Bineswar Brahma Engineering College

Floods have become more severe, and climate change and human-driven land-use changes are intensifying flooding, straining river channels, and altering structures more frequently. Flood risk assessment involves comprehensive strategies for protecting lives and aims at minimizing the impact of floods on the economy, communities, and environment. This process typically includes assessing topography, geography, hydrological patterns, community input, climate trends, and historical flood data for accurate forecasting, and employing mapping technology to identify vulnerable zones. This study focused on evaluating flood risk and identifying inundation-prone areas within Kokrajhar District, located in the flood-affected region of Northeast India. To determine the factors contributing to flooding, the analysis utilized data related to soil characteristics, topographic slope, contour lines, elevation, drainage density, and land-use patterns. This paper deals with determining the highest flood level in the Gaurang River basin using the synthetic unit hydrograph (SUH) method to analyze flood risk management in Kokrajhar district, Assam. Utilization of synthetic unit hydrograph incorporating geomorphic parameters extracted using geographic information system (GIS) for generation of flood hydrographs, with emphasis on ungauged and partially gauged catchments. A flood risk management study in Kokrajhar district is crucial for safeguarding lives, property, and the environment. Consequently, flood forecasting, early warning systems, and management strategies are carried out routinely and in a sustainable manner.

Due to the expanding waste management concerns, development of blend materials using waste plastics such as poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) has drawn the attention of many researchers and academicians. Blend materials have large affinity to replace other conventional materials, which are available in the present market. The use of these materials is gradually increasing in many engineering applications including advanced concrete materials. Bituminous pavement blended with waste PVC has demonstrated superior outcomes compared to non-blended bitumen. The process involves heating the aggregate to the required temperature and then blended with PVC. This ensures uniform distribution of the PVC onto the bitumen. The resulting material was characterized by various analytical techniques such as softening point, ductility, penetration tester, aggregate impact value, and Marshall test. The results showed that the properties like strength, resistance to deformation, etc. have improved with the incorporation of waste PVC onto the bitumen as compared to non-blended virgin bitumen. Implementing this innovative technology promises not only enhanced road construction efficiency but also prolonged road lifespan. On the other hand, this approach also addresses the waste disposal issues.

In this contribution, we report the synthesis and thorough characterization (FT-IR, 1H NMR, SC-XRD) of a novel polymeric [Hg(9BuA)(SCN)(mu-SCN)(mu-NCS)]n complex (1) generated from the heterocyclic nucleobase 9-butyl adenine (9BuA). The crystallographic study revealed the neutral 1D polymeric nature of 1 having distorted tetrahedral coordination kernel (tau/4 = 0.64) and influence of N-H & sdot;& sdot;& sdot;N type hydrogen bonds, pi-pi, C-H & sdot;& sdot;& sdot;pi stacking non-covalent interactions in the stability of 3D stacked chain supramolecular array. To validate all non-covalent interactions, 1 has been quantitatively assessed using Hirshfeld surface analysis. Further DFT optimizations at B3LYP and LANL2DZ level confirmed alkyl chain interactions, stacking interactions and weak intermolecular forces of attraction in 1. Quantum chemical parameters inferred lower reactivity of 1 that compelled us to study anti-microbial activities. The in vitro anti-bacterial assays confirmed potential anti-bacterial activities towards Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, molecular docking study has also been performed against protein receptor BL21 of the microbial strain of E. coli to examine the potential binding affinity of 1 with the target protein.

Soil erosion poses a significant threat to the sustainability of watersheds and ecosystems globally. The Brahmaputra River Basin in Assam experiences extensive soil erosion, impacting land productivity and ecological balance. Hence, this study aims to examine the dynamic trends in soil erosion within the Brahmaputra River Basin in Assam over different years (2003, 2013, and 2023) by utilizing the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model. Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) maps with a 30-m resolution for 2003, 2013, and 2023 were generated from satellite imagery using the Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC) technique. The results reveal significant land cover changes, characterized by a consistent decline in vegetation and bare land, which have been increasingly replaced by expanding settlement areas and water bodies. Cropland increased from 2003 to 2013 but declined by 2023 due to rapid urban expansion. Soil erosion, Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR), and Sediment yield are calculated at 30-m resolution with the help of the RUSLE model. Soil erosion rates ranged from 0 to 12,829.4 t/ha/year in 2003, 0 to 12,304.9 t/ha/year in 2013, and 0 to 12,192.8 t/ha/year in 2023. Vulnerability analysis identified the lower and upper regions, dominated by cropland and bare land, as most prone to erosion. The Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) was computed to assess sediment dynamics, ranging from 0 to 1, indicating sediment movement potential. Sediment yield values range from 0 to 778.4 tonnes in 2003, 600.8 tonnes in 2013, and 1106.2 tonnes in 2023, underscoring increasing sediment transport. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted soil conservation measures in erosion hotspots. Recommendations include reforestation, contour farming, construction of erosion control structures, sustainable land-use planning, and community-based conservation programs. These measures aim to reduce soil loss, enhance sediment retention, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the watershed and its ecosystems, offering key guidance for managing soil erosion in the Brahmaputra River Basin.

In this article, synthesis of the novel zinc(II) complex [Zn(tren)(i-mnt)] from diethylenetriamine (tren) and 1,1dicyano-2,2-ethylenedithiolate di-potassium salt (K2i-mnt) has been presented and characterized by spectroscopic methods. The trigonal bipyramidal geometry of [Zn(tren)(i-mnt)] in solid state has been confirmed by Xray diffraction analysis where stacked assembly of parallel chains interlinked by N-H & ctdot;S, N-H & ctdot;N, and C-H & ctdot;N type hydrogen bonds observed in 3D supramolecular packing. Hirshfeld Surface (HS) optimizations show prominent N & ctdot;H/H & ctdot;N (32%), S & ctdot;H/H & ctdot;S (21%), and C & ctdot;H/H & ctdot;C (18.5%) interactions that well corroborate with X-ray data. Moreover, Density Functional Theory (DFT) at B3LYP/6-31 g(d) and LMKLL/DZDP basis sets have been used to ascertain geometry and long-range interactions in the complex. In addition, DNA-binding analysis has been assessed by inspecting its binding capability to calf-thymus DNA (CT DNA) and cytotoxic effects of the complex, and K2i-mnt were investigated against Dalton's Lymphoma (DL) malignant cancer cells to assess their anticancer activity. The molecular docking study shows that the complex has a better binding affinity for 3DK8 (Protein Data Bank ID), leading to a higher inhibition constant and interactions.