In this study, dead and live anaerobic biomass was used in biosorption of Pb(II), Cr(III) and Cd(II) ions from a synthetic wastewater. The biosorption was investigated by batch adsorption experiments. It was found that, the biosorption capacities were significantly affected by biosorbent dosage. The process follows Langmuir isotherm (regression coefficient 0.995, 0.99 and 0.987 for Pb(II), Cr(III) and Cd(II) ions, respectively, onto dead anaerobic biomass) model with uniform distribution over the biomass surface. The experimental uptake capacity was 51.56, 29.2 and 28 mg/g for Pb(II), Cr(III) and Cd(II), respectively, onto dead anaerobic biomass, compared with 35, 13.6 and 11.8 mg/g for Pb(II), Cr(III) and Cd(II), respectively, onto live

This work intends to develop an effective heavy metal-free modifier having properties comparable to traditional stabilizers and flame retardants, simultaneously being environmentally friendly and may be superior in many aspects. The important requirement focused on is: how to increase thermal stability and flame retardancy of flexible poly(vinyl chloride). Due to the typical materials now used with poly(vinyl chloride), which increases health and environmental concerns, utilizing a novel heavy metal-free additive will make poly(vinyl chloride) substantially safer. We have used an artificial silicate for this aim, which proved to be an efficient flame retardant and surprisingly showed excellent heat stabilizing effect. Thermal stabi

Grass trimming operation is widely done in Malaysia for the purpose of maintaining highways. Large number of operators engaged in this work encounters high level of noise generated by back pack type grass trimmer used for this purpose. High level of noise exposure gives different kinds of ill effect on human operators. Exact nature of deteriorated work performance is not known. For predicting the work efficiency deterioration, fuzzy tool has been used in present research. It has been established that a fuzzy computing system will help in identification and analysis of fuzzy models fuzzy system offers a convenient way of representing the relationships between the inputs and outputs of a system in the form of IF-THEN rules. The paper presents

Nanofertilizers offer a promising solution to increase crop yields amid increasing population pressure. Yet  there have been safety concerns about their use, particularly in challenging conditions. This work was designed to assess the toxicological effects of a chelated multi-micronutrient nanofertilizer on albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) as non-target organisms, focusing on the liver, which has important metabolic functions. Thirty-five animals were weighed and randomly divided into 5 groups (n=7). A negative control group was included, and four experimental groups (C1-C4) were given the test item. The dosing regimen for the experimental groups was 15 oral doses of nanofertilizer every other day for 29 days. All the groups were

This study investigates the influence of silver oxide (Ag₂O) nanoparticles on the gas-sensing properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) composite films. The goal is to enhance the sensitivity and stability of CNT/P3HT-based gas sensors for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) detection. CNTs and P3HT are composited at various mass ratios, followed by integrating Ag₂O nanoparticles to improve gas interaction and electronic properties. Structural and morphological analyses, including x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, ascertain the successful incorporation of Ag₂O into the composites and reveal its role in impr

The aim of this study is to compare the effects of three methods: problem-based learning (PBL), PBL with lecture method, and conventional teaching on the understanding of thermodynamics, group work and self-directed learning skills among physics undergraduates. The actual sample size comprises of 122 students, who were selected randomly from the Physics Department, College of Education in Iraq, for academic year 2011-2012. In this study, the pre and posttest were done and the instruments were administered to the students for data collection. Inferential statistics were employed to analyze data. The independent variables were the PBL, the PBL with lecture method, and the conventional teaching. Dependent variables of statistical analysis were