This study examined the complex interactions among social status variables that influence the people's psychological distress. This is one of the several studies that are focus on the mental impact of COVID-19 on the population. The study was well constructed and well written. Hence this study was conducted during March and April-2020 i

Aims: The present study investigated the biodegradation and removal of dye mixture (Remazol Brilliant Violet 5R and Reactive Red 120) using a new bacterial consortium isolated from dye-contaminated soil. Methodology and results: Among the total 15 isolates screened, the two most efficient bacterial species (SSO7 and SS09) were selected and identified as Enterobacter cloacae (MT573884) and Achromobacter pulmonis (MT573885). The removal efficiency of dye mixture by E. cloacae and A. pulmonis at an initial concentration of 100 mg/L was 82.78 and 84.96%, discretely. The bacterial consortium was developed using selected isolates and the optimum conditions for removing dyes were investigated. The maximum decolorization efficiency was achieved at pH 7; 35 degrees C; dye concentration, 100 mg/L; and initial inoculum concentration, 0.5 mL with mannitol and ammonium sulfate as carbon and nitrogen sources. The maximum removal efficiency of 91.3 +/- 3.35% was achieved at the optimal conditions after 72 h of incubation. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Decolorization of azo dyestuff by the developed microbial consortia conforms to the zero-order reaction kinetics model. Consortia of E. cloacae and A. pulmonis was established as an effective decolorizer for the Remazol Brilliant violet 5R and Reactive Red 120 dye mixture with >90% color removal.

People are using biodiesel in compression ignition engines because it is more environmentally friendly and can be used as a good alternative to diesel. There is a new technology called nanoparticles that can change the way a fuel works. Because waste cooking has a lot of oil in it, it can make biodiesel. To make biodiesel, transesterification was used to turn nonedible oil from waste cooking oil into biodiesel that could be used. Nanoparticles made of titanium oxide were studied by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, as well as energy dispersive X-ray analysis, among other things. TiO2 nanoparticles are spread out in different amounts in the biodiesel blend. The dosage levels range from 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm. Tests on how titanium nanoparticles in a waste cooking oil biodiesel blend affect a diesel engine’s performance and how it emits were conducted in this study too. At a steady speed, the engine was used when there was a lot of work to do. Tests show that the WCOME 20 TiO2 100 ppm blend worked well. With the increase in the concentration of nanoparticles, there is an increase in brake thermal efficiency and at the same time, there is a decrease in BSFC. It is also less harmful to the environment than other blends, except for NOx, which does no’t change.

In this study, we investigate the impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic on PM2 5 levels in the national capital city Delhi, India PM2 5 and meteorological data from 35 ground-based monitoring stations over Delhi city are utilized for the present study Geographic Information System-based spatial interpolation method was employed to analyse the spatial pattern of PM2 5 from January to April 2020 and compared with that of preceding years (2018–19) The findings indicate that the PM2 5 level has reduced significantly during the lockdown period About 40% of reduction in PM2 5 concentrations is observed when compared to the prelockdown phase Exclusively between 25 March and 30 April, about 94 44% of days were within the NAAQS 24-h standard limit of 60 μg/m³ The significant role of meteorology in the dispersal of PM2 5 over Delhi is clear from the correlation analysis A strong negative correlation (r = –0 546) between the Temp and PM2 5 indicates the better dispersion of air pollutants during high-temperature conditions A higher reduction in PM2 5 has been observed in Central, Northern and Eastern parts of the megacity The present study provides insights to policymakers to prepare and implement future policy measures for controlling air pollution levels in the megacity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Current Science (00113891) is the property of Indian Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )

Discharge of the untreated wastewater containing dyestuff into the surrounding aquatic environment is of significant environmental concern. These dying effluents not only change the color of water bodies but also has many unfavorable conditions and release toxic by-products, which are mutagenic, carcinogenic, and hazardous to different life forms. The present study investigated the biodegradation and removal of dye mixture (Remazol Brilliant violet 5R and Reactive Red 120) using a new bacterial consortium isolated from dye contaminated soil. Among the total 15 isolates screened, the two most efficient bacterial species (SS07 and SS09) were selected and identified as Enterobacter cloacae (MT573884) and Achromobacter pulmonis (MT573885) through biochemical assays and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The removal efficiency of dye mixture by Enterobacter cloacae and Achromobacter pulmonis at an initial concentration of 100 mg L− 1 was 82.78 and 84.96%, discretely. The bacterial consortium was developed using selected isolates, and the optimum conditions for the removal of dyes were investigated by studying the effects of pH, temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources, dye concentration, and inoculum size. The maximum decolorization efficiency was achieved at pH, 7; temperature, 37°C; dye concentration, 100 ppm; and initial inoculum concentration, 0.5 ml, respectively. Mannitol and Ammonium sulfate was identified as the most suitable carbon and nitrogen sources for better bacterial growth and decolorization. The maximum removal efficiency of 91.3% achieved at the optimal conditions after 72 h of incubation. Decolorization of azo dyestuff by the developed microbial consortia conforms to the zero-order reaction kinetics model. Consortia of Enterobacter cloacae and Achromobacter pulmonis was established as an effective decolorizer for the Remazol Brilliant violet 5R and Reactive Red 120 dye mixture with > 90% color removal.

Recent studies concluded that air quality has improved due to the enforcement of lockdown in the wake of COVID-19. However, they mostly concentrated on the changes during the lockdown period, and the studies considering the consequences of de-escalation of lockdown are inadequate. Therefore, we investigated the changes in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during the pre-lockdown, strict lockdown, unlocking, and post-lockdown scenarios. In addition, we assessed the influence of meteorology, mobility, air mass transport, and biomass burning on PM2.5 using Google's mobility data, back trajectory model, and satellite-based fire incident data. Average PM2.5 concentrations in Ghaziabad, Noida, and Faridabad decreased by 60.70%, 63.27%, and 60.40%, respectively, during the lockdown. When compared with the preceding year (2019), the reductions during the shutdown period (25 March–31 May) were within the range of 36.34–44.55%. However, considering the entire year, this reduction in PM2.5 is momentary, and a steady increase in traffic density and industrial operations within cities during post-lockdown reflects a potent recovery of aerosol level, during which the average mass of PM2.5 three- to four-folds higher than the lockdown period. Back trajectories and fire activity results showed that biomass burning in the nearby states (Haryana and Punjab) influence aerosol load. We conclude that a partial lockdown in the event of a sudden surge in pollution would be a beneficial approach. However, reducing fossil fuel consumption and switching to more environmentally friendly energy sources, developing green transport networks, and circumventing biomass burning are efficient ways to improve air quality in the long term.

The COVID-19 is an international public health emergency and threatens psychological resilience. Here we assess the general health status of the public in India during the COVID-19 outbreak. A population-based cross-sectional study conducted using a General Health Questionnaire and the relationship between mental health and sociodemographic factors were analyzed. The mean score for the general health of citizens was 24.18. About 40.63% of the elderly and 40.18% of the female population was under severe physiological distress. The prevalence of psychological stress among the general population was higher than expected. Hence, there is a need to intensify awareness about the pandemic and should provide mental health management programs.

Background: The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides raises concerns about environmental pollution, health hazards and the destruction of biotic groups that support plant growth. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) thrive in the rhizosphere of plants are the auspicious alternative for these chemicals. PGPR plays a critical role in plant growth and development, along with biocontrol activities. Methods: In this present study, two effective microbes, Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bacillus subtilis were chosen and their ability to produce Indole Acetic acid (IAA) was determined. Optimization of IAA production was carried out in different cultural conditions. Further, in-vitro studies were carried out to analyze the effect of these bacteria on the growth of Vigna radiata. Results: Our investigations showed that both organisms have the potential to produce IAA under standard conditions. IAA production is maximum when using Bradyrhizobium japonicum with the supplement of Carboxymethyl cellulose and yeast extract as C and N source, respectively. L-Tryptophan concentration has a positive effect on production. Further, the application of bacterial cultures has shown more significant improvement in plant growth in terms of root and shoot length and weight of crop material. The current findings recommend that Bradyrhizobium japonicum can be a suitable organism for application as a plant growth promoter.