In recent years, there has been increasing interest in developing green biocomposite for industrial wastewater treatment. In this study, prawn-shell-derived chitosan (CHT) and kaolinite rich modified clay (MC) were used to fabricate biocomposite beads with different compositions. Prepared composite beads were characterized by FTIR, and XRD, and SEM. The possible application of the beads was evaluated primarily by measuring the adsorption efficiency in standard models of lead (II) and methylene blue (MB) dye solution, and the results show a promising removal efficiency. In addition, the composites were used to remove Cr (VI), Pb (II), and MB from real industrial effluents. From tannery effluent, 50.90% of chromium and 39.50% of lead ions were removed by composites rich in chitosan and 31.50% of MB was removed from textile effluent by a composite rich in clay. Moreover, the composite beads were found to be activated in both acidic and basic media depending on their composition, which gives a scope to their universal application in dye and heavy metal removal from wastewater from various industries.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of environmental management accounting (EMA) on manufacturing companies’ environmental and financial performance in Bangladesh. Thus, this research recognizes essential factors such as EMA, environmental performance (EP), financial performance (FP), environmental information systems (EIS), knowledge management (KM), green innovation and energy efficiency (EE). Design/methodology/approach This research uses a quantitative approach and uses 323 responses from the manufacturing firms. This research tests the study model through the “Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling” (PLS-SEM) technique using Smart PLS v3.3 software. This research uses AMOS v24 and 40% sample consideration to check the robustness. The study passes various model fit measures, i.e. reliability, validity, factor analysis and goodness of fit. Findings The research finds that EMA is positively and significantly associated with EP and FP. The study also finds a substantial relationship between recognized factors with EMA and EP. This research connects the stakeholder theory and institutional theory to the EMA model and shows the pressures from stakeholders and institutions reassuring the manufacturing firms to implement EMA. This research evidences that EMA enhances EP and FP. Originality/value The policymakers, regulators and government can consider these findings to formulate policy regarding companies’ EP and FP. Particularly, company executives can focus on KM, EIS, green innovation and EE factors for EP and FP.

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Cellulose crystals (CC) were chemically derived from jute by alkali treatment, bleaching and subsequent hydrolysis with 40 % sulfuric acid. Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) suggested sufficient removal of lignin and hemicellulose from the raw jute and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies demonstrated the preparation of microcrystalline cellulose. CC reinforced polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite was prepared by solution casting method under laminar flow. In order to maintain uniform dispersion of 3–15 % (w/w) of the CC in the composite N, N dimethylformamide (DMF) was used as a dispersant. FT-IR, XRD, SEM, thermogravimetric analysis (TG, DTG and DTA) and thermomechanical analyses (TMA) were used to characterize the CC and the composites. The study of tensile properties showed that tensile strength (TS) and modulus (TM) increase with increasing CC content up to 9 % and then decrease with the addition of a high content of CC (above 9 %) because of the aggregation of CCs in the composite. The highest TS (43.9 MPa) and TM (2,190 MPa) have been shown to be the composite prepared with 9 % CC and the lowest to be from pure PVA film 17.1 and 1470 MPa. In addition, the composites have showed no cytotoxicity that can also prohibit microbial growth and; hence, it can be a potential material for biomedical applications such as wound healing accelerators.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s40204-014-0023-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Chitosan is a biodegradable polymer composed of randomly distributed β‐(1,4)‐linked D‐glucosamine (deacetylated unit) and N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine (acetylated unit). It is produced commercially by deacetylation of chitin, which is the structural element in the exoskeleton of crustaceans (such as crabs and shrimps) and the cell walls of fungi. In the work reported, we developed a facile technique for the preparation of chitosan by irradiating prawn shell at various intensities from 2 to 50 kGy. It was observed that γ‐irradiation of prawn shell increased the degree of deacetylation (DD) of chitin at a relatively low alkali concentration during the deacetylation process. Among the various irradiation doses applied to prawn shell, a dose of 50 kGy and 4 h heating in 50% NaOH solution yielded 84.56% DD while the chitosan obtained from non‐irradiated prawn shell with the same reaction conditions had only 74.70% DD. In order to evaluate the effect of γ‐irradiation on the various physicochemical, thermomechanical and morphological properties, the chitosan samples were again irradiated (2–100 kGy) with γ‐radiation. Molecular weight, DD, thermal properties with differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, particle morphology by scanning electron microscopy, water binding capacity (WBC), fat binding capacity (FBC) and antimicrobial activity were determined and the effects of various γ‐radiation doses were assessed. The DD, WBC, FBC and antimicrobial activity of the chitosan were found to improve on irradiation. It was obvious that irradiation caused a decrease of molecular weight from 187 128 to 64 972 g mol−1 after applying a radiation dose of 100 kGy which occurred due to the chain scission of chitosan molecules at glycosidic linkages. The decrease of molecular weight increased the water solubility of the chitosan, the extent of which was explored for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry

Global green trends are creating new challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs worldwide with customers now more environmentally aware and willing to pay extra for green services and products. In considering this phenomenon, the current study focuses on the positive influence of enviropreneurial orientation on the business performance of small firms and explores the mediation effects of green marketing mix and eco-labeling strategies. Drawing upon the natural resource-based view (NRBV) and the dynamic capability view (DCV), we tested our multiple mediation model with a sample of owners/managers of 160 small firms from Bangladesh, with these firms coming from the sectors of trading, manufacturing, and services. To test the study’s hypotheses, we employed the variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) method, using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. The results reveal that green marketing mix and eco-labeling strategies transmit the effect of enviropreneurial orientation to business performance of small firms. Both strategies are found to be mediators in the relationship between enviropreneurial orientation and business performance of small firms. The study also offers suggestions for future research.

Biodegradable polymers have significant potential in biotechnology and bioengineering. However, for some applications, they are limited by their inferior mechanical properties and unsatisfactory compatibility with cells and tissues. In the present investigation blends of chitosan and gelatin with various compositions were produced as candidate materials for biomedical applications. Fourier transform infrared spectral analysis showed good compatibility between these two biodegradable polymers. The composite films showed improved tensile properties, highly porous structure, antimicrobial activities, low water dissolution, low water uptake and high buffer uptake compared to pure chitosan or gelatin films. These enhanced properties could be explained by the introduction of free OH, NH2 and NHOCOCH3 groups of the amorphous chitosan in the blends and a network structure through electrostatic interactions between the ammonium ions (NH3+) of the chitosan and the carboxylate ions (COO−) of the gelatin. Scanning electron microscopy images of the blend composite films showed homogeneous and smooth surfaces which indicate good miscibility between gelatin and chitosan. The leafy morphologies of the scaffolds indicate a large and homogeneous porous structure, which would cause increased ion diffusion into the gel that could lead to an increase in stability in aqueous solution, buffer and temperature compared to the gelatin/chitosan system. In vivo testing was done in a Wistar rat (Rattus norvegicus) model and the healing efficiencies of the scaffolds containing various compositions of chitosan were measured. The healing efficiencies in Wistar rat of composites with gelatin to chitosan ratios of 10:3 and 10:4 were compared with that of a commercially available scaffold (Eco‐plast). It was observed that, after 5 days of application, the scaffold with a gelatin to chitosan ratio of 10:3 showed 100% healing in the Wistar rat; however, the commercial Eco‐plast showed only a little above 40% healing of the dissected rat wound. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry

This paper develops and tests a model for predicting user adoption of mobile commerce (i.e. e-commerce using mobile phones) in developing countries. The model takes up the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) determinants of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, and extends these through the inclusion of three further determinants: perceived risk, perceived cost and personal awareness to enable prediction of the likelihood of mobile commerce adoption by users in the developing world. 575 usable surveys were gathered from the urban, semiurban and rural areas of Bangladesh. Perceived risk and perceived usefulness were found to be the most influential factors effecting mobile commerce adoption, while the effect of perceived ease of use and personal awareness was found to be low although significant. The study reconfirmed the need of extending TAM model, in the context of mobile commerce, to address both it's transactional and non-transactional components. Service providers need to ensure high levels of security and privacy to reduce user's perceptions of risk. Mobile commerce services and technologies should be upgraded to world standard to make them more useful to users.