Solar cycle dependence of periodic variations in geomagnetic Kp-index

The geomagnetic K_p-index data for the 1932–1969 period have been investigated by means of a modified power spectrum technique on the basis of overlapping 2-yr intervals. The observed 27-, and 13.5-day periodicities show an obvious solar cycle dependence through the whole period concerned. Also, periodicities in the range of 9?4 days have been observed through years of minimum and decreasing phases of solar activity. The periodicities observed are found to be related to the existence of variations in the interplanetary medium structure which modulates the geomagnetic activity.     

Chlorate reduction by dithionite/UV advanced reduction process

Chlorate is one of the disinfection byproducts that are formed when chlorine/chlorine dioxide is used as a primary disinfectant. This study investigated the removal of chlorate by photochemical degradation using an advanced reduction process, which is a treatment method that combines a reducing agent with an activating method to generate reducing radicals. The effectiveness of combinations of reducing agents and three UV light sources having a peak output at 254, 365, and 312 nm were evaluated for chlorate removal. Dithionite irradiated by broad-band UVB lamp having the peak energy at 312 nm showed the highest chlorate removal. In pursuit of finding the optimum advanced reduction process conditions, the environmental process variables including pH, reducing agent dose, and light intensity were investigated. Dithionite/UV-B advanced reduction process was effective in weakly acidic conditions (pH < 5), and chlorate removal occurred in two steps. The first was an initial rapid decrease in chlorate concentration that occurred before initiating UV irradiation and was attributed to reaction with dithionite decomposition products. The second step was a slow decrease during UV irradiation that is caused by radicals produced by photolysis of the products of dithionite decomposition. The major product of chlorate destruction was chloride, with negligible amounts of chlorite produced.     

Studies on the effect of salinity, drought stress and soil type on nodule activities of Lablab purpureus (L.) sweet (Kashrangeeg)

Lablab purpureus(50 cultivars throughout the world) is a drought-tolerant legume widely grown as a high-protein grain food and forage legume within a wide range of neotropical regions with extensive production in India and similar climatic areas of Asia, Africa, Central and South America. The objective of this work was to study the nitrogen-fixing potentialities of L. purpureus under the effects of the extreme environmental conditions prevailing in the southern part of Egypt aiming at the recommendation of its propagation in areas of the National giant projects.L. purpureusinoculated with Rhizobium sp. Strain I₄ (21 days after planting) grown on Nile valley and Wadi Allaqi soils was relatively tolerant to mild levels of salinity, but the nodule number was reduced to about 35% of the control plants when subjected to a high salt level (120mM NaCl). Lablab plants were similarly affected by different rates of water deficits. This legume was tolerant to moderate levels of drought. The nodule number and weight at 50% of field capacity was about 70% of the control. These values were reduced to 45–55% at a field capacity of 16·5%.Absolute nitrogenase activity, leghaemoglobin content of nodules and protein content of bacteroids and cytosol were moderately affected by mild levels of NaCl and drought but significantly reduced to about 25–35% of the control treatments.The results also indicate that plants grown on the soil of Nile Valley exhibited slightly higher values (nitrogenase, protein, etc.) than those grown on Wadi Allaqi soil. This would encourage the possibility of propagating L. purpureus in the newly reclaimed areas of southern Egypt.     

Electrochemical oxidation of succinic acid in aqueous solutions using boron doped diamond anodes

In this work, the electrochemical oxidation of succinic acid on boron-doped diamond (BDD) anodes was investigated. Voltammetric study had shown that no peaks appeared in the region of electrolyte stability which indicates that succinic acid oxidation can take place at a potential close to the potential region of electrolyte oxidation. Galvanostatic electrolyses achieved total chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals and high mineralization yields under different operating conditions (initial COD, current density and nature of supporting electrolyte). Oxalic, glycolic and formic acids were the main intermediates detected during anodic oxidation of succinic acid on BDD electrode and carbon dioxide as the final product. The mean oxidation state of carbon reached the value of 4 at the end of electrolysis which is indicative of mineralization of almost all organics present in aqueous solution. The exponential profile of COD versus specific electrical charge has shown that mass transfer is the limiting factor for the kinetics of electrochemical process. A simple mechanism was proposed for the mineralization of succinic acid. First, hydroxyl radicals attack of succinic acid leading to formation of glycolic, glyoxylic, fumaric and maleic acids. Then, theses acids undergo rapid and non-selective oxidation by hydroxyl radicals to be transformed into oxalic and formic acids which leads to further oxidation steps to mineralize these acids into carbon dioxide and water.     

Histopathological alterations in the liver and intestine of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus exposed to long-term sublethal concentrations of cadmium chloride

Fingerlings of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus were exposed to 1.68, 3.36, and 5.04 mg/L cadmium(as CdCl2), which represent 10%, 20%, and 30% of their previously determined 96-h LC5 0. After exposure for 20 days, sections of the liver and intestine of treated fish were examined histologically. Histopathological changes varied from slight to severe structural modification, depending on the exposure concentration. The hepatic tissues of fish exposed to 10% LC 50 showed markedly increased vacuolation of the hepatocytes and coarse granulation of their cytoplasm. Abundant erythrocytic infiltration among the hepatocytes was observed in fish exposed to 20% LC5 0. In the intestinal tissues of fish exposed to all doses, goblet cells proliferated and were greatly increased in size, the longitudinal muscularis mucosa was disturbed and, in the crypts of the sub-mucosal layer, apoptosis increased, indicated by large numbers of degenerated nuclei. Large numbers of inflammatory cells and dilated blood vessels were observed in the intestine of the group treated with 30% LC5 0.     

Nitrate removal from water using UV-M/S2O4 2− advanced reduction process

In this work, a new process called advanced reduction process (ARP) was used for nitrate removal from water. This ARP process combines sodium dithionite as reducing agent with ultraviolet irradiation using medium pressure lamps (UV-M) as an activating method. Experimental results showed that UV-M/S₂O₄ ^2? process achieved almost complete removal of nitrate from aqueous solutions containing 25 mg NO₃ ^?/L using stoichiometric dose of dithionite of 68.8 mg/L at neutral pH conditions. Analysis of final products and material balance confirmed that NO₃ ^? ions were reduced to ammonium with formation of nitrite as intermediates in addition to the formation of small amounts of volatile species, mainly ammonia and nitrogen gas. Effects of certain experimental parameters including dithionite dose, initial pH, initial nitrate concentration, and UV light source on the kinetics and efficiency of nitrate reduction were evaluated. Increasing dithionite dose augmented the rate of nitrate reduction and enhanced the efficiency of ARP process. Dithionite doses higher than stoichiometric ratios led to complete removal of nitrate in shorter reaction time. UV-M/S₂O₄ ^2? process was found to be effective only under neutral pH or alkaline conditions, and its removal efficiency is negligible in acidic medium (pH < 4). Irradiation with UV-M was more effective than low pressure or narrow band lamps. These results can be attributed to the contribution of several mechanisms for nitrate reduction to ammonium. These include the following: direct photolysis, chemical reduction of nitrate dithionite, and mediated reduction of nitrate by free reducing radicals.     

Origin of spheroidal chert nodules, Drunka Formation (Lower Eocene), Egypt

Chert nodules of the Drunka Formation (Lower Eocene) are mostly spherical, have diameters from 40 to 120 cm, are quasi-uniformly spaced 2–3 m apart in the plane of bedding, have concentric internal structure and, except for rare small (<6 cm) solid chert nodules, are less than 85% chertified. Nodules formed after moderate alteration of limestone by meteoric water (δ¹⁸O_calcite = –4 to –8‰) at shallow (<100 m) burial depths; more extensive alteration of limestone (δ¹⁸O = –10 to –16‰) by meteoric water followed nodule growth. Chertification was by low-temperature meteoric water (δ¹⁸O_quartz = +18‰ in margins to +22‰ in nuclei) at shallow burial depths. Meteoric water may have invaded the Drunka Formation in association with shelf progradation during the Early Eocene, or during the development of a Middle Eocene unconformity. Replacement of carbonate mud by microcrystalline quartz was the dominant chertification process, but fossils were replaced in part by fine-grained equant megaquartz, quartzine and chalcedony; the last of these occurs in places as beekite. Opal A-secreting marine organisms are the inferred source of silica, but none are preserved. There is no compelling evidence of an opal-CT precursor, so quartz may have formed by direct precipitation. Self-organization processes of enigmatic character established the spacing pattern of the nodules and also the Liesegang-banded internal structure of the chert nodules. Nodules grew chiefly by diffusive supply of silica, although one locality has elongate nodules that grew when there was some porewater advection. Chertification patterns and δ¹⁸O values of both calcite and quartz indicate that nodule growth was complex and variable. Some nodules probably grew from the centre outwards. Many nodules, however, initially grew simultaneously across the entire nodule, but late-stage growth was predominantly at the outer margins or at selective internal sites.