Large quantity of the feed forms part of the solid waste (tailings) slurry in the low grade uranium ore processing plant at Turamdih in Singhbhum region of Jharkhand, India. Coarser size fraction of this waste is used for backfilling of the underground uranium mines and fine fraction is discharged into an engineered impoundment system or tailings pond. Since inception of the discharges, field expeditions have been performed as part of the comprehensive radiological monitoring program for the facility. The monitoring program broadly consists of ambient gamma dose rate, atmospheric 222Rn and long lived alpha activity measurement around the facility and the estimation of radionuclide in diverse environmental matrices collected from the adjoining sites. Findings reflect that the radiological conditions are comparable to the pre-existing background level adjoining the tailings pond impoundment. Further, measurements for more than a decade confirm that the atmospheric radon concentration profile just a few meters beyond the embankment is indistinguishable from the background.

In view of the dispersible nature of the radiologically significant gaseous radon (222Rn) and its dependence on metrological variables, an investigation was carried out in the uranium mineralized region of Jaduguda. Two distinct locations, comprising of prototype dwellings and outdoor environment outside the dwellings were chosen for the comparative study. The investigation was carried out during monsoon, autumn and winter seasons so that a profile ranging from minima to maxima can be accounted. Along with the 222Rn concentration profile and gamma level, the metrological variables such as ambient temperature, pressure, relative humidity has also been investigated. Results of sixty six (66) outdoor and thirty nine (39) dwellings monitoring was found to have 222Rn concentration ranged from 9 to 68 Bq m−3 and 35 to 130 Bq m−3, respectively, in outdoor and indoor with corresponding average value of 222Rn concentration were found 34 ± 13 and 79 ± 24 Bq m−3, respectively. These values are well within the expected range of a uranium mineralized area. Also, the outdoor 222Rn activity concentration is about 43

Underground uranium mines, in particular, is associated with radiological conditions normally not anticipated in other mining industries. Depending on the grade and characteristics of the uranium deposit, the radiological hazard considerations may widely vary. Although short lived radon progeny are the major contributor of individual dose to the miners, dose assessment using their activity concentration data is normally avoided. Mine dust, diesel fumes, high humidity and seepage from the surrounding surface poses additional difficulty in direct estimation of radon progeny activity concentration. Individual doses are computed through radon ( 222 Rn) monitoring data and equilibrium ratio (F) between radon and its short lived progeny. Both ambient and passive techniques are used in Indian uranium mines for the dose assessment but the passive technique is preferred over the ambient as the later can explicitly account the individual worker during its uses. The device, Personal Radon Dosimeter (PRD), based on nuclear track registry on a LR-115 Kotak film has indigenously been designed after detailed scientific studies. Basic features of this device, their uses, track registry and calibration aspects along with dose assessment methodology of uranium miners are provided in the paper.

Bromoform is the most prominent, relatively long-lived chlorination by-product in condenser effluents from seawater-based power plant cooling systems. There are few reports on the potential toxicity of this trihalomethane to marine phytoplankton. We investigated this using a marine diatom, Chaetoceros lorenzianus as the model organism. The study was conducted by exposing the diatom to bromoform concentrations 0, 50, 100, 150, 250, 500 and 1000 µg/L for exposure time of 3 and 24 h. The mode of action of bromoform was examined using endpoints which include chlorophyll a fluorescence, cell viability by SYTOX® green stain and genotoxicity by comet assay. The relative fluorescence unit and percent viability changed significantly at all concentrations in duration of study. The 24-h IC50 for viability and chlorophyll was estimated to be 255.6 µg/L and 343.5 µg/L, respectively. The tail DNA of 5–20

The COVID-19 pandemic presented clinical and logistical challenges in the delivery of adequate nutrition in the critical care setting. The use of neuromuscular-blocking drugs, presence of maxilla-facial oedema, strict infection control procedures, and patients placed in a prone position complicated feeding tube placement. We audited the outcomes of dietitian-led naso-jejunal tube (NJT) insertions using the IRIS® (Kangaroo, USA) device, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. NJT placement was successful in 78% of all cases (n = 50), and 87% of COVID-19 cases. Anaesthetic support was only required in COVID-19 patients (53%). NJT placement using IRIS was more difficult but achievable in patients with COVID-19.

Algal-bacterial granules or phototrophic granules (PGs) comprising phototrophic microorganisms and bacteria are explored in wastewater treatment for achieving both environmental and economic sustainability. This study describes development of PGs and their use in biological treatment of synthetic and real domestic wastewater (sewage) under natural daylight conditions and low organic loading rate (OLR). Development of PGs was sequentially recorded in a photobioreactor operated in photo-sequencing batch reactor (photo-SBR) mode at a low OLR of 1 kgCOD.m(-3).day(-1) and the developed PGs was evaluated for treating synthetic wastewater and real municipal wastewater with 0.14 kg COD m(-3).day(-1). PGs formed in the photo-sequential batch reactor (SBR) were compact and dense and exhibited excellent settling properties. The removal efficiencies were determined to be up to 95%, 93%, 97%, 72%, and 88% for turbidity, COD, TOC, NH4+-N, and NO2--N/NO3--N, respectively. Additionally, a reduction in total viable bacterial counts and fecal coliform bacteria up to 1.7 x 10(3) and 7.8 x 10(2) cfu.mL(-1), respectively, during treatment of real municipal wastewater was achieved. This study demonstrated cultivation of algal-bacterial granules or PGs and their application for treating real municipal wastewater under natural daylight and tropical climate conditions. Further studies are needed on understanding interactions among phototrophic, autotrophic, and heterotrophic microorganisms of complex algal-bacterial consortium for emerging applications in bioremediation and wastewater treatment. Practitioner Points Phototrophic granules (PGs) were cultivated from algal consortium and activated sludge inoculum in photo sequencing batch reactors.Granular photobioreactor was operated at low OLR of 1 kgCOD.m(3).day(-1) for developing well-settling algal-bacterial granules.PGs were stable and showed efficient biological treatment of synthetic wastewater and real sewage.Removals for turbidity, pathogens, and ammonium were at 95%, 3-log, and 72%, respectively, from real sewage.

Dy3+ doped Ba2LaV3O11 nanophosphor is one of the most promising energy converters for solid-state lighting (SSL) as it has outstanding potential to absorb near-ultraviolet light along with brilliant luminous features. Ba2LaV3O11 nanophosphors doped with varied compositions of Dy3+ ions are successfully prepared through an energy-efficient urea-based solution combustion production route. Benefitting from its facile synthesis route at low cost, longer operational lifetime the prepared nanophosphors may be used as luminescent material for WLEDs. Recently, modern white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) have been fabricated based on the energy-conversion via efficient phosphor material. The current report is about the realization of white light emanation through doping a single dopant ion in vanadate host lattice. The outcomes evidence that the optimum Ba2La0.97Dy0.03V3O11 nanophosphor exhibits excellent performance in WLEDs. The diffuse reflectance spectrum (DRS) measured for the optimum nanopowder sample is subjected to Tauc's plot analysis, revealing a higher optical band-gap of 3.69 eV. The typical photoluminescence emission transitions of Dy3+ ions noticed in wavelength ranging from 400 nm to 650 nm are owing to intra 4f shifts upon excitation via 352 nm wavelength. In last, photometric characterizations are carried out disposing the outstanding result of color chromaticity coordinates as well as correlated color temperature (CCT) value.

Toxic effects of continuous low dose application of the antifouling biocide chlorine on marine benthic organisms were monitored using transplanted green mussels (Perna viridis) and a suite of biomarkers. Caged mussels were deployed in chlorinated and non-chlorinated sections of the cooling system of an operating electric power plant. Biomarkers indicative of general stress, oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase and catalase), and DNA integrity, along with expression of stress proteins, were studied to assess the effects. Deterioration in condition index with corresponding increase in DNA strand breaks was indicative of chlorine stress. Superoxide dismutase enzyme did not show any particular trend, but catalase activity was high during the initial days of exposure at the chlorinated site; later, it became almost equal to that at the control site. Similarly, expressions of stress proteins (HSP60, HSP70, HSP22, GSTS1, and CYP4) showed bell-shaped pattern during the period of study. Positive correlation among the endpoints indicated the utility of the multimarker approach to monitor the effects of continuous low dose chlorination on mussels.

Radiotherapy treatment has seen major improvements in plan quality since advent of intensity modulation(IMRT). Fluence computation is crucial for dose verification. In this study, we calculate fluence from EPID measurements and compare it with Treatment planning system(TPS).

Spin distributions of various residues populated via complete fusion (CF) and incomplete fusion (ICF) reactions in the interaction of O-16 with Gd-160 at the projectile energy E-proj similar to 5.6 MeV/A have been studied. The experimentally measured spin distributions of the residues associated with the ICF reactions are found to be distinctly different from those populated via the CF reactions. An attempt has been made to extract the side-feeding pattern from the spin distributions of CF and ICF reaction products. It has been observed that the CF products are strongly fed over a broad spin range. But, no side-feeding takes place in the low observed spins as low partial waves are strongly hindered in the fast alpha-emission channels (associated with ICF) in the forward direction. It has also been observed that the mean input angular momentum for direct alpha-emitting (ICF) channels is relatively higher than evaporation alpha-emitting (CF) channels, and it increases with direct alpha-multiplicity in forward direction. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water treatment plants (WTP) are vital in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical process industries. This investigation describes the dense microbial fouling by microbes and organic compounds in a WTP of a heavy water producing industrial unit. On-site observations showed severe algal and bacterial growth in the various units of the WTP which are open to the atmosphere and very dense fungal fouling in the closed vacuum degasser unit. Digital and microscopic images showed that the microbial fouling problem was primarily due to a fungus. Microbiological analysis showed a count of ~105 cfu mL-1 in various sections of the WTP. On the contrary, slime/biofilm scrapings had very high bacterial populations (>109 cfu cm-2). High organic carbon values in the system (5.0 to 19.5 ppm) had supported the growth of the fouling fungus in various sections of the WTP along with bacteria. Chlorination was found to be inadequate in controlling the biofouling problem. Consequently chlorine dioxide was tested and found to be a better biocide in controlling the bacterial population. A 2.0% Sodium-2-pyridinethiol-1-oxide solution had completely inhibited the fouling fungus. The paper discusses the importance of fungal adaptation in an industrial unit and highlights the biodeterioration of various sections of the WTP unit.

The ternary Tb (III) ion complex, Tb(HDMPE)3.nphen was synthesized by adopting solution precipitation method. The synthesized complex was identified on the basis of various techniques like elemental analysis, H-NMR and FT-IR, We studied the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of the ligand and complex Tb (HDMPE)3. nphen. The in vitro antibacterial activities were studied by using Grampositive bacteria: B.subtilis, S.aureus and gram-negative bacterium: Escherichia coli. The antifungal activities were studied by using fungi C. albicans and A.niger. The antibacterial activities of ligand is poor but better of Tb (III) ion complex Tb(HDMPE)3.nphen than standard drugs ciprofloxacin and fluconazole. The antioxidant activities of the synthesized complex were determined by using DPPH method. The Tb (III) ion complexes Tb (HDMPE)3.nphen have poor antioxidant activities.

This study shows that phototrophic granules are more efficient as compared to microbial granules or monoculture bacterial culture and are a self-sustainable system to be used in bioremediation process of environmental contaminants.

Optical tomography of gel dosimeters is used to verify radiotherapy plans. Refraction of light results in distortion of reconstructed dose profiles. Refraction correction provides distortion free reconstructions and improves dose verification.

The irradiation of selective regions in a polymer gel dosimeter results in an increase in optical density and refractive index (RI) at those regions. An optical tomography-based dosimeter depends on rayline path through the dosimeter to estimate and reconstruct the dose distribution. The refraction of light passing through a dose region results in artefacts in the reconstructed images. These refraction errors are dependant on the scanning geometry and collection optics. We developed a fully 3D image reconstruction algorithm, algebraic reconstruction technique-refraction correction (ART-rc) that corrects for the refractive index mismatches present in a gel dosimeter scanner not only at the boundary, but also for any rayline refraction due to multiple dose regions inside the dosimeter. In this study, simulation and experimental studies have been carried out to reconstruct a 3D dose volume using 2D CCD measurements taken for various views. The study also focuses on the effectiveness of using different refractive-index matching media surrounding the gel dosimeter. Since the optical density is assumed to be low for a dosimeter, the filtered backprojection is routinely used for reconstruction. We carry out the reconstructions using conventional algebraic reconstruction (ART) and refractive index corrected ART (ART-rc) algorithms. The reconstructions based on FDK algorithm for cone-beam tomography has also been carried out for comparison. Line scanners and point detectors, are used to obtain reconstructions plane by plane. The rays passing through dose region with a RI mismatch does not reach the detector in the same plane depending on the angle of incidence and RI. In the fully 3D scanning setup using 2D array detectors, light rays that undergo refraction are still collected and hence can still be accounted for in the reconstruction algorithm. It is found that, for the central region of the dosimeter, the usable radius using ART-rc algorithm with water as RI matched medium is 71.8%, an increase of 6.4% compared to that achieved using conventional ART algorithm. Smaller diameter dosimeters are scanned with dry air scanning by using a wide-angle lens that collects refracted light. The images reconstructed using cone beam geometry is seen to deteriorate in some planes as those regions are not scanned. Refraction correction is important and needs to be taken in to consideration to achieve quantitatively accurate dose reconstructions. Refraction modeling is crucial in array based scanners as it is not possible to identify refracted rays in the sinogram space.

Natural aquatic biofilms (e.g. periphyton) play a major role in the degradation of conventional pollutants as well as xenobiotics that enter our aquatic systems. The remarkable ability of biofilms to degrade pollutants has been harnessed for purposes such as waste-water treatment. Recent developments in aerobic microbial granulation technology have brought about substantial improvements in biofilm-based remediation processes, offering several advantages such as high biomass retention, rapid biomass settling, high tolerance to toxicity, ability to withstand shock loading and low excess sludge production. We hypothesized that the diverse metabolic machinery and mixed microbial (bacterial, cyanobacterial and microalgal) functions of lotic biofilms could be exploited, if they can be successfully reproduced in the laboratory in the form of granular biomass. Accordingly, a method was developed for the cultivation of phototrophic aerobic microbial granules using bubble column photobioreactors. Mixed inoculum consisting of activated sludge and mixed microalgal cultures was added to column-type bubbled photobioreactors, which were operated in sequential batch mode with 24 h cycle time and 30% volumetric retention. Granulation of biomass was achieved within five weeks. The significance of the work is that it combines the advantages of both aerobic granular sludge and phototrophic biofilms. The bioreactors can be operated without addition of any external organic carbon source, as carbon fixation by the phototrophic elements can support the mixed microbial biomass in the reactor. This granular phototrophic mixed microbial biomass consortium has tremendous applications in environmental biotechnology, which was demonstrated by degrading a toxic model pollutant (phenol).

A 316 stainless steel plate heat exchanger of a process water cooling system failed due to microbial corrosion during operation at a nuclear power station. A detailed failure analysis was done on the heat exchanger plate and described in this paper. The results established that inadequate chlorination has resulted in the infestation of the heat exchanger unit by corrosion and biofilm forming bacteria and caused the breakdown. Optical microscopy revealed concentric ring patterns on the SS- 316 plate, which is typical of sulphate reducing bacteria which induced microbial corrosion. SEM EDAX showed the presence of significant sulphur peak. XRD and Raman spectroscopy analysis showed the presence of FeS2 peak. Various observations recorded in the study were characteristic to typical microbial corrosion failure, particularly by SRB. The paper further highlights the remedial measures taken to prevent microbial corrosion by optimizing biocide dosing and water chemistry changes in the power plant. Keywords: Microbial corrosion, heat exchanger plate, cooling water system, nuclear power plant.

Six new europium(III) ternary complexes were synthesized with β-hydroxyketone, 2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethoxyacetophenone (HDAP) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmph) or bathophenanthroline (bath) or 2,2-bipyridine (bipy) or 2,2-biquinoline (biq) or neocuproin (neo) as secondary ligand. The ligand and synthesized complexes, Eu(HDAP)3.phen(1), Eu(HDAP)3.dmph(2), Eu(HDAP)3.bath(3), Eu(HDAP)3.bipy(4), Eu(HDAP)3.biq(5) and Eu(HDAP)3.neo(6) were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra, 1H-NMR spectra and powder XRD measurement. The photoluminescence behaviours of these complexes were checked by the excitation and emission spectra. The life time (τ) and quantum efficiency (η) of the complexes were determined based on the emission spectra and luminescence decay curve in solid state. The introduction of secondary ligands results in longer life time (τ) and higher quantum efficiency (η) in europium ternary complexes due to extended π-conjugation. All these europium ternary complexes exhibited highest excitation intensity at 395 nm, which perfectly matched with the emission spectra of commercial 395 nm emitting InGaN chips. These complexes emitted bright red luminescence (616 nm) corresponding to electric dipole transition 5D0 → 7F2 of Eu3+ ion, on exposure to UV source at 395 nm. Thus these complexes might be promising candidates for bright red light-emitting diodes used in display devices. In addition, in vitro antimicrobial and in vitro antioxidant properties of these complexes are reported. The results revealed that all these ternary complexes are excellent antimicrobial agents while are moderate antioxidant agent, except complex (3) which showed very high antioxidant power.

Excited states in $^{135}\mathrm{Pr}$ have been investigated using the reaction $^{123}\mathrm{Sb}(^{16}\mathrm{O},4n)^{135}\mathrm{Pr}$ at an incident beam energy of 82 MeV. The partial level scheme has been established for negative-parity states with addition of new $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray transitions. The directional correlation and polarization measurements have been performed to assign spin parity for most of the reported $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray transitions. At high spin, a negative-parity dipole band $(\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}I=1)$ has been reported along with the observation of new crossover $E2$ transitions. Tilted Axis Cranking (TAC) calculations have been performed by considering a three-quasiparticle (3qp) configuration $\ensuremath{\pi}{({h}_{11/2})}^{1}\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\ensuremath{\nu}{({h}_{11/2})}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ and a five-quasiparticle (5qp) configuration $\ensuremath{\pi}{({h}_{11/2})}^{1}{({g}_{7/2})}^{2}\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\ensuremath{\nu}{({h}_{11/2})}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ for the lower and upper parts of the band, respectively. The observed results are compared with the results of the theoretical (TAC) calculations.