Review Papers

715

Electrically conducting polymers: Materials of the twentyfirst century





















A K Bakhshi & Geetika Bhalla

The paper critically reviews some recent developments in the field of electrically conducting polymers which have grown very rapidly since the discovery that there is a very sharp increase in conductivity when intrinsically insulating organic conjugated polymers such as, polyacetylene are doped with oxidizing or reducing agents. Various strategies presently used for designing polymers with tailor-made conduction properties and some recent results obtained using these strategies are discussed. Some of the important applications of electrically conducting polymers are also discussed.

IPC Code: Int. Cl.⁷ : C  08  G  18/76; C  08  G 18/83

729

Biohydrogen production as a potential energy resource — Present state-of-art




Kaushik Nath & Debabrata Das

The paper critically updates various biohydrogenation processes with special references to their merits and demerits. Different approaches towards improvement of the bioprocesses are also outlined.

IPC Code: Int. Cl.⁷ : C  12  P  1/02

Papers

739

Sugarcane bagasse improves the activity of ligninolytic enzymes and decolourization of dyes by the white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus

 

Soma Sen, P P Singh, V S Rathore & Ben M J Pereira

Discusses the biotechnological applications of bagasse and its extract in industrial pollution management. Stationary cultures of Pleurotus ostreatus, MTCC-1804 supplemented with bagasse powder or its ethanolic extract, shows a concentration-dependent enhancement in the laccase activity both in liquid and semi-solid (glass bead) cultures. Bagasse extract also imparts greater stability to the enzyme. Mn-peroxidase (MnP) activity is detected only in cultures supplemented with bagasse or its extract. Supplementation of liquid culture with bagasse extract results in greater decolourization of three industrial dyes.

IPC Code: Int. Cl.⁷ : C  12  N  1/02

747

Jute caddis — A new substrate for biogas production























 

S Banik

Describes biogas production from a lignocellulosic material like jute caddis. Batch fermentation is adopted for utilization of jute caddis in a modified KVIC model (floating dome type) biogas plant although problem of hard scum formation is not completely eliminated. The results indicate that jute waste is a promising substrate for biomethanation because of its slow and steady nature of decomposition. Jute mills can adopt this eco-friendly technology for their commercial exploitation.

752

Micro-controller based oscillation monitoring system for the safety of railway vehicles with high storage capacity and real time warning facility




 

K Mittal, Sandeep Kalra, M A Shamshi & B K Sharma

An advanced portable instrument to monitor, detect, and record the horizontal and vertical accelerations of the railway vehicles (railway coaches, wagons and locomotives, etc.) as well as of railway tracks has been designed and developed by incorporating the state of the art technology suitable for this purpose. The design/technology has been perfected by conducting repeated field trials on the instrument in association with the engineers of RDSO, Lucknow. The designed instrument based on 89C52 Micro-controller technology, is a major step in the direction of advance instrumentation for Indian Railways.

IPC Code: Int. Cl.⁷ : G  05  D  1/02

758

Studies on the spent liquor recirculation during soda-amine pulping of jute






 

M Sarwar Jahan, D A Nasima Chowdhury,
M Khalidul Islam & S N Hossain

Spent liquor of soda-monoethanolamine and soda-ethylenediamine processes are recirculated with white liquor in different proportions and its effect is studied on pulp properties and solid content in spent liquor. Pulp yield, kappa number, and solid contents in spent liquor increase with increasing spent liquor recirculation. These increases are higher in soda-ethylenediamine process than that in soda-monoethanolamine process. There is not much significant change in strength properties up to 35 per cent of the spent liquor recirculation. The bleachability of the spent liquor recirculated pulp does not change much.

IPC Code: Int. Cl.⁷ : C  02  F  1/00

763

Emission factors for the quantification of dust in Indian coal mines

Mrinal K Ghose

Prediction equations are utilized for the development of emission factors and are used for the quantification of dust generation due to opencast coal mining. For the applications of this concept, one large opencast coal project of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) is investigated and the amount of dust emitted due to different mining activities is quantified. The paper also focuses on the significance of this study in the field of environmental protection and likely impacts of such study.

IPC Code: Int. Cl.⁷ : C  09  C  1/44

769

Analysis of skewness and kurtosis for ambient air quality monitoring data — Neyveli thermal plants




















 

G Sriram, N Krishnamohan & V Gopalasamy

The air quality study made in September 1988 is analyzed in respect of sulphur dioxide and suspended particulate matter in the ambient air in the neighbourhood of Neyveli Thermal Power Corporation for finding ideal location of sampling stations.

Book Review

776

·         Reviews on Indian medicinal plants, Volume 1 (Abe-Alle), Volume 2 (Alli-Ard), Volume 3 (Are-Azi)
     Reviewer: T K Mukherjee

Sci-Tech Update

777

·         Synesthetic metaphor: a cognitive perspective

·         Design science

·         Telematic culture

·         Design, communication and collaboration in immersive virtual environment

·         NASA pioneers a virtual collaborative clinic

·         Virtual reality in neuro-psychological assessment and rehabilitation

·         Gujarat science city at Ahmedabad, India

·         Major energy park project at Gujarat science city, Ahmedabad

·         Squeezing more juice out of solar panels

·         HRM phenomenon

783

·         Additions and Corrections