RHIZOSPHERE MICROBES AS BIOSORBENTS FOR HEAVY METAL REMOVAL

Intense industrial activity in the twentieth century, particularly in developing nations, has resulted in significant environmental pollution, resulting in a vast number and variety of polluted sites that pose a threat to the surrounding ecology. Metal pollution has become one of the most serious environmental problems today as a result of human activities such as metal mining and smelting, electroplating, gas exhaust, energy and fuel production, fertilizer, sewage and pesticide application, municipal waste generation, and so on (Kabata-Pendias and Pendias, 2000). Most plants are affected by an excessive buildup of heavy metals. Heavy metal ions are disproportionately absorbed by roots and translocate to shoots when present at high levels in the environment, resulting in decreased metabolism and growth. In recent years, phytoremediation has gained a lot of market acceptance. Phytoremediation technology appears to be a potential cleanup solution for a wide range of metal-contaminated locations, albeit it does have limitations, according to preliminary study. The rhizosphere is a biologically active zone of the soil around plant roots that contains soil-borne microorganisms including bacteria and fungi. Plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere can be advantageous to the plant, the microbes or to neither of them.

Congestive heart failure in a male with "carcinoma tongue": a case of mistaken identity.

We present a case of primary amyloidosis with macroglossia and restrictive cardiomopathy, that was mistakenly diagnosed as carcinoma of the tongue. He had characteristic echocardiographic findings, and bone marrow plasmacytosis but with normal serum electrophoresis and no Bence Jones proteins in the urine.

Post-trauma electrocardiogram mimicking myocardial infarction.

A case of roadside accident victim is discussed who had electrocardiographic changes of hypothermia wrongly interpreted as "evolving myocardial infarction", which completely reverted after increasing core body temperature.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with secundum atrial septal defects.

BACKGROUND. Experience in Vellore suggests that pulmonary arterial hypertension develops at an earlier age in Indian patients with secundum atrial defects than it does in westerners. We examined the haemodynamic data on patients with secundum atrial defects to determine whether this was also true in Delhi. METHODS. We analysed the data on 461 patients with secundum atrial defects, grouping them according to their pulmonary (Qp) and systemic (Qs) flow rates as well as the ratio of pulmonary to systemic systolic pressure (Pap/Sap) into 4 groups: [table: see text] RESULTS. There were 8 (2%) patients in group 1, 282 (61%) in group 2, 124 (27%) in group 3, 28 (6%) in group 4a and 19 (4%) in group 4b. Of the 19 patients in group 4b, 6 (1%) were below 20 years of age and 13 (3%) above 20 years. CONCLUSION. Our findings indicate that obstructive pulmonary arterial hypertension does not develop early in patients in Delhi.