NOPR Community:

Effect of 1-methyl cyclopropene on the post harvest life and quality of kiwi fruit

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Effect of 1-methyl cyclopropene on the post harvest life and quality of kiwi fruit Authors: Sharma, Ram Roshan; Sagar, Vidya Ram; Rana, Vishal Abstract: Studies were conducted to observe the effect of different concentrations of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the post-harvest life and quality of 'Allison' kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa). Fruit were treated with different concentrations of 1-MCP (0.5 μl l^-1, 1.0 μl l^-1, or 2.0 μl l^-1) for 24 h at 20°C and untreated fruits served as control. After treatment, fruits were transferred to ambient temperature storage (22 ± 4°C, 65-70% relative humidity) for 18 days, during which observations on various physical, physiological and biochemical parameters were recorded at 3 days intervals. Our results revealed that 1-MCP @ 2.0 μl l^-1 was the most effective treatment to delay softening and ripening in 'Allison' kiwifruit as such fruit showed the lowest weight loss (9.8 %), have highest fruit firmness (32.7 N), and began to ripen only after 12 days in storage, whereas untreated fruit started ripening on day-6 of storage. The activities of fruit softening enzymes such as polygalacturonase and lipoxygenase were lower, and total phenolics contents and antioxidant activity were higher in 1-MCP-treated fruits than in untreated fruits. 1-MCP-treated fruit exhibited lower rates of respiration and ethylene production than untreated fruits. Similarly, 1-MCP-treated fruit had high titratable acidity and ascorbic acid (AA) contents and lower soluble solids contents than untreated kiwifruits. Thus, 1-MCP @ 2.0 μl l^-1 can be used for the post-harvest treatment of 'Allison' kiwifruit to enhance its shelf-life and marketability by approx, 6 days. Page(s): 115-122

Synthesis and characterization of nano CuInS2 thin Films for device applications

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Synthesis and characterization of nano CuInS2 thin Films for device applications Authors: Agrawal, S L; Shukla, P K; Sharma, Harit; Singh, C P; Tripathi, Deepshikha Abstract: Present paper deals with synthesis and characterization of CuInS₂ thin films prepared through sol gel spray pyrolysis technique. During synthesis di-ethanolamine has been used as stabilizer for Indium acetate solution in 1-propanol while mono ethanolamine and ethylene glycol have been used in combination as stabilizing agent for Copper acetate solution in 2-propanol. The structural and optical properties of as deposited films have been explored in order to determine the optimum conditions for growth of CIS ternary compound semiconductor films. The physical and optical properties of the thin films synthesized at different substrate temperatures have been studied by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and UV-Visible spectroscopy. XRD analysis revealed formation of CuInS₂ phase along with that of Cu₉ In₄ as impurity. The crystallite size calculated from XRD data ranges from 45 to 63nm. SEM analysis have shown that film consist of homogeneous grains with sizes of about few hundred nanometers. Besides, formations of flower like structure and larger agglomerates have also been witnessed in the SEM examination. The energy band gap calculated from optical absorption spectra shows a blue shift on increasing the substrate temperature. Page(s): 123-127

Optimization of electrode material for bioelectricity production through microbial fuel cell

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Optimization of electrode material for bioelectricity production through microbial fuel cell Authors: Kaushik, Alka; Jadhav, S K Abstract: Fuel cells are one of the most essential topics in research. Microbial fuel cell is a newest type of fuel cells that can generate electricity from renewable biomass by means of microorganisms as biocatalysts. There are diverse factors that can be considered in the development and improvement of MFC performance. Among effective parameters in Microbial Fuel Cells, substrate types and electrode composition play a crucial role in its performance. In this study, a dual chamber MFC is fabricated to check its dual function of bioelectricity production and simultaneously wastewater treatment. The present work is an experimented investigation concerned with selection of the best pair of electrodes. The various combinations of anode/cathode materials as copper, zinc, aluminium and carbon for Microbial Fuel Cells has been systematically studied and out of which Zn/C pair gave higher voltage output of 1.24±0.001 V and current of 3.28±0.012 mA with Gudiyari nala wastewater. Simultaneously, analysis of wastewater was also performed before and after the operation. Significant reduction in COD by 66.67 % with Gudiyari nala wastewater, indicated effective wastewater treatment in batch experiments. This work may help in the optimization of parameters for maximum production of bioelectricity to recompense the upcoming need of electricity as well as reduces the dependency of fossil fuels. Page(s): 128-134

Assessment of fuel choices and associated health effects on women in hilly regions of Uttarakhand

2016-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Assessment of fuel choices and associated health effects on women in hilly regions of Uttarakhand Authors: Dhyani, Rajni; Sharma, Niraj; Vaishya, Archana; Singh, Monu Abstract: In India, nearly 86% of rural households use biomass for cooking. Easy availability of fuel wood and prolonged winters increases its usage particularly in hilly regions. In rural hilly regions, fuel is primarily used for cooking, water heating and space heating purposes. A study was carried out in three villages namely Naugaon, Mawana and Kota from the Pauri district of Uttarakhand to identify the current status of fuel consumption pattern of rural areas in a hilly region. A questionnaire was prepared comprising the queries related to socio-economic status, choice of fuels for cooking, health and social awareness among women. It was observed that fuel wood is preferred fuel choice due to its low cost and easy availability. Socio-economic factors, inconsistent supply of fuels like LPG and geographical locations of the villages discourages the people of these villages to switch to cleaner fuel. In the present study, due to economic, social and geographic location, fuel wood seems to be a viable option. Further, government and public participation practices like social forestry, joint forest management could be adopted to ensure the sustainable, regular and cheap availability of fuel. Adverse health impacts of fuel wood could be reduced by using improved cook stove(s) and by making conventional kitchens well ventilated. Page(s): 135-144