Soil Chemical Analysis

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides access to information on a variety of topics related to the environment and strives to inform citizens of health risks. The EPA also has an extensive library network that consists of 26 libraries throughout the United States, which provide access to a plethora of information to EPA employees, scientists, and researchers. The EPA implemented a reorganization project to digitize their materials so they would be more accessible to a wider range of users, but this plan was drastically accelerated when the EPA was threatened with a budget cut. It chose to close and reduce the hours and services of some of their libraries. As a result, the agency was accused of denying users the “right to know” by making information unavailable, not providing an adequate strategic plan, and discarding vital materials. This case study explores the background of the digitization project, the practices implemented, and the critiques of the project.

/pdf/the-environmental-protection-agency-3gx4opzrjm.pdf

The Environmental Protection Agency

Statistical Methods For Agricultural Workers

B6nassy, C., 1955. R6marques sur deux Aphelinid6s: Aphelinus mytilaspidis Le Baron et Aphytis proclia Walker. Annls l~piphyt. 6: 11-17. Lord, F. T. & MacPhee, A. W., 1953. The influence of spray programs on the fauna of apple orchards in Nova Scotia II. Oyster shell scale. Can. Ent. 79: 196-209. Pickett, A. D., 1946. A progress report on long term spray programs. Rep. Nova Scotia Fruit Grow. Ass. 83 : 27-31. Pickett, A. D., 1967. The influence of spray programs on the fauna of apple orchards in Nova Scotia XIV. Can. Ent. 97: 816-821. Tothill, J. D., 1918. The predacious mite Hemisarcoptes malus Shimer and its relation to the natural control of the oyster shell scale Lepidosaphes ulmi L. Agric. Gaz. Can. 5 : 234-239.

http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/BF01976688.pdf

Soil enzymes: Kuprevich, V. F. & Shcherbakova, T. A.: Translated from the Russian edition (1966), published by the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre, New Delhi 1971. 392 pp., offset printing from type script, paper cover. Obtainable from U.S. Department of Commerce, National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Va. 22151

This article introduces the radical approach of applying alkaline anion-exchange membranes (AAEMs) to meet the current challenges with regards to direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). A review of the literature is presented with regards to the testing of fuel cells with alkaline membranes (fuelled with hydrogen or methanol) and also to candidate alkaline anion-exchange membranes for such an application. A brief review of the directly related patent literature is also included. Current and future research challenges are identified along with potential strategies to overcome them. Finally, the advantages and challenges with the direct electrochemical oxidation of alternative fuels are discussed, along with how the application of alkaline membranes in such fuel cells may assist in improving performance and fuel efficiency.

https://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/1696/1/fulltext.pdf

Prospects for Alkaline Anion-Exchange Membranes in Low Temperature Fuel Cells†

Chemical fertilizer in conjunction with biofertilizer and vermicompost induced changes in morpho-physiological and bio-chemical traits of mustard crop

The efficacy of different extracts of neem leaf on seed borne fungi
Aspergillus , Rhizopus and chemical characterization of the neem
leaf extracts were studied in vitro on the culture medium. The growth
of both the fungal species was inhibited significantly (p<0.01) and
controlled with both alcoholic and water extract of all ages and of the
concentrations used. The alcoholic extracts of neem leaf was most
effective in comparison to aqueous extract for retarding the growth of
Rhizopus and Aspergillus. The crude aqueous and alcoholic leaf extracts
of neem was more effective in inhibitions of growth of the fungi
Aspergillus in comparison to inhibitory effects on Rhizopus growth in
the artificial culture medium. Leaf extracts of neem which are cheap
and environmentally safe are promising for protecting crop species
against the fungal infestation and leading towards improvement of the
crop in terms of yield and productivity. @ JASEM

Antifungal activities and chemical characterization of neem leaf extracts on the growth of some selected fungal species in vitro culture medium.

Aluminum impregnated coconut fiber ash (AICFA) was used for removal of fluoride from synthetic fluoride solution. The AICFA showed high specific area and strong affinity toward fluoride. Synthesized AICFA was characterized by pHZPC, FTIR, SEM and XRD studies. Adsorption kinetics indicated that the adsorption equilibrium was reached within 60 min and the adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model better. The Langmuir isotherm model could fit the experimental data well. Thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy (ΔG∘), enthalpy (ΔH∘) and entropy (ΔS∘) change of sorption were also evaluated which indicated that the adsorption process was spontaneous, feasible and exothermic in nature. Furthermore, the coexisting anions had significant effect on fluoride adsorption. Moreover, desorption study with AICFA showed that nearly 98% of fluoride could be leached out at pH 12. Further, the reusable properties of the material supported the possibility of its use commercially.

Removal of fluoride by aluminum impregnated coconut fiber from synthetic fluoride solution and natural water

The impact of salt stress under different salinity level  (0,25,50,75,100,125,150 mM NaCl ) on five varieties of Wheat viz., HOW-234, HD-2689, RAJ-4101, RAJ-4123, and HD-2045 was conducted. The data showed that different level of salinity significantly affected the growth attributes by reducing root and shoot length for salinity below 125mM. Fresh weight and dry weight of root and shoot were reduced significantly with subsequent treatment. Regarding germination maximum germination was found in variety HD2689 in all the treatments and maximum inhibition was found to be in case of HOW234 variety at 150mM salinity level. Regarding biochemical analysis the sugar, proline content increased with increasing salinity level where as protein content decreased in the physiologically active leaves of different treatments for all the varieties of wheat

/pdf/impact-of-salt-stress-on-five-varieties-of-wheat-triticum-388dihf5ta.pdf

Impact of salt stress on five varieties of Wheat( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars under laboratory condition

Residual part of tea as a household waste was effectively used for removal of fluoride from aqueous medium The variable operating parameters such as pH, initial fluoride concentration, sorbent particle size, agitation time and temperature The defluoridation capacity increases with increasing adsorbent dose and contact time but decrease with initial concentration of fluoride solution Moreover, acidic pH (6) showed the highest removal of fluoride  Further defluoridation follows second order kinetics and Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm The surface and sorption characteristics were analyzed using FTIR and SEM techniques For domestic and industrial applications, defluoridation with 100% achievement and subsequent regeneration of adsorbent was performed with a household water filter and fixed bed column respectively

http://e-journals.in/pdf/v1n2/239-256.pdf

Jayanta Kumar Datta

Papers

Chemical fertilizer in conjunction with biofertilizer and vermicompost induced changes in morpho-physiological and bio-chemical traits of mustard crop

Antifungal activities and chemical characterization of neem leaf extracts on the growth of some selected fungal species in vitro culture medium.

Removal of fluoride by aluminum impregnated coconut fiber from synthetic fluoride solution and natural water

Impact of salt stress on five varieties of Wheat( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars under laboratory condition

Studies on Defluoridation of Water by Tea Ash: An Unconventional Biosorbent