Applied Chemistry

Terminalia spinosa species have very high durability and could survive for long while in use, even in areas prone to attack by termites or fungi. Extractives have been found to have different inhibition rates against fungi. Wood extractives play an important role in the natural durability. The objective of this study was to investigate the durability of Terminalia spinosa when exposed to wood decay fungi. Three brown-rot and three white-rot wood decay fungi were screened for their capacity to degrade T. spinosa .Samples were evaluated for decay by weight loss measurements using a modified E7-93 standard (AWPA) for block test method, growth inhibition by solvent extract of T. spinosa was also tested. Brown rot fungi P. placenta and C. puteana caused the highest weight losses of 16% and 15% on heartwood extracted with dichloromethane and acetone, respectively. P. sanguines a member of white rot fungi was the most aggressive in reducing weight by 24% on toluene/ethanol extracted heartwood. The later was comparable to weight loss of P. patula wood which was used as a positive control. All the test fungi species caused negligible weight loss of less than 2% on un-extracted heartwood of T. spinosa implying that extractives in the heartwood played an important role in preventing fungal infestation and hence damage. Efficacy of extracts increased with increase in concentration.

The effect of grinding MgTiO3 on the particle size and electrical properties was studied. Initially, good dispersion conditions were optimized via rheological characterizations of the aqueous slurry in variant dispersant amounts. Then, 50% MgTiO3 slurry was grinded using balls of different diameter sizes (0.8 and 0.4 mm) for two consecutive cycles. The milled powder was characterized using laser granulometry, BET method, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The crystallite size was calculated using Halder-Wagner methods. The electrical and dielectrical properties were also monitored for different particle size. These results revealed impurities from the zirconium balls, however, without affecting the particle size even if prepared with different grinding operations.

Several substituted N-Phenyl maleimide were prepared and their mass spectra in EI mode were recorded. The effects of substituents on the mass spectral fragmentation of compounds under investigation are interpreted by correlating log Z/Z0 with simple and extended Hammett equations. The log Z/Z0 values in all the cases were subjected to multiple linear regression analysis using two sets of biparametric equations (Taft and Swain equations). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis are found to be good in the cases.

Gum Arabic exudate was collected from Acacia Senegal trees around Zaria metropolis. The gum was hydrated in double strength chloroform water, purified in 95% ethanol and then washed with diethyl ether. Modification of the gum was performed with ethanol and Acetic anhydride. Densities of the samples were compared with that of the unmodified gum and it was found that both samples were less dense than the unmodified gum. From turbidity measurement, ethanol modified (EGL) gum appears more turbid than both acetic anhydride modification (AAN) and unmodified gum (PGM). In salinity, conductivity and TDS tests, AAN sample higher values than other samples. The melting point of EGL and PGM are only slightly different, 242oC and 245oC respectively while that of AAN was 229oC. The mechanical properties of the samples were measured using Honsfield Tensometer. The AAN sample has the highest modulus at 10, 20, 30 and 40% gum composition. For PGM the modulus drops from 10-30% gum composition then finally increases. The ACT modification shows decrease in modulus as the percent of gum increases. Modulus of PGM drops at 20, 40, 60 and 80% gum composition. It was found that the tensile strength of the chemical modification formulations reinforced the PVC matrix at 10%/90%, 20%/80% and 30%/70% gum/PVC compositions for AAN and at 10%/90% and 20%/80% gum/PVC compositions. Though EGL showed increase at 30%/70% composition, its tensile strength is similar to that of the unmodified gum (PGM), decreasing with increasing gum concentration.

Background: Iron oxide nanoparticles as contrast elements causing the cancer cells used in MRI and heat therapy are extensive. However, the effects of nanoparticles on human health has not been fully investigated. Objectives: In this study, iron oxide nanoparticles effects on thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) and TSH in adult male Wistar rats were studied. Materials and methods: Three experimental groups of mice daily for 15 days, with concentrations of iron oxide nanoparticles ?g/kg20, ?g/kg50 and ?g/kg150 was dissolved in one ml of distilled water, by gavage tube. Results: Serum T3 levels in experimental and control groups showed no significant change Serum T4 levels in the experimental group receiving the highest dose showed a significant increase compared to control group. Also Yrmy TSH hormone concentration in the groups receiving the medium and maximum doses significantly lower than the control group shows. Conclusion: Experimental results show that iron oxide nanoparticles at high concentrations inhibits the Ndkryny pituitary axis - the hypothalamus And thyroid gland can cause malfunctions Appear to be iron oxide nanoparticles at high concentrations is toxic effect on thyroid function.

Flyash particles are formed during the combustion of coal at very high temperature (above 1500⁰C); it contains some ions as Iron, Aluminium, Silica in their oxide form. It also contains Glass particle along with Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Se, Pb, Zn, Fl, Hg, particles. Heavy metals from industries are known to have adverse effect on the environment. Similarly, fly ash coming from power plants also has adverse effect on every organism. It was observed that Spirogyra was not found in fly ash discharged water pond while it was present in all the nearby water bodies. ,disasterous effects of heavy metals present in flyash may be the reason. Thus, our present study is mainly focused to elucidate the effect of fly ash on green filamentous algae Spirogyra. It was already found that Microtubules are very sensitive especially to the presence of Cd ions (P. P?ibyl, V. Cepák and V. Zachleder,2008), depending on the Cd concentration present in fly ash and to the time of exposure the disintegration was seen. Microtubules got disintegrated into short fragments or some even completely disappeared.

Fe2O3Ti and Fe2O3Mg nano particles were prepared by self-propagation method using PEG as capping agent. Nano particle was characterized by XRD (X-ray Diffraction), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), and VSM (Vibrating Sample Magneto Meter).Conform the structural, textural and magnetic property. Surface morphology changed cubic to needles shape and size where in between 25-70 nm confirmed by SEM analysis, XRD analysis shows that doping reveals the cubic with hexagonal edge structure. VSM shows the magnetic behavior of the sample.

Ceria stabilized zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) /ceria composites for industrial ceramic applications have been studied. Five samples were prepared, ceria was added to ceria stabilized zirconia/alumina composites by various amounts of (0-20 wt. %). The fabricated samples were sintered at 1600 - 1700oC. The sintered samples were characterized for their physical properties such as bulk density and apparent porosity. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM and mechanical tests. It was observed that the formation of cerium hexaaluminate and cerium zirconate in the studied bodies deteriorates the Vicker hardness and fracture toughness of the ceria stabilized ZTA bodies.

The aqueous extract of Pomegranate Peel and Roselle (AE Pom P and Ros) has been studied as a possible source of green inhibitor for the corrosion of mild steel in 1 M HCl at temperature range 25-55o C utilizing the conventional weight loss, open circuit potential (OCP) , linear and Tafel polarization techniques. The assessment of (AE Pom P and Ros) against different microorganisms has additionally been providing by using selected biocide. Moreover the structure of (AE Pom P and Ros) is analyzed by GC-MS spectra.The optimum dose of biocide which showed good stability for the corrosion inhibitor for more than one year , diminishes the inhibition efficiency for about 20% due to its slightly acidic in nature (pH=4).The inhibition efficiency was found to increase with increasing concentration of the inhibitor and with decreasing temperature. The adsorption of (AE Pom P and Ros) on the mild steel surface obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Polarization studies indicate that the (AE Pom P and Ros) is mixed type inhibitor. The thermodynamic functions of adsorption processes were calculated from weight loss at different temperatures data and were used to analyses the inhibitor mechanism. The surface morphology of the mild steel specimens was evaluated using SEM and EDAX analysis.

The objective of this work is to study the efficiency of some surface modified phyllosilicate minerals (bentonite and glauconite) in the removal of dyes from textile waste water. It is found that complete dye removal was achieved by using (10-25) g modified glauconite from solutions having a dye concentration of 10-50 mg/L. Adsorption data were modeled using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms. Adsorption capacities and optimum adsorption isotherms were predicted by linear regression method. The analysis of experimental isotherms showed that Langmuir isotherm reasonably fit the experimental data in the studied concentration range for the adsorption of dye onto glauconite mineral surface where Freundlich isotherm fit the experimental data for the adsorption of dye onto bentonite mineral surface.