Shivaji University

About: Shivaji University is a education organization based out in Kolhāpur, Maharashtra, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Thin film & Scanning electron microscope. The organization has 3078 authors who have published 5295 publications receiving 115397 citations.

Nopalea cochenillifera, a potential chromium (VI) hyperaccumulator plant.

Abstract: Hexavalant chromium [Cr(VI)] tolerance and accumulation in in vitro grown Nopalea cochenillifera Salm. Dyck. plants was investigated. A micropropagation protocol was establish for a rapid multiplication of N. cochenillifera and [Cr(VI)] tolerance and accumulation was studied in in vitro grown cultures. Cr concentration was estimated by atomic absorption spectroscopy in roots and shoots to confirm plant’s hyperaccumulation capacity. Plants showed tolerance up to 100 μM K2Cr2O7 without any significant changes in root growth after 16 days treatment; whereas, chlorophyll content in plants treated with 1 and 10 μM K2Cr2O7 were not so different than the control plant. The levels of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation increased significantly (p 100 μM) inhibited the activities of CAT and SOD. Roots accumulated a maximum of 25,263.396 ± 1,722.672 mg Cr Kg−1 dry weight (DW); while the highest concentration of Cr in N. cochenillifera shoots was 705.714 ± 32.324 mg Cr Kg−1 DW. N. cochenillifera could be a prospective hyperaccumulator plant of Cr(VI) and a promising candidate for phytoremediation purposes.

Sol–gel synthesized TiO2–CeO2 nanocomposite: an efficient photocatalyst for degradation of methyl orange under sunlight

Abstract: The nanocomposites of TiO2–CeO2 are synthesized by a simple and cost-effective sol–gel method with cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (cationic surfactant) as capping agent at 500 °C. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed phase purity of synthesized product. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed Ti4+ oxidation state of Ti element while Ce element was exist as a mixture of Ce3+ and Ce4+ oxidation state. The UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra clearly indicate the positive alteration in the optical response of TiO2 nanoparticles by the introduction of CeO2 nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopic study revealed the formation of nanoclusters of spherical particles with uniform size distribution. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the elemental composition. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of Ti–O–Ti stretching modes in the range of 900–400 cm−1. Photoluminescence spectroscopy was used to study the rate of recombination and transfer behaviors of photoexcited electron–hole pairs in the nanocomposites. Further, the photocatalytic activity of pure TiO2 nanoparticles and nanocomposite of TiO2 was studied using methyl orange. The TiO2:CeO2 nanocomposites exhibit high dye degradation compare with pure TiO2 nanoparticles. The composite TiO2:CeO2 (7:3) shows highest photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange dye in UV (60 min) and sunlight (90 min).