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Present study reports the biodegradation of chlorpyrifos by Synechocystis sp. Biodegradation of the insecticide by the cyanobacterium is significant as it can be biologically removed from the environment. The cyanobacterium may be used for bioremediation of chlorpyrifos-contaminated soils.

The present study was undertaken to investigate whether RP-1 treatment protected mitochondrial system against radiation damage and also to unravel the mechanism associated with this process. Radioprotection of mitochondrial system by Podophyllum hexandrum (RP-1) was investigated to understand its mechanism of action. Levels of superoxide anion (O2-), reduced or oxidized glutathione (GSH or GSSG), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), protein carbonyl (PC), ATP, NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex-I), NADH-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (complex I/II), succinate-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (complex II/III) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were studied in mitochondria isolated from liver of mice belonging to various treatment groups. Whole body y-irradiation (10 Gy) significantly (p < 0.01) increased the formation of O2-, PC, and TBARS, upto 24 h as compared to untreated control. RP-1 treatment (200 mg/kg b.w.) to mice 2 h before irradiation reduced the radiation-induced O2- generation within 4 h and formation of TBARS and PC upto 24 h significantly (p < 0.01). Singularly irradiation or RP-1 treatment significantly (p < 0.01) increased the levels of glutathione within an hour, as compared to untreated control. Pre-irradiation administration of RP-1 enhanced levels of GSH induced increase in complex I (upto 16 h), complex I/III (4 h) complex II/III activity (upto 24 h; p < 0.01) and inhibited the radiation-induced decrease in MMP significantly (24 h; p < 0.01). The present study indicates that RP-1 itself modulates several mitichondrial perameters due to its influence on the biochemical milieu within and outside the cells. However, RP-1 treatment before irradiation modulates radiation induced perturbations such as the increase in electron transport chain enzyme activity, formation of O2-, TBARS and PC to offer radioprotection.

The conditioning film developed on glass panels immersed in surface seawater over a period of 24 h was analysed for total organic carbon (OC), total organic nitrogen (ON), and total hydrolyzable amino acid (THAA) concentrations and composition. The concentrations of C and N and THAA increased, whereas the C/N ratio decreased over the period of immersion. The amino acid-C and N accounted for 3.7-6.7% and 10.3-65.3% of OC and ON, respectively. The relative contribution of glycine plus threonine and serine to the total amino acids decreased while that of valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine and leucine increased over the period of immersion. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on mole% amino acid composition showed that the degradation indices (DI) for the conditioning film organic matter increased over the period of immersion. A high C/N ratio, a low %THAA-C, % THAA-N and DI values and the abundance of glycine plus threonine and serine in the conditioning film organic matter during the first few hours following immersion imply that the adsorbed organic matter was mostly derived from degraded organic matter.

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Biofilm developed on stainless steel was characterised using biological, chemical and biochemical parameters, as well as aldose molecular biomarkers. Biofilm biomass and carbohydrate concentration increased on stainless steel, whereas C:N and organic carbon:chlorophyll a ratios decreased over the period of immersion. Despite the abundance of microalgal biomass, carbohydrate concentration was lower than that observed for proteins. Carbohydrate composition varied during the period of immersion. Glucose, arabinose and xylose were relatively more abundant during the initial period (5 d) of immersion, whereas rhamnose, fucose, ribose and galactose were more abundant during the latter period (> 5 d) of immersion. The sugar distribution trends suggest that biofilm carbohydrates were mostly derived from degraded biogenic and/or terrestrial sources, especially during the initial period (< 5 d) of immersion. As the period of immersion increased, the contribution of biogenic sources to the biofilm carbohydrates increased. This conclusion was also supported by principal component analysis based on wt % aldose composition. Multi-parameter approaches such as the one used in the present study provide a better picture of the sources and nature of biofilm organic matter.

Growth of Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium notatum was inhibited by a fungicide coupled to a packagingjfilm. A chemical method was employed to attach a fungicide containing amino groups to an ionomeric packaging $film containing pendent carboxyl groups. Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide was used as the coupling agent and dimethylaminopyridine as the catalyst for the reaction. Infra-red spectroscopy, weight gain and elemental analysis were used to demonstrate that the fungicide was coupled to thejlm.