National Institute of Oceanography, India

About: National Institute of Oceanography, India is a facility organization based out in Panjim, Goa, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Monsoon & Population. The organization has 4713 authors who have published 6927 publications receiving 174272 citations.

Degradation of lignin and decolorization of paper mill bleach plant effluent (BPE) by marine fungi

Abstract: Very little is known about BPE decolorization or lignin degradation by marine fungi. In this study, we report on the ability of three marine fungi to produce the lignin modifying enzymes; laccase, manganese peroxidase (MNP) and lignin peroxidase (LIP), and to mineralize 14C-ring-labeled synthetic lignin. We also demonstrate, for the first time, the ability of these marine fungi to decolorize paper mill BPE.

Sea level changes along the Indian coast: Observations and projections

Abstract: Besides causing a sea level rise, there is a co ncern that global warming may cause changes in the occurrence of extreme events such as cyclones. Extreme events in the coastal regions occur in the form of storm surges, apart from tsunamis. The occurrence of extreme events is more or less a regional phenomenon, caused by changes in regional climate. The occurrence of storm surges is co mmon to the countries surrounding the Bay of Bengal, as the Bay is the hotbed of generation of tropical cyclones. Any i ncrease in the frequency or intensity of tropical distu rbances in future will cause increased damages to life and property in the coastal regions. The present paper mainly deals with the occurrence of tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and associated storm surges in a future climate scenario. Projections for the future are needed for decision making by planners and policy makers. Future projections are made for different scenarios 2

Cytotoxic Activity of Biosynthesized Gold Nanoparticles with an Extract of the Red Seaweed Corallina officinalis on the MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cell Line

Abstract: Background: Nano-biotechnology is recognized as offering revolutionary changes in the field of cancer therapy and biologically synthesized gold nanoparticles are known to have a wide range of medical applications. Materials and Methods: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were biosynthesized with an aqueous extract of the red alga Corallina officinalis , used as a reducing and stabilizing agent. GNPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive analysis (EDX) and Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and tested for cytotoxic activity against human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells cultured in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, considering their cytotoxicty and effects on cellular DNA. Results: The biosynthesized GNPs were 14.6±1 nm in diameter. FT-IR analysis showed that the hydroxyl functional group from polyphenols and carbonyl group from proteins could assist in formation and stabilization. The GNPs showed potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells, causing necrosis at high concentrations while lower concentrations were without effect as indicated by DNA fragmentation assay. Conclusions: The antitumor activity of the biosynthesized GNPs from the red alga Corallina officinalis against human breast cancer cells may be due to the cytotoxic effects of the gold nanoparticles and the polyphenolcontent of the algal extract.