of alkali amphibole (eckermannite-magnesioarfvedsonite) and/or aegirine. Carbonatites have igneous isotopic ratios and distinctive contents of incompatible trace elements. Associated fenites have elevated Sr isotopic ratios and selected TE enrichment pertinent to the dominant metasomatism. Carbonatites exhibit REE, Nb, U, Th mineralization and, more rarely, sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite mineralization. Both disseminated and vein-controlled mineralization are found in many carbonatite centres. The most important economic products of carbonatites include pyrochore, columbite, monozite, apatite and zirconium minerals. The alkaline syenites and alkaline granites as ring complexes have textural, petrological and chemical characteristics which are distinctly different from I and S type granitoids. The characteristics of A-type granites are dominated by the separation of an (immiscible?) fluid phase which caused limited sodic and potassic metasomatism. Greisenization by acid metasomatism has played a critical role in several anorogenic provinces producing important UNb, ZnSn mineralization. In the fayalite granites, ferrohedenbergite breaks down to sodic-calcic amphibole as iron-rich olivine is destabilized under the influence of the fluid phase. Facies with aegirine and arfvedsonite can develop to give peralkaline granites. Relative loss of the peralkaline fluid phase results in the development of peraluminous biotite granites. The most significant chemical feature of anorogenic granites is that slight differences in the proportions of Na, K and Al can produce striking changes in the mineralogy of the A-type suite. The most characteristic feature of peralkaline granites is the anomalous enrichment in Zr, Zn, Nb, Y, Th, U, LREE, HREE, coupled with high Rb/Sr ratios. Some of these features are found in biotite granites but with dramatically less Zr, Hf, Nb and HREE. The primary mantle origin of syenitic magmas parental to intraplate alkalien granites is well established from isotope studies. The role of the continental crust is implemented by elevated initial 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios. The lower crust in Africa is thought to be lower Proterozoic in age from NdSrPb isotopic data. Fenitization is not only associated with carbonatite centres but also to a limited extent with alkaline granites. The evolution and separation of a peralkaline fluid phase from A-type granites has been experimentally demonstrated, and can be recorded by distinctive suites of subsolidus minerals and specific geochemical changes. From the mineralization viewpoint there are many parallels with the carbonatites, particularly with the abundance of sphalerite, rare-earth minerals, zircon and complex titanium-zirconyl silicates, uranium and thorium, columbite and pyrochlore. Such a distinctive alkaline mineralization suite, possibly related to an alkali carbonate fluid phase, is superimposed on a more normal, less alkaline group of ore minerals such as cassiterite, wolframite, chalcopyrite, and galena.