Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research
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VOLUME 61 |
NUMBER 1 |
JANUARY 2002 |
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CONTENTS |
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Editorial |
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7 |
Plant oils—Fuel of the
future |
Biodiesel is an efficient, clean, 100 per cent
natural energy alternative to petroleum fuels. Among the many advantages of
biodiesel fuel include the following: safe for use in all conventional diesel
engines, offers the same performance and engine durability as petroleum
diesel fuel, non-inflammable and non-toxic, reduces tailpipe emissions,
visible smoke and noxious fumes and odors, produced in Hawaii from 100 per
cent recycled vegetable oils. Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. is a pioneer in the
successful commercial production of biodiesel. With numerous benefits to the
environment, the community and the private consumer, biodiesel as an
alternative to petroleum diesel is gaining momentum in the United States and
throughout the world. The fuel, made on Maui from 100 per cent-recycled
vegetable oil, meets both the US and German specifications for quality
biodiesel. |
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Review Paper |
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17 |
Non-conventional phenolic
resins—An overview on recent advances
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This paper consolidates the very recent
developments in the field of non-conventional phenlolic resins. Innovative
research for overcoming the inherent shortcoming of phenolic systems
concerning processability, brittleness, oxidative resistance, etc. has gained
momentum. The concept of addition-cure phenolics addresses partly to these
problems. The strategies adopted for structural modifications through
introduction of thermally stable, addition curable groups such as, phenyl
maleimide, phenyl meleimide-allyphenol, propargyl ether, acetylene and phenyl
ethynyl are described. The strategy of reactive and non-reactive blending and
control of the cure and morphology of the network is also briefed. Adhesive
evaluation of selected modified phenolic resins and their blends are
described.
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Papers |
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34 |
Some studies on modelling
and |
The paper presents work on modelling and designing
intelligent devices such as sensors, used in industrial automation and
control applications. Model-based spectrum
analysis schemes are used for diagnosis of sensor anomalies. IBM
compatible PC, LON-based fieldbus system, Matlab and Visual Basic tools are used
as the realizing platform for evaluation. |
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Papers |
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48 |
Energy dispersive x-ray
fluorescence spectrometry analysis of elements in tobacco cigarette and
ashed-tobacco samples |
EDXRF spectroscopy, using a 109Cd
excitation source is used for the multi-element analysis of two tobacco
leaves and ten brands of cigarettes widely consumed in Nigeria. The dried
tobacco leaves, cigarettes and ashes of the samples are analysed for 14 elements
(K, Ca, As, Br, Rb, Sr, Ti, Zr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se and Pb). Statistical
correlations is found to exist between As and Pb (+0.99), Zr and Br (-0.94),
Rb and Br (-0.92), and K and Br (-0.96). |
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53 |
Chemical industry wastewater
treatment using adsorption
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The study aims at demonstrating that adsorption as
the first stage of treatment increases efficiency of the subsequent
biological treatment. Experiments are carried out on different wastewater
samples from chemical plants on adsorbents viz. activated carbon, bentonite, and lignite. The effectiveness
of adsorbents in the removal of refractory organics by way of reducing
chemical oxygen demand and colour is evaluated. The results of COD reduction
are fitted into different models available in literature including the new
model Rathi Puranik equation, which requires least experimentation for
predicting COD values.
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61 |
Studies on zirconium (IV)
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A Mg(II) ion sensor selective araldite
zirconium(IV) selenomolybdate membrane sensor is prepared. It exhibits slope
23 mV/decade, which is a sub-Nernstain slope. The sensor shows working
concentration range as 1.0 ´ 10-5 M to 1.0 ´ 10-1 M and working pH range as 2.5 to 6.0. The selectivity
coefficients for 17 metal ions are studied. It can be used in the presence of
some solvents up to 10 per cent v/v concentration as well as in the presence
of 10-4 to 10-6 M
Na-lauryl suphate surfactant. The membrane electrode is put in the
determination of Mg(II) ion content in synthetic samples as well as in hard water
samples. The error is found to be 2 to 6 per cent.
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67 |
Effect of exposure to acid
vapours on the dielectric behaviour of hot pressed aluminium nitride ceramic
with and without oxide additives
Arti Khanna, A Kumar & |
Dielectric behaviour of hot pressed aluminium
nitride (AIN) ceramic with and without additives is studied before and after
exposing the samples to some inorganic and organic acid vapours. It is
observed that the dielectric dispersion increases after exposing the samples
to acid vapours over and above the atmospheric humidity. In all the cases the
presence of oxide additives (BeO, MgO, and Y2O3) is
found to increase the exposure effects.
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70 |
Biodegradation of catechol
by
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A bioremedial study is undertaken to elucidate the
role of a soil bacterial isolate fluorescent Pseudomonas sp. in
biodegradation and removal of organic pollutant, catechol, from the
environment. Free and immobilized cells of fluorescent Pseudomonas, a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, isolated
from wheat rhizosphere and entrapped in
calcium alginate beads are screened for their in vitro catechol (1,2 dihydroxy benzene) degrading efficiency.
The bacterium degrades catechol under all the four physiological states
tested. Agitation enhanced its rapid degradation. Shake cultures of both
immobilized and free cells degrade 83.2 per cent and 82.2 per cent,
respectively in 72 h indicating high efficiency of immobilized and free cells
degrade 83.2 per cent and 82.2 per cent catechol, respectively in 72 h
indicating high efficiency of immobilized and free cells for bioremedial purposes. Thus,
versatility of fluorescent Pseudomonas
to degrade phenolic pollutants as well as to enhance plant growth can be
exploited for biotechnological applications. |
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Book Reviews |
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75 |
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Global E-commerce
strategies for small businesses |
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Entrepreneurial competiton
and industrial location—Investigating the structural patterns and intangible
sources of competitive performance |
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Sci-Tech Update |
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79 |
· Beowulf class supercomputers |
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Niger-year of new
information and communication technologies designed |
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Advanced biotechnology:
view of agricultural scientist |
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Biological treatment of
pollutants |
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Ripped genes |
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Monolayer photoreactivity—a
new study |
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Hydrogen fuel cell
electrolyte |
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Vaccine for livestock gas
emissions developed |
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Synthetic gene-delivery
polymers identified |
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Announcement |
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