Search

Excessive emission of sulfur dioxides from the combustion of coal and other fossil fuels for thermal and industrial purposes has been associated with serious environmental hazards. Biodesulfisation (BDS) can be an effective approach for reducing the impact of toxic gases to its inbuilt operational feasibility under ambient environmental conditions. In the present research, two strategies for BDS of a standard organosulfur compound such as dibenzothiophene (DBT) were investigated under laboratory conditions. In the first treatment, the role of different surfactants such as Tween-20, Tween-80, SDS, and EDTA on the desulfurization of DBT was investigated by the application of bacterial consortium IQMJ-5. In the second treatment, Iron oxidenanoparticles were synthesized and immobilized on the surface of bacteria cells. Shake flask experiments were conducted with immobilized cells, surfactant amended immobilized cells, and control or noncoated cells. Among different surfactant treatments, Tween-80 was found to be the most effective surfactant, showing maximum desulfurization activity at a concentration of 5 g/L. The transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that produced nanoparticles were spherical in shape with a size of about 46 nm and had a stoichiometric ratio of 55.85% and 44.15% between O and Fe, respectively. The nanoparticle treatment enhanced the DBT desulfurization process up to 11.37% as compared to the control, specifically when immobilized cells were used. Therefore, it was concluded that nanoparticles treatments with immobilization of the bacterial cells enhanced the desulfurization rate of DBT under ambient reaction conditions and provide a sustainable alternative for commercial coal BDS.

In recent study, 15 taxa of family Poaceae from Dera Ghazi Khan were investigated for morphological characterization of seeds. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to study morphological features of grass seeds. Moreover, economic importance of studied taxa has been discussed in present research. Grass seeds or caryopsis were collected in their mature state from different areas of Dera Ghazi Khan. Collected caryopses were subjected to SEM to investigate surface sculpture, epidermal cell shape, and cell wall patterns. Caryopsis shape observed was elliptic to oval. Also, the morphology of plant is being investigated. Cell wall pattern observed was straight and wavy. Surface sculpturing varies from smooth to reticulate. Epidermal cell shape was either wavy or irregular. Hilum position is terminal in all species. Epidermal cell structure and cell wall pattern was not observable in some species. Major variations among studied taxa were observed in terms of seed surface pattern. Five types of caryopsis surface pattern were observed namely, striate, smooth, reticulate, papillate, and granulate. Investigated taxa illustrated variations in terms of studied morphological features. Utilization of SEM has been proved very helpful in exploring seed morphological features. These observed features can aid in delimitation and identification of various grass taxa. Recent research recommends the utilization of SEM for caryopsis morphology to solve the identification issue of problematic grass genera.

The present study is focused on the detailed foliar epidermal anatomy of some selected wild edible fruits (WEFs) from Pakistan using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The studied species are Ficus racemosa L., Solanum nigrum L., Capparis spinosa L., Physalis divaricata D.Don, Rosa moschata Herrm. and Ribes orientale Desf. collected from various localities of Pakistan. The objective of the present study is to investigate qualitative and quantitative anatomical characters for the identification and differentiation of collected wild edible fruits. The characters studied are shape and size of epidermal cells, anticlinal wall pattern, trichome type and shape, average number of stomata, length and width of stomata and pore. The detailed microscopic investigation and variations in the characters recorded have a key role in the determination and authentication of wild edible fruits. This study possesses great potential for plant taxonomists to further evaluate the species at molecular and genetic levels.

In recent study, 13 taxa of subfamily Panicoideae were investigated for morphological characterization of caryopsis. Light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were utilized to study macro- and micro-morphological caryopsis features respectively. Caryopsis size in studied taxa was recorded as 1.5-10 mm long and 1-4 mm wide. Caryopsis color was brown, green, yellow, and whitish-brown. Caryopsis shape studied was obovate, elliptic, linear oblate, and round shallowly obtriangular. Hilum position is grooved and depressed. Caryopsis compression type was lateral and dorsiventral. Major variations among studied taxa were observed in terms of caryopsis surface pattern and epicuticular projection types. Six types of caryopsis surface pattern were observed viz. scabrate, rugose, striate, reticulate, papillate, and scabridulous. Structures such as silica cells, bulges, spines, prickles, granules, and bicellular microhair were studied as epicuticular projections. Major variations were observed among Cenchrus pennisetiformis and Cenchrus ciliaris as both has entirely two different types of surface patterns and epicuticular projections. Anticlinal wall thickness and pattern as well as periclinal wall texture and level were investigated. The present research work emphasized on caryopsis characterization of subfamily Panicoideae and it is recommended to establish phylogeny within subfamily Panicoideae and with other subfamilies of Poaceae.

Pollen morphology of 10 species and foliar epidermal anatomy of eight species of Papilionaceae from Skardu valley, northern Pakistan has been estimated for the first time. The present study was commenced with an aim to provide a detailed account of the pollen morphology by scanning electron microscopy and foliar epidermal anatomy by light microscopy. The pollen aperture was tricolporate with reticulate exine in the selected species. Stomata types are actinocytic, paracytic, and anomocytic. Irregular or polygonal with undulate or straight walls, epidermal cells were reported. A unique diversity was observed in the foliar trichomes that show the taxonomic significance of the discrimination of taxa. Non-glandular trichomes were observed in the selected species which are unicellular with thin, long and pointed apical cells. Pollen and foliar micro morphological characters proved to be helpful for the identification of taxa at a specific level.