Browsing by Author "Mittal, Sunil"

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Adsorption studies for the removal of hexavalent chromium using fly ash of waste to energy power plant
(Central University of Punjab, 2013) Vaid, Upma; Mittal, Sunil
Chromium is the most common pollutant discharged in industrial effluent and reported to be present beyond permissible limits causing various health problems like carcinogenicity. Therefore, it must be removed from industrial effluent before its discharge. Several physico-chemical methods have been used for the removal of Cr (VI) from industrial effluents. Adsorption using activated carbon is quite efficient for the removal of Cr (VI) from industrial effluents. However, it is a costly process and the regeneration of activated carbon is difficult. Hence, in the present work, efforts have been made to explore the use of fly ash collected from the ‘Waste to Energy Power Plant’ as a low cost adsorbent. In order to maximize the Cr (VI) removal from simulated aqueous solutions, effects of various parameters (adsorbent dose, contact time, pH and initial metal ion concentration) on Cr (VI) adsorption were investigated by batch adsorption experiments. By optimizing the conditions for Cr (VI) adsorption using the fly ash, removal of hexavalent chromium from the aqueous solution (10 μg Cr/ml) was increased from 4% to approx. 99%. This shows that fly ash of agricultural waste burning can be used as an adsorbent for the removal of Cr (VI) at low concentration.
Advances in arsenic biosensor development - a comprehensive review
(Elsevier Ltd, 2015) Kaur, Hardeep; Kumar, Rabindra; Babu, , J. Nagendra; Mittal, Sunil
Biosensors are analytical devices having high sensitivity, portability, small sample requirement and ease of use for qualitative and quantitative monitoring of various analytes of human importance. Arsenic (As), owing to its widespread presence in nature and high toxicity to living creatures, requires frequent determination in water, soil, agricultural and food samples. The present review is an effort to highlight the various advancements made so far in the development of arsenic biosensors based either on recombinant whole cells or on certain arsenic-binding oligonucleotides or proteins. The role of futuristic approaches like surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and aptamer technology has also been discussed. The biomethods employed and their general mechanisms, advantages and limitations in relevance to arsenic biosensors developed so far are intended to be discussed in this review.
Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater and Its Removal Strategies with Special Emphasis on Nano Zerovalent Iron
(wiley, 2022-12-02T00:00:00) Thakur, Shivani; Singh, Harminder; Chaudhari, Umakant; Mittal, Sunil; Sahoo, Prafulla Kumar
An occurrence of arsenic (As) in an aquatic ecosystem is a major concern because of its very toxic and carcinogenic nature. Groundwater arsenic pollution has been reported globally, notably along the large Indo-Gangetic flood plain and some major rivers of South Asia and South American nations. It comes in water both via natural and anthropogenic sources. Major processes that trigger the release of As in groundwater include reductive dissolution of Fe-oxyhydroxides, sulfide oxidation, and alkali desorption. Microbial metabolisms of arsenic also play a crucial role in its mobilization in aquifers. Ions such as HCO 3 ? and PO 4 3? also help in triggering arsenic mobility in water. Different methods are developed for As removal from water such as precipitation, coagulation, ion exchange, and membrane filtration, but none of the methods are as effective as nanomaterials. With the advancement in a study in nanotechnology during the past few years, an increase in usage of different nanomaterials as adsorbents for arsenic removal has also been observed. Among these, nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) has been proved quite effective for arsenic removal from the water by the adsorption technique. The nZVI has high reactivity, good efficiency, and fast action for As removal, and a low impact on the environment. Further, intensive research is going on to alter the properties of nZVI following specific applications as per the requirements. This chapter presents an overview of several geochemical processes aiding in As mobility from the aquifer sediments into groundwater, briefly describing its distribution pattern across global groundwater systems. It also aims to provide an overview of the effectiveness of different iron-based nanoparticles with particular reference to nZVI for the removal of different species of Arsenic from water. � 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Published 2023 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.
Arsenic Induced Alteration in Macromolecule Concentration and Antioxidant System in Two Improved Rice Varieties
(Tamil Nadu Scientific Research Organization (TNSRO), 2016) Kamboj, Ritu; Vishwakarma, Gajendra Singh; Sharma, Shilpa; Mittal, Sunil
Arsenic contamination of rice has been highlighted as major issue throughout the world as it is a staple food for millions. The aim of study was to analyze the effect of different concentration of arsenic on the germination, physiology, macromolecules concentration and antioxidant enzymes in improved varieties of rice. In vitro study indicates that the lower concentration of arsenate had a stimulating effect on germination, chlorophyll content as well as respiratory content while an inhibitory effect at higher concentration. Roots were more affected than shoots. Further, the content of macromolecules (carbohydrate and protein) was elevated while the activities of their hydrolyzing enzymes (α, β amylase and protease) were declined on arsenic stress. The significant elevation in the activity of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase enzymes also proved the generation of reactive oxygen species due to the arsenic toxicity
Arsenic induced physiological changes in improved varieties of rice grown in Malwa region of Punjab
(Society for Advancement of Human and Nature (SADHNA), 2015) Kamboj, Ritu; Sharma, S; Vishwakarma, G.S.; Mittal, Sunil
Rice is a major staple food throughout the world. However metal contamination of rice has been recognized as a new disaster on large scale. Two rice cultivars viz PR 116 and PR 118 were grown in vitro to study the effect of increasing arsenic concentration (50, 100, 250 and 500 µM) on germination, root and shoot length, biomass dry weight, chlorophyll content and per cent cellular respiration. Results showed reduction in all these parameters thereby proving the toxic nature of arsenic. Arsenic accumulation in roots and shoots of both the varieties was monitored by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and it was concluded that arsenic is translocated to above ground tissues and ultimately reaches the grain. The status of arsenic concentration of rice and its affect on human health need to be further investigated.
Biofiltration in wastewater treatment plants: An overview
(Elsevier, 2022-01-15T00:00:00) Yogalakshmi, K.N.; Sharma, Avimanu; Mittal, Sunil
Biofilters or biological filters are a technology that uses attached biomass on a media to degrade and remove pollutants from the air, water, and wastewater treatment plants. They are natural systems which are engineered and simulated to remove a varied range of contaminants, that is, organic matter, suspended solids, natural organic matter, and organic micropollutants. Biofiltration systems are popular among wastewater treatment process due to its simple operation, robust nature, and low energy requirement. Trickling filters, aerated biological filters, and membrane bioreactors are some of the popular biofiltration systems used for wastewater treatment. The efficiency of the biofiltration systems depends on the nature, composition, and community structure of microorganisms in the biofilm developed on the medium. Immobilized biofilters are also popular in wastewater treatment. This chapter would provide an overview on the concept of biofiltration, the mechanism involved, types, and application of biofiltration process. The chapter will also throw light on the microbial ecology and community structure of the biological filters. Further, the different methods of identification of the microbial community will also be discussed in the chapter. � 2022 Elsevier Inc.
Bioherbicidal potential of essential oil from leaves of Eucalyptus tereticornis against Echinochloa crus - galli L.
(Crop Protection Research Centre, 2014) Vishwakarma, G.S.; Mittal, Sunil
The present study was undertaken to explore the bioherbicidal potential of essential oil(EO)(25 to 250μg/ml) from Eucalyptus tereticornis against one of the major weed of rice (Oryza sativa L.), i.e. Echinochloa crus - galli L. considering percent germination, root length and shoot length development chlorophyll, protein and carbohydrate content and percent cellular respiration). Studies revealed that E. tereticornis EO suppressed the growth and affects the physiology of the test plant. For instance, 100 and 250 μg/mL oil affects seed germination and seedling development of test weed. The chlorophyll content of the E. crus-galli seedlings decreased by 80% at 250 μg/mL treatment of EO. Similarly, reduction in respiratory activity on exposure to 250 μg/mL of EO was 60%. The effect of EO on macromolecules, i.e. carbohydrates and proteins also followed the similar trend. The present study concludes that EO of E. tereticornis shows toxicity towards E. crus-galli and has potential to be used as bioherbicide.
Biosensors for breast cancer diagnosis: A review of bioreceptors, biotransducers and signal amplification strategies
(Elsevier Ltd, 2017) Mittal, Sunil; Kaur, Hardeep; Gautam, Nandini; Mantha, Anil K.
Breast cancer is highly prevalent in females and accounts for second highest number of deaths, worldwide. Cumbersome, expensive and time consuming detection techniques presently available for detection of breast cancer potentiates the need for development of novel, specific and ultrasensitive devices. Biosensors are the promising and selective detection devices which hold immense potential as point of care (POC) tools. Present review comprehensively scrutinizes various breast cancer biosensors developed so far and their technical evaluation with respect to efficiency and potency of selected bioreceptors and biotransducers. Use of glycoproteins, DNA biomarkers, micro-RNA, circulatory tumor cells (CTC) and some potential biomarkers are introduced briefly. The review also discusses various strategies used in signal amplification such as nanomaterials, redox mediators, p19 protein, duplex specific nucleases (DSN) and redox cycling. ? 2016 Elsevier B.V.
Co-occurrence of geogenic uranium and fluoride in a semiarid belt of the Punjab plains, India
(Elsevier B.V., 2023-10-05T00:00:00) Chaudhari, Umakant; Mehta, Madhu; Sahoo, Prafulla Kumar; Mittal, Sunil; Tiwari, Raghavendra P.
The inordinate presence of uranium (U) and fluoride (F?) in shallow aquifers of arid/semi-arid regions in northern India has raised a serious health concern; the Muktsar district of Punjab is one such example. In the present study, a total of 38 groundwater samples (17 from <100 ft (very shallow; VSL), 21 from >100 to 180 ft (shallow; SL)) were collected from this district to understand the current health risk associated with U and F? and the major factors/processes influencing these contaminants. Groundwater in the study area is mostly alkaline and oxic in nature. The concentration of U ranged from 18.5 ?g/L to 456 ?g/L exceeding the WHO permissible limit (>30 ?g/L) in 93 and 100% samples from VSL and SL respectively, while F? concentration (ranged from 0.3 to 14.4 mg/L) above the limit (>1.5 mg/L) were found in 75 and 57% samples from VSL and SL respectively. As per the depth-wise distribution of U and F?, there is no significant difference between VSL and SL samples, with a few exceptions. Spearman rank correlation (?) shows a significant positive correlation (p-value < 0.05) between U and F? (? = 0.5), and U with total dissolved solid (TDS) (? = 0.5), salinity (? = 0.6), and bicarbonate (HCO3?) (? = 0.7) and a positive association of F? with TDS (? = 0.3), salinity (? = 0.3), and HCO3? (? = 0.3), indicating these parameters are responsible for the co-occurrence of U and F?. Moreover, this geochemical signature is attributed to their geogenic origin. Uranium speciation data show that UO2(CO3)22? and UO2(CO3)34? are dominant species, while F? predominantly occurs as F? species. The regions with high concentration of U and F? in groundwater primarily have mixed type species (Na�HCO3 and NaCl type). Geochemical modelling revealed that the precipitation of calcite, dolomite, and aragonite is favourable for mobility of F? in groundwater. The hazard quotient (HQ) of F? for adults and children exceeds 1 in 57.8% and 65.7% of samples, respectively, while in case of U, 94.7% and 100% samples exceed 1, respectively, indicating the latter is having greater health impact on local people. The current data indicated an urgent demand to develop low-cost and effective remedial techniques to manage groundwater contamination in this region. � 2023
A cross-sectional study to correlate antioxidant enzymes, oxidative stress and inflammation with prevalence of hypertension
(Elsevier Inc., 2022-10-28T00:00:00) Kaur, Sukhchain; Rubal; Kaur, Satveer; Kaur, Amandeep; Kaur, Sandeep; Gupta, Sushil; Mittal, Sunil; Dhiman, Monisha
Aims: Hypertension a multifactorial consequence of environmental factors, life style and genetics is the well-recognized risk factor contributing to coronary heart diseases. The antioxidant imbalance, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to oxidative stress which is pivotal in progression of hypertension. The present study aims to understand the complex interaction between oxidative stress, inflammation and antioxidant system which is crucial to maintain cellular homeostasis which further can exaggerate hypertension pathophysiology. Materials and methods: The metabolic profile of hypertensive and normotensive subjects from Malwa region, Punjab was compared by estimating lipid profile, cardiac, hepatic and renal markers. The oxidative stress markers (protein carbonyls and lipid peroxidation), inflammatory markers (Nitric oxide, Myeloperoxidase and advanced oxygen protein products), and antioxidant enzymes (Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, and Total Antioxidant Capacity) were analyzed. Key findings: It is observed that the metabolic markers are altered in hypertensive subjects which further these subjects showed increased oxidative, inflammatory profile and compromised antioxidant status when compared with normotensive subjects. Co-relation analysis validated the involvement of inflammation and oxidative stress in impaired endothelial function and vital organ damage. Significance of study: These markers may act as early indicators of hypertension which usually do not show any physical symptoms, thus can be diagnosed and treated at the earliest. The current study suggests that disturbed homeostasis, a consequence of altered interaction between antioxidant system and inflammatory events raises the oxidative stress levels which eventually leads to hypertension and associated complications. These indicators can serve as early indicators of future chronic complications of hypertension. � 2022
Curcumin revitalizes Amyloid beta (25–35)-induced and organophosphate pesticides pestered neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y and IMR-32 cells via activation of APE1 and Nrf2
(Springer, 2017) Sarkar, Bibekananda; Dhiman, Monisha; Mittal, Sunil; Mantha, Anil K.
Amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide deposition is the primary cause of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. Several reports point towards the role of pesticides in the AD pathogenesis, especially organophosphate pesticides (OPPs). Monocrotophos (MCP) and Chlorpyrifos (CP) are the most widely used OPPs. In this study, the role of MCP and CP in augmenting the Aβ-induced oxidative stress associated with the neurodegeneration in AD has been assessed in human neuroblastoma IMR-32 and SH-SY5Y cell lines. From the cell survival assay, it was observed that MCP and CP reduced cell survival both dose- and time-dependently. Nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) based assay for determination of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) demonstrated that Aβ(25–35), MCP or CP produce significant oxidative stress alone or synergistically in IMR-32 and SH-SY5Y cells, while pretreatment of curcumin reduced ROS levels significantly in all treatment combinations. In this study, we also demonstrate that treatment of Aβ(25–35) and MCP upregulated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS/NOS2) whereas, no change was observed in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS/NOS1), but down-regulation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) level was observed. While curcumin pretreatment resulted in upregulation of iNOS and Nrf2 proteins. Also, the expression of key DNA repair enzymes APE1, DNA polymerase beta (Pol β), and PARP1 were found to be downregulated upon treatment with MCP, Aβ(25–35) and their combinations at 24 h and 48 h time points. In this study, pretreatment of curcumin to the SH-SY5Y cells enhanced the expression of DNA repair enzymes APE1, pol β, and PARP1 enzymes to counter the oxidative DNA base damage via base excision repair (BER) pathway, and also activated the antioxidant element (ARE) via Nrf2 upregulation. Furthermore, the immunofluorescent confocal imaging studies in SH-SY5Y and IMR-32 cells treated with Aβ(25–35) and MCP-mediated oxidative stress and their combinations at different time periods suggesting for cross-talk between the two proteins APE1 and Nrf2. The APE1’s association with Nrf2 might be associated with the redox function of APE1 that might be directly regulating the ARE-mediated neuronal survival mechanisms.
Effect of arsenic on the growth and physiology of triticum aestivum L. seedings
(Central University of Punjab, 2012) Nag, Shilpa; Mittal, Sunil
The effects of Arsenic (As) were investigated on four varieties of T. aestivum viz. PBW 343, PBW 550, PBW 621 and HD 2967 to elucidate the toxicity of As on morphological, physiological, biochemical and antioxidant processes of plant in early stage. The results showed that seed germination, root length, shoot length and biomass decreased gradually with increase in concentrations of As (125-750'M) and this decrease was biologically significant. The photosynthetic and respiratory activity of the test plants was also investigated. The decrease in chlorophyll and carotenoids content with increase in As content indicates negative effect of As on the photosynthetic pigments. However, the total cellular respiration increased with increase in As concentration and this probably may be due to the enhancement in respiratory enzymes which leads to high production of energy by the respective cells. The contents of water soluble carbohydrates and proteins increased with increasing As concentrations while their hydrolyzing enzymes i.e. ? amylase and protease were decreasing with increase in As concentration. The activity of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase followed the increasing trend indicating the induction of oxidative stress under high concentration of As. Further, among the various varieties HD 2967 was the most tolerant variety and PBW 550 was most affected variety
Effect of natrium fluoride on growth and physiology of oryza sativa L.
(Central University of Punjab, 2012) Das, Anamika; Mittal, Sunil
The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of natrium fluoride on growth and physiology of Oryza sativa L. Two varieties of the O. sativa (rice) viz. Basmati 1121 and PR147 were selected for the study. PR147 is a local variety of the region. The effect was studied on growth (root length and shoot length), physiological parameters (chlorophyll content and percent respiration), macromolecules and their hydrolyzing enzymes (carbohydrate and protein content, ?-amylase and protease activity) and antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) under controlled conditions in the laboratory. Studies revealed that NaF (in different concentrations ranging from 16, 32 and 64 mg/l) affected the growth and physiology of both varieties as compared to control. When the seed of both varieties of rice were exposed to 64 mg/l NaF concentration, the seedling growth of test plants was highly affected as compared to control. Basmati 1121 variety was found to be more sensitive than PR147. In chlorophyll content, the percent reduction at 64 mg/l of NaF was 62% in Basmati 1121 and 30% in PR147. Similarly, reduction in percent cellular respiratory ability on exposure to 64 mg/l of NaF was 75% and 22% in Basmati 1121 and PR147 variety respectively. At 64 mg/l the carbohydrate content was increased 2.9 folds in Basmati 1121 and 1.35 folds in PR147. However the protein content was variably affected as it was increased 2 folds in PR147 and decreased to nearly 55% in Basmati 1121. The macromolecular contents were affected as the activity of their hydrolyzing enzymes was also affected. The increase in oxidative stress due to high concentrations of fluoride exposure has lead to an increase in antioxidant enzyme activity of both peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzymes. The study concludes that high content of fluoride affects the growth and physiology of O. sativa L. by inducing oxidative stress.
Efficacy of biotic components in constructed wetlands for mitigating pesticides
(Elsevier, 2023-03-17T00:00:00) Sachdeva, Saloni; Chowdari, Jabili; Patro, Ashmita; Mittal, Sunil; Sahoo, Prafulla Kumar
Modern agricultural practices pose a significant danger to the aquatic ecosystem. Synthetic pesticides derived from agricultural activities are the most lethal and persistent substances that endanger the planet's ecology and human health; ineffective traditional waste-water treatment systems worsen the situation. On that account, these traditional technologies need to be upgraded and constructed wetlands have come to the fore as an environment and user-friendly technology. CWs consists of different type of biotic components, e.g., plants, microbes and abiotic components, e.g., gravels, sand, etc. which not only removes various types of organic pollutants but also help in their sustainable degradation into a simpler form. However, the factor circumscribing the effective implementation of constructed wetlands is the choice of aquatic macrophytes. The present chapter is an attempt to give a brief insight into using CWs for the treatment and removal of different types of pesticides present in wastewaters having different origins. Selected studies have been scrutinized for more than 60 aquatic macrophytes and 18 unconventional substrates that have shown promising results to mitigate pesticides from nonpoint water sources. Among various biological components, emergent macrophytes (P. australis, T. latiflolia, C. indica, and J. effuses) and associated microorganisms are the most suitable choice for constructed wetlands. Apart from pesticide reduction, macrophytes effectively stabilize the bed surface, reduces clogging, improve filtering, and promote microbial development. Following that, microorganisms can remove contaminants by accelerating chemical processes, biodegradation, and biosorption, as well as promoting plant development. Overall, the present chapter aims to highlight the importance of looking into the holistic interactions of macrophyte-microorganisms for a magnified outcome of removal efficacy. � 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Encapsulation of Monoterpene and Sesquiterpene to Enhance their Biological Properties along with Physico-chemical Characterization
(Central University of Punjab, 2018) Radha, Anu; Mittal, Sunil
Essential oils are secondary metabolites that are basically involved in defense mechanism of plants. They have several properties in different sectors like perfume industry, pharmaceuticals etc. Moreover, their biological properties have been reported against bacteria, virus, fungi, nematodes and other pests and pathogens of crops. However, their beneficial properties cannot be explored due to their volatile nature, thermal instabilityand rapid oxidation on exposure to air. Therefore, the present work was carried out to encapsulate the essential oil constituents i.e., eugenol and ?-caryophyllene. Encapsulation was carried out using biodegradable polymer i.e. ?-cyclodextrin. The encapsulated material was further subjected to physico-chemical characterization to verify the encapsulation of guest material inside the host material. Peaks obtained in GC-MS analysis using DCM as solvent confirmed the presence of eugenol and ?-caryophyllene. ?maxfor eugenol and?-caryophyllene was observed at 280 nm and 230 nm using UV-Vis spectrophotometer.Encapsulation of eugenol and ?-caryophyllene was also confirmed by taking absorbance at 280 nm and 230 nm, respectively. On the other hand, ?-cyclodextrin (control) didn't show absorbance at 200-400 nm. Surface Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed the morphology of the encapsulated material with rough surface, cracks and sharp edges. Encapsulated particles were reported to have size in micrometers via SEM and were therefore, referred as microparticles. The most informative technique i.e., Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy, alsoconfirmed the interaction of guest and host molecule. The FTIR spectrum of eugenol showed characteristic peaks at 3516 cm-1 (OH), 2842-3000 cm-1 (C-H stretching), and 1511 cm-1, 1611 cm-1 and 1638 cm-1 (C=C aromatic ring). The FTIR spectrum of ?-caryophyllene showed bands at 3067-2856 cm-1 and 1671-885 cm-1. Thermal property of eugenol and ?-caryophyllene was also improved by encapsulation. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) curve for eugenol and ?-caryophyllene showed 100% weight loss in the range of 30°C-215°C whereas the weight loss of encapsulated eugenol and ?-caryophyllene occurred in the range of 300-580 °C, respectively.
Equilibrium and Kinetic studies for the Adsorptive Removal of Copper from Aqueous Solution onto Modified Natural Polymer. TEQIP-II Sponsored,
(2015) Vaid, U; Thakur, S; Mittal, Sunil; Babu, J. N.
Essential oils and their constituents as anticancer agents: A mechanistic view
(Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2014) Gautam, Nandini; Mantha, Anil K.; Mittal, Sunil
Exploring natural plant products as an option to find new chemical entities as anticancer agents is one of the fastest growing areas of research. Recently, in the last decade, essential oils (EOs) have been under study for their use in cancer therapy and the present review is an attempt to collect and document the available studies indicating EOs and their constituents as anticancer agents. This review enlists nearly 130 studies of EOs from various plant species and their constituents that have been studied so far for their anticancer potential and these studies have been classified as in vitro and in vivo studies for EOs and their constituents. This review also highlights in-depth various mechanisms of action of different EOs and their constituents reported in the treatment strategies for different types of cancer. The current review indicates that EOs and their constituents act by multiple pathways and mechanisms involving apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, antimetastatic and antiangiogenic, increased levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), DNA repair modulation, and others to demonstrate their antiproliferative activity in the cancer cell. The effect of EOs and their constituents on tumour suppressor proteins (p53 and Akt), transcription factors (NF-B and AP-1), MAPK-pathway, and detoxification enzymes like SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase has also been discussed. ? 2014 Nandini Gautam et al.
Exploration of antioxidant and anticancer potential of essential oil of salvia plebeia RBR
(Central University of Punjab, 2012) Gautam, Nandani; Mittal, Sunil
Cancer is one of the major problems that accounts for millions of death worldwide per year. Breast cancer is the most commonly encountered cancer in the females. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the standard methods used in the treatment of cancer but these have various side effects also. Other complementary treatments based on plants and its products are used to lessen the side effects. Some essential oils are the potent source of the novel molecules and have been reported to have anticancer effect. In the present study, essential oil from Salvia plebeia has been screened for cytotoxic activity in vitro using MTT assay and has been observed to show inhibitory effect on the cancer cells with the increase in concentration against breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDAMB-231. The essential oil was observed to show IC50 at concentration 30?g/ml for MCF-7 cells and in MDAMB-231, IC50 was calculated to be 65?g/ml for 24 hours treatment. Essential oil was found to be effective against highly metatstatic MDAMB-231cells Exposure time effect was studied to know whether it has sustained effect or not and it was observed that essential oil had sustained effect at higher concentrations and longer exposure time was required to show sustained effect. Single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay) was used to find out its mode of action and it was observed to induce DNA damage in the cancer cells that might have resulted in cell death at various concentrations. Essential oil was observed to have antioxidant activity, which was studied using DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assay. Various compounds like cayophyllene, alpha-humulene and cayophllene oxide were determined by GC-MS analysis. Cayophyllene was the major compound (46%). Some of the constituents might be responsible for anticancer activity of the oil. It has been concluded from the study that novel essential oil is very effective against breast cancer cells. This oil can be screened further against other cell lines and can be used as nutritional supplement.
Geochemical assessment of groundwater contaminants and associated health risks in the Shivalik region of Punjab, India
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2020-08-07T00:00:00) Mittal, Sunil; Kumar, Ravishankar; Sahoo, Prafulla Kumar; Sahoo, Sunil Kumar
The present study investigates the groundwater suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes in the Shivalik region of Punjab, India. The results revealed that the concentration of Se, U, and F? exceeded BIS acceptable drinking water standards in 18%, 9%, and 16% samples, respectively. Multivariate analyses indicate the geogenic origin for As, U, Fe, F? and SO42?, and anthropogenic for NO3?, Cu, and Cr. The carcinogenic risk of drinking water is in very low (10?6) to low (10?5) category, while cumulative non-carcinogenic risk (HI-1.2) is slightly higher than USEPA limits (HI-1). The groundwater quality was found suitable for irrigation purpose. � 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Ground/drinking water contaminants and cancer incidence: A case study of rural areas of South West Punjab, India
(Bellwether Publishing, Ltd., 2019-12-26T00:00:00) Kaur, Gursharan; Kumar, Ravishankar; Mittal, Sunil; Sahoo, Prafulla Kumar; Vaid, Upma
This study was carried out in the rural areas of South West Punjab, India, to evaluate the groundwater quality and cancer incidence. The epidemiological study was carried using standardized questionnaire method, and the groundwater samples were analyzed for heavy metals by ICP-MS and AAS. The results showed that the cancer prevalence was highest in the age group of > 60, followed by >45�60 years old in both males and females. The average cancer rate in females (272 cases/lakh) was ?3 times higher than the India�s national cancer average of 80 cases/lakh. The mean concentration of As (27.59 �g/L), Pb (48.3 �g/L), U (96.56 �g/L), NO3� (67.32 mg/L), and F� (4.7 mg/L) exceeded the drinking water limits of WHO/BIS. Health risk analysis indicated that As, Pb, U, and F� with NO3� are the major groundwater contaminants, which may be one of the potential cause of cancer incidences. Multivariate analyses reveal that anthropogenic activities are source of NO3�, whereas U, As, and F� are mainly of geogenic origin. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk followed in the order of As > Pb and U > F�>NO3�>Cu > Zn, respectively. Further, correlations between cancer incidence and groundwater quality have been discussed. � 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.