One of the promising alternatives to conventional wastewater remediation processes is the Fenton process, which has been emerged as widely applicable water purification strategy. The current project was focused on the development of an economical, highly efficient, non-selective and easily applicable degradation method for the recalcitrant micro-pollutants, present in wastewater. The degradation method, based on heterogeneous Fenton reaction, has been successfully applied using different metal ferrites and their graphene oxide composites. Graphene oxide (GO) was prepared using modified Hummer’s method while Graphene oxide based metal ferrites (GO-MFe2O4, where M = Fe3+, Co2+, Mn2+ and Ni2+) were prepared by one-pot-hydrothermal co-precipitation method. The as-prepared composites were morphologically and chemically characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The composites were checked for their catalytic potential against degradation of persistent organic micro-pollutants such as pesticides, present in water bodies. Different influencing factors, such as pH, oxidant dose, catalyst dose, pesticide load and irradiation time, were also optimized in order to enhance pesticide’s degradation. All of the catalysts exhibited remarkable pollutant’s degradation potential in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, under UV light irradiation. Three insecticides, widely used in Pakistan, were selected as model pollutants viz. acetamiprid, carbofuran and nitenpyram. For comparative purposes, metal ferrites alone (without GO) were also catalytically investigated. Under optimal conditions, acetamiprid and nitenpyram were degraded about 90% using magnetite, GO-magnetite, cobalt ferrite, GO-cobalt ferrite, manganese ferrite, GO-manganese ferrite, nickel ferrite and GO-nickel ferrite within 60 minutes of irradiation. On the other hand, approximately 80% degradation of carbofuran was achieved using all metal ferrites and their composites. Furthermore, the study concluded that GO assists in remediation of aquatic pollutants by acting both as supportive catalyst immobilization material and electron transporter between the two catalytic active sites. Thus, GO indirectly promotes ≡M3+/≡M2+ cycle and also avoids e-/h+ pair recombination by capturing and transporting the electron. At optimized conditions of pH, doses of Fenton’s reagent (various catalysts and oxidant), irradiation time and pollutant load, ultrasound assisted photo-Fenton process degraded all the pollutants (acetamiprid, carbofuran and nitenpyram) more than 95% within a very short time span. This was confirmed with the help of UV/Vis spectra. The magnetic property of catalysts enabled their easy recovery xiii from the aqueous medium by applying external magnetic field. Suitable kinetic models, as a function of operating conditions were also proposed for wastewater remediation process. Major potential factors that affect the pesticide degradation were investigated statistically by applying Central Composite Design (CCD – a type of RSM). Statistical analysis helped in evaluating the interactions among controlling parameters such as pH, oxidant dose and pollutant load. The response surfaces revealed that highly acidic pH, moderate oxidant dose and lower pollutant load favored the enhanced pesticide’s degradation. The reusability of the catalysts was also studied up to five cycles. It has been observed that heterogeneous catalysts can be reused multiple times without substantial decrease in the degradation potential. The outcome of the study is to fabricate novel, effective, magnetic, durable and economically feasible catalysts. The project also concluded that graphene oxide and ultrasound assisted strategy played a vital role in enhancing the degradation potential of heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts.
Upbringing of children is a significant job which is carried out at homes, day care centers, formal and informal schools or institutions. Proper and socially acceptable change in the behavior of young children is needed in every society as per the social, cultural, regional and religious requirements. Different viewpoints are expressed in this regard especially about the use of corporal punishment in upbringing of children. This viewpoint is supported by some people while opposed by other at the same time. Islamic and Bible literature also provides guidance on this subject. The current paper deals with the Corporal punishment of children from the Islamic, Bible and contemporary points of view. Keywords: Bible, Islam, Contemporary Era, Corporal Punishmen
Housefly, Musca domestica L. is a cosmopolitan insect pest responsible for causing nuisance, food spoilage and act as a vector of many pathogenic diseases in man and animals. Insecticide resistance in M. domestica is becoming a major concern therefore alternative control measures are getting importance. Entomopathogenic fungi provide the potential for the management of M. domestica due to its natural prevalence in M. domestica populations. Keeping in view the importance of this pest and potentials of entomopathogenic fungi for its management following experiments were conducted. The virulence of different local isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae (Metschnikof) Sorokin and Isaria fumosorosea (Wize) Brown and Smith on M. domestica was evaluated by two bioassay techniques i.e., immersion and bait method for both larvae and adults. Data evidently showed a broad range of concentration dependent response on both stages (larvae and adults).In addition, due to the lower LC50 values and shorter lethal time B. bassiana (Bb-01), M. anisopliae var. anisopliae (Ma-4.1) and I. fumosorosea (If-03) proved to be the most virulent isolates against the housefly larvae and adults. In addition, fungal infections reduced the survival of housefly regardless of their sex and decreased the egg production in females. The effect of concentration and exposure time of entomopathogenic fungi, B. bassiana (Bb-01, Bb-08), M. anisopliae var. anisopliae (Ma-2.3, Ma-4.1) and I. fumosorosea (If-03) isolates were evaluated for M. domestica survival. B. bassiana, M. anisopliae var. anisopliae and I. fumosorosea have shown to infect and reduce the survival of M. domestica with a concentration dependent response for all the tested fungal isolates. Moreover, longer exposure to higher concentrations resulted in maximum reduction in M. domestica survival. B. bassiana (Bb 01) and M. anisopliae var. anisopliae (Ma-4.1) isolates proved to be more pathogenic to M. domestica than other isolates. The effect of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae var. anisopliae and I. fumosorosea in combination with some synthetic insecticides (acetamiprid, bifenthrin, emamectin benzoate, fipronil, imidacloprid and lufenuron) against M. domestica was assessed using a bait method. Flies showed concentration dependent response and insecticides i.e. acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, imidacloprid and lufenuron showed higher mortality in combination with insect pathogenic fungi than expected with significantly synergistic interactions. Application of fungi and insecticides mixtures showed a noteworthy reduction in adult longevity, fecundity, egg hatching, percent pupation and pupal weight, while larval and pupal durations were prolonged (P<0.05). In addition, the combined effects of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae var. anisopliae and I. fumosorosea with insecticides (chlorpyriphos, deltamethrin, endosulfan and profenophos) were evaluated against M. domestica using the bait method. M. domestica showed a wide range and concentration dependent response towards combined treatments of fungi and insecticides i.e. deltamethrin and endosulfan showed higher mortality in combination with entomopathogenic fungi than expected with significant synergistic interactions. Further, the combined effects of fungi and insecticide mixtures showed a significant effect on the biological parameters including longevity, fecundity, percent hatching, larval duration, percent pupation, pupal weight and duration of M. domestica and its progeny, except for adult emergence and sex ratio. Supplementing, effectiveness of nine different insecticides (acetamiprid, bifenthrin, chlorpyriphos, deltamethrin, emamectin benzoate, fipronil, imidacloprid, lufenuron and profenophos) were evaluated for their impacts on biological and biochemical parameters of M. domestica with the aid of bait method. Adult M. domestica showed a wide-ranging and concentration dependent response towards insecticides. Calculated LC10, LC30 and LC50 of insecticides showed impact on biological aspects i.e., longevity, fecundity, hatching percentage, pupation percentage pupal weight, pupal period, adult emergence and sex ratio of M. domestica. In addition, enzyme activity at LC10, LC30 and LC50 of insecticides showed elevated levels of total glutathione S-transferases (GST), total esterases (EST), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), acid and alkaline phosphates activities. Moreover, impact of B. bassiana, M. anisopliae var. anisopliae and I. fumosorosea isolates on life history traits and detoxification enzymes activities of M. domestica were evaluated. Baits were incorporated with LC10, LC30 and LC50 concentrations as treatment levels and concentration dependent response was observed with significant reduction in adult longevity, fecundity, pupal weight and pupal duration (P<0.05). However, hatching percentage, larval duration, pupal percentage, adult emergence and sex ratio were non-significantly different after fungal application in the progeny. Fungal application resulted in elevated levels of total GST, total EST, acid and alkaline phosphatases. In addition, suppressed activity of AChE was observed after fungal treatment at 0.05% significance level. The combination of B. bassiana and imidacloprid was investigated against a susceptible and a resistant M. domestica population. Fungus and insecticide were tested alone and in combinations at LC30. Significant synergistic interactions between B. bassiana and imidacloprid were observed with increased mortality rates of the combined treatment as compared to individual treatment in housefly strains 772a (susceptible) and 766b (resistant). Significant differences in the GST and P450 activities for both strains were found. Female 766b flies caused 15- to 237-fold increases in gene expression of xenobiotics for B. bassiana and 23- to 120-fold changes for imidacloprid. B. bassiana, M. anisopliae var. anisopliae and I. fumosorosea derived toxic crude proteins were evaluated against M. domestica survival. A significant effect was observed on the survival of M. domestica with isolates Bb-01, Ma-4.1, and If-03 which showed maximum percent mortalities exhibiting a concentration and exposure time based response. The crude protein concentrations i.e., 8 and 10 mg/mL caused the maximum mortality (100.0%) of M. domestica population in 2.1 to 3.8 days. In addition, the lowest exposure of duration (96 hrs) of houseflies to B. bassiana (Bb-01) crude protein (10 mg/mL) caused 100.0% mortality of tested population as compared to other isolates.