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The indiscriminate usage of antimicrobials in the animal health sector contributes immensely to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The present study aims to assess the antimicrobial usage pattern and risk factors for AMR in animal husbandry sector of India. A cross-sectional survey about Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) among veterinarians was carried out using a questionnaire comprising of 52 parameters associated with antibiotic use and the emergence of AMR in dairy herds. Respondents’ KAP scores were estimated to rank their level of knowledge, attitude, and practice. Furthermore, risk factors associated with treatment failure were analyzed by univariable and multivariable analyses. Out of a total of 466 respondents, the majority had average knowledge (69.5%), neutral attitude (93.2%), and moderate practice (51.3%) scores toward judicious antibiotic usage. Veterinarians reported mastitis (88.0%), reproductive disorders (76.6%), and hemoprotozoan infections (49.6%) as the top three disease conditions that require antibiotic usage. Most of the veterinarians (90.6%) resorted to their “own experience” as the main criteria for antibiotic choice. The use of the highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIA) listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in animals, particularly quinolones (76.8%) and third-generation cephalosporins (47.8%), has been reported. On multivariable regression analysis of the risk factors, the lack of cooperation of the dairy farmers in the completion of a prescribed antibiotic course by the veterinarian and the demand for antibiotic use even in conditions not requiring antibiotic use were found to be significantly associated with the outcome variable “treatment failure” having respective odds of 1.8 (95%CI: 1.1–3.0) and 3.6 (95%CI: 2.3–5.8) (p < 0.05). The average KAP score of veterinarians, poor farm management practices, lack of awareness among farmers on prudent antibiotic use, and lack of antibiotic stewardship are the significant factors that need attention to combat the rising AMR in veterinary sector in India.

pesticides residue poses serious concerns to human health. the present study was carried out to determine the pesticide residues of peri-urban bovine milk (n = 1183) from five different sites (Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Ludhiana and Udaipur) in India and dietary exposure risk assessment to adults and children. pesticide residues were estimated using gas chromatography with flame thermionic and electron capture detectors followed by confirmation on gas chromatographymass spectrometer. The results noticed the contamination of milk with hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), dichloro-diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), endosulfan, cypermethrin, cyhalothrin, permethrin, chlorpyrifos, ethion and profenophos pesticides. the residue levels in some of the milk samples were observed to be higher than the respective maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticide. Milk samples contamination was found highest in Bhubaneswar (11.2%) followed by Bangalore (9.3%), Ludhiana (6.9%), Udaipur (6.4%) and Guwahati (6.3%). The dietary risk assessment of pesticides under two scenarios i.e. lower-bound scenario (LB) and upper-bound (UB) revealed that daily intake of pesticides was substantially below the prescribed acceptable daily intake except for fipronil in children at UB. The non-cancer risk by estimation of hazard index (HI) was found to be below the target value of one in adults at all five sites in India. However, for children at the UB level, the HI for lindane, DDT and ethion exceeded the value of one in Ludhiana and Udaipur. Cancer risk for adults was found to be in the recommended range of United States environment protection agency (USEPA), while it exceeded the USepA values for children.

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Animals intended for human food may absorb pesticides from residues in their feed, water or during direct/indirect exposure in the course of pest control. The objective of the present investigation was to monitor organochlorine pesticide residues in poultry feed, chicken muscle and eggs at a selected poultry farm. The samples were Soxhlet extracted for 8 h in 200 mL hexane-acetone (1:1, v/v) mixture. The clean-up of the samples was performed by silica gel column chromatography and analysis was done on a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector. The mean total hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), endosulfan sulfate and heptachlor epoxide residues were 0.65, 0.91, 0.42 and 0.02 mg kg −1 , respectively, in feed while respective values for chicken muscle were 0.11, 0.24, 0.10 and 0.07 mg kg −1 . Higher residues were encountered in eggs as compared to muscle. None of the muscle samples exceeded maximum residue limits (MRL) for organochlorine pesticides, while all egg samples had values above the MRL for HCH and heptachlor epoxide and seven egg samples exceeded MRL for DDT residues. The results indicated that poultry feed could be one of the major sources of contamination for chicken and eggs. These residues are present despite complete ban on the use of technical HCH and DDT for agricultural purposes in India.

In view of emerging threat of COVID-19 pandemic, stringent lockdown measures have been implemented in India since 25 th March, 2020. The present study aims to assess the changes in air quality before and during lockdown in the four major metropolitan cities of India viz., Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The data on major air quality parameters and meteorological parameters was collected for 15 days before lockdown (i.e., March 10 th-March 24 th , 2020) and 15 days after implementation of lockdown (25 th March-April 8 th , 2020). The lockdown measures reflected a significant reduction in air pollutants, most significant fall was estimated for NO 2 (29.3-74.4%) while the least reduction was noticed for SO 2. On the contrary, levels of ground level ozone were found to be increased (except in Mumbai), could be related to the lower utilization of O 3 owing to decrease of NO x in the environment. Since, the lockdown period has been extended, therefore further reduction of most pollutants is expected. Among the various metrological parameters, significant increase in diurnal temperature was observed at Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, however relative humidity has changed significantly only in Mumbai. In the absence of any major violent meteorological phenomena in India during recent months the significant difference in air quality parameters could be majorly attributed to the effect of lockdown measures. However, the regional differences may be because of the local emission of pollutants and the prevailing effects of secondary pollutants. These observations highlight the contribution of anthropogenic sources in air pollution, therefore, sustainable polices for mitigation of air pollution are essential in India.

A stable and highly sensitive gas ionization sensor (GIS) constructed from vertically aligned, conductive yttrium-doped ZnO nanorod (YZO NR) arrays is demonstrated. The conductive YZO NRs are synthesized using a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. At higher Y/Zn molar ratio, the aspect ratio of the YZO NRs is increased from 11 to 25. Doping with yttrium atoms decreases the electrical resistivity of ZnO NRs more than 100 fold. GIS measurements reveal a 6-fold enhancement in the sensitivity accompanied with a significant reduction in breakdown voltage from the highly conductive YZO NRs. Direct correlations between the resistivity of the NRs and GIS characteristics are established. 1 An Enhanced Gas Ionization Sensor from Y-doped Vertically Aligned Conductive ZnO Nanorods AbstractA stable and highly sensitive gas ionization sensor (GIS) constructed from vertically aligned, conductive yttrium-doped ZnO nanorod (YZO NR) arrays is demonstrated. The conductive YZO NRs are synthesized using a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. At higher Y/Zn molar ratio, the aspect ratio of the YZO NRs is increased from 11 to 25. Doping with yttrium atoms decreases the electrical resistivity of ZnO NRs more than 100 fold. GIS measurements reveal a 6-fold enhancement in the sensitivity accompanied with a significant reduction in breakdown voltage from the highly conductive YZO NRs. Direct correlations between the resistivity of the NRs and GIS characteristics are established.