Methylene Blue Method Research Articles

Mitigating Water Pollution Using a Sustainable Biobased Low-Cost Adsorbent Derived From Mustard Straw

The present work is focussed on treating dye-laden polluted water by using a mustard straw-based activated carbon prepared using ZnCl2 and H3PO4 activation methods. The activation conditions based on the parameters reported in the literature are taken as follows: 700 °C activation temperature, impregnation ratio 2.0, and heating time 2 h. The textural and surface properties of mustard stalk activated carbon (MSAC) were studied by using SEM, nitrogen adsorption, and FT-IR, whereas its adsorption capacity was obtained using the methylene blue (MB) adsorption method. Activation of ZnCl2 and H3PO4 resulted in a BET surface area of 402 and 496 m2/g, respectively. The average pore diameter of the MSAC was found to be 2.13 and 2.59 nm for ZnCl2 and H3PO4 activation respectively. The Langmuir and Freundlich models were applied to evaluate the equilibrium parameters of MB adsorption. The monolayer adsorption capacity of MSAC by ZnCl2 and H3PO4 for MB removal from the Langmuir model were 122.25 and 213.21 mg/g respectively. Activation with H3PO4 was found to be more effective in modifying the structure of the mustard straw when compared with ZnCl2 and also it resulted in a higher adsorption capacity of MB. The present work highlights that the MSAC produced using H3PO4 activation is a low-cost bio-based adsorbent using abundant agricultural by-product namely mustard straw, and this adsorbent can be used in numerous industrially important applications.

Investigating the Fe0/H2O systems using the methylene blue method: Validity, applications, and future directions

An innovative approach to characterize the reactivity of metallic iron (Fe0) for aqueous contaminant removal has been in use for a decade: The methylene blue method (MB method). The approach considers the differential adsorptive affinity of methylene blue (MB) for sand and iron oxides. The MB method characterizes MB discoloration by sand as it is progressively coated by in-situ generated iron corrosion products (FeCPs) to deduce the extent of iron corrosion. The MB method is a semi-quantitative tool that has successfully clarified some contradicting reports on the Fe0/H2O system. Moreover, it has the potential to serve as a powerful tool for routine tests in the Fe0 remediation industry, including quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). However, MB is widely used as a ‘molecular probe’ to characterize the Fe0/H2O system, for instance for wastewater treatment. Thus, there is scope to avoid confusion created by the multiple uses of MB in Fe0/H2O systems. The present communication aims at filling this gap by presenting the science of the MB method, and its application and limitations. It is concluded that the MB method is very suitable for Fe0 material screening and optimization of operational designs. However, the MB method only provides semi-quantitative information, but gives no data on the solid-phase characterization of solid Fe0 and its reaction products. In other words, further comprehensive investigations with microscopic and spectroscopic surface and solid-state analyses are needed to complement results from the MB method.

Root K Affinity Drivers and Photosynthetic Characteristics in Response to Low Potassium Stress in K High-Efficiency Vegetable Soybean.

Significant variations of potassium absorption and utilization exist in vegetable soybean. Pot and hydroponic experiments were carried out to examine the characteristics of root potassium (K) affinity-associated drivers and photosynthesis in vegetable soybean (edamame) [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] with different K efficiency. Two K high-efficiency vegetable soybean genotypes (Line 19 and Line 20) and two K low-efficiency genotypes (Line 7 and Line 36) were investigated in low K and normal K conditions. The root of K high-efficiency genotypes had a higher K+ affinity associated with a higher maximum K+ uptake rate (Imax), but lower Michaelis constant for K+ absorption (Km) and lower compensation concentration for K+ uptake (Cmin). Seedlings of K high-efficiency genotypes also had higher root vigor [triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction method] and greater absorbing activity (methylene blue method), especially in the low K condition. Furthermore, the root bleeding-sap rate of K high-efficiency genotypes in low K stress was 9.9–24.3% greater than that of normal K conditions, which was accompanied by a relatively higher K concentration of root bleeding-sap in contributing to K+ upward flux. The root of K high-efficiency vegetable soybean genotypes exhibited K+ high-affinity and driving advantages. Photosynthetic parameters of K high-efficiency vegetable soybean genotypes were less affected by low K stress. Low K stress decreased the net photosynthetic rate of K high-efficiency genotypes by 6.1–6.9%, while that of K low-efficiency genotypes decreased by 10.9–15.7%. The higher chlorophyll (Chl) a/b ratio with enhanced relative content of Chl a in response to low K stress might be an adapted mechanism for K high-efficiency genotypes to maintain photosynthetic capacity. Stronger root K affinity drivers associated with photosynthetic adaptability to low K stress are the key factors in determining the K high-efficiency of vegetable soybeans.

Additives based on vegetable biomass to improve the stabilisation of expansive clay soil

This paper investigates the effect of different bio-based additives on the expansiveness of an Argentinian natural clayey soil (CR-clay). CR-clay was characterised to determine (a) the Atterberg parameters and other index properties, (b) the particle size distribution by laser diffraction, (c) the specific surface area (S e) and cationic exchange capacity by the methylene blue method, (d) the mineralogy by using X-ray diffraction, (e) the functional groups by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and (f) the free swelling and swelling pressure by using an odometer. Starches from potato, cassava, corn and rice flour; seeds and derivatives from flax, sunflower and quinoa; kraft lignin; and lignosulfonates were evaluated as soil stabilisation additives on the basis of measurements of Atterberg parameters. Reductions in the soil plasticity index (PI) between 10 and 60% were generally observed. Lignins exhibited a very good balance between the ability to improve soil stabilisation, low costs, environment-friendliness and availability. In particular, kraft lignin showed high performance as a CR-clay stabiliser with a PI reduction of 46%. The stabilisation mechanism of lignin and CR-clay blends was investigated using Z potential and FTIR. Based on the experimental results, lignins constitute promising alternatives to the additives used as stabilisers of expansive soils, particularly for reducing free-swell and swelling pressure.

Physiological response to the action of the agrotoxic 2,4-Dichlorophenoxiacetic acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The presence of xenobiotic compounds in the environment is responsible for impacts on the ecosystem. An example is pesticides that pose risks to non-target species, such as microorganisms present in the soil and that are responsible for cycling nutrients, some can be used to measure the effects of these compounds, such as yeasts because when exposed to toxic substances begin to present changes in physiological and genetic mechanisms. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the toxicity effect of the 2,4-D pesticide on Pedra-2 (PE-2) and Fleischmann® (FLE) yeasts. 2,4-D dilutions of 2.0; 4.0 and 6.0 µg L-1 were added to a solution prepared with 20 ml of ultra-pure water and 2.0 g of sucrose where the yeasts were grown. The phenotypic profile of yeasts against the toxicity of the compound was evaluated quantitatively with cell viability. Using the methylene blue method and qualitatively with cell growth tests in Petri dishes containing 2% YPD medium and flocculation on slides with methylene blue. Yeasts showed loss of viability and the FLE strain showed greater sensitivity, the cellular growth of this yeast was also more affected and, consequently, presented higher flocculation rates. The data show that the longer exposure time and the doses and concentrations of 2,4-D interfered with the physiological response of the FLE yeast. Thus, we can suggest that this microorganism has the potential to be considered for environmental tests and analyses as a bioindicator.

Specific Surface Area of Plastic Clays from Equilibrium Sediment Volume under Salt Environment

Abstract Specific surface area is one of the crucial surface properties of clay soils. The surface area is used as the surrogate compatibility index and is related to many engineering properties of clays. Accurate estimation of the surface area, Sa, is essential for predicting the saturated and unsaturated characteristics of clays in engineering applications. A simple technique for a routine estimation of the surface area of plastic clays was developed based on the sediment volume in the salt environment. The method utilized equilibrium sediment volume measurement of clay soil in 0.1 N sodium chloride solution and used the theoretical equation for the surface area estimation, which accounts for both the surface and body forces. A comparative assessment of the proposed method with commonly used techniques on 12 clay soils is presented. The proposed method showed a good agreement, qualitatively, with the ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGME) and methylene blue methods for the studied soils. The estimated surface area by the proposed method was, however, higher than the existing two methods for the highly plastic clays, such as the bentonites. The relative merits of different methods are discussed in detail. The utilization of water as the probe molecule in the proposed method in a dispersed state of the swollen clay structure ensured greater accessibility to the internal surface. The proposed method was a quick and simple way to estimate the specific surface area of soil with great repeatability. The method is beneficial for routine practice to estimate the surface area of soils and should be readily adopted in the standard practice as an additional method.

Adsorption Analysis by Activated Carbon Derived from Nut Shells

Walnut, pistachio and chestnut shells are wonderful precursors for activated carbon. Due to the country’s tremendous output and consumption of the nuts, a huge amount of nut shells are produced in China every year. In this study, activation temperature, activation time, impregnation ratio and zinc chloride activator concentration for high quality activated carbon formation are investigated experimentally by the methylene blue adsorption method. Copper ion adsorption is also analyzed. Chestnut shell is the most suitable material for activated carbon preparation. With 357mg/g methylene blue adsorption value, that is 2.6 times as the China’s national standard. All three types activated carbon show the highest copper ion adsorption when the concentration of copper sulfate is 50ppm, and the maximum adsorption capacity is 1.06mg/g.

Isolation of Two Bacterial Species from Argan Soil in Morocco Associated with Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Accumulation: Current Potential and Future Prospects for the Bio-Based Polymer Production.

The environmental issues caused by the impacts of synthetic plastics use and derived wastes are arising the attention to bio-based plastics, natural polymers produced from renewable resources, including agricultural, industrial, and domestic wastes. Bio-based plastics represent a potential alternative to petroleum-based materials, due to the insufficient availability of fossil resources in the future and the affordable low cost of renewable ones that might be consumed for the biopolymer synthesis. Among the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), the polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) biopolymer has been synthesized and characterized with great interest due to its wide range of industrial applications. Currently, a wide number of bacterial species from soil, activated sludge, wastewater, industrial wastes, and compost have been identified as PHB producers. This work has the purpose of isolating and characterizing PHB-producing bacteria from the agricultural soil samples of Argania spinosa in the south region of Morocco where the plant species is endemic and preserved. During this research, four heat-resistant bacterial strains have been isolated. Among them, two species have been identified as endospore forming bacteria following the Schaffer-Fulton staining method with Malachite green and the Methylene blue method. Black intracellular granules have been appreciated in microscopy at 100× for both strains after staining with Sudan black B. The morphological and biochemical analyses of the isolates, including sugar fermentation and antibiotic susceptibility tests, preliminarily identified the strains 1B and 2D1 belonging to the genus Serratia and Proteus, respectively.

Clinical study of combined application of indocyanine green and methylene blue for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer.

Objective:This study aims to investigate the feasibility of combined application of indocyanine green (ICG) and methylene blue (MB) for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with early breast cancer.Methods:A total of 415 patients who underwent SLNB and axillary lymph node dissection were enrolled. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) was assessed in 197 patients with ICG and MB combination method, while, the other 218 patients were detected by MB method alone. During surgery, all SLNs were harvested for pathological examination. Then the detection rate and false negative rate of SLNs were comparatively analyzed between the 2 groups.Results:In the combined ICG and MB group, the detection rate of SLNs was 96.9%, significantly higher than that of MB group, which was 89.7% (P < .05). Similarly, in combined group, the average number of SLNs per patient was 3.0, much higher than that of MB group, which was 2.1 (P < .05). There was no statistically significant difference in false negative rate between combined group and MB alone group, which was 7.3% and 10.5%, respectively (P = .791).Conclusion:The combined application of ICG and MB for SLNB is much more effective than MB alone in detecting SLNs.

The influence of activator type and temperature activation on the specific surface of corncob waste adsorbent

Activated carbon is widely used in various applications. It can be produced from natural sources having carbon content including corncob waste. This study aims to make activated carbon from the corncob waste. The effect of types of activators and activation temperature on the specific surface of the activated carbon was investigated. The experimental stages involved preparation, carbonization, activation, and sample analysis. During activation, the types of activators and temperature activation were varied, i.e. HNO3, HCl, H2 SO4, NaOH, all with concentration of 10% (mass), and variations in temperature of 70°C, 90°C, 110°C. The specific surface of activated carbon was determined with the methylene blue adsorption method using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The results showed that the activation using 10% NaOH at a temperature of 110°C had the highest specific surface, i.e. 21.876 m2/g.

Utilization of N-bromosuccinimide for the sensitive spectrophotometric determination of pipazethate HCl as antitussive drug in pure and dosage forms

Three simple, sensitive, precise, reproducible and validated spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the quantification of pipazethate HCl as antitussive drug in pure and dosage forms. The methods are based on utilization of N-bromosuccinimide as an oxidant and three dyes, amaranth, methylene blue, and indigo carmine, as auxiliary reagents. The proposed methods are based on oxidation reaction of pipazethate HCl with a known excess of N-bromosuccinimide in acid medium, followed by determination of unreacted N-bromosuccinimide by the reaction with a fixed amount of dyes, amaranth, methylene blue, and indigo carmine followed by the measurement of the absorbance at 520, 663 and 610nm, respectively. The optimization of the reaction conditions was investigated. Under the optimum conditions, linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (0.9998-0.9999) were found over the concentration ranges of 0.3-9.0, 0.5-12 and 0.5-10μgmL-1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1, 0.15 and 0.15μgmL-1 using amaranth, methylene blue, and indigo carmine methods, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision of the methods have been evaluated. No interference was observed from the common tablet excipients. The developed methods were validated in accordance with ICH guidelines and successfully applied to the analysis of pipazethate HCl in dosage forms with good accuracy and precision. The reliability of the methods was further ascertained by performing recovery studies via the standard addition method. Statistical comparison of the results obtained by applying the proposed methods with those of the reported method by applying Student's t-test and variance ratio F-test at the 95% confidence level revealed good agreement and indicates no significant difference in accuracy and precision.

Adsorptive Removal of Fe (II) By NaOH Treated Rice Husk: Adsorption Equilibrium And Kinetics

The low cost adsorbents were prepared from raw rice husk (RRH) and NaOH treated rice husk (NRH). Then prepared materials were characterized by XRD, FTIR and surface area of rice husk adsorbent were determined by methylene blue adsorption method. XRD showed amorphous nature with low crystallinity of the material. The FTIR spectra showed the presence of oxygenated functional groups such as ester, phenol, carbonyl and silica on the material. The surface area of RRH and NRH were found to be 387 and 417 m2/g respectively. Thus, prepared adsorbents were used for the removal of Fe(II) ion from aqueous solution. The influence of various parameters like pH, adsorbent doge, and contact time were studied for the better adsorption of Fe(II) on rice husk adsorbents. Results revealed that the maximum efficiency was achieved at pH 3 for Fe(II). The adsorption process was found to be best fitted to Langmuir adsorption isotherm model controlled by pseudo-second–order kinetics with the rate constant value i.e. 0.0218 and 0.0235 g/(mg·min) for RRH and NRH respectively. The χ2 values of pseudo second order was found to be lower which confirmed chemisorption, involving ion exchange and valence forces through sharing or exchange of electrons between adsorbent and adsorbate. The maximum adsorption capacity for Fe(II) on RRH and NRH was found to be 2.9 mg/g and 5.6 mg/g respectively. The positive ∆G value represents the randomness of the system during adsorption process. The slope of the linear plot of Qt vs t0.5 was linear but not passed through the origin, which indicates that, the intraparticle diffusion was not only rate controlling step. Temkin value showed the maximum binding energy (KT) for NRH was 16.4 L/g and for RRH it was 12.2 L/g.

Arsenic Adsorption Characteristics of Adsorbent Prepared From Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) Leaves

The dry spinach leaves fine powder was modified by activation with conc. H2SO4 and the adsorbent material was then characterized by using FTIR, EDX, optical microscopy, XRD analysis and methylene blue adsorption method. The EDX result showed about 95 % carbon in the adsorbent material. The maximum specific surface area measured was 499 m2/g. The weak and broad XRD diffraction peaks at 2θ angles 20.5 and 42° were characterized as of activated carbon with the appearance of sharp peak of SiO2 at 2θ angle 26.37°. Optical microscopy Image analysis showed the Porous nature of adsorbents. The adsorption of arsenite on the modified spinach leaves powder adsorbent was investigated by varying different experimental parameters such as pH, adsorbent dose, contact time and As (Ⅲ) ion concentration. The adsorption process was found to be best fitted to Langmuir adsorption isotherm model controlled by pseudo-second–order kinetics with the rate constant value 0.01830 g/(mg·min). The maximum adsorption was observed at pH 6 at room temperature. The maximum adsorption capacity for As (Ⅲ) on modified spinach leaves powder was found to be 58.480 mg/g. The value of ∆G was -22 kJ/mole which confirmed the adsorption process was favored by physisorption. The slope of the linear plot of Qt vs t0.5 was linear but not passed through the origin, which indicates that, the intraparticle diffusion was not only rate controlling step.

Removal of Crystal Violet dye from aqueous solutions using chemically activated carbons by H3PO4 activation from corn cobs and Corn roots: kinetic and equilibrium isotherm studies

In this study, corn cobs and corn roots, agricultural by-products and wastes, were used as precursors for preparation of powder activated carbons (PAC-CC and PAC-CR) by chemical activation with H 3 PO 4 . Functional groups on the surface of both adsorbents were determined by using ATR−FTIR spectroscopy, while their specific surfaces area were calculated using methylene blue adsorption method . Removal of Crystal Violet (CV) dye from aqueous medium onto both adsorbents was carried out at optimal pH of 10. The pseudo-first order and pseudo-second-order models were used to study adsorption kinetics. The Langmuir and Freundlich, isotherm models were employed to analyze the adsorption isotherm. CV dye molecules-activated carbon surface interaction revealed CV dye’s monolayer formation over activated carbon’s surface and the involvement of chemisorption, as verified by Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second order model, respectively. Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity of PAC-CC and PAC-CR for CV dye were 41.80 mg/g and 35.92 mg/g, respectively. From these results, it can be concluded that the activated carbon prepared from corn cobs or roots as precursor can be used as adsorbent for successful removal of dyes in an aqueous medium.

Adsorption mechanisms of azo dyes binary mixture onto different raw palm wastes

ABSTRACT This work aimed to understand the adsorption mechanism of dyes in a binary system onto different raw palm wastes and highlights its high efficiency for the removal of methylene blue and methyl orange in competition in aqueous solution. The proposition of the mechanism was based on several parameters and results for that several studies were performed. Characterisation of the specific surface by the methylene blue method and scanning electron microscopy was carried out to study the specific surface measurement and the surface morphology, respectively, on different raw palm wastes. The central composite design was used to evaluate the effects of the following factors (the solution pH and sorbent dose) also to optimise the experimental conditions. Based on CCD results the optimal conditions are pH = 7 and 90 mg for the adsorbent mass. The kinetic parameters calculated using different models show that the adsorption of the mixture of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) is fitted to pseudo-first-order. Langmuir isotherm was found to be an adequate model describing the process in its several systems with an amount of adsorbed quantities of about 32.05 mg.g−1 for MB and 16.81 mg.g−1 for MO.

Age-related differences in responses to hydrogen sulfide in the bladder of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

To investigate whether a response to hydrogen sulfide donors (GYY4137 and sodium hydrosulfide) and the endogenous hydrogen sulfide system (hydrogen sulfide level and expression of cysteine aminotransferase, cystathionine β-synthase, cystathionine γ-lyase, and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase) in the spontaneously hypertensive rat bladder differ with age, we compared the responses of hydrogen sulfide donors to micturition and bladder relaxation, and the endogenous hydrogen sulfide system in the bladder of 18-week versus 12-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats. GYY4137 was intravesically administered and cystometry was performed in anesthetized rats. The responses of sodium hydrosulfide were evaluated in carbachol-mediated precontracted bladder strips. Bladder hydrogen sulfide levels and expression levels of each enzyme were investigated using the methylene blue method and Western blotting, respectively. GYY4137 treatment significantly prolonged intercontraction intervals only in 12-week-old rats. Sodium hydrosulfide-induced bladder relaxation was significantly attenuated in the strips of 18-week-old rats compared with that in 12-week-old rats. In the bladder dome, significant increases in hydrogen sulfide levels and in the expression of cystathionine β-synthase, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase, and cysteine aminotransferase were observed in 18-week-old rats compared with 12-week-old rats. However, cystathionine γ-lyase bands were not detected in bladder tissues of either group. Bladder relaxation induced by hydrogen sulfide may be attenuated in spontaneously hypertensive rats in an age-dependent manner.

Diagnostic efficiency of methylene blue and lugol's iodine double staining method in oral leukoplakia in detecting dysplasia.

Early detection of dysplasia in oral potentially malignant disorders (PMD) might facilitate screening for possible subsequent malignant transformation. Vital staining is a non-invasive clinical adjunct used for determining the biopsy site, which facilitates early detection of dysplastic changes in PMD. Some authors suggested that double staining method has superior results over staining with a single dye. The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of in vivo staining with methylene blue (MB) and Lugol's iodine (LI) double staining method in comparison with MB staining alone. Fifty patients of oral leukoplakia were recruited for the study. After obtaining written informed consent from the patients, the lesions were stained consecutively with 5% MB and 3% LI. The pattern of dye retention of MB alone, followed by MB and LI was noted. Incisional biopsy from the lesion was taken based on the retention of MB and the absence of staining of LI or by clinical judgement in case both stains were not retained. The clinical uptake of the stains was correlated with the degree of dysplasia on histopathological examination. Out of 50 subjects, MB was retained in 47 cases (94%), while 3 cases (6%) failed to retain the dye. However, out of 47 cases, 20 cases had dark blue stain and were considered as MB positive, while the rest 27 cases had pale blue stain and were considered to be negative for MB staining. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic accuracy (DA) of MB staining were 57.82%, 100%, 100%, 26.53% and 46%, respectively. After applying both stains, i.e., double staining method, the outline of the lesion was better defined. Out of 50 PMD cases, 3 patients retained only LI and showed no dysplasia. Out of 47 cases which showed dysplasia, 27 cases showed pale blue retention of MB (-) and also were negative for LI. The rest 20 cases were positive for MB but negative for LI. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV with double staining technique were 100%. The accuracy and reliability of double staining method was superior to MB staining. Increased accuracy of double staining method aids in better detection of dysplasia and is of great help to the clinician in deciding the nature of PMD in question.

Spatio-temporal Evaluation of the Quality of Effluents in Anionic Surfactants from the Soap and Cosmetics Units of the Industrial Area of Yopougon, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

The anionic surfactants used in the soap industry and cosmetics appear as indicators of pollution of aquatic biodiversity. Moreover, these industries have experienced rapid growth in Côte d'Ivoire in recent years. Most of them are located in the Yopougon industrial area, thus continuously discharging their effluents into the Ebrié lagoon. This situation could lead to environmental, health and socio-economic disaster. Consequently, the evaluation of the quality of these effluents in anionic surfactants constitutes the starting point for the effect of identifying suitable ways for an efficient management of their use and their future. Four effluent sampling campaigns of ten units from this area were carried out over a period of one year. Anionic surfactants were analyzed by the methylene blue method. The analysis of the concentrations determined and the spatio-temporal analysis of the quality of the effluents according to the analysis of variance with repeated measures were carried out. It appears that all the effluents are very loaded with anionic surfactants and are grouped into two classes. Units Y2, Y6 and Y9 have an average concentration of anionic surfactants varying between 203,740 ± 157,544 (mg/L. EASL) and 275,323 ± 255,811 (mg/L. EASL). The group (Y1, Y3, Y4, Y5, Y7, Y8 and Y10) records an average concentration in this parameter oscillating between 8.305 ± 6,508 (mg/L. EASL) and 71.750 ± 91,485 (mg/L. EASL).

Study of Urinary Glycosaminoglycans among Essential Hypertensive Patients

Introduction: Essential hypertension is a systemic disease which affects endothelial basement membrane. Changes in Glycosaminoglycans (GAG) distribution pattern on glomerular basement membrane has been noted in hypertension. Hence it seems likely that an increase excretion of GAG levels may be an indicator of reduction in renal function. The qualitative or quantitative determination of urinary GAGs may be of value and could constitute a non invasive marker to assess the renal damage in essential hypertension. Aim: Differential analysis of urinary GAGs in essential hypertensive patients. Materials and Methods: This analytical case-control observational study which was conducted from November 2014 to June 2016 in Department of Biochemistry, SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India. The study group included 50 male patients with age group of 30-60 years, clinically diagnosed with essential hypertension. Control group included 50 healthy male individuals with age group of 30-60 years, blood donors visiting to hospital blood bank. Random urine sample was collected. Urine creatinine was estimated by Jaffe’s method, urine GAGs by Dimethyl methylene blue (DMMB) dye method and urine microalbumin by particle enhanced Turbidimetric inhibition immunoassay method. Correlation was tested with Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Level of significance was set for p-value &lt;0.05 with confidence interval of 95%. Results: In present study, urinary GAGs levels in essential hypertensive study group was 14.57±10.16 mg/dL and in control group was 10.09±6.04 mg/dL. Urinary GAGs levels in essential hypertensive group was significantly high (p-value=0.890) when compared with normotensive control group. But no statistical significant correlation was found between urine GAGs and urine microalbumin in hypertensive study group. Conclusion: Estimation of urine glycosaminoglycans in essential hypertensive patients is a simple, rapid and cost effective test which asseses the glomerular function. It can be used as one of the early marker for diagnosis of nephropathy before microalbuminuria sets in.

Iodine adsorption characteristics of activated carbon obtained from Spinacia Oleracea (spinach) leaves

Spinach leaves powder was modified by activation with conc. H2SO4 and was characterized by using FTIR, optical microscopy, XRD analysis and methylene blue adsorption method. The maximum specific surface area measured by the Methylene blue adsorption method was 499 m2/g. The adsorption of iodine was investigated by varying parameters as pH, adsorbent dose, contact time and I2 concentration. The adsorption process was fitted to the Langmuir model controlled by pseudo - second – order kinetics with a constant rate value of 0.00305 g/(mg·min). The maximum adsorption was at pH 10. The maximum adsorption capacity was 909.091 mg/g. The ∆G value was -25 kJ/mole, which confirmed the physico - chemcal adsorption process.