Emergent Life Sciences Research

Number 2, 2015

1-7
Nutritional Evaluation of Edible Freshwater Green Macroalga Spirogyra varians

Authors: Sawitree Tipnee, Rameshprabu Ramaraj, Yuwalee Unpaprom

Abstract

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Number of views: 776

Freshwater macroalgae are important sources of bioactive natural substances. Macroalgae accumulate specific secondary metabolites which are high value products that have applications in the cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical industries. Macroalgae Spirogyra is being used as nutrient dense foods and sources of fine chemicals. The freshwater alga Spirogyra varians, a filamentous charophyte, collected from the slow running stream, was identified on the basis of morpho-anatomical characters. In this study, a novel strategy that employs a single macroalgae S. varians grown in a natural habitat as a platform to produce pigments, protein, rich carbohydrate and lipid biomass, as desired, was introduced. The pigments, phenolic content and mineral composition showed the possibility of using them as food supplement for human. The total content of protein (% dry weight) ranged from 12.0 % to 24.4%; carbohydrate from 42.8% to 62.0% and lipid from 14.8% to 21.0%. Therefore, the study results suggested that S. varians, could be used for nutritional, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.

8-12
Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns and Sero-grouping of Salmonella Isolated from Clinical Specimens in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Authors: Ibrahim Ali Altayyar, Alsadig Mohammed Abdalla

Abstract

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Number of views: 738

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Salmonella serogroups isolated from patients attending Saad Specialist Hospital in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. A total of 222 Salmonella strains were isolated from different clinical specimens (Blood, Stool, Urine and Abscess) collected from children and adults, males and females. All specimens were collected from both in-patients and out-patients hospitalized in different wards at Saad Specialist Hospital in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Microbiological analysis of all clinical specimens was carried out by using standard methods. Slide agglutination tests were performed by using Salmonella anti sera (ProLab Diagnostic, UK) to determine serogroups of all the isolated and identified colonies of Salmonella. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns of all isolated Salmonella were determined by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method against 5 antibiotics. Results revealed that 123 (55%) Salmonella species were isolated from males and 99 (45%) from female patients of different ages, with no significant differences (P-Value = 0.188) and Stool specimens were the major source of Salmonella species 214 isolates (96.4%). A high percentage of Salmonella species, 136 (61.3%) was isolated from children aged between 1 to 15 years. The number and percentages were decreased gradually according to age with significant differences for isolates between different age groups. The highest number 104 (46.9%) was isolated from children of the age group 1-3 years old. All isolated Salmonella species belong to 8 serogroups (A 1.35%, B 18.9%, C 24.35, D 43.7%, E 9.5%, F 0.45, G 1.35% and R 0.45%). Serogroups B, C and D were isolated in higher percentages. All Salmonella isolates were tested for sensitivity against 5 antibiotics. Results revealed that all Salmonella species isolates were highly sensitive (>90%) to Ceftriaxone, Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin. Sensitivity to Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole and Ampicillin was 88.3% and 81.5%, respectively.

13-19
Evaluation of Fruit Peels for Some Selected Nutritional and Anti-Nutritional Factors

Authors: Archana Maniyan, Reshma John, Anu Mathew

Abstract

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Number of views: 737

Fruit peels are an important source of bioactive compounds including anti-oxidants and proteins. The objective of the investigations performed was to evaluate the peels of selected fruits for some nutritional and anti-nutritional components including Carbohydrates, Protein, Antioxidants, Protease, Tannin and Phytic acid. Sundried and finely ground fruit peels are subjected to various reactions in order to estimate the quantities of each of the desired components. In the results accomplished, highest carbohydrate content was found in Guava (75 mg/ml) followed by Pomegranate (55.2 mg/ml), Apple (37.15) and Banana (32.64 mg/ml). Highest protein concentrations were observed in Musk melon (1.6 mg/ml) followed by Passion fruit (1.33 mg/ml), Sapota (1.06 mg/ml) and Mango (1.06 mg/ml). Highest antioxidant activity was noted in Pomegranate (0.57%) and Mango (0.57%) followed by Grapes (0.53%), Apple (0.5%) and Guava (0.47%). Phytic acid content was highest in peels of Mango (0.22 μg/ml) followed by Sapota (0.17 μg/ml). High Protease concentrations were noted in Pomegranate (1.06 mg/ml) followed by Mango (0.3 mg/ml). Highest Tannin content was observed in Apple and Pomegranate (42.46 μg/ml) followed by Grapes (35.72 μg/ml). Society on the whole depends mainly on junk foods which ultimately lead to distressed lifestyle and poor health. So, many of these compounds under study are of special interest due to their ability to reduce the hazard caused by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. There are several constituents in fruit peels that can be utilized in more efficient ways and hence suggested not to be discarded. These findings will pave way for the readers of this journal to orient their food habits towards more healthy and nutritional foods as per their daily body requirements according to the profession they are engaged in.

20-25
Fatty Acid Profile Investigation of Blue Whiting Fish (Micromesistius poutassou) Flesh from Agbalata Market Badagry, Lagos West, Nigeria

Authors: Oluwakemi Yetunde Kolade

Abstract

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Number of views: 574

Fish meat possesses high nutritional value and is therefore a particularly recommended dietary component. Fish tissue is known as the main source for long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) supply, which positively influence human health. These PUFAs favorably improve lipid profiles and reduce the risk of coronary heart diseases (CHD). Thus, this study was carried out to determine the fatty acid composition in the flesh of Blue whiting fish (Micromesistius poutassou) brought from Badagry market, Lagos west, Nigeria using gas chromatographic method. A total of twelve different fatty acids were obtained in the muscle of Blue whiting fish. The composition of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was found to be 18.8%, 38.2% and 21.5%, respectively. Palmitic acid (C16:0) and erucic acid (C22:1w9) were identified as the major SFA and MUFA respectively. Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6w3) and eicopentaenoic acid (C20:5w3) had the highest levels amongst the PUFAs. Results show that blue whiting fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

26-34
Cypselas Diversity as Novel Taxonomic Marker in the Tribe Astereae (Family Asteraceae)

Authors: Tulika Talukdar

Abstract

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Number of views: 601

Despite the second largest tribe of the family Asteraceae and immense importance of morphology of cypsela for taxonomic delimitation at tribe level, no work has been done in this direction in the tribe Astereae. In order to evaluate taxonomic implication of cypselas features, diversity of morpho-anatomical features has been carried out in the tribe Astereae. Detail macro as well as micro-morphology and anatomy of cypselas of nine taxa including two species of Aster, two species of Conyza and one species each of Erigeron, Grindelia, Kalimeris, Solidago and Vittadinia of the tribe Astereae (Family Asteraceae) have been examined using Light Microscope. Experiments showed that surface characteristics like distribution arrangement, hair type, ribs and their number, pappus diversity and presence and absence of wing were taxonomically more important features in comparison to colour, size and shape of cypsela. Among anatomical features, mesocarpic characters like type of tissue (whether parenchymatous or sclerenchymatous), their distribution pattern, and nature of testal layer were found to be significant for the tribe Astereae. Finally, involving all these cypselas features an artificial key to the studied species is constructed. The key based on morpho-anatomical fearures could be used as reference key to identify taxa of the tribe Astereae solely based on its cypsela in absence of their flowering stage.

35-40
Effect of Water Quality on Phytoplankton Abundance in Selected Ponds of Nedumangad Block Panchayat, Kerala

Authors: Asha M.S. Nair, J.K. Reshma, Anu Mathew and Aswathy Ashok J.A

Abstract

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Number of views: 562

The present study was carried out to analyze the plankton diversity of 36 selected ponds in Nedumangad Block Panchayat. It is crucial to observe the physico-chemical features of a water body for different term investigations as the survival and activity of organisms depends on the environmental characteristics of that water body. Plankton analysis showed the presence of phytoplankton belonging to the class Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and zooplanktons found are Zoea larvae and Mysis larvae of prawn. Moreover, phytoplankton reflects the water environmental condition at the time of growing and sampling.Phytoplanktons are greatly affected by ecological conditions like salt stress, temperature, pH, biological oxygen demand and other environmental factors. The plankton abundance was calculated for 10 selected ponds. Carl Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated for abundance with pH, EC, DO and temperature. Abundance depends on the temperature variations and levels of DO as they are positively correlated while abundance does not have any interdependence on both the EC and pH as they are negatively correlated. Results of plankton abundance of various ponds at Nedumangad as studied in the present investigation clearly shows that the water is not good for human consumption and also struggling for their existence. Algal analysis thus showed that water quality of the pond has reached at threshold level and therefore, it needs some corrective measures to maintain the water chemistry of the pond and this will help the society to get an awareness of the quality of the water they are using for daily consumption and thereby rectify the present condition.

41-46
Experimental Investigation of Biogas Production from Water Lettuce, Pistia stratiotes L.

Authors: Rungtawan Pantawong, Ajcharapa Chuanchai, Parichat Thipbunrat, Yuwalee Unpaprom, Rameshprabu Ramaraj

Abstract

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Number of views: 772

Biogas production through anaerobic digestion (AD) has emerged as one of the renewable energy production technology of choice because through AD biogas as a renewable fuel. The current study focused on the feasibility of biogas production from water lettuce, Pistia stratiotes L. water lettuce contains 49.4% carbohydrates, 16.5% protein, lipid 3.6%, fiber 17.8% and ash 23.8%, and furthermore these compositions are an ideal feedstock for biogas production. The fresh water lettuce was harvested after that dried then powdered before fermentation in mesophilic batch reactors. Experiments were carried out as batch runs in laboratory-scale digesters with the addition of inoculums. Total gas yield was 9667.33 mL, during 45 days digestion time. The maximum methane content was reached 66.35%. Based on these results, water lettuce is very suitable as a substrate for biogas production.

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Study of Physicochemical Parameters in Selected Ponds of Athiyannoor Block Panchayat, Kerala

Authors: Aswathy Ashok J.A, Reshma John, Anu Mathew, Rajesh Raghunath, Asha M.S. Nair

Abstract

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Number of views: 483

The present study was carried out in 37 ponds of 5 panchayaths within Athiyannoor Block in Thiruvananthapuram dist., Kerala, India. Water samples were collected from the ponds for the analysis of physico-chemical parameters. The physico-chemical factors have great importance in defining the trophic status of aquatic habitats. The gathering of different types of pollutants and nutrients through the municipal effluents, and agricultural activities in to the ponds makes alterations in the physico-chemical features of fresh water. Present work was conducted to examine water quality of Athiyannoor pond due of its prominence in ground water recharging, irrigation and drinking purposes. The temperature varied between 26.5 and 29.6˚C, EC between 49.19 and 517.70μS, the value of pH ranges between 4.51 and 7.7. The values observed were not within the acceptable range (6.5-8.5) of WHO for natural waters, DO was found to be between 10.96mg/L and 0.62mg/L. Outcomes of physico-chemical factors of numerous ponds studied in the present investigation clearly showed that the water is not good for human consumption. So there is an immediate need of restoration, improvement and proper management of these underground water bodies for the human and environment.