Elevated concentrations of heavy metals in groundwater cause many environmental problems. The present paper reports adsorption behavior of a green bioadsorbent (Trichoderma sp.) for the removal of heavy metal ions from industrial effluents. Sampling of the groundwater within a commissioned landfill site showed contamination of the groundwater with some toxic heavy metals. Fungal biomass of Trichoderma sp.was tested to treat contaminated groundwater and it was found that dried Trichoderma sp. demonstrated significant ability for the extraction of Cd 2+ , Ni 2+ and Cr 3+ ions compared to wet Trichoderma. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was conducted on wet and dry biomass before and after treatment to observe the changes in functional groups. In addition, Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms were used to verify the adsorption performance of Trichoderma sp. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm was found to be a better fit than the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacities of Ni 2+ , Cd 2+ and Cr 3+ ions on Trichoderma were found to be 0.1353 (pH 4), 0.374 (pH 8) and 0.0527 (pH 10), respectively. The results of removal efficiencies of metal on Trichoderma indicate that it can be successfully applied for the removal and recovery of Cd 2+ , Ni 2+ and Cr 3+ ions from industrial effluents with 100% recovery.
The present study deals with the inactivation of fungal spores in clinical waste using the advanced supercritical carbon-dioxide (SC-CO 2 ) treatment technique. The process of inactivation was investigated under different conditions of pressure, temperature, and processing time. The efficiency of SC-CO 2 was determined in terms of log reduction and inactivation rate of fungal spores. Almost 100% inactivation of initial fungal spores was obtained. Predicted and experimental log reduction of fungal spores was found to be 5.93 and 6.00, respectively, under optimal conditions (35 MPa, 75°C in 90 min). SC-CO 2 treated Aspergillus niger and Penicillium simplicissimum spores were examined using scanning electron microscopy which showed spore damage in the form of rupture, tear, and shape distortion. These damages confirmed complete spore inactivation when no renewed fungal growth occurred after the treated samples were cultured onto fresh media. The inactivation of fungal spores using SC-CO 2 and autoclave inhibits the production of lipase, cellulase, amylase, and protease enzymes. Thus, without addition of any chemicals, the SC-CO 2 sterilization method can be potentially used for the inactivation of microorganisms in clinical waste as well as in food and pharmaceutical products.
Geophysical approaches are used for site characterization to determine the dynamic behaviour of soil. Structures built on a site without sufficient assessment are prone to collapse or failure. Thus, before beginning any building activity, it is critical to assess the soil dynamic qualities. This is significant because buildings are constructed on top of the ground surface, supported by the underlying soil and rock. This work aimed to determine a competent layer for building foundations. This study was conducted to evaluate the dynamic soil behaviour of Paya Terubong on Penang Island. Resistivity, Young's modulus, shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, bulk modulus, bulk density, rippability, and material bearing capacity are among the parameters utilised for the characterization. This will be obtained from the electrical resistivity, seismic refraction, and MASW methods. Three layers were detected by these methods. Results from the study indicate that the area is mostly composed of highly dense silty sand and granitic bedrock, which makes it competent for foundation construction since higher compaction raises the ultimate and allowable bearing capacities of the third layer to very high levels. In addition, soil and rock layers identified using geophysical methods match well with the borehole data showing that material stiffness increases with depth. Rippable layers extend from the ground surface to a depth of 3 meters. The calculated values gotten from the soil dynamic properties and material bearing capacity show that the second and third layers have good geotechnical qualities. The ultimate bearing capacities calculated for the first layer range from 453 to 731 kPa, while the second layer capacities range from 1041 to 1691 kPa, and capacities for the third layer range from 2013 to 3650 kPa. For setting up structures, the second layer can support building foundations at a depth of 4 meters from the existing ground level. This approach is cost-effective, saves time, and is non-destructive for site characterization.
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