The organochlorines (OClPs) and organophosphates (OPPs) pesticides in surface and ground water having intensive agriculture activity were investigated to evaluate their potential pollution and risks on human health. As per USEPA 8081 B method, liquid-liquid extraction followed by Gas-Chromatographic technique with electron capture detector and mass selective detector (GC-MS) were used for monitoring of pesticides. Among organochlorines, α,β,γ,δ HCH’s, aldrin, dicofol, DDT and its derivatives, α,β endosulphan’s and endosulphan-sulphate were analysed; dichlorovos, ethion, parathion-methyl, phorate, chlorpyrifos and profenofos were determined among organophosphates.As compared to ground water, higher concentrations of OClPs and OPPs were found in surface water. Throughout the monitoring study, α - HCH (0.39 μg/L in Amravati region),α - endosulphan (0.78 μg/L in Yavatmal region), chlorpyrifos (0.25 μg/L in Bhandara region) and parathion-methyl (0.09 μg/L in Amravati region) are frequently found pesticide in ground water, whereas α,β,γ-HCH (0.39 μg/L in Amravati region), α,β - endosulphan (0.42 μg/L in Amravati region), dichlorovos (0.25 μg/L in Yavatmal region), parathion-methyl (0.42 μg/L in Bhandara region), phorate (0.33 μg/L in Yavatmal region) were found in surface water.Surface water was found to be more contaminated than ground water with more number of and more concentrated pesticides. Among pesticides water samples are found to be more contaminated by organophosphate than organochlorine. Pesticides in the surface water samples from Bhandara and Yavatmal region exceeded the EU (European Union) limit of 1.0 μg/L (sum of pesticide levels in surface water) but were within the WHO guidelines for individual pesticides.

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This study inspects the concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass and carbonaceous species, including organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), as well as their thermal fractions in the Indian Himalayan glacier region at the western Himalayan region (WHR; Thajiwas glacier, 2799 m asl), central Himalayan region (CHR; Gomukh glacier, 3415 m asl), and eastern Himalayan region (EHR; Zemu glacier, 2700 m asl) sites, throughout the summer and winter periods of 2019–2020. Ambient PM2.5 samples were collected on quartz fiber filters using a low-volume sampler, followed by carbon (OC and EC) quantification using the IMPROVE_A thermal/optical reflectance methodology. Different seasonal variations in PM2.5 and carbonaceous species levels were found at all three sites investigated. Averaged PM2.5 mass ranged 55–87 μg m–3 with a mean of 55.45 ± 16.30 μg m–3 at WHR, 86.80 ± 35.73 μg m–3 at CHR, and 72.61 ± 24.45 μg m–3 at EHR. Among the eight carbon fractions, high-temperature OC4 (evolved at 580 °C in the helium atmosphere) was the most prevalent carbon fraction, followed by low-temperature OC2 (280 °C) and EC1 (580 °C at 2% oxygen and 98% helium). Char-EC representing incomplete combustion contributed to 56, 67, and 53% of total EC, whereas soot-EC contributed to 38, 26, and 43% of total EC in WHR, CHR, and EHR, respectively. The measured OC/EC ratios imply the presence of secondary organic carbon, whereas char-EC/soot-EC ratios suggested that biomass burning could be the predominant source of carbon at CHR, whereas coal combustion and vehicular emission might be dominant sources at WHR and EHR sites.

UDC 547.972Metabolites from Phoma sp., a phytopathogenic fungus, were exploited for their herbicidal potential. The phytotoxic compound isolated was identified as anhydropseudophlegmacin-9,10-quinone-3c-amino-8c-Omethyl ether on the basis of spectral data. The isolated pigment was tested for its herbicidal potential against the prominent weeds of Central India, where a positive result was obtained.Weeds are important pests, which cause economic losses in agricultural and forestry systems and serious ecological problems, and which are capable of altering the ecosystem, displacing native flora and fauna [1]. Plant pathogenic microbes have been a novel and lucrative source of a wide range of bioactive compounds with herbicidal potential. Phoma is a well-known phytopathogen responsible for many diseases in plants and is known to produce an array of bioactive extracellular phytotoxic compounds [2,3]. Anthraquinones have also been isolated from Phoma foveata [4], while other fungi too have been reported to exhibit biological activity [5]. As part of our search for potential herbicidal agents, presently we describe the isolation, purification, and characterization of a pigment exhibiting herbicidal potential against, the prominent weeds of Central India. This is the first report where a pigment, i.e., anhydropseudophlegmacin-quinone, exhibits herbicidal potential against the target weeds.The red pigment, R f 0.30, was obtained as an optically active light yellow powder, mp 232qC, [D] D 25 + 33.14q (c 0.91;MeOH), in a yield of 2 u 10 -2 % of fresh weight of the fungus. The electron spray ionization mass spectrum (ESI-MS) displayed a molecular ion peak at m/z 523 corresponding to the molecular formula C 30 H 21 O 8 N. This formula suggests the presence of a dimeric octaketide structure, whereas the long-wavelength absorption at 500 nm in the electronic spectrum suggested the presence of an anthraquinone chromophore. The IR absorption bands at 3482, 3208, and 1610 cm -1 indicated the presence of hydroxyl, amino, and quinone carbonyl groups in the compound. The 1 H NMR spectrum of the pigment revealed the presence of seven aromatic protons, four of which showed a doublet at G 6.91, 6.85, 6.66, and 6.94 ppm, whereas the remaining three showed a sharp aromatic proton singlet at G 7.26, 7.10, and 7.25 ppm. Comparison of these data with those reported in the literature revealed that the new anthraquinone corresponds to a combination of subunits -A (torosachrysone-8-O-methylether) and B (emodin-1-O-methyl ether) joined at the C-10c and C-5 position, respectively [6][7][8].

A novel oleanen type triterpenoid glycoside has been isolated from butanolic seed extracts of Cassia angustifolia. Its structure was elucidated as 3-O-{beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-(1 --> 4)-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)]-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl}-2, 16alpha-dihydroxy-4, 20-hydroxy methyl olean-12-ene-28-oic acid on the basis of spectral evidence (i.e. FTIR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and FAB-MS data). The isolated saponin was tested for its antifungal activity, where the maximum inhibition was found in Colletotrichium dematium.

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Two novel triterpenoid glycosides have been isolated from butanolic seeds extract of two varieties of Lathyrus plants, i.e. Lathyrus ratan and Lathyrus aphaca. Their structures were elucidated as 3-O-[β-D-glucuronopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl]-olean-11,13(18)-dien-28-oic acid (1) and 3-O-{β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1  →  2)-β-D-glcopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)]-β-D-xylopyranosyl}-2,16α-dihydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl urs-12-en-28-oic acid (2) on the basis of spectral evidences, i.e. FTIR, (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, ESI-MS and FAB-MS data. The isolated saponins were tested for their antifungal activity. Compound 1 showed maximum inhibition against Colletotrichum dematium (77.8%), whereas compound 2 showed maximum inhibition against Alternaria alternata (53.9%).

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