Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

M. J. Daisy ¹, A. R. Raju ¹, M. P. Subin ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Sree Narayana College, Nattika-680 566, Distt. Thrissur, Kerala, IN

Abstract

In the present work, qualitative phytochemical analysis and in vitro antibacterial activity of the different component extracts of Acmella ciliata and lchnocarpus furtescens against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis were studied. Extracts were prepared in methanol and water. Antibacterial activity was compared with control and standard antibiotic ampicillin. Both the plant species exhibited antibacterial activity against the test pathogenic bacteria. However, methanolic leaf extracts of Acmella ciliata was found to have maximum number of bioactive components and highest zone of inhibition against both the test bacteria and therefore as per the present study, methanolic leaf extract of A. ciliata is indeed the potential antibacterial agent against B. subtilis and E. coli.

Keywords

Acmella ciliata, Ichnocarpus frutescens, Plant Extracts, Antibacterial Activity.

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C. T. Anitha ¹, M. P. Subin ¹, P. D. Sidhimol ¹, N. P. Krishnapriya ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Sree Narayana College, Nattika-680 566, Thrissur (Dt.), Kerala, IN

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution of soil is a significant environmental problem and has its negative impact on human health and agriculture. Treatment of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) with different concentrations of chromium (III) oxide (Cr₂O₃) decreased the germination and early growth of plants. This effect was dose-dependent and was more significant at higher doses of Cr₂O₃. Chromium trioxide application significantly retarded germination, morphological and biochemical parameters compared to untreated control plants. Application of Pseudomonas fluorescens reduced the inhibitory effect of Cr₂O₃ by increasing the germination vigour at various level of concentrations. These results help to understand possible use of Pseudomonas fluorescens in bioremediation.

Keywords

Toxic Effects of Chromium, Vigna unguiculata, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bioremediation.

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M. P. Subin ¹, Navya Reghu ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Sree Narayana College, Nattika-680 566, Distt. Thrissur, Kerala, IN

Abstract

The present study is aimed at evaluating the in vitro antimicrobial activity of different solvent extracts of Croton hirtus L'Her. against ten medically important bacterial strains namely Escherichia coli, Enterococcus sp., Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus subtili, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Proteus sp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial properties of shoot, ischolar_main and whole plant extracts of C. hirtus were investigated separately in methanol, ethanol, chloroform, acetone and water. Phytochemical screening reveals the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, phenols, glycosides, terpenoids, anthroquinone, saponins and cardiac glycosides. The methanol extract exhibited higher and wider range of activity against majority of the test organisms. The shoot methanol extracts recorded highest activity against Bacillus thuringiensis (13.67 mm ZOI and MIC of 600μg/mL), Bacillus subtili (13.83 mm ZOI and MIC of 600μg/mL) and Salmonella paratyphi (12.5 mm ZOI and MIC of 800μg/mL). The methanol whole plant extracts demonstrated highest activity against Salmonella typhi (13.33 mm ZOI and MIC of 700μg/mL) whereas methanol ischolar_main extracts demonstrated highest against Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.33 mm ZOI and MIC of 800μg/mL) and Enterococcus sp. (10.5 mm ZOI and MIC of 1000μg/mL). The performance of methanol extracts was followed by chloroform extracts. The chloroform whole plant extracts showed the highest activity against Escherichia coli (14.67 mm ZOI and MIC of 400μg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (12.67 mm ZOI and MIC of 800 μg/mL), whereas chloroform shoots extracts against Pseudomonas fluorescens (12.33 mm ZOI and MIC of 900μg/mL). The highest activity against Proteus sp. was recorded in shoot acetone extracts (10.67 mm ZOI and MIC of 1000μg/mL). Water and ethanol extracts demonstrated the least activity against the test bacteria.

Keywords

Croton hirtus Extracts, Pathogenic Bacteria, Antibacterial Activity, Phytoconstituents.

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C. J. Kamya ¹, A. R. Raju ¹, M. P. Subin ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Sree Narayana College, Nattika-680 566, Distt. Thrissur, Kerala, IN

Abstract

Methanol and water extracts of leaf, stem and ischolar_main of Euphorbia hirta Linn. and Tiliacora acuminata Miers. were screened for their phytochemical compounds and in vitro antibacterial activity against two medically important pathogenic bacteria namely Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Phytochemical screening reveals the presence of several phytoconstituents in both the plant species and many of these have been investigated scientifically for antimicrobial activity. In vitro antibacterial study was done using Agar Well Diffusion method, and the study reveals the methanol leaf extracts of E. hirta and methanol ischolar_main extracts of T. acuminata recorded highest activity against both the test organisms.

Keywords

Phytochemical Analysis, Antibacterial Activity, Pathogenic Bacteria, Plant Extracts.

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M. P. Subin ¹, V. A. Aneesha ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, Sree Narayana College, Nattika-680 566, Distt. Thrissur, Kerala, IN

Abstract

Five samples of home well water from various regions and one sample of water from Kerala Water Authority of Ernakulam district were collected and assessment of physico-chemical properties was made to see whether these water sources are satisfying the standards of drinking water. Parameters like pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, colour, odour, taste, turbidity, total hardness, total alkalinity, biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, calcium, chlorides, magnesium, sulphates, iron and nitrates were analysed. The investigation reveals that with the exception of water sample collected from Kerala Water Authority, all the home well waters have water quality problems. Therefore, it indicates that all the samples of home well waters in the present study are undesirable or otherwise unfit for human consumption.

Keywords

Well Water Quality, Drinking Water, BIS Standards.

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M. P. Subin ¹, C. T. Anitha ¹, P. D. Sidhimol ¹

Affiliations
1 Post Graduate Department of Botany, Sree Narayana College, Nattika-680 566, Thrissur, Kerala, IN

Abstract

In the present study, physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of different sources of surface and groundwaters in Tripunithura, a suburb of Ernakulam district, Kerala were determined during February 2011. The objective of the study was to asses the suitability of water for human consumption and other domestic purposes. Water samples from three different densely populated localities were collected and analysed for various parameters using standard methods. The physico-chemical parameters of home well water and pond water, with the exception of iron value in pond water, were satisfactory whereas bore well water and river water exhibited all the values as exceeding maximum permissible limit with a few exceptions of sulphate and dissolved oxygen in bore well water and nitrate in river water. The microbiological analysis revealed that with the exception of bore well water, all other waters fail to satisfy the prescribed standards set for drinking water. Therefore, the study revealed that the entire water samples investigated in the present study failed to qualify the prescribed standards for drinking water either in the physico-chemical aspects or in the microbiological aspects or both.

Keywords

Water Quality, Groundwater, Surface Water, Drinking Water Standards.

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